Jan. 1
The cash-strapped Ottawa Senators miss a payroll payment. They need $3.7 million to cover the payroll.
 |
| Ward |
USOC CEO Lloyd Ward, who is being investigated for his involvement in Energy Management Technologies' bid to supply electrical generators to organizers of the Pan American Games, apologizes but maintains he did nothing wrong.
Jan. 3
Ohio State defeats Miami 31-24 in double overtime in the national championship Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The game, aired on ABC, draws a 17.2 rating, making it the highest-rated of the 20 BCS games in the system's five-year history.
Jan. 5
Reports out of Australia claim News Corp. 
Chairman Rupert Murdoch may sell the Los Angeles Dodgers. News Corp. paid $313 million for the team in 1998.
Jan. 6
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming signs his first endorsement deal, with Sorrent, a developer of interactive games for wireless devices that will make a game called Yao Ming Basketball. Terms are not disclosed.
USTA executive director and CEO Rick Ferman announces his resignation and intent to stay on until a successor is named.
No LPGA event will be held in Nashville in 2003, the first time the city is without an event in 16 years. Failure to secure a title sponsor forces the cancellation.
The United States Professional Volleyball league delays the start of its season due to a financial crunch.
Jan. 8
MLB Advanced Media signs Tickets.com and Ticketmaster as preferred providers for online ticketing services through the 2008 season.
Magna Entertainment announces the launch of HorseRacing TV, a 24-hour cable network featuring exclusive coverage of the 13 racetracks owned, operated or managed by Magna.
Jan. 9
A 
judge gives the go-ahead to the Raiders in their $1.1 billion suit against Oakland and Alameda County.
Jan. 13
The Buffalo Sabres file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Jan. 15
Kia Motors exercises a two-year, $11.7 million option to remain as major sponsor of the Australian Open.
Jan. 16
 |
| Bornstein |
The NFL names Steve Bornstein asexecutive vice president/media and president and CEO of the new NFL Network, which will launch in fall 2003.Jan. 17
ESPN's coverage of the Lakers-Rockets game, featuring the first meeting between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming, earns a 3.8 rating, the network's highest-rated NBA telecast of the season.
Jan. 18
John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro says his company will stop advertising its affiliation with the USOC until the ethics controversy is resolved.
Jan. 21
Auto supplier Continental signs on as a FIFA sponsor.
NASCAR announces plans to boost its sport, possibly moving races from under-selling tracks to newer venues in larger markets.
 |
| Upshaw |
NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw accuses the Washington Redskins ownership of seeking to undermine its union contract and urges Virginia lawmakers to reject the team's attempts to avoid paying workers' compensation to players who are injured on the field.Jan. 27
The Washington Redskins abandon their legislative effort to reduce workers' compensation payments for injured players after agreeing to settle the dispute with players at the bargaining table.
Jan. 28
The MLBPA requests team documents about free-agent negotiations in what could be the first step toward a collusion grievance.
After a 50-plus-year partnership, NASCAR and the 76 gasoline brand sever ties.
Jan. 29
AOL Time Warner Vice Chairman Ted Turner announces hisretirement.
Jan. 31
Chicago telecom provider U.S. Cellular signs a 23-year, $68 million naming-rights deal with the White Sox to change the name of Comiskey Park.
The AFL debuts on NBC with four regional games.
Feb. 4
 |
| Mankamyer |
USOC President Marty Mankamyer resigns, saying there seems to be no possibility for peace within the USOC unless she steps aside.
Feb. 5
NBC announces it will offer 24-hour coverage of the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics across five networks.
Feb. 6
Gatorade signs Rockets center Yao Ming to a multiyear endorsement deal.
Feb. 7
USA Today reports that only three MLB teams — the Yankees, Giants and Mariners — turned a profit in 2002.
Feb. 9
Looking to placate Congress, the USOC forms aninternal task force to study "ethical behavior" after pulling Lloyd Ward's $185,000 bonus for a violation.
Feb. 11
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Chair Steve Stavro sells his interest in the organization to Bell Globemedia. MLSE owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Air Canada Centre.
Feb. 12
Annika Sorenstam accepts an invitation to play in the 2003 Bank of America Colonial. She'll become the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to play a PGA Tour event.
