| • | John Kerry To Investigate MLB's Pending Deal With DirecTV |
| • | Phillips-Van Heusen To Air Its First-Ever Super Bowl Spots |
| • | Dubai Int’l Capital Group Drops US$294M Offer For Liverpool FC |
| • | WNBA BOG Approves Sale Of Comets To Hilton Koch |
JOHN KERRY TO INVESTIGATE MLB'S PENDING DEAL WITH DIRECTV
U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said in a statement today that he "intends to seek answers from the FCC" about MLB's pending deal with DirecTV for exclusive rights to the league's out-of-market package. A hearing tomorrow in front of the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee will address the issue. Kerry: "I'd like to know how this serves the public - a deal which will force fans to subscribe to DirecTV in order to tune in to their favorite players. A Red Sox fan ought to be able to watch their team without having to switch to DirecTV" (THE DAILY).
PHILLIPS-VAN HEUSEN TO AIR ITS FIRST-EVER SUPER BOWL SPOTS
Apparel maker Phillips-Van Heusen has bought its first-ever Super Bowl airtime, purchasing one 30-second spot each for its Izod and Van Heusen brands. The Van Heusen ad will air during the third quarter, while a fourth-quarter spot for Izod’s PerformX sportswear line that debuted over the holidays will feature model Tyler Denk. The ads were created in-house and produced by HomeNYC, N.Y. (ADAGE.com, 1/31).
DUBAI INT’L CAPITAL GROUP DROPS US$294M OFFER FOR LIVERPOOL FC
Dubai Int’l Capital (DIC) dropped its US$294M offer for English Premier League club Liverpool after the team “wanted more time to consider a higher offer” from Canadiens Owner George Gillett Jr. The move comes a day after the Liverpool BOD “failed to approve Dubai’s bid” of US$88.28 per share. Gillett’s offer is worth about US$98.09 per share, according to DIC CEO Sameer Al Ansari (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 1/31).
WNBA BOG APPROVES SALE OF COMETS TO HILTON KOCH
The WNBA BOG today approved the sale of the Comets from Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander to Hilton Furniture & Mattress Co. President Hilton Koch’s Hilton Acquisitions, LLC. The franchise will continue to be based in Houston and play at the Toyota Center.
Meanwhile, Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) President A.J. Robinson today announced that the organization has set up an exploratory committee to look into securing a WNBA franchise for the city in ’08. Robinson said that CAP has had promising discussions with the league over the past few months (THE DAILY).
U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE OFFERS SUPPORT TO GEORGE MITCHELL
U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Chair Bobby Rush (D-IL) and ranking minority member Cliff Stearns (R-FL) sent a letter Tuesday to former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell in which they “pledged their support” of his investigation into steroids in MLB. Stearns proposed the Drug Free Sports Act in April ’05. They wrote in the letter, “We appreciate your warning to team owners and concur with your recommendation for better cooperation with your independent investigation” (AP, 1/31).
2K SPORTS ANNOUNCES RETURN OF FOOTBALL TO VIDEO GAME OFFERINGS
By Jeremy Caslin, Staff Writer
Take-Two Interactive’s 2K Sports today announced that this summer it will release “All-Pro Football 2K8,” its first football video game since “NFL 2K5,” which appeared in summer ’04. 2K Sports VP/Marketing Erik Whiteford said of the timing of the company’s return to football, “Fans want to have a choice in the marketplace.” He said EA Sports’ exclusive five-year licensing deal with the NFL and NFLPA in December ’04 “was a shock to us,” adding, “we’ve had our mind on football” since that day. Whiteford also said the timing worked in conjunction with the company “starting to figure out these Next-Gen systems.”
2K Sports is not yet announcing any details about the look of the players or specifics about the game. There will be promotion around the release, but Whiteford said the company has not “fully decided on the media mix yet. The media landscape is changing so radically.”
