| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Friday February 7, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | NBA All-Star Weekend Activities In Full Effect In Atlanta |
| • | Smirnoff Ice Triple Black To Sponsor Matt Kenseth For Eight NASCAR Races |
| • | Marlins To Unveil Four New Uniforms Tonight At Awards Dinner |
| • | USA Network To Promote Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show In N.Y. |
| • | Critics Weigh In: “Shanghai Knights” And “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Weekend Events/Channel Surfing/The Daily Stat |
WELCOME TO ATLANTA, WHERE THE PLAYERS PLAY
NBA All-Star Weekend continues tonight in Atlanta, culminating with the 52nd NBA All-Star Game airing on TNT Sunday at 8:00pm ET. The game will be played at Philips Arena.
The NBA has distributed 250 media credentials to media outlets from 35 countries for Sunday’s All-Star Game. Broadcasters in nine countries – Turkey, Denmark, Finland, Romania, Mozambique, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic – will air the game for the first time ever. The game will be broadcast to a record 287 million HHs in China by four different networks: CCTV, Beijing TV, Shanghai TV and Guangdong TV (THE DAILY).
NBA All-Star Weekend Events
Friday
TNT’s NBA analyst Kenny Smith will host an All-Star party tonight in midtown Atlanta. Among those expected to attend are Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith, P-Diddy, Usher and Star Jones (THE DAILY).
Evander Holyfield and Run DMC’s DMC will host the Ninth Annual Evander Holyfield Foundation “Main Event, All-Star Weekend” at the GA World Congress Center at 8:00pm ET. Ashanti will headline a full entertainment slate. Actors Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy, Vivica Fox and Jonathan Lipnicki are among those scheduled to attend. The two-day event continues with a dinner reception Saturday at 6:30pm ET at The Holyfield Estate (THE DAILY).
Saturday
NBA Commissioner David Stern will deliver his State of the League address at 6:30pm ET in the interview room of Philips Arena (THE DAILY).
The NBA All-Star Jam Session at the GA World Congress Center is open from 9:00am-10:00pm ET.
While Magic Johnson will be in Atlanta this weekend, there is “no indication he’ll be present at Saturday’s casting call” for his MTV reality series “Who’s Got Game” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/4).
Johnson and Hawks G Jason Terry will host the Sprite NBA All-Star Basketball Clinic on Saturday from 10:00am-12:30pm ET on the campus of Morris Brown College (THE DAILY).
Suns G Stephon Marbury and F Amare Stoudemire will visit the 989 Sports Locker Room Challenge on Tour at the NBA All-Star Jam Session from 1:00-2:00pm ET. The two will compete head-to-head in NBA ShootOut 2003 (THE DAILY).
NBA All-Star Weekend TV Coverage
Friday
TNT will air the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN will air NBA All-Star Friday at 9:00pm ET.
BET’s “Rap City: Tha Bassment” will be an NBA All-Star-themed show at 4:00pm ET.
Saturday
The “NBA Read To Achieve Celebration” will air on 12 different networks – ABC, TNT, Nickelodeon, Nick GAS, BET, Disney Channel, Telemundo, NBA TV, AOL Broadband, RealOne SuperPass, NBA.com’s Inside Ticket and MuchMusic – at noon ET. Rockets C Yao Ming will join entertainers Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and LL Cool J on the program. In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal writes, “With the way the league is courting LeBron James to skip college, it can’t really tell people to stay in school anymore, but reading is good. Everybody is in favor of that” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/7).
TNT will air the got milk? Rookie Challenge at 4:00pm ET. The Philips $1 Million Big Shot will be held at halftime.
TNT will air “TNT Salutes Michael Jordan” at 6:00pm ET.
TNT will air NBA All-Star Preview at 7:00pm ET.
TNT will air NBA All-Star Saturday Night at 8:00pm ET.
Sunday
Cartoon Network will feature 12 NBA players, including Hornets G Baron Davis, Clippers F Elton Brand and Knicks G Latrell Sprewel, introducing their favorite animated series during a mini-marathon from 12:00pm-6:00pm ET.
TNT will air the 52nd NBA All-Star Game at 8:00pm ET. Winston Cup driver Jeff Gordon will be interviewed at halftime.
Gladys Knight and Kool & the Gang will perform before the Game.
Martina McBride and singer Gloria Ruben, of “The Agency,” will perform the U.S. National Anthem and the Canadian Anthem, respectively.
Mariah Carey will perform a live tribute to Wizards F Michael Jordan during halftime.
