Morning Buzz, October 18, 2004

49ERS OWNER PLEDGES TO PAY FOR MORE THAN HALF OF NEW HOME

The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reports that 49ers Owner John York on Sunday revealed that “plans are in the works for a new home at Candlestick Point” costing $550M, with the team and an NFL loan covering $450M of the cost.  York indicated that the full plan would be “finished, and publicly disclosed, sometime before the 2005 season” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/18).

IRVING CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ECONOMIC STUDY FOR STADIUM

The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reported that the Irving City Council today will discuss a city-commissioned study by Turnkey Sports that concludes a new Cowboys stadium in Irving “would have a $51[M] annual economic impact on the city.” The study contrasts an Economics Research Associates study, which states that a new Arlington stadium would generate $238M a year (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/16).

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will speak during a 9:00am ET breakfast hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce at the Arlington Convention Center. The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports that the speech “kicks off a week of campaign events planned by both sides of the issue to generate publicity and get out information to help sway undecided voters.” Arlington voters will decide on November 2 whether to help pay for a Cowboys stadium (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/18).

ESPN BREAKING NEW NBA AD CAMPAIGN WITH GAME SHOW THEME

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that ESPN today will break its new NBA ad campaign, via Wieden & Kennedy, with “players and on-air talent facing off in a 1950s-style game show.” The effort includes two 30-second and two 15-second spots and will “run on ESPN networks, but there will be no off-channel buy.” A print campaign will ask questions about the NBA, above copy that reads “NBA Shootaround. The show with all the answers.” Players appearing in the campaign include Richard Jefferson, Ray Allen, Elton Brand, Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and Chris Webber (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/18 issue).

DC GROUP ASKING FOR INVESTIGATION OF MAYOR’S BALLPARK PLAN

The WASHINGTON TIMES reported that government watchdog group DCWatch today will file a request for the DC Office of Campaign Finance to “investigate whether the use of city employees to solicit letters of support” for Mayor Anthony Williams’ $440M ballpark proposal constitutes an ethics violation. According to DC Code, city workers and resources “cannot be used to support or oppose a candidate, an initiative, a referendum or a recall measure” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 10/16).

The WASHINGTON TIMES also reported that MLB VP/On-Field Operations Bob Watson is “the front-runner to be named General Manager” of the Expos. Watson was the first African-American to become GM of an MLB team when the Astros hired him in ’93 (WASHINGTON TIMES, 10/17).

NAMING RIGHTS MAY BE USED TO HELP FUND PAULEY RENOVATIONS

The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reported that UCLA today will meet with design architects over renovation of Pauley Pavilion, and university officials “expect soft cost estimates” for the project will be $50-70M. Although the priority “would be to fund the project through private donations,” UCLA AD Dan Guerrero said that the university “would consider the prospect of selling corporate naming rights to help fund construction” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/17).

EAGLES CONTINUING YOUTH INITIATIVE TODAY WITH KIDS WEB SITE

The PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS reports that Eagles today will launch a Web site “designed exclusively for kids. Part of a three-prong youth initiative – the first was the creation of an online kids club – the Web site will offer kids a unique peek at their favorite team and players.” Eagles Senior VP/Business Operations Mark Donovan: “We want to create a fan identity with kids when they’re young.” Next season, the Eagles will launch a Saturday morning animated TV show (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 10/18).

MORNING BRIEFS

Buccaneers Owner Malcolm Glazer today confirmed to the London Stock Exchange that he has increased his stake in Manchester United to 25.5% (AP, 10/18).

With one-year left on their radio contract, the Mets and WFAN-AM “have been negotiating a new deal.” Sources told the N.Y. DAILY NEWS that WFAN has put “two proposals on the table. One is a straight rights-fee deal, likely at a dollar figure less than the Mets are now receiving.” The other proposal is a time buy (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/17).

The local TV blackout for Sunday’s Vikings-Saints game was lifted Friday, extending the Saints’ streak of consecutive sellouts to 34 (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/16).

A blackout for Sunday’s Broncos-Raiders game also was averted as a “late rush of buyers snapped up most of the remaining 3,000 tickets” on Friday (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/16).

The Astros will apologize to Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty and manager Tony LaRussa “for the Minute Maid Park Jumbotron operator’s decision to display the tantrum reliever Julian Tavarez threw after the seventh inning Sunday” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/18).

ATP Tour Madrid Masters organizers will “dispense with ballboys and ballgirls and replace them with female models” for this week’s event (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 10/18).

ATTENDANCE WATCH

A crowd of 17,900 attended yesterday’s NBA China Games finale between the Kings and Rockets. The teams split their two contests (CHINA DAILY, 10/18).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL notes that a Bank of America sign appears on a scoreboard in the recently released film “Friday Night Lights.” However, the movie is set in 1988, a decade before BofA was created in NationsBank’s acquisition of BankAmerica (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/15 issue).

WEEKEND RAP

The following are excerpts from the panelists’ “parting shots” on Sunday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters”:

• Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan: “Because of Kobe Bryant, the Lakers no longer have the dominant player in basketball and the most successful coach of the past 40 years. The Lakers are all about Kobe now, which is exactly what he wants. Okay Laker fans, happy rooting.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Roy Johnson, on the Heisman Trophy race: “Thankfully, 2004 is the year of the running back, the position that requires speed, power and heart, not just golden boy looks and a Popeye arm. … For the first time ever, a freshman’s name should and will be inscripted on Heisman’s famous trophy. That name will be Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson.”

• Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom, on the NFL telling Broncos QB Jake Plummer he could not wear the No. 40 sticker on his helmet to honor Pat Tillman: “Once again the NFL can’t see the forest for the trees. What Plummer was doing should have been celebrated, not scolded. … In its blind devotion to discipline, the league missed the common sense value of making an exception for Tillman’s memory. After all, Tillman was an exception.”

• ESPN’s John Saunders, on former MLBer Ken Caminiti, who died last week: “Caminiti battled drug and alcohol demons during his career, and without the high of baseball, they worsened. Friends and family described him as extremely competitive, but with the heart to give a stranger his last dollar. Those friends saved his life while he was still playing, but couldn’t do much when he was not. Drug culture, unfortunately, is part of American culture, but somehow it seems worse when it beats someone with so much to give” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 10/17).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• ESPN’s Chris Berman, on the lack of offense by the Redskins: “Washington better get moving because for the first time in over 30 years, ‘Skins fans might actually start looking forward to the baseball season” (“Sunday NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 10/17).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News	Boston Herald

TODAY’S EVENTS

The approximately 800 members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams will visit President Bush at the White House, and SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL notes that budget concerns “prompted USOC management to consider, albeit briefly, a reduced travel squad for the visit, which costs about $400,000 if the entire delegation travels.” Also, the USOC has been “bickering with the Bush-Cheney campaign over its refusal to shelve an anti-John Kerry animated parody titled ‘Flip Flop Olympics’” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/18 issue).

The National Stock Car Racing Commission will hear Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s appeal of the $10,000, 25-point penalty NASCAR levied on him for cursing during a post-race interview on NBC (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 10/17).

The Int’l Court of Arbitration for Sport this week will release its final decision on whether U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm keeps his Gold Medal from the Athens Games.

A nine-day auction of the Barry Bonds’ 700^th home-run ball will begin on Overstock.com.

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…..

This week’s cover story examines the NFL’s pursuit of a franchise in the L.A. area, which may be delayed by a year due to stadium sites falling behind schedule.

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers “The God Gene,” while NEWSWEEK examines “The Battle Over Stem Cells.”

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Activision and Nielsen Entertainment “separately plan to announce today further developments in their joint effort to develop systems for measuring the reach of videogame advertisements. They have signed up DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group unit as part of a test involving several hundred game players to measure how often they view and how they interact with in-game ads” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/18).

A Univ. of Michigan study released on Friday reports that consumer sentiment fell in early October to its lowest point in 18 months. NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker said that the reports “point to a so-so holiday for tech, with year-over-year growth” of 3-5% (USA TODAY, 10/18).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Famous Pairs.”

“They first teamed up in 1974; one a quiet Latin teacher and the other a former Clown College student.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “Last weekend was the annual Cat Show at Madison Square Garden. There was one awkward moment when the finalists were heckled by a gang of New York City rats. The winning cat was actually disqualified when it turned out to be a squirrel with a queer makeover. … One week ago today, Martha Stewart went to prison. It’s funny how time flies, and sadly there’s already been some trouble for Martha Stewart in prison. Earlier today in the cafeteria, she was shoved over a sprig of cilantro. Every night Martha’s been at her cell window timing the searchlights. … The presidential debates are over, and they’re so dull that CBS has ordered 13 more episodes. But it‘s exciting now as we’re coming down to the elections and they’re just around the corner. All that’s really left is the last minute tinkering with the voting machines in Florida. … Half of the Viagra that’s sold on the Internet is fake. Thank God, I thought it was me” (“Late Show,” CBS, 10/15).

NBC’s Jay Leno: “A woman producer at Fox is suing Bill O’Reilly for sexual harassment. I guess one of the allegations was he had phone sex with her on a cell phone. That sounds like a bad Verizon commercial. … What did Dick Cheney’s daughter say to Bill O’Reilly when he called? You got the wrong number. … President Bush boasted the other night that elections were held in Afghanistan over the weekend and he said the first voter was a 19-year-old woman. She was also the seventh voter, the 12th voter, the 20^th voter. … Some people are now saying that the questions at the end of the debate the other night actually helped John Kerry because they made him look more human. Well that and taking the bolts out of his neck. … Kerry got his flu shot, and out of force of habit, the doctor gave him the shot between these two wrinkles in his forehead. … Men’s Health Magazine has just named Detroit the nation’s sexual disease capital. Gone from Motown to Hotown and they did it the hard way: without Courtney Love” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 10/15).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 2:00am ET edition of “SportsCenter” led with Yankees-Red Sox ALCS Game Four, followed by Seahawks-Patriots and Cardinals-Astros NLCS Game Four.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that DreamWorks’ “Shark Tale” joined “The Passion of The Christ” as the only films this year to hold the top spot for three consecutive weekends. Altogether it “was a disappointing weekend at the box office” with the estimate for the top 12 films coming in at $89.4M, down 13% from the comparable session last year. The total for all films is forecast to be in the mid-to-high $90M area, down from last year’s $113.6M (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/18).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who are Penn and Teller?”

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