Morning Buzz, December 9, 2004

NHL & NHLPA TO HOLD FIRST CBA NEGOTIATIONS IN THREE MONTHS

The NHL and NHLPA will hold discussions today at the league office in Toronto, where the union is expected to make a new CBA proposal. The TORONTO STAR notes that today’s meeting is the first negotiating session in three months. The NHLPA’s proposal is expected to include a “substantial luxury tax” – reportedly $0.75 on the dollar on every payroll of more than $40M. The union is also likely to propose a 10% pay cut across the board (TORONTO STAR, 12/9).

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly, Devils President, CEO & GM Lou Lamoriello, four owners and two attorneys will represent the league in the negotiations. NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow, Senior Dir of Business Affairs Ted Saskin, seven players and two attorneys will represent the players (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/9).

NHLPA President Trevor Linden: “We are very confident our proposal will provide a basis to end the owners’ lockout and resume NHL hockey with a new [CBA] that can work for owners and players.” Bettman: “I think our positions are very clear, and I don’t think it would be constructive to engage in speculation as to what the offer may or may not be” (USA TODAY, 12/9).

ARBITRATOR TO DECIDE WHETHER STERN’S SUSPENSIONS WERE JUST

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that arbitrator Roger Kaplan today will decide if NBA Commissioner David Stern’s suspensions of Pacers Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O’Neal and Anthony Johnson were “proper or excessive.”  The league has refused to participate, preventing Stern from being called as a witness.  All four players are expected to attend the hearing at a N.Y. law office. Even if Kaplan “rules for the Pacers, the NBA players’ union would have to go to federal court to implement the decision” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/9).

NEGOTIATIONS ON REPLACEMENT FOR GIANTS STADIUM TO BEGIN SOON

NEWSDAY reports that negotiations between NJSEA and NFL Giants execs over financing for a project to replace Giants Stadium could begin today or tomorrow. The proposed stadium would be located either west or southeast of the current site in the Meadowlands. The Giants envision the stadium “including about 200 luxury suites, thousands of premium seats and other revenue-generating amenities,” as well as possibly a retractable dome, which could help attract a Super Bowl (NEWSDAY, 12/9).

BRITISH GRAND PRIX MOVES BACK ON TO F1 SCHEDULE WITH LATE DEAL

The LONDON TIMES reports that Silverstone, which hosts the F1 British Grand Prix, will “clamber on to the Formula One calendar for next year when a deal with Bernie Ecclestone is announced today.” British Minister for Sport Richard Caborn “helped to broker a deal that will include some financial help in the form of a tax break that could be worth up to [US$9.6M] for the circuit. But it is likely to be for one year only and not the seven originally demanded by Ecclestone” (LONDON TIMES, 12/9).

TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…

Which ESPN exec looks to the branding at JetBlue for inspiration, and counts the “This Is SportsCenter” spot featuring the NHL Rangers drinking from the Stanley Cup and displaying that they all have a cold sore in the same place as her favorite in the memorable series? To find out, read today’s Sports Industrialists section of The Daily.

MORNING BRIEFS

Asked about Walt Disney’s talks with the NFL about renewing contracts for ABC and ESPN, Disney President & COO Robert Iger said, “It’s been a cornerstone of sorts for ABC over the years, but we’ve said for a long time that economics were a consideration as well.” Iger said retaining NFL games on ESPN is “a priority” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 12/9).

New Orleans has been “eliminated from consideration for the 2009 Super Bowl because of unresolved money and stadium issues between the Saints and the state.”  The city is still seeking the 2010 game (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 12/9).

New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday said of the proposed West Side stadium shortly after Gov. George Pataki signed legislation authorizing expansion of the Javits Center, “The jury is still out on the stadium. … I’m looking to be convinced that it’s the right thing to do for the city – plain and simple” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/9).

Female sprint car driver Erin Crocker next season will drive an Evernham Motorsports entry in three ARCA races and three NASCAR Busch Series races (USA TODAY, 12/9).