DIAGEO TO PROMOTE NEWEST BRAND WITH NASCAR SPONSORSHIP
Diageo today announced a motorsports marketing initiative in support of its launch of Smirnoff Ice Triple Black to include primary sponsorship of the No.17 Roush Racing Ford of Matt Kenseth for eight Winston Cup races this season. The brand will receive secondary status for the balance of the season. Sponsorship benefits include driver appearances, use of show cars and image rights, hospitality and a social responsibility program. Indianapolis-based Just Marketing, Diageo’s motorsports agency, facilitated the partnership and will provide total management of the program (THE DAILY).
IROC TO SEEK ’04 TITLE SPONSOR TO REPLACE TRUE VALUE
The Int’l Race of Champions (IROC) today announced it would seek a replacement title sponsor for ’04 due to the departure of TruServ’s True Value brand at the conclusion of the ’03 season. TruServ ended its 19-year relationship with IROC due to a realignment of marketing investments. IL-based Specialized Marketing Group, which currently handles licensed product relations for the IROC Series, has been retained to pursue sponsorship as well as manage sponsor relations and event activities (THE DAILY).
MARLINS PLAYERS TO MODEL NEW UNIFORMS TONIGHT
The Marlins tonight will unveil their new uniforms at the Marlins Community Foundation and the South FL Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America Awards Dinner in Coral Gables. Marlins 3B Mike Lowell, C Ivan Rodriguez, OF Juan Pierre and P Braden Looper will model the four new uniforms, beginning at 6:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
The Marlins’ FanFest will be held from 10:00am-4:00pm ET at Pro Player Stadium. The event includes town hall meetings with Marlins execs, clubhouse tours and a memorabilia show. Both the event and parking are free (THE DAILY).
FREEDOM, HYUNDAI CONTINUE RELATIONSHIP FOR THIRD YEAR
The WUSA Freedom today announced the continuation of the team’s partnership with the Baltimore/Washington Hyundai dealers for the upcoming season, marking the third straight season of the partnership. The “Hyundai Hero of the Game Award” promotion will continue as part of the deal. Hyundai is also an official WUSA partner (THE DAILY).
IT’S NOT PACINO’S IDEA OF A DOG DAY AFTERNOON:
- MEDIA DAILY NEWS reported that USA Network has contracted Rochester-based K9 Billboards “to advertise next week’s programming surrounding The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show” in N.Y. K9 will “station about 100 dogs” through N.Y. in high traffic areas Saturday through Monday. The dogs “will be wearing signs and their handlers, one per dog, will be talking” about USA Network’s live coverage. This is the 20th year the net has carried the event (MEDIA DAILY NEWS, 2/5).
BUZZER BEATERS
The NHL reports that ESPN’s telecast last night of “Thursday Night Hockey,” which featured Avalanche-Red Wings, earned a 0.82 overnight Nielsen cable rating, up 100% from last year’s Rangers-Red Wings game, which earned a 0.41 (THE DAILY).
The AP reports that Martina Hingis today “gave her clearest indication yet … that she is planning to retire from tennis because of ongoing foot problems” (AP, 2/7).
GOLF WORLD reports that US Airways is expanding its service to Augusta, GA, during the week of The Masters. The airline, which currently services Augusta with five daily flights from Charlotte, will “add three more daily flights from Charlotte, as well as daily non-stop flights” from N.Y., DC and Philadelphia (GOLF WORLD, 2/7 issue).
Former MLBer Mark McGwire today signed an exclusive agreement with sports memorabilia marketer Steiner Sports Marketing (THE DAILY).
WEEKEND EVENTS
Friday
Dodgers Senior VP Tommy Lasorda will be honored by the CA Institute of Technology at 8:00pm PT. Among the scheduled attendees are former Dodgers Owner Peter O’Malley and former Dodgers GM Buzzi Bavasi (THE DAILY).
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will host its Legacy Awards Show tonight at the Folly Theater in K.C. at 8:00pm CT, following an awards dinner at the K.C. Marriott Downtown hotel. Among the winners, Braves GM John Schuerholz will receive the Andrew “Rube” Foster Award as the NL Exec of the Year (THE DAILY).
The AHL Philadelphia Phantoms will host Armed Forces Night during the team’s 7:05pm ET game against the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Army, Navy and Marines will each have displays on the concourse, and the Army will have a rock-climbing wall and HUM-V outside the First Union Spectrum (THE DAILY).
