Morning Buzz

Publishing Notice: Morning Buzz and THE DAILY will not publish tomorrow or Monday but will return on Tuesday, Dec. 28. The Closing Bell will not publish today. It will return after the start of the New Year on Monday, Jan. 3.

ATLANTA SPIRIT CO-OWNERS REACH SETTLEMENT IN SIX-YEAR LEGAL SPAT

The lawsuit among members of the Atlanta Spirit ownership group has been settled. Michael Gearon and Bruce Levenson now will serve as managing partners of the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena. Terms of the deal were not disclosed (Atlanta Spirit). The settlement, which ends a six-year legal dispute, includes "seven of the group's co-owners buying out" former partner Steve Belkin's 30% stake. There are "no new investors in line to replace Belkin"
(ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/23).

FCC WILL NOT APPROVE NBC-COMCAST DEAL BEFORE START OF NEW YEAR

As the end of the year approaches, it is "clear that the FCC will not complete its review of the proposed Comcast-NBCU merger until January at the earliest." Sources indicated that a "draft order approving the sale with conditions will be circulated as early as Friday for a possible vote next month." Comcast previously confirmed that the deal "would not be consummated this year"
(VARIETY.com, 12/22).

NBC Universal President & CEO Jeff Zucker "distributed a holiday-greetings memo to employees saying that the companies expect a 'green light' for the deal in January," and Comcast yesterday "confirmed the new timetable" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/23).

NO DELAY FOR POINSETTIA BOWL DESPITE QUALCOMM STADIUM FLOODING

The San Diego State-Navy San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl will kick off today at 5:06pm PT, as scheduled, despite reports that Qualcomm Stadium "was flooded and efforts were underway to pump water off the playing surface." As of yesterday, the field was "half-submerged," and the parking lot "was at least two-thirds covered." The lot, therefore, "won't have as many parking spaces as usual." More than 51,000 tickets have been sold for the game
(SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/23).

Both Navy and SDSU "figure to make money" from the game, "in large part because each team sold all the ticket allotments they were required to purchase." Navy's allotment was about 12,000. SDSU's initially was 5,000, "but after quickly selling those, SDSU added about 3,000 more and sold those too." The Poinsettia Bowl offers a minimum payout of $500,000 to each team (SIGNONSANDIEGO.com, 12/22).

NHL ROLLS OUT FACEBOOK CONTEST TIED TO NBC'S WINTER CLASSIC TELECAST

By Fred Dreier, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

The NHL will debut a Facebook contest for the January 1 Winter Classic outdoor game that is tied directly to the live televised broadcast. At various times during the Capitals-Penguins broadcast on NBC, a Facebook message will appear on-screen selecting a winner. An NHL rep will then call the winner and ask a series of questions related to the broadcast. Prizes for correct answers include a Honda CR-Z as well as trips for four to Universal Orlando Studios and the '11 NHL All-Star Game.

Registration for the contest opens today on the NHL’s Facebook page. This is the first time the NHL has operated a Facebook contest tied directly to a televised broadcast.

JAGUARS SELL OUT HOME FINALE FOR BLACKOUT-FREE REGULAR SEASON

Jaguars Make It Through '10 Season Without Having Home TV Blackout

The Jaguars yesterday announced  they have sold enough tickets to avoid a local TV blackout of Sunday's home regular-season finale against the Redskins. The announcement, which came "a day before the blackout deadline," means the team "made it through the 2010 season without a single blackout" after having seven regular-season games blacked out in '09 (JACKSONVILLE.com, 12/22).

Rams Exec VP/Football Operations & COO Kevin Demoff said that as of last night, "roughly 1,000 tickets needed to be sold before today's noon deadline" to avoid a local TV blackout of Sunday's home game against the 49ers
(ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/23).

ILLINOIS LOTTERY'S BLACKHAWKS GAME FEATURES PLAYER SPECIFIC TICKETS

The Blackhawks earlier this week announced that the Illinois Lottery has launched its second series of "Blackhawks Cash" scratch-off tickets. This year, six different tickets will showcase one of six Blackhawks players: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Brian Campbell and Duncan Keith. Tickets cost $5 a piece and are available throughout the state. Prizes range from a Blackhawks jersey to $100,000 in cash (Blackhawks).

WGN-AM TO ROLL OUT SPORTS AND NEWS SHOW TITLED "WGN SPORTS NIGHT"

Chicago's WGN-AM tonight at 7:00pm CT will debut "WGN Sports Night," a three-hour sports and news program. The show, hosted by David Kaplan, will feature a rotating roster of guest co-hosts such as Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper, former NFLer Glen Kozlowski and "several newspaper beat writers and columnists." There also will be appearances by "sports insiders" like Cubs GM Jim Hendry, Cubs manager Mike Quade and Blackhawks radio voice John Wiedeman
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/22).

SPEED READS….

The Hamilton, Ontario, City Council voted 9-6 against the proposal to build a new stadium at the Confederation Park site. The decision "throws the future of the Pan Am stadium in Hamilton into uncertainty" (THESPEC.com, 12/22).

Crowd Of 41,923 Turns Out For Boise State-Utah Matchup In Las Vegas

Swimming equipment maker FINIS has agreed to sponsor U.S. swimmer Jason Lezak. The company is also a provider of select training equipment to the U.S. Olympic Swim Team (FINIS).