Feb. 20
Gart Sports and The Sports Authority announce plans 
to merge, creating the largest sporting-goods retailer in the United States. The two retailers have 385 stores in 45 states and combined 2002 sales of $2.5 billion.
Feb. 23
College Sports Television soft-launches in 15 markets.
Feb. 24
Cingular Wireless and GM join Coca-Cola as NCAA Corporate Champion partners. NCAA Corporate Champions receive perks such as extensive advertising time during regular and postseason CBS NCAA basketball telecasts.
March 1
Lloyd Ward resigns as USOC CEO after his ability to lead the organization comes into question.
Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer acquires a 2.9 percent stake in Manchester United for approximately $14.2 million.
March 3
 |
| Katz |
ABC Sports President Howard Katz announces his resignation. ESPN President George Bodenheimer assumes Katz's role.March 4
The San Diego Chargers activate a trigger clause in their stadium lease, allowing the team to shop itself to other cities.
March 6
Formula One signs with Speed Channel for coverage of its entire 16-race schedule.
March 7
Sport Brand International agrees to buy Fila Holding's footwear and apparel operations for $351 million in cash.
The Washington Grand Prix, slated for June, is canceled because of failed commitments between the DC Sports & Entertainment Commission and the American Le Mans Series.
March 10
 |
| Hamilton |
Lee Hamilton, who recommended replacing USTA Executive Director Rick Ferman, is named to the top post.March 11
MLBAM announces the start of MLB TV, which offers Webcasts of nearly 1,000 MLB games in 2003.
National Basketball Players Association Executive 
Director Billy Hunter denies having a handshake agreement with the NBA to set an age limit of 20 in the next collective-bargaining agreement.
March 12
After a two-month dispute, deals are struck for carriage of the YES Network on Cablevision systems in the New York area and for FSN North and Sunshine on Time Warner systems in Minnesota and Florida.
March 18
 |
| Selig |
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig announces the season-opening Mariners-A's series will not be held March 25-26 in Japan as planned because of the impending U.S. war with Iraq. The NCAA announces the Division I men's and women's basketball championships will continue as scheduled despite the looming war with Iraq.
The NFLPA concludes its four-day board meeting in Hawaii by re-electing Gene Upshaw to his seventh consecutive term as executive director, a position he has held since 1983.
March 19
Legendary minor league baseball owner Joe Buzas dies at the age of 84. Over the years, he owned more than 60 minor league teams in 40 cities.
March 20
Coverage of the first three games of the NCAA men's basketball tournament airs on ESPN per an agreement between CBS and ESPN. CBS broadcasts coverage of the war in place of the games.
Ravens co-owner Steve Bisciotti, who owns 49 percent of the team, informs majority owner Art Modell that he will buy the remaining 51 percent and assume control of the Ravens after the 2003 season.
The Atlanta Falcons hire HOK to revamp the Georgia Dome with retail, restaurants and more club seating.
March 21
Dunkin' Donuts pays people at least minimum wage to wear a tattoo of its logo on their forehead while around or inside the FleetCenter in Boston for first-round games of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
March 22-23
More than 200,000 fans flood a two-day open house at the Cincinnati Reds' new Great American Ball Park.
March 28
The YES Network and Cablevision, at 6:39 p.m. ET, 
sign a one-year carriage agreement, just in time for the Yankees' 7:05 p.m. ET season opener against the Blue Jays.
April 1
Air Canada's bankruptcy protection freezes its 20-year, $27 million naming-rights contract for Air Canada Centre, meaning Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs and the arena, legally can't terminate the current deal.
April 2
 |
| Steinberg |
Leigh Steinberg buys back his representation practice from Assante for $4 million and plans to open a new firm.April 7
Leveraging its $500 million, 11-year partnership with CBS and the NCAA, Coca-Cola reaches a $15 million agreement with College Sports Television.
Syracuse defeats Kansas for the NCAA men's basketball championship. A lopsided first half contributes to a 12.6 Nielsen rating, a 16 percent drop from the 2002 championship game.
April 10
The Montreal Expos open their "home" schedule against the New York Mets in Puerto Rico.
April 12
Martha Burk, chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations, protests Augusta National's all-male membership during The Masters.