Saturday The “Baseball As America” exhibit, on loan from the National Baseball HOF and Museum, opens at the Field Museum in Chicago. The exhibit, which runs through July 20, marks the “first time memorabilia has left Cooperstown.” The exhibit has already traveled to N.Y. and L.A., and will continue on to stops in Cincinnati, St. Petersburg and the Smithsonian Institution in DC (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/7).
ESPN2 will air qualifying for the K&N Filters Winternationals from Pomona, CA, at 10:00pm ET. The coverage begins ESPN and ESPN2’s exclusive coverage of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, including all 23 events and a combined 110 hours of original programming. ESPN2 will also final round coverage Sunday at 6:30pm ET (THE DAILY).
The TX Motor Speedway Job Fair will be held from 10:00am-2:00pm CT inside the Winston Cup garage (THE DAILY).
CHANNEL SURFING
Friday
MLB agent Scott Boras will be on CNBC’s “Closing Bell.”
Freestyle motocross rider Tommy Clowers will be on FSN’s “54321” at 5:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Sonny Liston at 8:00pm ET.
Saturday VH1’s “Top Twenty Video Countdown” will feature Flyers C Jeremy Roenick, Stars C Mike Modano and RW Bill Guerin, Bruins C Joe Thornton, Devils G Martin Brodeur and Islanders D Roman Hamrlik at 10:00am ET.
BET’s “Maad Sports” will be an NBA All-Star special at 1:00pm ET.
ABC will air NHL regional coverage: Penguins-Bruins, Red Wings-Avalanche or Rangers-Flyers at 3:00pm ET.
Fox will air the “Bud Shootout” from Dayton Int’l Speedway at 8:00pm ET.
| NCAA Men’s Basketball Schedule | Network | Time |
| Temple-UMass | ESPN | noon ET |
| UCLA-Georgetown | CBS | 1:00pm ET |
| Alabama-Florida | CBS | 1:00pm ET |
| Wisconsin-Northwestern | ESPN | 2:00pm ET |
| UConn-Providence | ESPN | 4:00pm ET |
| Winthrop-Coastal Carolina | ESPN2 | 6:00pm ET |
| Michigan State-Indiana | ESPN | 7:00pm ET |
| Texas-Texas A&M | ESPN2 | 8:00pm ET |
| Louisville-Houston | ESPN | 9:00pm ET |
Sunday ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” will examine NBA issues and the WNBA’s relocation to the Mohegan Sun Casino, as well as Rockets C Yao Ming’s impact on the league at 10:30am ET.
CBS will air NCAA men’s basketball regional coverage: Maryland-Georgia Tech or Ohio State-Illinois at 1:00pm ET.
ABC will air NCAA men’s basketball regional coverage: Texas Tech-Missouri or Wake Forest-Marquette at 1:30pm ET, and Pittsburgh-Notre Dame, Oklahoma State-Cincinnati or USC-UNLV at 3:30pm ET.
NBC will air AFL regional coverage: Gladiators-Rattlers, SaberCats-Avengers, Storm-Predators or Rush-Desperados at 3:00pm ET.
ESPN will air NCAA men’s basketball, NC State-Virginia, at 4:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NCAA women’s basketball, Iowa State-Texas Tech, at 4:00pm ET.
ESPN will air “Relatively Speaking: Joe Dumars” at 6:00pm ET.
FSN will air NCAA men’s basketball, Clemson-Duke, at 6:30pm ET.
ESPN will premiere part one of “The Season: Detroit Red Wings” at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Flames-Avalanche at 9:00pm ET.
FSN’s “Beyond The Glory” will profile Vince Carter.
TODAY’S TEASER…
General: With the NBA All-Star Game being played in Atlanta, who was the last Hawk to be named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team?
THE DAILY STAT: NBA ALL-STAR RATINGS TREND
The following lists a three-year Nielsen ratings trend for the NBA All-Star Game (THE DAILY).
| YR | RAT/SHR | % +/- |
| '02 | 8.2/15 | 60.8% |
| '01 | 5.1/8 | -26.1% |
| '00 | 6.9/12 | N/A |
CRITICS WEIGH IN: “SHANGHAI KNIGHTS” AND “HOW TO LOSE A GUY”
Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson return as the mismatched action tandem in the sequel to “Shanghai Noon,” while Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey offer the third featured romantic comedy of the year.:
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| | “Shanghai Knights” | “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” |
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…TODAY’S ANSWER
Dikembe Mutumbo was an All-Star during the ’00-01 season.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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