| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | Brett Yormark Leaving NASCAR For Third Stint With Nets, This Time As CEO |
| • | Yankees And Mets Today Will Share Spotlight For Free-Agent Introductions |
| • | Hall Of Fame Racing’s Plans To Enter NASCAR Delayed Until ’06 Season |
| • | Mariners Extend Sponsorship Deals With A-B, Boeing, Redhook And U.S. Bank |
| • | Theo Epstein And Peter Gammons Display Musical Skills At Jimmy Fund Event |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
BRETT YORMARK LEAVING NASCAR TO REJOIN NETS AS CEO
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily
Brett Yormark, one of NASCAR’s biggest rainmakers in recent years, is leaving the stock car circuit to join the Nets as CEO. NASCAR staffers were told about Yorkmark's departure yesterday, at which time they were informed that "no quick decisions" would be made about his successor. For the 38-year-old Yormark, the move is his third position with the Nets, as he started his professional career as an Account Exec in ’88 and later rejoined the franchise in ’94 as VP/Sales.
Yormark joined NASCAR in ’98 as Dir of Sponsorship Sales and developed the company’s corporate marketing office in N.Y., eventually rising to VP/Corporate Sponsorship on the basis of impressive corporate sales. Yormark helped grow NASCAR’s N.Y. office with a spate of deals that included the record $750M title sponsorship by Nextel and Sunoco’s subsequent official fuel deal.
YANKS, METS SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT FOR FREE-AGENT INTRODUCTIONS
The Mets will introduce the newest member of their team, Carlos Beltran, during an 11:00am ET press conference, while the Yankees are scheduled to unveil Randy Johnson at 2:00pm ET. The Newark STAR-LEDGER notes it is the first time in their four-plus-decade history together in N.Y. that the teams “will hold blockbuster press conferences on the same day” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 1/11).
As the Mets also will have press conferences with Beltran tomorrow and Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Puerto Rico, respectively, Mets Senior VP/Media Relations Jay Horwitz: “People involved in [Beltran’s] party just can’t be there after [today]. We had conversations with the Yankees. It wasn’t like we weren’t aware of the situation. We explained to them that we really had no choice but to do it [today] for a lot of reasons.” NEWSDAY reports that Yankees execs “did not officially acknowledge until nearly 6:00pm yesterday that they would even hold a news conference today. They declined to comment on logistics or the Mets’ event” (NEWSDAY, 1/11).
Meanwhile, the N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Johnson had run-ins with two cameramen yesterday, one with WCBS and one with the Daily News. After the video was broadcast by WCBS, Johnson issued a statement that read in part, “I hope that everyone will understand that the past few days have been a bit overwhelming and I wish I had handled the situation differently” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/11). Johnson will appear on CBS' "Late Show" tonight and "Live! With Regis & Kelly" tomorrow.
View images and a video clip of the altercation involving WCBS.
MEINEKE TAKING OVER CONTINENTAL TIRE'S BOWL TITLE SPONSORSHIP
Raycom Sports will hold a 9:00am ET news conference today to announce that the Continental Tire Bowl will become the Meineke Car Care Bowl in a three-year deal with Charlotte-based Meineke Car Care Centers. The game is played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte (THE DAILY). Two sources familiar with the deal said that the deal is worth more than $1M per year (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/11).
HALL OF FAME RACING’S ENTRY INTO NASCAR DELAYED UNTIL ‘06
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that the HOF Racing team owned by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach will not field a NASCAR entry until the ‘06 season. Anticipated to debut in '05, the team was delayed after NASCAR refused to approve a primary sponsorship deal HOF had with a communications company because of conflicts with Nextel’s title sponsorship. The team, which has a working relationship with Hendrick Motorsports, was also set back after the Hendrick plane crash in October (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/11).