April 13
The U.S. Olympic Committee's board of directors 
unanimously approves a resolution supporting the dramatic restructuring plan recommended by the committee's internal task force.
April 14
ESPN and the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club agree on a four-year TV and multimedia rights deal for the 2003-2006 Wimbledon Championships. The deal is estimated to be worth $24 million.
April 15
The PGA Tour and Kemper Insurance announce that Kemper is withdrawing as title sponsor of the Kemper Open, effective with the 2003 tournament. The company has titled the event since 1968.
April 16
 |
| Arturo Moreno and wife Carole dole out to Disney. |
Arturo Moreno reaches a deal in principle to acquire the Anaheim Angels from Disney. Reports have the sale price ranging from $180 million to $200 million.April 19-20
Rapper Jay-Z's signature Reebok shoe sells out in only a few hours during the weekend, making it the fastest-selling shoe in Reebok history.
April 22
The WNBA and its players association reach a five-year collective-bargaining agreement. Concessions by the players make the deal reachable and avoid the cancellation of the season.
YankeeNets negotiators ask Newark, N.J., officials to front the entire $355 million it would cost to build a downtown arena.
Because of the SARS outbreak, Major League Baseball's medical adviser recommends that players on the 10 teams visiting Toronto through the all-star break avoid signing autographs, visiting hospitals, using public transportation and mingling with large crowds while in the area.
April 23
The NFL fires 35 writers, editors and designers at its Los Angeles office and two in New York as it eliminates its money-losing publications division.
April 24
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig tells a group of sports editors in New York that he will not seek a new term when his contract expires Dec. 31, 2006. "When I took the job, I told my wife I'd do it for two to three months, and it has turned into 14 years. There are some other things I want to do."
May 1
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agree on a two-year experiment in which the league that wins the All-Star Game will receive home-field advantage in the World Series. The roster size of the AL and NL teams will increase from 30 to 32 players.
May 5
The NFL has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer to support the launch of Levitra, an erectile dysfunction drug. Sources say the deal is for more than $5 million a year in rights fees, with media spending on NFL broadcasts expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
M&T Bank signs a $75 million, 15-year naming-rights deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
May 7
Abe Pollin decides not to bring Michael Jordan back as president of the Washington Wizards.
May 12
PGA Tour player Vijay Singh says that Annika Sorenstam "has no business playing" in the May 22-25 Bank of America Colonial. Singh: "I hope she misses the cut ... because she doesn't belong out here. If I'm drawn with her, which I won't be, I won't play." Singh later withdrew from the event, saying he needed rest.
May 13
ACC presidents and chancellors vote 7-2 to expand 
from nine to 12 schools. Duke and North Carolina cast the dissenting votes.
May 16
 |
| McCormack |
IMG founder Mark McCormack, who has been hospitalized and in a coma since a cardiac arrest in January, dies in New York at the age of 72. McCormack is recognized for revolutionizing — some say inventing — sports marketing.May 20
In a near-unanimous vote in Philadelphia, NFL owners agree to contribute up to $10 million for a new stadium in Carson, Calif.
NBA draft prospect Carmelo Anthony signs a six-year shoe and apparel deal with Nike. One source says the deal is worth about $3.5 million per year.
May 21
LeBron James agrees to a seven-year, $90 million-plus deal with Nike, which includes a $10 million signing bonus.
May 27
Thirteen-year-old soccer player Freddy Adu agrees to a $1 million multiyear contract with Nike.
The New York Jets file suit against the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, claiming inequities in their Giants Stadium lease agreement.
May 29
Miramax Books lands the rights to publish Yao Ming memoirs in a seven-figure deal.
Major League Baseball levies a six-figure fine, thought to be up to $250,000, against the Florida Marlins for failing to consider minority candidates before they hired Jack McKeon as manager earlier in the month.
June 2
Citing its solid sports lineup as well as the uncertainty concerning future Olympic sites, CBS pulls out of bidding for TV rights to the 2010 and 2012 Games.
Players Inc.and SportsLine.com enter into a licensing and marketing partnership. Sports-Line.com will produce Players Inc.'s first online fantasy football game during the 2003 season.
June 3
Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is ejected from a game for using a corked bat.
