| • | MLB Winter Meetings: Economy Could Deter Free-Agent Signings |
| • | Economic Discussions High On The Agenda At NHL BOG Meetings |
| • | Dolphins-Bills Game In Toronto Draws Sellout Crowd Of 52,134 |
| • | CBS Earns Highest-Ever Overnight For SEC Football Championship |
MLB WINTER MEETINGS LIKELY TO FOCUS ON TRADES AMID FREE AGENCY SQUEEZE
 |
Many Execs Feel Economy Will Have
Little Effect On Size Of Ramirez' Contract |
The MLB winter meetings begin today at the Bellagio in
Las Vegas, where the effect of the current economy "could start to manifest itself by what happens -- or doesn't happen" -- in terms of free-agent signings. While upper-tier free agents "will get their money," the riches "might not trickle down quite as robustly to the more mundane of the 171 free agents." A stall in signings "could nudge the trade market into prominence" (
SEATTLE TIMES, 12/8).
Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi: "I think the big guys are probably still going to get deals, but I don't know, it's a pretty shaky and scary economy right now" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL). Rangers Assistant GM Thad Levine: "I believe the effects of the economy will be real and widespread. That being said, I expect the elite free agents to receive contracts consistent with years past" (DENVER POST, 12/7).
But with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig touting the league's revenues of $6.5B this season, agent Scott Boras said, "There's a lot of hay in the barn for teams to deal with. I don't think our industry operates as a short-term reflection of our economy" (L.A. TIMES, 12/8).
ECONOMIC CONCERNS AT THE FOREFRONT AS NHL BOG MEETINGS GET UNDER WAY
The two-day NHL BOG meetings will begin today in Palm Beach, Florida, featuring presentations from U.S. and Canadian experts on the "gloomy economic prognosis for the next 12 to 18 months." Owners will hear that the NHL is "likely to hold the line on the salary cap next year" for the first time since the '04-05 lockout. Other issues expected to be addressed are the "question of revenue sharing" and "expansion to Europe and possibly Southern Ontario" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/8).
In his address to the governors, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will "try to send out a message of caution" regarding the economy's effect on the CBA and the salary cap. Prudent cap management will "likely be the emphasis" of his message. TSN execs also will address the BOG this week (TORONTO STAR, 12/8).
Meanwhile, Senators President & CEO Roy Mlakar will propose that the league look at a November 15 "drop-dead date" for unrestricted free agents to "sign or have to sit out the season." One Eastern Conference team exec said it would be "a tough change to make without approval from the NHLPA" (EDMONTON SUN, 12/7).
DOLPHINS-BILLS GAME IN TORONTO DRAWS WELL, DOES NOT LIVE UP TO HYPE
The Dolphins yesterday defeated the Bills 16-3 at Toronto's Rogers Centre before an announced sellout crowd of 52,134. The GLOBE & MAIL's Stephen Brunt writes, “There were certainly scattered patches of empty seats (truth is, you’d see more at any Miami home game), but the stadium felt and looked full for all intents and purposes. So it certainly wasn’t the disaster for organizers some had predicted” (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/8).
The TORONTO SUN's Steve Simmons writes while the game was "the most talked-about, most promoted, most hyped football game" in the city’s history, all there was "left at the end was a sense of ambivalence." The game "angered people in Buffalo. It angered people in Toronto. It cost Rogers Communications all kinds of money. And it entertained almost no one." The game "had a corporate Super Bowl feel to it" (TORONTO SUN, 12/8).
CBS' OVERNIGHT FOR FLORIDA-ALABAMA UP 73% FROM '07 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
CBS' coverage of Florida's 31-20 win over Alabama Saturday in the SEC Championship football game earned an overnight rating of 10.4/21, up 73% from last year's 6.0/12 for the comparable LSU-Tennessee contest. This year's overnight marks the highest ever for the game since its debut in '92 and the highest-rated regular-season college football game on CBS since a 10.6 for USC-Notre Dame in '89 (CBS).
TRIBUNE CO. COULD FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION AS SOON AS THIS WEEK
The Tribune Co. is "preparing for a possible filing for bankruptcy-court protection as soon as this week,” according to sources. The move is a “a sign of worsening trouble for the newspaper industry" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/8). The economic climate has "hampered the company's attempts to sell assets, in particular the Cubs, at a premium price to help it cover accelerated debt payments next year" (L.A. TIMES, 12/8).