FINANCIAL ISSUES PLAGUING JULY’S FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The TORONTO STAR reports that FINA execs will meet today in Montreal with the organizing committee for the swimming world championships, which are scheduled for July 17-31 in Montreal. The event is “in danger of being canceled, or perhaps moved to another city, due to financial troubles that include a shortfall of about $8[M] in sponsorship revenue. A decision is expected by January 18” (TORONTO STAR, 1/11).
MORNING BRIEFS
The Mariners yesterday signed three-year extensions of their sponsorship deals with Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, Redhook and U.S. Bank. All four of the renewals include signage at Safeco Field, sponsorship of in-game programs, retail promotions and promotional giveaways (Mariners).
The NCAA Div. I BOD yesterday approved the Academic Performance Rate (APR), which will be used to measure the classroom performances of individual teams. Teams with a projected graduation rate below 50% will be subject to penalties based on the APR (NCAA).
Showtime is “working with John Ridley on a movie about the steroids scandal surrounding” Giants LF Barry Bonds. Based on Jonathan Littman’s Playboy article, “Gunning for the Big Guy,” the film focuses on how Bonds “became involved in one of the most far-reaching steroids controversies in American sports” (DAILY VARIETY, 1/11).
The U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association yesterday rejected the USSF’s demand that the union submit its entire CBA to binding arbitration. The players also submitted a counterproposal calling for mediation (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/11).
Pro Sports & Entertainment, which owns the rights to the Millrose Games, yesterday announced that the event will be run as scheduled February 4 at MSG. The event was left without a title sponsor when Verizon chose not to renew last month. PSEI CEO Paul Feller, on the search for a title sponsor: “We are in negotiations” (NEWSDAY, 1/11).
King County (WA) Superior Court Judge Michael Spearman yesterday denied the Univ. of Washington’s motion for summary judgment and dismissal of former UW football coach Rick Neuheisel’s wrongful termination lawsuit. Spearman on Friday will announce his decision on a similar motion from the NCAA (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 1/11).
The Supreme Court declined yesterday to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling, ending nearly 5 ½ years of litigation resulting from the resignation of 22 MLB umpires in ’99. Gary Darling, Bill Hohn, Larry Poncino, Larry Vanover and Joe West will receive pay for September ’99 and the ’00 and ’01 seasons. They were rehired as part of a settlement of their suit in February ’02 (USA TODAY, 1/11).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
In a review of Sunday’s “Hot Stove, Cool Music” benefit for the Jimmy Fund, the BOSTON GLOBE’s Steve Morse writes Red Sox Senior VP & GM Theo Epstein “set the musical tone by stepping up strongly in an appearance with fellow Bostonian Bill Janovitz. They tore through Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ and did several tunes from Janovitz’s still-beloved band Buffalo Tom.” ESPN’s Peter Gammons “showed some impressive vocal and guitar chops during a climactic set backed by Janovitz, the Gentlemen and Paul Barrere of Little Feat” (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/11).
CBS’ “Late Show” last night spoofed NBC’s counter programming to the NFL on CBS, ABC and Fox over the weekend. The video read, “NBC’s Counterprogramming to the NFL Playoffs,” with the video announcer saying, “Welcome back to Century 21 presents Kenny Loggins On Ice” (“Late Show,” CBS, 1/10).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:
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| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Daily News |
| | |
| Philadelphia Daily News | Newsday |
TODAY’S EVENTS
Richard Petty and NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield will join Dodge execs in unveiling the new Charger Nextel Cup car at Daytona Int’l Speedway (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/1).
Ten years ago today, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow “emerged from 18 hours of negotiations with an agreement that ended a lockout of 103 days and salvaged part” of the ’94-95 season (ST. PAUL PIONEER-PRESS, 1/11).
IN OTHER NEWS….
USA TODAY notes that CBS yesterday fired CBS News Senior VP Betsy West, “60 Minutes Wednesday” Exec Producer John Howard, Senior Producer Mary Murphy and “CBS Evening News” Producer Mary Mapes for their roles in last fall’s disputed story about President Bush’s National Guard service. The dismissals do not include Dan Rather, who reported the story and has since announced his retirement, or CBS News President Andrew Heyward, who supervised all involved (USA TODAY, 1/11).
