Morning Buzz, November 8, 2004

DC COUNCIL CHAIR PROPOSES BALLPARK ADJACENT TO RFKSTADIUM

The WASHINGTON POST reports that DC Council Chair Linda Cropp today will discuss herproposal for a publicly-funded ballpark adjacent to RFK Stadium with councilmembers. Cropp has said that her plan “wouldcost the District 20[%] less than” Mayor AnthonyWilliams’ proposal to build the ballpark along the AnacostiaWaterfront. The council on Tuesday willvote on the ballpark’s future, and Cropp said that if neither plan is approved,it “would not necessarily doom the District’s deal to bring” the Expos to thecity (WASHINGTONPOST, 11/8).

The WASHINGTON TIMES notes that Mayor Williams today will“appear on several local broadcast outlets [and] hold a general pressconference” before making a public address tonight on the city’s cable channel(WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/8).

CANON INKS MARIA SHARAPOVA

Canon this morning announced a multiyear endorsement dealwith Maria Sharapova. The partnership includes global advertising,retail promotions and events. The N.Y.POST reported that the deal is the “first of several announcements in thecoming weeks” for Sharapova. Canon alsosponsors the U.S. Open (N.Y. POST, 11/7).

TIGER SEEKING $75,000 FROM CHRISTENSEN SHIPYARDS IN LAWSUIT

USA TODAYnotes that Tiger Woods’ lawsuitagainst Christensen Shipyards for using “Woods’ name and a picture of his yachtfor financial gain, even though the shipbuilder agreed to stop doing so,” todaygoes before U.S. District Judge WilliamZloch in Ft. Lauderdale. The lawsuit claims more than $75,000 indamages (USATODAY, 11/8).

NEW LEASE DEAL WOULD KEEPANGELS SPRINGTRAINING IN TEMPE

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that theTempe City Council will vote today on proposals to extend the Angels’ leaseagreement for Tempe Diablo Stadium until 2025. The proposal to “renovate the aging stadium and create four lighted ballfields by 2006” is a reversal of the team’s plan to move its spring trainingfacility to Goodyear. Under theagreement, Tempe“would issue $20[M] in bonds for stadium improvements. The Arizona Sports & Tourism Authoritywould reimburse $12[M] plus interest on the bonds. The cost to Tempewould be $8[M], plus interest” (ARIZONAREPUBLIC, 11/8).

RED SOX NATION SELLING CITIZENSHIP CARDS NATIONWIDE FOR $5

The BOSTON HERALD reported that the Red Sox today beginselling $5 memberships to Red Sox Nation, with members receiving discounts onspecial team merchandise and “memento offerings, anything from caps andT-shirts to desk calendars.” Red Sox andMLB execs are “planning a national ad campaign to sell Red Sox Nation citizenshipcards to Sox faithful around the country.” Red Sox VP/Public Affairs CharlesSteinberg said that the cards “are a way of gauging how many fans there arebeyond the Sox hotbed of New England” (BOSTONHERALD, 11/6).

Meanwhile, the Red Sox World Series Championship exhibitopens today at the Baseball HOF in Cooperstown, New York (Red Sox).

MORNING BRIEFS

NASCAR execs are expected to announce this week that theywill lift the ban on hard liquor sponsorships, beginning next season (USA TODAY, 11/8).

Comcast over the weekend announced a carriage agreement withAltitude Sports & Entertainment to carry it on its standard cable serviceto more than 680,000 customers in Colorado(Comcast).

The Astros and Rockets are expected to announce newbroadcast agreements with FSN Southwest, ending their efforts to establish anRSN (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 11/8).

Kobe Bryant’s accuser is considering filing a civil suitin California,because the state has no limits on financial damages awarded. Civil juries in Colorado “can awarddamages of no more than $366,000 for pain and suffering, and the total amount aplaintiff can win is about $2.5[M]” (L.A.TIMES, 11/8).

FIFA President SeppBlatter is supporting Manchester United fan group Shareholders United’s“opposition to Malcolm Glazer’sattempts to buy the club – though he insists he cannot use his position ofpower to intervene directly” (IrelandOn-Line.com,11/7).

Lance Armstrongon Saturday told French newspaper L’Equipe, “I don’t know if I will be at thestart of the next [Tour de France]. There are a lot of other things I would like to do in cycling beforeretiring. So I tell myself 2005 could bea good year to do these (other races)” (AP,11/7).