NATIONAL CABLE TV COOPERATIVE TO SEEK ARBITRATION ON FSN
The National Cable TV Cooperative has filed a notice of intent on behalf of 30 of its members “to seek mandatory arbitration on how much independent cable operators will have to pay to carry the signals of seven FSN networks.” The notice covers FSN Florida, FSN North, FSN Northwest, FSN Ohio, SportsSouth and FSN Southwest. While an FSN spokesperson said that he was “unaware of the action,” the NCTC says that FSN “has two days to respond with its own proposed set of terms for carrying the networks” (MULTICHANNEL.com, 1/31).
DOCUMENTARY ON ATLANTIC YARDS PROJECT TO BE SCREENED TONIGHT
“Brooklyn Matters,” a 50-minute documentary by filmmaker Isabel Hill about the Atlantic Yards project, will be screened tonight at the Belarusian Church in Brooklyn, “a week before opponents of the $4.2[B] project go to court in a last-ditch effort to stop it.” Hill said she “made multiple requests for interviews” about the project with Nets Owner Bruce Ratner, “but got no response.” The film will be shown tomorrow at Pratt Institute, where “a panel discussion with local leaders will follow” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/31).
SBD, SBJ OPEN ANNUAL SUPER BOWL PICK ‘EM CONTEST
With the Colts and Bears set to meet in Miami for Super Bowl XLI on February 4, SportsBusiness Daily's and SportsBusiness Journal's annual Super Bowl pick ‘em contest is open. Test your prognostication skills against those of your fellow subscribers. Those who best predict the game’s outcome will receive an award perhaps second only to the Vince Lombardi Trophy itself -- recognition of your feat in the Morning Buzz, The Daily, the Closing Bell and SportsBusiness Journal!
In addition to your Super Bowl picks, we are again asking this year for your choice of which advertiser will win the top spot in USA Today's Ad Meter the Monday following the big game.
SBD, SBJ OFFER SPORTS AND POP CULTURE READER SURVEY….
IN or OUT? .... Dale Earnhardt Jr. .... SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily want you to weigh in on current SPORTS and POP CULTURE issues.
Please take a minute and GIVE US YOUR SPIN! To access the quick, four-question survey, please click
HERE. Then, look for the results in coming issues of THE DAILY and SBJ.
COVER TO COVER….
Sporting News this week features LSU F Glen Davis holding a TV remote with the headline, “Turn On … Tune In … Catch Up!”
SI this week features Bears LB Brian Urlacher with the headline, “Waitin’ For Peyton: Brian Urlacher Leads the Bears Out of the Cold to Face Manning and the Colts in Miami.”
ESPN The Magazine features Magic C Dwight Howard on the cover of its “NEXT” issue. Howard beat out four other candidates -- NFL prospect and former Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson, Penguins LW Evgeni Malkin, NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya and Mets SS Jose Reyes – to be the “NEXT” cover athlete. ESPN.com registered 227,834 votes for the contest (ESPN).
| | | |
| Sporting News | Sports Illustrated | ESPN The Magazine |
BUZZER BEATERS….
The NHL denied a Ft. Worth Star-Telegram report today that a headhunter has contacted Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage on the league’s behalf. An NHL spokesperson said, “The report is fictitious. The NHL has not hired a headhunter to contact anyone” (THE DAILY).
Cavaliers F LeBron James’ ’03 Hummer H2 that he received for his 18th birthday will be featured on the season-opening episode of Speed TV’s “Unique Whips” on February 21 (Speed TV).
US Airways has reached a corporate sponsorship with the Steelers that includes tailgate parties and stadium signage at Heinz Field. In addition, US Airways will paint an aircraft with the Steelers’ logo and paint scheme (US Airways).
The National Sports Marketing Network has retained Dan Klores Communications to develop a comprehensive communications program on behalf of the trade organization (Dan Klores Communications).
S.F.-based KGO-ABC sportscaster Martin Wyatt will retire tonight “after four decades in the broadcasting business” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/31).
QUICK HITS….
“Given that a man’s livelihood as well as his good name is at stake (in drug testing), I can’t find fault with (him) for being hesitant” - Penn State Univ.’s Dr. Charles Yesalis, on NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw’s reluctance to trust WADA’s HGH blood test (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/31).