A recent Publishers Information Bureau report shows that the magazine industry last year “recorded its first growth year since 2000, ending the year up 11.1[%] in revenue to $21.4[B], while pages were up 3.8[%] to 234,387.” Ad pages and ad revenue experienced eight consecutive months of growth across the board (N.Y. POST, 1/11).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that major terrestrial-radio companies, including Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting, yesterday launched an anti-satellite radio campaign, via DeVito/Verdi, N.Y., that features Avril Lavigne and Ludacris with the tagline, “Radio – you hear it here first”. The companies plan to devote an estimated $28M of airtime for the promotion (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/11).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “20th Century Authors.”
“This Russian-born author and scientist who died in 1992 said, ‘I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.’”
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS’ David Letterman: “My mom is in a great mood and I’ll tell you why. The Colts won over the weekend, which made mom very happy, and also Brad Pitt’s available. ... Apparently, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt are separated, and until further notice, Regis Philbin will be filling in. ... Somebody was saying they thought this was the problem, that Brad Pitt got caught having phone sex with Angelina Jolie and I know that’s trouble. I tried that once and nearly drove off the road. ... Heavy rains continue in Los Angeles and everyone was close to their radios listening for awards show closings. ... Good news for the New York Mets. They signed Carlos Beltran to a $119[M] contract. So I guess beers at Shea Stadium will start around $35, $40. ... Now this proves that the Mets can compete with the New York Yankees when it comes to hiring overpaid disappointments. ... This will now keep the Mets in the pennant race until May or June” (“Late Show,” CBS, 1/10).
NBC’s Jay Leno: “I’ll tell you how bad it’s been raining in Los Angeles. Today on Hollywood Boulevard, I saw a pimp on a jet ski. In fact, women in Beverly Hills were getting sand bag implants. Driving in this morning, I found Nemo. ... It was so cold in Beverly Hills, even people who didn’t have Botox had frozen faces. It was so cold, Scott Peterson told his cell mate, ‘Okay, just this one time.’ ... Kobe Bryant of the Lakers is promising to donate $1,000 for each point he scored in a game this week for tsunami victims, and he’s going to donate another $1,000 every time he scores with a girl from room service. ... After scoring a touchdown in a playoff game against Green Bay, Vikings receiver Randy Moss mimed pulling down his pants and mooned the crowd, and I thought, ‘That’s why they call it the end zone.’ A lot of people are very upset about this, except for Fox because that’s the most tasteful thing they’ve done in years. ... The fittest city in the United States is Seattle. The fattest city is Houston. ... In fact, their baseball team is now known as the ‘Big Astros’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/10).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Shows On The New Gay Cable Network” (“Late Show,” CBS, 1/10).
| 10) “Everybody Loves Raymond...Especially Steve.” |
| 9) “CSI: San Francisco.” |
| 8) “Inside the Actor’s Studio Apartment in the West Village.” |
| 7) “Law & Order: Special Antiquing Unit.” |
| 6) “King of Queens.” |
| 5) “Desperate Houseboys.” |
| 4) “Stone Phillips – Unleashed.” |
| 3) “Malcolm in the Middle.” |
| 2) “My Wife and Kids...Have No Idea.” |
| 1) “Press the Meat.” |
LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Vikings-Packers | Vikings WR Randy Moss’ TD celebration; Colts-Patriots |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Vikings-Packers | Vikings WR Randy Moss’ TD celebration; Packers QB Brett Favre |
| ESPN | 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” | Lakers-T’Wolves | Yankees P Randy Johnson; Kings-Magic trade |
| FSN | “I, Max” | NFL playoffs | Vikings WR Randy Moss’ TD celebration; Jets and Rams |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who was Isaac Asimov?”
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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