Arlingtoncity manager Chuck Kiefer, “who wasinstrumental in negotiating the Cowboys stadium deal, announced his resignationFriday.” Kiefer will participate in thefinal negotiations on the master agreement which must be completed by year’send (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM,11/6).

Steelers broadcaster MyronCope was taken to Presbyterian Hospital during halftimeof yesterday’s Eagles-Steelers game for treatment of a head injury. Cope “was having trouble communicating duringthe broadcast” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 11/8).

Henry-Griffitts has filed suit in U.S. District Courtalleging patent infringement against Titleist, Cleveland Golf and TaylorMade (Henry-Griffitts).

Louisville Slugger manufacturers Hillerich & Bradsbynetted nearly $2M Saturday during their auction of baseball memorabilia at theLouisville Slugger museum. The moneywill help the museum pay for future acquisitions (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 11/7).

ATTENDANCE WATCH

For the secondconsecutive game, the Steelers set a Heinz Field attendance record with a crowdof 64,975 in attendance yesterday as the club defeated the NFL’s lastundefeated team, the Eagles (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 11/8).

The Hockey Hall ofFame Legends Classic on Saturday drew 15,000 fans to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto (PHILADELPHIADAILY NEWS, 11/8).

ACC COMMISSIONER JOHN SWOFFORDNAMED EXEC OF THE YEAR

The Atlanta Sports Council on Friday distributed its 4^thannual Horizon Awards, which recognize excellence in 12 sports businesscategories. The following details someof the winners (Atlanta Sports Council):

WEEKEND RAP

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

• Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, on T’Wolves F Latrell Sprewell complaining about the team offering him only $10M a year: “You’re right Spree, $10[M] a year doesn’t buy what it used to, especially if in addition to some kids, you’ve got a dog or two, which I believe you do. All of us in the greater ‘Sports Reporters’ family can feel your pain. We all really, really resent the disrespect the T’Wolves are extending you. … Stand up for your rights, Spree. We’ve all got your back.”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on the D’Backs firing manager Wally Backman only days after hiring him: “Wally Backman says he’s made mistakes in his life and has learned from them. The one that cost him his dream job – a managing job with the Diamondbacks – was not telling the rank amateurs who hired him about those previous mistakes when they interviewed him. … They apparently did a drive-thru background check on Backman mostly based on the honor system. … Do you think those clerks in Arizona would have vaporized him this way if he were Randy Johnson? They’d have him in counseling and they’d be telling him, ‘See you in spring training, big guy.’”

• N.Y. Times columnist William Rhoden, on Penn St. head football coach Joe Paterno: “Get with the program Penn State fans: let Joe Paterno walk away from coaching on his own terms. … He’s earned the right to choose when and where he will make his exit, and trust me, if Paterno doesn’t make the right decision, Father Time will make it for him.”

• ESPN’s John Saunders: “Kobe Bryant’s part in the departure of Phil Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal is the most selfish thing I’ve ever seen, because in his effort to be the man, he’ll be hard-pressed to make the playoffs. … Shaq immediately makes the Heat something the Lakers are not: a title contender. So Kobe, I hope you enjoy being the man in L.A., but as far as the rest of the league goes, you’re still number two” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 11/7).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• Lakers Exec VP Jeanie Buss, on her father & Lakers Owner Jerry Buss and her boyfriend, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson: “I’m not the first woman whose boyfriend and father don’t get along. … I’m now the national spokesperson for not mixing business and pleasure” (L.A. TIMES, 11/7).

• The Charlotte Observer’s David Poole: “I was watching NBC this weekend, and I noticed they promoted (Sunday’s) race, and here’s what they said: the 24 , the 48 and the 8 were going to be here this weekend racing, … and I got to thinking, doesn’t that leave somebody out? Oh yeah, there’s a guy who’s leading the points race, Kurt Busch.” The Winston-Salem Journal’s Mike Mulhern: “Must not have much name recognition up in New York” (“Pit Bull,” Speed Channel, 11/6).

• Lupica, on the feud between Eagles WR Terrell Owens and Ravens LB Ray Lewis: “The one difference between Owens and Ray right now is that Owens is not overrated” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 11/7).

• ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said 49ers head coach Dennis Erickson has “confided to friends that maybe getting fired isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The state of the 49ers disorganization that Erickson inherited when he took the job is now spilling over to the locker room” (“Sunday NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 11/7).

• Fox’s Terry Bradshaw, on the Redskins hiring Joe Gibbs as head coach: “He brings credibility and respectability, [but] I do believe it was a mistake” (Fox, 11/7).

