| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
4:00pm ET | |
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| • | MasterCard To Feature Homer Simpson In “Priceless” Super Bowl Spot |
| • | PepsiCo Today Announces That It Will Air Five New Ads During Super Bowl |
| • | CNBC Today Profiles AOL’s Presence On CBS’ Super Bowl Broadcast |
| • | FootJoy Today Announces “SignBoy” Will Return For ‘04 TV Ad Campaign |
| • | Reebok Today Reports Q4 Earnings Of $28.1M, Up From $16.5M Last Year |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
HOMER REMINDED OF “PRICELESS” MOMENTS IN SUPER BOWL SPOT
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large, TheSports Business Daily
During the fourth quarter ofSuper Bowl XXXVIII on CBS, MasterCard will debut an animated spot from theaward-winning and often imitated “Priceless” campaign, featuring HomerSimpson and many of the other beloved characters from Fox’ longest runningsitcom, “The Simpsons.” The spot, viaMcCann-Erickson, N.Y., follows Homer making his way through Springfield gettinghis “fatherly errands” done by, of course, using his MasterCard. Along the way, the always-entertaining Homergets sidetracked and ends up at his favorite watering hole, “Moe’s Tavern.” Before he gets to partake in a single sip ofa tasty Moe’s draft, the commercial’s voiceover – performed by actor BillyCrudup – reminds him that getting home to his family is what’s“Priceless.” An ornery Homer leaves thebar, knocking over Hans Moleman on the way to his car.
PEPSICO SUPER BOWL SPOTS: THREE PEPSI, TWO SIERRA MIST
PepsiCo today announced thatit will air three new commercials for Pepsi and two for Sierra Mist during CBS’Super Bowl broadcast. The spots willair during the first, second and third quarters and mark the 19thconsecutive year that Pepsi-Cola North America has advertised during the SuperBowl broadcast. Additionally, Pepsi isthe presenting sponsor of the Super Bowl’s official Web site (Pepsi).
CNBC TODAY PROFILES AOL PRESENCE ON SUPER BOWL BROADCAST
CNBC’s Jane Wellsprofiled AOL’s presence on CBS’ Super Bowl broadcast, which includessponsorship of the halftime show and three 30-second in-game spots to promoteits new 9.0 service. Wells noted AOLlast year provided free access to all Super Bowl ads on AOL.com following thegame, and added, “That was such a hit, the company has gone from no presence toalmost total presence during the Super Bowl.” AOL VP/Brand Marketing Len Short said of the day after lastyear’s game, “Five-and-a-half million people went online … to look at SuperBowl spots. It was the largeststreaming event in history.“ The segmentalso featured a behind-the-scenes report on the making of AOL’s ad featuringthe Teutel Family from Discovery Channel’s “American Chopper” (“PowerLunch,” CNBC, 1/28).
“SIGNBOY” TO RETURN FOR FOOTJOY ’04 TV AD CAMPAIGN
FootJoytoday unveiled its ‘04 TV campaign, via Arnold Worldwide. The five spots feature “SignBoy,” whoappears off the golf course alongside PGA Tour players. The campaign premieres today on FootJoy.com and on CBS February 7 during theAT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Among the spots is “Golden Tee,” which features the golf arcade game bythe same name. FootJoy will give awayone “Golden Tee” arcade game through an online sweepstakes at the company’s new“SignBoy” Web site (FootJoy).
REEBOK TODAY REPORTS Q4 ’03 EARNINGS UP $11.6M FROM Q4 ‘02
REUTERSreports that Reebok’s Q4 ’03 profit “rose 70[%] on its booming U.S. footwear and licensedapparel businesses.” The companyreported Q4 ’03 earnings of $28.1M, up from $16.5M in the year earlierperiod. U.S. footwear sales rose 17% to$228.4M from a year earlier. Net salesclimbed 11% to $843.6M. Excluding the“effects of foreign currency adjustment, sales rose 6[%] from a year earlier.” U.S. clothing sales rose 7% to $155.1M, “ledby its licensed athletic apparel unit” (REUTERS,1/28).
KINGS-MIGHTY DUCKS NOT ON TV TONIGHT FOR FIRST TIME EVER
TheL.A. TIMES reports that tonight’s Kings-Mighty Ducks game at 7:30pm PT will notbe shown on TV, “breaking a string of 56 televised games of the local rivals,”since the Ducks began playing in the ’93-94 season. FSN West will air Sonics-Lakers, while FSN 2 will show UCLA-USCmen’s basketball. KCAL-IND, which alsocarries Ducks games, will air “Hollywood Squares.” Mighty Ducks officials “tried to get KCAL to pick up the game inrecent weeks and even ‘sweetened the deal,’ but KCAL officials declined” (L.A.TIMES, 1/28).