June 5
Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux for the first time publicly threatens to move the team if a new arena isn't built. Lemieux says, "This franchise is a free agent in 2007. Hopefully, they understand that."
June 6
GE/NBC lands the media and marketing rights to
the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games with a whopping $2.2 billion bid.
June 7
Funny Cide fails to win the Triple Crown, but NBC is a big winner with a 10.4/24 overnight Nielsen rating, the highest overnight for a horse race since the 1990 Kentucky Derby.
June 9
ABC earns a 4.6/8 final Nielsen rating for the New Jersey Devils' Game 7 victory over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, marking the largest U.S. broadcast TV audience for an NHL game in 30 years.
June 12
Time Warner announces that it will offer YES Network to New York and New Jersey-area subscribers on an à la carte basis beginning in July.
June 15
ABC's 6.5/12 NBA Finals average is the lowest since 1981.
June 17
Citizens Bank and the Phillies announce the signing of a 25-year, $95 million naming-rights deal for the team's new ballpark. Citizens, already the Phillies' official bank, will pay $57.5 million for the naming rights, with the rest in ad commitments, tickets and hospitality.
June 18
Adidas will pay part of Real Madrid's $41 million transfer fee to acquire the rights to David Beckham from Manchester United.
June 19
NASCAR announces Nextel as its new title
sponsor, replacing Winston. Reports have the 10-year deal worth $750 million, or $75 million a year.
Bank One signs as presenting sponsor of the Chicago Bears with a 12-year deal valued at $30 million to $50 million.
June 23
Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant signs a shoe deal with Nike worth $40 million to $50 million over five years.
June 26
The Cleveland Cavaliers select LeBron James with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
June 30
The University of Miami announces it will leave the Big East to join the ACC for the 2004-05 season. The announcement comes three days after Virginia Tech announces it will make the same move.
July 2
 |
| Vancouver celebrates |
Vancouver is named host city for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.July 7
Agent Bill Duffy, who reps NBA free-agent guard Anthony Carter, says a clerical error in his office led to the missed contract deadline that threatens to cost Carter the bulk of his $4.1 million salary next season with the Miami Heat.
July 8
The Portland Trail Blazers, saddled with a bloated 
player payroll of $109 million and a staff that is double the size of most NBA teams, terminate 88 employees, a third of the team's work force.
July 11
The Indiana Pacers announce that Larry Bird will return to the team as president of basketball operations.
Flying Mallard Productions, creators of the "Fish On" reality fishing program, file a $10 million breach-of-contract and copyright-infringement suit against ESPN, alleging that the network stole the show's concept and logo.
July 12
Budweiser signs an $81 million sponsorship deal with the BMW Williams Formula One team.
July 14
ESPN announces that Rush Limbaugh will join "Sunday NFL Countdown," debuting with the show's Sept. 4 season premiere.
July 18
The Arlington County Board tells the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority "to remove the county from consideration to be the new home" of the Montreal Expos.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant is charged with felony sexual assault in Eagle County, Colo. Bryant, with his wife, Vanessa, at his side, holds an emotional press conference at Staples Center, where he acknowledges having sex with the woman who alleges the assault, but insists it was consensual.
July 22
IBM signs a three-year deal worth $30 million-plus
annually in total commitment to become the official IT partner of the NFL. The pact gives IBM rights to virtually every tech category not occupied by Motorola, SportsLine or AOL.
Manchester United begins a four-game tour of the United States at Seattle's Seahawks Stadium against Celtic.
July 24
 |
| Houston’s Toyota Center |
The Houston Rockets and Toyota announce that Houston's new downtown arena will be named the Toyota Center. The 20-year deal is pegged at between $95 million and $100 million.July 25
Universal's "Seabiscuit" opens nationally. The film grosses $21.5 million its first weekend, ranking it fifth among current releases.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue levies a $200,000 fine against Detroit Lions President Matt Millen for his failure to interview a minority candidate before hiring coach Steve Mariucci.
July 27
Despite Lance Armstrong's fifth straight Tour de France victory, CBS' 2.4/6 overnight Nielsen rating marks a 4 percent decline.
July 31
The Philadelphia Eagles' much-criticized "hoagie 
ban" at Lincoln Financial Field is dropped without ever going into effect.