THE BACK PAGES

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

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News	Newsday

TODAY’S EVENTS

MLB GMs will meet this week in Key Biscayne, Florida, withFriday being the “first day teams can negotiate with other clubs’ free agents”(FT. WORTHSTAR-TELEGRAM, 11/7).

“Family Feud” begins NASCAR Week, with NASCAR driversleading their racing families.

The 3^rd annual Sports Management Conferencepresented by Insight begins at the Westin Harbour Castle Toronto. A 3:00pm ET panel discussion, “The Media’sRole in Sports,” will be moderated by Former Canucks President & GM Brian Burke. Panelists include The Score reporter James Cybulski, Boston Globe reporter Kevin Dupont, Toronto Globe & Mailcolumnist David Shoalts and RogersSportsnet commentator Jody Vance.

ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza” this morning began a week-long serieson the evolution of sports radio.

Former NHLer WillieO’Ree, the first black player in the league, will continue his ten-cityhockey clinic tour with a 3:30pm ET visit to Bear Mountain State Parkin Bear Mountain, New York.

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…..

Thisweek’s cover story examines the 20 most influential people in sports media,with ESPN/ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer atop the list.

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers “Four More Years,” while NEWSWEEK examines “Untold Story.”

The N.Y. POST reported that an official credit card of New York City, a“revenue-generating idea advanced by city officials last month, … is not tobe.” N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg: “There wasn’t enough money in it and it didn’tmake any sense, and there’s a lot of competition for credit cards” (N.Y. POST, 11/6).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that News Corp. has “adopteda ‘poison pill’ aimed at blocking any hostile advances by Liberty Media Corp.or anyone else.” The plan came “justdays after Liberty Media … bought the right to nearly double its voting stakein News Corp. to about 17%.” Under theplan, if someone buys more than 15% of News Corp.’s voting stock, the buyer“would be massively diluted because all other shareholders would be able tocheaply buy extra News Corp. shares” (WALLSTREET JOURNAL, 11/8).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Literature.”

“In early drafts, the heroine of this novel was named Pansyand her family home was called Fontenoy Hall.”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman:“The New York City Marathon is a 26-mile route that goes through all fiveboroughs. It’s the same route that cabdrivers take from La Guardia to Midtown. … They say now that Attorney General John Ashcroft may be steppingdown. Apparently, he wants to spend moretime spying on his family. … Here’s good news: John Kerry is enjoying a three point concession bounce. … Al Gore is sorry he didn’t run againbecause he was watching Kerry Wednesday night, and he said, ‘Well, that couldhave been my concession speech.’ … Now that the election is over, Dick Cheney’s lesbian daughter has beenreleased from Guantanamo.… President Bush was re-elected andtoday he hit the ground vacationing. Onelection night, Bush only got two hours of sleep but don’t worry, he’ll nap throughintelligence briefings” (“Late Show,”CBS, 11/5).

NBC’s Jay Leno:“President Bush announced another round of tax cuts. Not for the whole country, just Ohio. … This is kind ofsad: John Kerry went wind surfing today and nobody cared. Kerry has lost his Secret Serviceprotection. It’s gone but the good newsis he still has his wife’s Brink’s truck guard. … Today, a reporter askedPresident Bush if his agenda would be bi-partisan and he said, ‘I thought Imade it clear, I’m against gay marriage.’ … There’s all kinds of rumors goingaround that Yasser Arafat is eitherdead or seriously ill. That’s when youknow you’ve got a bad HMO – when they can’t tell if you’re dead or justseriously ill. … Workmen down in Arkansasare putting the finishing touches on the BillClinton presidential library. … It’s a Hooters with a magazine rack” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 11/5).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 2:00am ET edition of “SportsCenter” led with Eagles-Steelers, followed by whetherthe Steelers are the best team in the NFL and Patriots-Rams.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the $70.7M debut for PixarAnimation Studios’ “The Incredibles” is the second biggest animated filmopening in history behind DreamWorks’ “Shrek 2,” which opened to $108.3M. “The Incredibles” also generated the largestsingle-day gross for the distributor, with $29.4M on Saturday. The estimated total for the top 12 films is$136.2M, down 5% from last year’s comparable session. The total for all films is forecast to be inthe low-to-mid $140M area, down from last year’s $153.4M (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 11/8).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What was ‘Gone With the Wind?’”

If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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