Closing Bell, February 1, 2007

HICKS, GILLETT REPORTEDLY TO PARTNER ON LIVERPOOL BID

MLB Rangers and Stars Owner Tom Hicks reportedly “is entering into an agreement” with Canadiens Owner George Gillett Jr. to buy English Premier League club Liverpool in what is believed to mark “the first time two major sports owners have gone into partnership on another franchise.”  A source said that Hicks “has agreed to go half-and-half with Gillett” on the $450M cost of the team (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/1).

NBA TAPS GARY ZARR AS EXEC VP/MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

By John Lombardo, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

The NBA has hired Gary Zarr as Exec VP/Marketing & Communications. Zarr comes from the American Museum of Natural History in N.Y., where he was Senior VP/Communications & Business Development.  Zarr will oversee the NBA's domestic and int'l marketing and communication efforts. He will report directly to NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver.

"Gary started out in communications and moved into marketing, and has a skill-set that fits in very well with the NBA," said NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Zarr, who will begin his job with the NBA on March 12, joins the league after the departure of Greg Economou, who last April was hired as NBA Senior VP/Marketing & Communications.  Economou resigned in August to become CMO for the Bobcats.

For more, see tomorrow’s issue of THE DAILY and next week’s issue of SportsBusiness Journal.

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SAYS DEAL IS NOT CLOSE FOR PENGUINS ARENA

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell today said that state and local officials “have revised their offer to the Penguins on a new arena but are not close to a deal” with the team.  Rendell “disputed a published report” by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that quoted state Sen. Wayne Fontana, a member of the Sports & Exhibition Authority, as saying a deal could be announced today or tomorrow (POST-GAZETTE.com, 2/1).

FOX’ “AMERICAN IDOL” TO KEEP NET IN FEBRUARY SWEEPS CONTENTION

With TV’s February sweeps ratings period set to begin tonight, Fox, which plans to air 12 hours of “American Idol,” or 20% of its total lineup in February,  is “a real threat to win among ages 18 to 49.”  But the Super Bowl and CBS’ prime time lineup “should be enough to guarantee the network an overall win this month, when local stations set ad rates” (USA TODAY, 2/1).

TOYOTA TO AIR TWO SUPER BOWL ADS PROMOTING NEW LAUNCH OF TUNDRA

Toyota Motor Corp. today announced a marketing push for its redesigned Tundra, including two Super Bowl ads to promote its launch.  The spots will be “followed by a marketing campaign the company described as its largest ever.”  As part of the push, Toyota “plans a presence at hundreds of events to show off the capabilities of the truck,” including BASS tournaments, the Brooks & Dunn concert series and rodeos (AP, 2/1).

EXTENSION WILL ALLOW NEW ORLEANS CABLE SUBS TO SEE SUPER BOWL

Belo Corp., which owns WWL-CBS in New Orleans, and Cox Communications have “worked out a 30-day extension after making significant progress” in talks over WWL’s retransmission agreement, which was set to expire last night at midnight.  The extension means that 185,000 cable subs in New Orleans and three suburban parishes will be able to watch the Super Bowl.  Cox and WWL “have been in protracted talks over carrying WWL’s analog and [HD] broadcasts and a 24-hour news channel produced for cable by WWL” (AP, 2/1).

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL TO HOST SUPER BOWL PARTY AFTER HEAT GAME

Heat C Shaquille O’Neal’s “Shaq’s Sexy 60” party will be held tonight at the Versace mansion in Miami following the team’s game against the Cavaliers.  The “60” in the title refers to the number of invited celebrities and athletes, who include Saints RB Reggie Bush and actors Jamie Foxx and Mark Wahlberg (Mult., 2/1).

Also tonight, the first of two “taped-for-television Pepsi Smash ticketed” Super Bowl concerts at Dolphin Stadium’s NFL Experience arena will be staged, with performances by Kanye West, John Legend and Fergie.  The show will air Saturday on VH1.  A second, Latin-themed concert tomorrow will air Saturday on Telemundo (PALM BEACH POST, 2/1).

Meanwhile, the '07 South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee will hold a party for int’l media tonight at the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami (MIAMI HERALD, 2/1).

NHL SETS ALL-TIME LEAGUE RECORD FOR JANUARY ATTENDANCE

The NHL today announced that it set an all-time attendance record for January, attracting 3,193,093 fans to 187 total games.  The per-game average of 17,075, or 92.3% of capacity, was nearly 2% higher than the previous January record of 16,795 set last year.  Additionally, league-wide average attendance has increased each month this season (NHL).

SHOWTIME NETWORKS MAKES INVESTMENT IN PROELITE

CBS Corp.’s Showtime Networks today formally announced that it has made an investment in ProElite Inc.  The move is in association with a previously announced exclusive programming deal between the parties, and the introduction of ProElite’s new mixed martial arts Elite Xtreme Combat (EliteXC) organization.  Showtime will air the debut EliteXC event live on February 10 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi (ProElite Inc.).

