| • | IOC’s Rogge Hoping Next U.S. TV Rights Deal Will Surpass $2.2B |
| • | Greenstar Recycling To Become MLS Dynamo's Jersey Sponsor |
| • | Matthew Hulsizer Hopes To Close On Coyotes Acquisition By Year’s End |
| • | Marvin Miller, George Steinbrenner Fail To Receive Enough HOF Votes |
JACQUES ROGGE HOPING IOC CAN GET MORE THAN $2.2B FOR U.S TV RIGHTS DEAL
 |
IOC's Rogge Hoping U.S. TV Deals For
'14, '16 Olympics Exceed $2.2B |
IOC President Jacques Rogge hopes the new U.S. TV rights deal for the ’14 and ’16 Olympics will “exceed the $2.2 billion paid for the previous two Games packages.” Rogge’s remarks are “the first time the IOC has mentioned a possible increase” following a slump in the U.S ad market since ’08. NBC paid $2.2B for rights to the ’10 Vancouver and ’12 London Olympics, and industry officials are “expecting a lower figure for the next two-Games packages.”
Rogge recently has hinted that “negotiations could take place next year after initially saying the process could be put off until after” the ’12 Games. The U.S. TV rights are the IOC’s “biggest single revenue deal” (REUTERS, 12/6).
MLS DYNAMO TO ANNOUNCE GREENSTAR RECYCLING AS JERSEY SPONSOR
By Fred Dreier, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
The MLS Dynamo will announce tomorrow that Greenstar Recycling, a Houston-based waste management and recycling company, will become the team’s jersey sponsor for '11. Greenstar replaces Amigo Energy, which finished its four-year contract as the team’s first jersey sponsor after the '10 season. An image of the new Dynamo jersey with the Greenstar logo was leaked to the website MLS Rumors on Dec. 4; sources close to the story confirmed today that the image was genuine.
MATTHEW HULSIZER OUTLINES PLANS FOR BUYING AND OPERATING COYOTES
Prospective Coyotes Owner Matthew Hulsizer today briefed the NHL BOG Exec Committee on his plans to buy and operate the team. Hulsizer said that he is “close to a lease agreement” for Jobing.com Arena with the city of Glendale and “expects it will be presented to city council for a vote at its Dec. 14 meeting.” Hulsizer hopes to close on the deal by year’s end. Hulsizer is open to previous Coyotes bidder Ice Edge Holdings taking “a minority share in the team but he will own ‘the vast majority.’” Hulsizer said that Coyotes GM Don Maloney and coach Dave Tippett “will remain in place” (GLOBEANDMAIL.com, 12/6).
COMMITTEE ELECTS PAT GILLICK FOR HOF; MILLER, STEINBRENNER SHUT OUT
The Baseball HOF Veterans Committee this morning announced that it had elected long-time baseball exec Pat Gillick to the Baseball HOF. Former MLBPA Exec Dir Marvin Miller came up one vote short of the 12 needed for election, “the closest of five losing votes that began in 2003.” Miller said that he was not surprised by the vote and “believes he will never be enshrined.” Miller: “There’s been a concerted attempt to downplay the union” (NYTIMES.com, 12/6).
Late Yankees Chair George Steinbrenner in his first appearance on the ballot received “less than eight” votes (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 12/6).
JEFF GORDON TODAY UNVEILS “DRIVE TO END HUNGER” PAINT SCHEME
 |
Jeff Gordon Unveils New Paint Scheme
For AARP Sponsorship Next Season |
NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon this morning “took the wraps off” his new Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, unveiling the AARP Foundation’s “Drive To End Hunger” paint scheme that he will sport for 22 races next year. Gordon will debut the “candy apple red, silver and black paint scheme” during Daytona Speedweeks, where Gordon will “run it in both the Feb. 12 Budweiser Shootout and the Feb. 20 Daytona 500” (SPEEDTV.com, 12/6).
Gordon also appeared on CNBC to discuss his partnership with the non-profit organization. Gordon: “This is an investment that is going to come back to them -- hopefully -- tenfold and it’s going to really make an impact” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 12/6).
ESPN TO PAY TRIBUTE TO DON MEREDITH DURING TONIGHT’S “MNF” GAME
By Brian Helfrich, Assistant Managing Editor
ESPN tonight will pay tribute to Don Meredith, the popular “Monday Night Football” announcer who passed away last night at the age of 72. Chris Berman will voice a tribute to Meredith that will air tonight both during the 7:00pm ET hour of “Monday Night Countdown” and during halftime of the Jets-Patriots game. In addition, former “MNF” voice Frank Gifford, who spent 27 seasons in the booth including 10 with Meredith and the late Howard Cosell, will talk to ESPN’s current lead announcer Mike Tirico during halftime of tonight’s AFC East clash.
Meredith joined the “MNF” broadcast booth for ABC in ’70. He left for three seasons, from ’74-76, to work for NBC, but returned the next year to rejoin Cosell and Gifford on ABC. The trio worked together until ’83, when Cosell retired, and Meredith stepped away from sports broadcasting one year later, after the ’84 NFL season.