BUZZER BEATERS
SportingNews this week offers two covers. Allsubscribers will receive an issue featuring Panthers WR Steve Smith andPatriots CB Ty Law, with the header, “Strategy Central … A Super BowlSkull Session.” Newsstand issues willfeature Univ. of Michigan QB John Navarre, with the header, “Decision’04 … NFL Draft Kickoff.”
SportsIllustrated this week offers a shot from the Super Bowl I coin toss, with theheader, “Tales Of The Super Bowl … Untold Stories.”
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| Sporting News | Sports Illustrated |
TheNHL today announced that actor Eric McCormack, who plays “Will Truman”on NBC’s “Will & Grace,” will perform both the U.S. and Canadian NationalAnthems at the ’04 NHL All-Star Game February 8 at Xcel Energy Center (NHL).
FIFAPresident Sepp Blatter met today with WADA Chair Dick Pound inZurich. The two reached an agreement onthe concept of individual case management for drug testing (FIFA).
TheAP reports that the U.S. Taekwondo Union has agreed to a restructuring plan,“sparing it from being stripped of its powers as the sport’s national governingbody” by the USOC. Under the deal, USTUPresident Sang Lee and the rest of the USTU’s officers “resignedimmediately.” The USOC Exec Committeewill appoint a “five-person board to run” the union (AP,1/28).
InfineonRaceway today announced that it has extended its agreement with toolmanufacturer Snap-on, under which Snap-on will serve as the presenting sponsorof the NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend June 25-27 (Infineon Raceway).
Goody’sHeadache Powder today announced that it has renewed its status as the officialpain reliever of NASCAR, a title the company has held for the last 27 years (Goody’s).
Subaruof America today announced a partnership with the National Brotherhood ofSkiers to serve as the official vehicle of the NBS, providing the organizationwith Subaru Outback Wagons. The NBSidentifies, develops and supports athletes of color who compete internationally(Subaru).
BallyGolf today announced that it has signed LPGA Tour player Jennifer Rosalesto an endorsement deal, under which she will be outfitted in Bally Golf shoesand apparel (Bally Golf).
BLOOMBERGNEWS notes that the tradition of tagging each Super Bowl with a Roman numeral“almost came to an end three years ago.” NFL Dir of Special Events Jim Steeg: “We had a pretty seriousdebate internally on whether to change. We decided it’s one thing that makes us stand apart. We’ll probably educate a lot of people whenSuper Bowl L rolls around” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 1/28).
TheWestchester JOURNAL-NEWS reports that the MLBPA claims the Yankees are “notallowed to terminate” Aaron Boone’s one-year, $5.75M contract because heinjured his left ACL during a pick-up basketball game nearly two weeksago. The union notes that the “standardplayer’s contract only prohibits participating in ‘professional leaguebasketball’ and does not specify a pick-up game” (WestchesterJOURNAL-NEWS, 1/28).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
FLORIDATODAY notes that Dan Marino and Joe Montana yesterdayparticipatedin a Kraft-sponsored BBQ chicken contest that was based on both taste andspeed. When Marino “rushed his tray ofchicken to the table, he instead knocked over the table, sending appetizers allover the floor with Kraft employees scurrying around to clean up the mess.” After being declared the winner, Marino said,“I didn’t fumble” (FLORIDATODAY, 1/28).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
The“Game Before the Game,” the Super Bowl video-game simulation between members ofeach team, will take place at 7:00pm CT at Hotel Icon in Houston. The winner of all eight “Game Before TheGame” contests has played on the winning Super Bowl team.
TheBoston Globe begins offering late daily editions in Houston. The newspaper will be available at more than100 metropolitan locations, carrying a suggested retail price of $0.25, and$0.75 for the Sunday editions. SpecialSuper Bowl XXXVIII sections will appear in both the Friday and Sunday editions(Boston Globe).
ThePeggy Browning Fund will honor former MLBPA Exec Dir Marvin Miller atits N.Y. fundraising event at the Sheraton N.Y. Hotel from 6:00-9:00pm ET.
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPNwill air NCAA men’s basketball: NCState-North Carolina at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2will air Flyers-Panthers at 7:00pmET.