ESPN and Comcast Cable enter into an agreement for distribution of ESPN HD. Comcast will make ESPN HD available in markets where it currently offers HDTV service.
Aug. 2
Nutella becomes the first company to end its endorsement deal with Kobe Bryant in part over the basketball star's legal trouble.
Aug. 4
 |
| Lincoln Financial Field |
Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field opens with a Manchester United sellout and mostly favorable reviews. NBC and Fox Sports Net announce they will become minority shareholders in the Association of Volleyball Professionals.
IBM extends its U.S. Tennis Association sponsorship by three years. Terms are not disclosed.
Aug. 5
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett signs a long-term endorsement deal with Adidas. Terms are not disclosed.
Aug. 8
Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB agrees to pay $1.64 billion over three years for live Premier League matches.
Aug. 11
David Beckham is set to sign a "lifetime agreement" with Adidas worth more than $160 million, including an $80 million down payment. The deal is called the largest endorsement contract in the history of professional sports.
Aug. 13
Nike's Jordan Brand adds Tennessee Titan Eddie George to its football stable, which includes Tampa Bay's Warren Sapp and Oakland's Charles Woodson.
Aug. 15
NASCAR announces that Sunoco has signed a 10-year deal to replace longtime sponsor ConocoPhillips' Unocal 76 as the sanctioning body's official fuel beginning next year. The deal is pegged by experts at $8 million to $10 million a year, combined in barter and cash. The 76 brand had been affiliated with NASCAR for more than 50 years.
Five Atlantic Coast Hockey League teams form a new league, leaving league President William Coffey's club as the only one left.
Aug. 20
LeBron James signs a six-year agreement with Coca-Cola to endorse the Sprite and Powerade brands. The deal is worth a reported $2 million-plus annually and is being called the largest beverage endorsement ever signed by a basketball player.
 |
| Vaccaro |
Sonny Vaccaro, director of grassroots basketball for Adidas and arguably the most influential person in high school and college basketball, resigns from his position.Aug. 22
NFL owners unanimously approve Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's sale of 20 percent in the franchise to FedEx founder Fred Smith, northernVirginia businessman Dwight Schar and Florida insurance executive Robert Rothman for approximately $200 million. That would place the team's overall value at $1 billion or more.
Aug. 26
ESPN's first scripted series, "Playmakers," debuts. The football drama draws the ire of the NFL but continues to air and draw solid ratings (1.9 average) throughout its first season. The future of the series is unknown.
A Sacramento jury awards the Raiders $34.2 million after determining officials from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum board misrepresented the status of ticket sales during the 1995 courtship of the team. The team had sought $1.1 billion.
Aug. 29
YES Network files suit in New York Supreme Court to stop Time Warner Cable from charging its New York customers $1 extra to watch its cable channel.
Sept. 4
The NFL season kicks off on a Thursday evening as the Jets play at Washington. The ABC telecast earns a 14.5/23 overnight Nielsen rating, up 14 percent from the 2002 "Monday Night Football" average.
Sept. 7
Phoenix Coyotes co-owner Jerry Moyes agrees to put up $40 million to finish building the team's new $180 million Glendale arena, four times what initially was estimated.
Sept. 9
Vanderbilt announces the elimination of its athletics 
department. The school's sports programs are folded into a new office, giving the administration more oversight over athletics.
Sept. 10
CART's board of directors agrees to a buyout offer with Open Wheel Racing Series for 56 cents per share. Drivers and organizers see the offer as a positive move in an effort to save the organization.
Sept. 13
 |
| France |
NASCAR announces that Brian France, 41, will replace his father, Bill France Jr., as chairman and CEO. Bill France Jr. will serve as co-vice chairman along with his brother, Jim.Sept. 14
The WUSA suspends operations after three seasons. The news comes just days before the Women's World Cup opens, and a little more than a month after the league announced plans to change its structure from a single-entity league to one with individual owners. Since its inception, WUSA investors have poured more than $100 million into the league.
AOL Time Warner shocks Texas businessman David McDavid by informing him that the company is selling the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights to an eight-person group led by Steve Belkin.
Sept. 17
NFL owners vote to continue NFL Europe for two more seasons and award Miami the 2007 Super Bowl.