ATP WORLD TOUR BOD SET TO INTERVIEW FINALISTS FOR TOP POSITION
The ATP World Tour BOD will meet this week in N.Y. to interview the final candidates to replace outgoing Exec Chair & President Etienne de Villiers. Sources said that the two "leading contenders" are former French Open Dir Patrice Clerc and former Nike VP/Global Sports Marketing Adam Helfant. There are also "two top insiders" vying" for the job: ATP CEO of the Americas Mark Young and ATP Int'l Group CEO Brad Drewett (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/8 issue).
GOLF CHANNEL GETS ITS OWN HD FEED AFTER SHARING SPACE WITH VERSUS
Golf Channel today gets a dedicated HD channel after sharing air space with Comcast-owned Versus. Golf Channel HD is expected to be in 12.5 million homes by January, and officials for the service said other deals “are pending that could add another 3 million homes.” Under the shared channel arrangement, Golf’s HD presentation “had been limited to daytime hours, with Versus events in primetime.” Golf Channel plans to offer 750 hours in HD during ’09 (MULTICHANNEL.com, 12/6).
SPEED READS….
The logo for the 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four, to be played at the Alamodome, was unveiled Friday. It “pays tribute to Texas ... and the rich history of San Antonio, with a single five-point white star embedded within the ‘O’ of the word ‘Four’ in the design” (
NCAA.com, 12/5).
The inaugural all-star game for Russia's KHL will be held outdoors in Moscow's Red Square in January, pitting Team Jagr against Team Yashin (TORONTO SUN, 12/7).
Wood Brothers Racing will run only 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in '09. Team co-Owner Eddie Wood said that "tough economic times have forced the organization to enter only the ... Daytona 500 and mile-and-a-half tracks" with driver Bill Elliott (ESPN.com, 12/6).
The World Baseball Classic runs different full-page ads in both USA Today and the N.Y. Times, both with the copy, "Behind every play, a nation." The N.Y. Times ad prominently features Mets P Johan Santana in his Venezuela team uniform (THE DAILY).
QUICK HITS….
“Welcome to the American dream, a billionaire using public funds to construct a private playground for the rich and powerful” – Springfield billionaire Montgomery Burns, at the opening of his state-of-the-art arena for his professional basketball team (“The Simpsons,” Fox, 12/7). For more from last night's episode, see today's issue of THE DAILY.
“All that CFL seemed to rub off on the Bills” – NBC's Keith Olbermann, on the Bills' poor performance against the Dolphins in their game in Toronto ("FNIA," NBC, 12/7).
“It feels like a clean slate, a new beginning, and I finally feel like I really earned it” – Michelle Wie, on earning her LPGA card by finishing tied for seventh at LPGA Q-School (N.Y. TIMES, 12/8).
“I don’t have to have jets and all those things but it’s something that’s been nice. I’m going to enjoy it as long as I can” – NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, on possibly having to fly commercial on occasion due to the economy’s effect on teams (FOXSPORTS.com, 12/8).
“If he does retire, God bless him and we should thank him for what he’s done for boxing” – Promoter Bob Arum, on Oscar De La Hoya, who lost Saturday to Manny Pacquiao before an announced crowd of 15,001 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas (ESPN.com, 12/7).
“Pacquiao’s victory had ended an era in boxing that spanned more than 10 years and was the personal domain of a great boxer known as the Golden Boy” – The L.A. TIMES’ Bill Dwyre (L.A. TIMES, 12/7).
“The majority of our coaches are happy with the bowl system. It’s got its faults and problems, but that’s a part of the whole picture” – American Football Coaches Association Exec Dir Grant Teaff, on President-elect Barack Obama saying he wants a college playoff system for Division I-A football (N.Y. TIMES, 12/7).
“They went to a system we all agreed upon before the season. If somebody didn’t like that system -- whether media or some other team -- just change it before the season" – Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops, following the announcement that his team would play Florida in the BCS Championship (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/8).
THIS WEEK IN SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL….
This week's in-depth examines college sports.
- NFL to fall short of revenue goal by at least $50M.
- NBA to allow RSNs to control local digital rights.
- Despite recession, MLB ticket sales keeping pace with recent past.
- Sports execs reveal their holiday gift wish lists.
A LIGHTER BUZZ….
The Fox postgame show following yesterday’s Vikings-Lions game cut live to a locker room speech from Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf to the team, which included TE Visanthe Shiancoe completely nude in the background. Shiancoe “quickly covered with the towel, but the damage had been done” (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 12/7).
TODAY’S EVENTS….