ESPNClassic’s “SportsCentury” will profile TomLandry at 8:00pm ET.
TheFood Network will air an encore presentation of “Emeril’s Big Game Party: Tips For A Football Bash” at 8:00pm ET.
ABC’s“The Bachelorette” will feature a trip to Arrowhead Pond for a past Predators-Mighty Ducks game at 9:00pm ET.
ESPNwill air Kings-Rockets at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN2will air the Australian Open women’ssemifinals at 9:30pm ET.
HBO’s“Inside the NFL” will preview the Super Bowl at 10:00pm ET.
RedskinsLB LaVar Arrington, Giants DE Michael Strahan, Raiders DT Dana Stubblefield, Chiefs RB Priest Holmes, and Pro Football HOFers Jim Kelly and Mike Ditka are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
NASCARdriver Michael Waltrip will appearon ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at1:35am ET.
Dennis Rodman will appear on NBC’s “LastCall” at 1:30 am ET.
A&E’s“Biography” will profile Tom Selleck at8:00pm ET.
E!’s“True Hollywood Story” will profile PamelaAnderson at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Hereare tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Alec Baldwin (r) |
| “The Tonight Show” | Ashton Kutcher |
| “The Late Late Show” | Jami Gertz |
| “Late Night” | Dolly Parton (r) |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Hank Azaria |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
ThePORTLAND TRIBUNE’s Andy Giegerich writes of the possibility of a racetrack inthe Northwest, “Portlandis gearing up for an emerging contestwith Seattle for a track that would bring NASCAR racing, billed as America'sfastest-growing sport, to the Northwest. However, the lack of animmediately viable site and sources of funding could handicap Portland, localobservers say. Still, local boostersplan to pursue the venture because of its revenue potential” (PORTLAND TRIBUNE).
TheNewark STAR-LEDGER writes of Bruce Ratner’s development plans: “To whatextent can eminent domain strip residents and owners of their property for theprivate gain of a developer, without benefit to the public? It’s a slam-dunk that some folks will bring thatquestion to court. So don’t quite yetconcede the Nets to Brooklyn. The arenais the whole ballgame for Ratner. If he can’t build it, he has said, he scraps the entire project” (NewarkSTAR-LEDGER, 1/28).
SeeThe Daily Insider’s Articles ofInterest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Mindbenders: I am sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but I am nobody's fool. For there is no language that I cannot speak, though I never went to school.What am I?
IN OTHERNEWS……
TheL.A. TIMES reports that SBC Communications “turned in its worst full-yearfinancial performance since it bought its way into the California phone marketseven years ago, as fourth-quarter profit plunged 62% and sales droppedyear-over-year for the 13th straight quarter.” The company earned $905M in the fourth quarter, compared with net incomeof $2.4B in the same period a year earlier. Revenue fell 10% to $10.1B (L.A.TIMES, 1/28).
HDNetFounder & CEO Mark Cuban yesterday indicated that HDTVis a“loss-leader” for media conglomerates. Cuban: “You are actually seeing a lot of majormedia companies trying to hold back and not push forward on high-definition. …If you saw the deal that Viacom did with Comcast, the only mention of HD wasfor CBS so they could get the Super Bowl” (MULTICHANNELNEWS, 1/27).
THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN VIEWERSHIP RANKINGS
Thefollowing lists the final Nielsen viewership numbers for the top ten primetimeshows for the week of January 19-25. Also provided are the weekly viewership averages for each net (USA TODAY,1/28).
| RK | PROGRAM | NET | DAY | VIEWERS (IN MILLIONS) |
| 1) | American Idol | Fox | Wed | 29.4 |
| 2) | American Idol | Fox | Mon | 29.0 |
| 3) | American Idol | Fox | Tue | 28.6 |
| 4) | Golden Globe Awards | NBC | Sun | 26.8 |
| 5) | Friends | NBC | Thu | 20.8 |
| 6) | CSI | CBS | Thu | 20.7 |
| 6) | Friends (repeat) | NBC | Thu | 20.7 |
| 8) | My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance | Fox | Mon | 19.6 |
| 9) | CSI: Miami | CBS | Mon | 16.3 |
| 10) | 60 Minutes | CBS | Sun | 15.8 |
| 10) | Cold Case | CBS | Sun | 15.8 |
| space | |
| NET | VIEWERS |
| Fox | 12.8 |
| NBC | 12.7 |
| CBS | 11.3 |
| ABC | 7.5 |
| WB | 4.1 |
| UPN | 3.5 |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
An echo.
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