BUZZER BEATERS….
 |
| ESPN Launches Site Dedicated To Women |
ESPN today launched espnW.com, a content and digital business initiative for women. The site will serve as a precursor to a more robust website with mobile apps and personalized content that will launch in Spring ’11 (ESPN).
Madison Square Garden today announced a new multiyear deal making Party City the official party store of the Knicks, Rangers and MSG. Per the deal, Party City will present the Knicks and Rangers annual Kids Day games, postgame in-arena celebrations after team victories and receive other in-arena brand activation (MSG).
Santa Anita today “officially opened its newly installed sand-and-clay main track for training.” The new surface, consisting of 90% sand and 10% clay, “brings an end to a troubled three-year era with two synthetic surfaces” (DRF.com, 12/6).
NASCAR today announced that the ’11 induction ceremony for the NASCAR HOF’s second class will be held May 23 (NASCAR).
The ’12 PGA Championship today announced that all Saturday daily grounds tickets for the tournament have been sold approximately 20 months prior to the event for the first time (PGA).
QUICK HITS….
“We talk about all this revenue sharing. We are giving money to these teams and they're not spending it. Well, they just spent it. Now everyone is mad at them for spending it" – Yankees CF Curtis Granderson, on the Nationals signing Jayson Werth to a seven-year, $126M contract (“ESPN First Take,” ESPN2, 12/6).
“It's good to be Cliff Lee” – Agent Darek Braunecker, on the level of interest MLB teams for his client at MLB’s Winter Meetings in Florida (ESPN.com, 12/6).
“We need to do some groundwork, grassroots effort to just make sure we understand what’s going on in the football recruiting environment” – NCAA VP/Enforcement Julie Roe Lach, on possibly creating a group to focus on college football recruiting infractions (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/6).
“The Middle East is also part of the football family, and why shouldn’t it go to them?” – FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, on Qatar being awarded the ’22 World Cup (AP, 12/6).
A LIGHTER BUZZ….
Than Shwe, head of Burma’s (Myanmar) military junta, “considered a $1B bid to buy Manchester United,” according to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from June ‘09 published by Wikileaks. Diplomats “believed the bid would be an attempt to distract the people of Burma from problems faced by the country.” The Burmese regime “set up a national football league” in lieu of the ManU bid (MENMEDIA.co.uk, 12/6).
TWITTER ME THIS….
Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham: “Pat Gillick is deserving. But the Hall lacks legitimacy without Marvin Miller. Quite a travesty.”
N.Y. Post’s Joel Sherman: “Gillick richly deserving, but Miller is petty to keep out. After Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth who changed game more than Miller?”
Charlotte Observer’s Brant James: “Izod to sponsor Penske IndyCar programs in 2011. Looks like a lot of Hugo Boss clothing is going into the Goodwill bin in Mooresville, NC.”
Washington Post Nationals beat writer Adam Kilgore: “Let's make a deal: If I write any Werth/Worth puns in the next seven years, you're allowed to murder me.”
If you see a tweet we won’t want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
THE DAILY’S HOT READS….
Tornante Co. Founder Michael Eisner writes of the opportunities found in new media, “I don’t think it’s all about the user generation of material or democracy in media. It’s still about human beings coming together and deciding what is and isn’t interesting” (WSJ. MAGAZINE).
The Baltimore SUN’s Hanah Cho writes of the Maryland Jockey Club stalemate, “Maryland’s thoroughbred owners, trainers and breeders have long worried that their industry is on the brink of collapse, issuing dire warnings about the potential loss of the Preakness Stakes, the state’s biggest annual entertainment and sporting event” (Baltimore SUN).
The Portland OREGONIAN’s Allan Brettman writes Nike Chair Phil Knight “is basking in the reflected glory of the 12-0 Ducks football team – headed to its first national championship game, ever, thanks in some measure to the lavish facilities Knight has helped provide” (Portland OREGONIAN).
Also:
See the Hot Reads section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT’S EVENTS….
The Blue Jackets and Nationwide Insurance will host a NASCAR-themed night for the team’s 7:00pm ET game against the Stars at Nationwide Arena. NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski and crew members from his No. 22 Nationwide Series team will make an appearance.
DAILY DOWNLOAD….
The NHL debuted its ’11 Winter Classic spot featuring Penguins C Sidney Crosby and Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin during last night’s Steelers-Ravens game on NBC.
CHANNEL SURF….
PBR President Ty Murray will present an award at the ’11 American Country Awards on Fox at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS….
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "Late Show" | Ray Romano |
| "Tonight Show" | Russell Brand |
| "Late Late Show" | Lucy Liu |
| "Late Night" | Martha Stewart |
| "Jimmy Kimmel Live" | Mila Kunis |
| “Conan” | Nicole Kidman |
DAILY DIGIT….
2,200 – Primetime broadcast hours logged by announcer Al Michaels during his career, more “than anyone in American TV history.” Michaels has called 20 years of “MNF” as well as several Super Bowls, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, World Series and Olympics (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 12/5).
NOTES & QUOTES FROM THIS DAY IN SBD HISTORY….
2001
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig testifies before the House Judiciary Committee, which was looking at the league’s antitrust exemption, and claims that MLB lost more than a half billion dollars in ’00. Selig says MLB teams collectively lost $1.38B from '95-01.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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