NLL, SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO INK MULTI-YEAR BROADCASTING DEAL

The NLL and Sirius Satellite Radio have signed a multi-year broadcasting agreement making Sirius the league’s official satellite radio partner.  Sirius will air a live NLL Game of the Week throughout the season, as well as the Champion’s Cup Playoffs.  It will also debut a weekly one-hour show later this season that will feature highlights, news and analysis (NLL).

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? .... Kiss Cam (in-arena time-out feature) .... 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.

BUZZER BEATERS….

Wheaties Unveils UNC Commemorative Box

Wheaties has unveiled a commemorative cereal box honoring the Univ. of North Carolina’s basketball program.  The box features the school’s “NC” logo and a picture of the Smith Center court (AP, 2/1).

Former President George H.W. Bush will “serve the role of chief spectator” at the PGA Tour FBR Open, which began play today in Scottsdale.  Bush will be the keynote speaker at a meeting of execs from Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, the tournament’s corporate sponsor (EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE, 1/31).

The NTRA today announced that it will lead a national fundraising program, the NTRA Charities – Barbaro Memorial Fund, to raise awareness and money for equine health and safety research (NTRA).

The Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) has launched “A Face In the Fight,” a nationwide awareness campaign featuring Pro Football HOFer Troy Aikman, Baseball HOFer Cal Ripken Jr. and Fox’ Joe Buck (LCA).

PGA Tour VP/FedExCup George Burger died yesterday from complications from the recent onset of bacterial spinal meningitis (PGA Tour).

Donations in Burger’s memory can be made to either The First Tee or the Basilica of the National Shrine:

Rev. Msgr. Walter R. Rossi - Rector
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20017-1566

QUICK HITS….

“I’m only sorry that we didn’t get there first online before YouTube, having put ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ on ABC. We didn’t think about it as a potential Web product” – Disney CEO Bob Iger, on the growth of user-generated content (FT.com, 1/31).

“If you start going down the road of differentially trying to protect certain players because of their commercial value … you begin to lose credibility with your fan base” - MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis, on whether David Beckham will receive preferential treatment from officials or the league (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/1).

“My strong recommendation is that we should have a Breeders’ Cup overseas within the next 10 years” - NTRA & Breeders’ Cup CEO Greg Avioli, on the potential to increase the event’s value and make it a “world” championship (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 2/1).

“If it felt behind the scenes for me, imagine how it’s going to feel for the fans” – NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., on having never seen the footage used in “Dale,” the Dale Earnhardt documentary (AP, 1/31).

“False” – Heat C Shaquille O’Neal, asked whether Colts QB Peyton Manning is a better actor than he is (“The Third Shift,” Fox Sports Radio, 1/31).

“Nice going guys, thanks" – Tiger Woods, to photographers today at the eighth hole of the Dubai Desert Classic, after he drove his tee shot into the rough when they snapped pictures during his swing (AP, 2/1).

A LIGHTER BUZZ….

Less than a month after Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert began an exchange with the Ontario Hockey League Spirit that led to the naming of the team’s mascot as Steagle Colbeagle, sales of T-shirts featuring the eagle have risen 30%.  Spirit Dir of Merchandise Lindsay McDougal: “We’ve seen Internet orders from around the country, a lot of orders from California, we’ve even done some international orders to Belgium and Great Britain” (TORONTO STAR, 2/1).

ARTICLES OF INTEREST….

NEWSDAY’s Shaun Powell writes of Yankee Stadium, “Once you remove the product on the field and Monument Park in the outfield, the ‘Yankee Experience’ is like the death of Barbaro: overrated and overplayed” (NEWSDAY).

The Riverside PRESS-ENTERPRISE's Jim Alexander writes of the NFL’s aversion to gambling, “Tell me this: How popular would this game and this sport be if you couldn’t bet on it?” (Riverside PRESS-ENTERPRISE).

Also:

• Bears-Giants game in ’56 first lured Madison Avenue to the sport.
• One columnist’s list of the ten best Super Bowl commercials.
• George Zoffinger discusses stepping down from NJSEA.
• Profile of Bears Principal Owner Virginia McCaskey.

See the Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.

DAILY DOWNLOAD….

A SportsNet N.Y. promo for the Mets’ ’07 season is one of the most-viewed sports video clips posted on YouTube.com (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

Advertisements last year began appearing on four XM Satellite Radio music channels, “even though thousands of customers signed up under the promise of commercial-free listening.”  Former XM investor Clear Channel sued “and won the right to play” ads on the four XM stations it controls (DETROIT NEWS, 2/1).

CHANNEL SURF….

Showtime will air “Bud Greenspan Presents Pride Against Prejudice: The Larry Doby Story,” a look at the life of the second black player to break MLB’s color barrier, at 9:30pm ET.

Cavaliers F LeBron James will appear on CBS’ “Late Show” at 11:35pm ET.

WTAer Serena Williams will appear on NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” at 12:35am ET.

HEADLINERS….

Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:

DAILY DIGIT….

$125,000– Estimated median income of the average Super Bowl attendee (Maxim, 02/06 issue).

NOTES & QUOTES FROM THIS DAY IN SBD HISTORY….

2006
Yum Brands, parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s and A&W Restaurants, signs a five-year deal with Churchill Downs Inc. to become the first-ever presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, beginning with this year’s race. The race will be called the “Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands.”

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

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