The online auction of RCA Dome equipment concludes at 1:00pm ET with the sale of the locker used by Colts QB Peyton Manning from ’98-’07 (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/8). As of press time, the top bid was $5,075.
See a full list of events in THE DAILY’s Week Ahead.
IN OTHER NEWS….
Newsday is planning to cut 100 jobs, or 5% of its workforce, “in response to the deteriorating advertising market.” Among the cuts are sports columnists Shaun Powell, Johnette Howard and Ken Davidoff (N.Y. POST, 12/6).
Media agencies ZenithOptimedia and GroupM today are slated to present their ad-spending forecasts for ’09 at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in N.Y. Zenith expects U.S. ad spending to drop 6.2% to $161.8B, while GroupM is predicting a 3% drop to $157B. Both firms expect a 0.2% drop in global ad-spending (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/8).
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 | Newsday |
| | |
| Philadelphia Daily News | Boston Herald |
FINAL JEOPARDY....
Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Historic Property Transactions.”
“On May 15, 1768, France bought this island from Genoa for two million livres.”
LAUGH TRACK….
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS’ “Late Show” aired reruns all last week.
NBC’s Jay Leno: “As you may have heard, a Nevada judge has sentenced OJ Simpson to 15 years in prison. Which, of course, up until now, the worst penalty OJ ever got was what, 15 yards? … Think about this: Between Michael Vick at quarterback, Plaxico at wide receiver, OJ as running back, the prison team could win the Super Bowl! … NBC Universal, our parent company, announced they're cutting 500 jobs at NBC. That is one job for every viewer. Do you realize that? … The economy's looking bad. The airlines now charge you $15 for each of the bags under your eyes. That’s how bad it is. … I tell you, these hookers in New York, boy, they are getting very creative in the economic crisis. They’re now offering something called the ‘Plaxico Special,’ did I tell you about this? For $100, they make the gun go off in your pants. As you know, Giants superstar Plaxico Burress was arrested after his unlicensed firearm went off in his pants in a nightclub, and Mayor Bloomberg wants to throw the book at him. Oh, it's unbelievable. Today, he was given a choice, either 3 1/2 years in prison, or he has to play for the Detroit Lions. … Hey, did you hear the story about this couple that got into an argument at a McDonald's? He wouldn't let her out of the car, so she threw his drink out the window, and then he smashed a cheeseburger in her face, then she had him arrested. It’s nice to see Britney and Kevin back together again” (“Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/5).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
During a segment on Fox’ “Fox NFL Sunday” Sunday afternoon, comedian Frank Caliendo performed his impersonation of actor Robert De Niro. Caliendo: “Now, I do not know a lot about football, but I do know a lot about guns and I know a lot about nightclubs and of course, about having guns in nightclubs. So here’s a segment I call ‘How Not To Shoot Yourself In The Leg At A Nightclub.’ Huh, pretty nice title. One: Do not carry a gun. That makes sense. Two: If you must carry a gun, use a shoulder holster. Three: Do not use it to impress a chick at a bar. You’ll look more desperate than Jay Glazer. Four: If you are more desperate than Jay Glazer and you must use it to impress a chick at a bar, shoot at an upwards angle. Don’t aim it at yourself you idiot! What were you thinking!? Why would an NFL player shoot himself when he could just as easily have Pacman Jones shoot him?” (“Fox NFL Sunday,” Fox, 12/7).
In the “Weekend Update” segment on NBC’s “SNL,” cast member Amy Poehler reported on the sentencing of OJ Simpson. Poehler: “OJ Simpson was sentenced Friday to 9-to-33 years in prison for robbery and kidnapping. Prior to his sentencing, OJ apologized and said he did not know he had broken the law, but reminded the judge that normally when he breaks the law he gets to go home.” Also during the segment, cast member Kenan Thompson portrayed Giants WR Plaxico Burress and talked about shooting himself in the leg. When asked how he was doing, Thompson said, “Pretty good. No wait, really bad. Remember how I used to have a job and $35[M] and I wasn’t in prison and there weren’t any bullets in my leg? Well I kind of screwed that up. This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Shooting yourself in the foot.’” Cast member Seth Meyers: “No, that’s the original meaning” (“SNL,” NBC, 12/6).
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, on OJ Simpson: “For those of you keeping track at home, double murder: no prison time. Stealing back your own football cards: 15 years. I think the big lesson here, if you’re going to commit a crime, make sure you kill somebody” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 12/5).
FINAL JEOPARDY….
“What is Corsica?”
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
pbounds@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
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