“I think that the designated players should be Americans. The [David] Beckham situation is unique” – MLS Red Bulls MF Claudio Reyna, on wanting to see more U.S. players come back from European teams to play in MLS (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31).
“Sam’s Club takes Mastercard credit cards. [They] never took credit cards before” – Former NFLer Archie Manning, promoting MasterCard this morning during an interview with CBS’ Dave Price (“The Early Show,” CBS, 1/31). Manning, whose son, Colts QB Peyton Manning, has a deal with the company, also plugged MasterCard on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” today (THE DAILY).
"There'll be 60,000 people at the 16th, and a few of them may even be sober” – NBC’s Roger Maltbie, on the popular hole at this week’s PGA Tour FBR Open (NBC, 1/31).
A LIGHTER BUZZ….
Chicago-based uBid.com will sponsor the ad space available on the belly of pregnant Bears fan Jennifer Gordon, who offered the space in exchange for two tickets to Super Bowl XLI. Gordon, who received over 200 inquiries about the offer, will display the company’s logo throughout Super Bowl Sunday, during and after the game. A Web site has also been established for fans to enter and win prizes in what the company is calling the largest “baby pool” in the country (uBid.com).
ARTICLES OF INTEREST….
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE’s Nick Canepa writes Super Bowl Media Day is “the only place on earth where sport mixes so readily with stupidity” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE).
The BOSTON GLOBE’s Dan Shaughnessy writes, “Jackie Robinson would have been 88 years old today. Wonder what he would have thought” (BOSTON GLOBE).
Also:
- Is NFL going too far in protecting its “Super Bowl” trademarks?
- Art Shell on being the NFL’s first black head coach in the modern era.
- adidas, Nike join other brands in opening megastores on Champs-Elysees.
- Profile of Colts Owner Jim Irsay.
See the Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
DAILY DOWNLOAD….
With recent speculation over who Patriots QB Tom Brady is dating, video posted on TMZ.com shows him leaving supermodel Gisele Bundchen’s apartment building in N.Y. two hours before she exits. A photographer says to a hood-covered Brady, “Don’t hide it, you’re a lucky man,” to which Brady responds, “C’mon, brother, you’re making me mad” (TMZ.com).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS….
The NETSational Seniors, the Nets’ new senior dance team, will make its debut performance during the team’s game against the Pistons at Continental Airlines Arena. The squad, composed of 14 dancers, including one male, who are at least 59 years old, will perform at six games this season.
The Birds Nest, the PGA Tour FBR Open’s entertainment venue, begins a four-day run with the Doobie Brothers (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/31).
IN OTHER NEWS….
US Airways has “withdrawn its offer to merge with Delta Air Lines after creditors” said they were not interested in the deal. US Airways had set tomorrow as a deadline for Delta’s committee “to indicate they wanted to move forward with a merger” (CHARLOTTE.com, 1/31).
CHANNEL SURF….
Former Reebok Senior Dir of Grassroots Basketball Sonny Vaccaro will appear on CSTV’s “Taking Issue with Brian Curtis” at 7:30pm ET.
Pro Bass angler Roland Martin will appear on NBC’s “Deal or No Deal” at 9:00pm ET.
HBO’s “Inside the NFL” Super Bowl XLI preview show premieres at 10:00pm ET. The show, which is on location in Miami, will include interviews with Pro Football HOFer Bill Walsh and Colts coach Tony Dungy.
HEADLINERS….
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Renee Zellweger (r) |
| “The Tonight Show” | Forest Whitaker |
| “Late Night” | Sienna Miller |
| “The Late Late Show” | Chad Lowe |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Kevin Bacon |
DAILY DIGIT….
$14,583 – Cost per person of a 12-person luxury suite at Dolphin Stadium for Super Bowl XLI (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
NOTES & QUOTES FROM THIS DAY IN SBD HISTORY….
2000
“Most of these dot-coms did not succeed in memorability or likeability or, for heaven's sake, in even telling you what they do for a living" – Ad Age’s Bob Garfield, reviewing spots aired during Super Bowl XXXIV.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
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