A memorial service for Teddy Ebersol will be held December 16 at the Washington Montessori School in Washington, Connecticut (USA TODAY, 12/9).

Baseball America will name the Twins the organization of the year in its next issue (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/9).

ESPN today will announce that ESPN Deportes will simulcast the Dale Earnhardt movie "3" with subtitles on Saturday, making it the first ESPN original movie to be televised on the Spanish-language net (THE DAILY).

ATTENDANCE WATCH

A crowd of 15,549 attended yesterday’s Mexico-U.S. women’s soccer match, which was the final int’l match for Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.  Fawcett did not play due to a back injury (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/9).

NFL BLACKOUT WATCH: JAGUARS LIKELY TO BE BLACKED OUT

NFL teams must sell the remaining tickets to Sunday’s games by 1:00pm local time today to avoid a blackout, and the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION reports that Sunday’s Bears-Jaguars game is “all but assured of being blacked out on local television because the Jaguars still had 6,500 non-premium seats available Wednesday afternoon. The team does not plan to ask for an extension” of the deadline (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/9).

The Chargers are likely to avoid their fifth blackout of the season, as the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports that about 1,000 tickets remain to Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers at Qualcomm Stadium (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/9).

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	Newsday

TODAY’S EVENTS

Street & Smith’s Sports Group’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum concludes today at the Westin N.Y. in Times Square. CSTV co-Founder & Exec VP Chris Bevilacqua, CBS Sports Senior VP/Programming Mike Aresco, ESPN Senior VP/Programming Len DeLuca and Fox Sports Networks Exec VP/Network Development & Rights Acquisitions David Rone will discuss programming costs, rights fees and the cost of going digital, among other topics. Other session topics include “The New Frontier: Looking for the Next Big Revenue Source” and “Sponsors Speak Out: A Stakeholders Perspective.” View today’s full agenda.

Washington Sports & Entertainment Chair Abe Pollin will speak at the Potomac Officers Club’s monthly luncheon at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, at 11:00am ET.

The Univ. of Minnesota Board of Regents will discuss a prospective on-campus football stadium and ballpark during its regularly-scheduled meeting (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/9).

“Fox Sports Radio Fan Jams,” a CD comprised of various stadium anthems, goes on sale nationwide. Portions of the proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

E! will begin filming the reality show “Gastineau Girls,” which features former Jets DE Mark Gastineau’s ex-wife, Lisa, and daughter, Brittny. The show debuts February 1 (N.Y. POST, 12/9).

IN OTHER NEWS….

NEWSDAY reports that shares of Sirius Satellite Radio, “which have more than tripled in the past four months on news of signing Howard Stern and the hiring of veteran executive Mel Karmazin, lost nearly a quarter of their value yesterday after downgrades by two analysts.” Sirius shares fell $2.11, or 23.5%, to $6.90 per share (NEWSDAY, 12/9).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Cabinet.”

“He’s been both the youngest and the oldest U.S. Secretary of Defense in history.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

NBC’s Jay Leno: “After heavy campaigning by the President, Congress has finally passed the Intelligence Bill. Do you know how Bush got it to pass? It was very clever. He told everyone on the committee the Intelligence Bill had a treasure map on the back. … There was more bad news for baseball today. It turns out Pete Rose has been betting on whether or not Barry Bonds used steroids. … Senator John McCain thinks that Congress might have to step in to control the use of steroids in sports, and baseball Commissioner Bud Selig agrees. Is this Congress’ number one priority now, baseball players? Did we win the war? Is that over? Is the global warming thing solved? … Experts say that steroid use can result in something called steroid rage which is very dangerous. It can cause baseball players to start acting like basketball players. … Today it’s official. Five Indiana Pacers had arrest warrants filed against them for that brawl last month: five Pacers players, or as the Michigan State Penitentiary is calling them, the Dream Team” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/8).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who is Donald Rumsfeld?”

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dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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