A crowd of 41,923 attended last night’s Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, which featured Boise State defeating Utah 26-3 at Sam Boyd Stadium (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 12/23).

A crowd of 15,423 attended last night’s Nets-Hornets game at New Orleans Arena, “the second-largest crowd of the season.” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu were both in attendance
(New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 12/23).

QUICK HITS….

“That would be a spectacular legacy. I could go to my grave a happy man” – NCAA President Mark Emmert, on plans to restructure the NCAA, provide more transparency to the news media and secure the welfare of student athletes (N.Y. TIMES, 12/23).

“I had my say last year, I’m not going to have my say again. My owner paid for my comments last year, and he’s not going to do that again” – Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who said he was fined a “hefty” amount last year for comments regarding Christmas Day games (AP, 12/22).

“When I walk out on our court for pregame shooting, I know most of the fans who come to our games. They’re there every game, as opposed to a major market like New York, where you don’t know the fans” – Thunder G Kevin Durant, on the benefits of playing in a smaller market like Oklahoma City (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/23).

“The goal for the season was the playoffs, it is the playoffs. But we are rebuilding. It’s not a classic rebuild. I don’t think in a cap system, you have to finish last or dead last for four or five years” – Maple Leafs President & GM Brian Burke (TORONTO STAR, 12/23).

“It is absolutely not dead. I don’t want anyone to think that the conversations have not been continuing” – NJSEA Chair Carl Goldberg, on finding a new operator for the stalled Meadowlands Xanadu project (Bergen RECORD, 12/23).

“I’ll be on the phone. I’ll be streaming it on my laptop. I will be doing everything I can to follow that game. I’ll be following it one way or another” – NFL Network analyst and SDSU alumnus Marshall Faulk, who has to work tonight’s Panthers-Steelers game instead of attending the Poinsettia Bowl (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/23).

TWITTER ME THIS….

Yahoo Sports’ Greg Wyshynski: “Sid and Dupuis in a hotel watching highlights on VERSUS. Nice try, HBO; like a hotel would have VERSUS.”

Newsday’s Alan Hahn: “Cool scene here, venerable Donnie Wash sitting with young Sam Presti for a private conversation in the Garden seats.”

USTA Player Development GM Patrick McEnroe: “Fun 2 days with Rafa and Roger. Well done to them for raising so much money 4 charity. They are a credit to the sport. Can't wait 4 aussie.”

N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola: “Now that he's been fired by both, who does Larry Brown side with in a fight, Michael Jordan or Isiah?”

If you see a tweet we won’t want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

TODAY'S EVENTS….

Islanders Owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow will be the featured guests on the "NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman" at 6:00pm ET on Sirius XM Radio.

THE BACK PAGES….

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Daily News	Newsday

Philadelphia Daily News	Boston Herald

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “U.S. History.”

“The day after the 15th amendment took effect, Thomas Peterson became the 1st African American to do this under its provisions.”

LAUGH TRACK….

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “Everybody does the re-gifting. For example, President Obama has re-gifted the Bush tax cuts. President Obama is on fire. He's got the tax cut deal, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the arms treaty. I'm telling you, this guy could be the most successful one-term president in history. … They've repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' after 17 years for the military. What does that mean? Better parades. They're already working on ‘Iraq: The Musical.’ The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repealed, however, the New York Giants still have their own policy: Don't ask about the Eagles game. … You know Donald Trump? He's flying JetBlue. Hard to imagine Donald Trump flying JetBlue. You know what it's like? It's like trying to imagine Sarah Palin flying on Air Force One. … You know what's going on in Los Angeles? They're having the storm of the decade. And when they get the rain out there, it causes mud slides, and mud slides are scary. You've seen some video on the news of the mud slides and what they do. On the other hand, it's nice to see Los Angeles real estate moving again. You know, the mudslides always put out the wildfires, so that's good. Poor Mel Gibson. He's blaming the whole thing on the Jews. I'll tell you, the rains are pretty bad. They're so bad, people are looking for shelter anywhere they can find it. Actually, they had some video of this, too, people taking cover under Kim Kardashian's ass” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/22).

NBC’s Jay Leno: “Welcome to Los Angeles, now a federally protected wetland. … I don't know if you were on the freeway here. I'm coming in on the 101 – the traffic – I got passed by a Carnival cruise ship. … I’ll tell you something, with all this water, suddenly the name L.A. Lakers – yes, of course it makes sense. But you know something? I am not going to let the weather dampen my Christmas spirit. This is the best week. Are you in the Christmas mood? Everybody is into it. Last night I saw Miley Cyrus smoking some frankincense and myrrh. … 7-Eleven now selling their own brand of wine. And believe me, 7-Eleven wine makes a great holiday gift for the man who has nothing. Just sit under the bridge, fantastic. … Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that we should not worry because her department is working 24/7, 364 days a year to keep us safe. It's like the New York Giants saying they play really good football for three-and-a-half quarters. … The U.S. Census Bureau today announced the results of our nation's head count. We have 308,725,538 people living in America. Here's the amazing part: More than half of those people are Americans. This is the first time. We never had that many here. … ‘Sarah Palin's Alaska’ looks like it's getting renewed for a second season. Apparently there's still some animals up there she hasn't shot yet. … Hear about the new Lindsay Lohan doll? Battery is included” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/22).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

Last night’s Top Ten List was “Top Ten Signs It’s Christmas In New York” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/22).

FINAL JEOPARDY….

“What is vote?”

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

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