Sept. 22
MBNA has renewed its NFL credit card sponsorship in a six-year deal worth a minimum of $96 million. The $16 million guaranteed annually is more than double the previous annual fee.
Sept. 23
Singer Jon Bon Jovi is introduced as co-owner of the AFL expansion Philadelphia Soul. Bon Jovi and co-owner Craig Spencer paid close to $15 million for the franchise.
Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett files a lawsuit against the NFL to allow him to enter the draft despite not meeting the league's requirement of being three years removed from high school.
Sept. 25
Pepsi decides it will not renew its U.S. Open sponsorship as its eight-year deal concludes.
Sept. 28
Rush Limbaugh, on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," draws heavy criticism for his remarks about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Limbaugh contends that the media has been easy on McNabb because he is black. Mounting criticism forces Limbaugh to resign four days later.
Sept. 29
Four Chicago teams — the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks — have exercised options to end their agreements with Fox Sports Net, effective in October 2004. In all likelihood, the move signals the teams' intention to launch a new regional sports network.
The Chicago Bears officially open the renovated Soldier Field on "Monday Night Football," in a 38-23 loss to Green Bay.
Oct. 2
 |
| Accenture makes Tiger focus of ad campaign. |
Accenture signs Tiger Woods to a three-year endorsement deal and makes him the center of a $70 million to $75 million advertising campaign. Terms are not disclosed.Oct. 6
AOL, FedEx, IBM and GlaxoSmithKline/Bayer's Levitra sign multiyear agreements as charter advertisers of the NFL Network. The ad packages include in-program enhancements, show and segment sponsorships and advertising time.
Oct. 7
The International Olympic Committee and Xerox 
announce that their TOP partnership will not be renewed in December 2004. Xerox, an Olympic partner since 1964 and a TOP sponsor since 1994, was responsible for the publication and distribution of Olympic results during the Games.
Oct. 8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer raises his stake in Manchester United to 8.9 percent, fueling more speculation of his intention to take over the high-profile soccer team.
Oct. 10
Frank McCourt offers to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers from News Corp. for about $430 million. The deal would include Dodger Stadium, the team's Vero Beach, Fla., spring training facility and a training complex in the Dominican Republic.
Oct. 12
Boston College accepts the ACC's invitation to become the conference's 12th member. The university follows Virginia Tech and Miami in planning a move from the Big East.
Oct. 15
Under his new five-year deal to continue driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Dale Earnhardt Jr. owns the rights to his own name. Now, Earnhardt says, "I feel like I'm an asset to the company." Terms are not disclosed.
A combined 28.59 million viewers watch Game 7 of the National League Championship Series (Cubs-Marlins) and Game 6 of the American League Championship Series (Yankees-Red Sox), a 184 percent increase over last year's busiest playoff day.
Oct. 16
CART lays off nearly 40 percent of the employees from its Indianapolis headquarters.
Oct. 18
The USOC board of directors votes overwhelmingly on radical restructuring measures, reducing the number of directors from 123 to 11.
Yao Ming and Coca-Cola's Chinese subsidiary agree to an out-of-court settlement over Yao's contention that Coca-Cola used his image without his permission.
Oct. 20
 |
| A chilly reception |
ESPN2 debuts "Cold Pizza," a new morning show, which is widely panned by critics. The first show manages only a 0.08 Nielsen rating. Oct. 21
Gillette signs with CBS to run its first Super Bowl 
ads since 1994. Thirty-second spots during the game reportedly cost as much as $2.4 million.
Oct. 23
Yao Ming signs a multiyear pact with Reebok featuring a signature apparel/footwear collection.
Oct. 25
The Florida Marlins defeat the New York Yankees to claim the World Series championship. Fox averages a 12.8 Nielsen rating for the six-game series, making it the third-lowest-rated ever, ahead of the 12.4 for the Mets-Yankees series in 2000 and the Giants-Angels in 2002.
Oct. 27
California wildfires force the "Monday Night Football" game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins to be moved from Southern California to Tempe, Ariz. Fans are admitted free to the game and more than 73,000 attend.
Oct. 29
LeBron James makes his professional debut, scoring 25 points before a sellout crowd in Sacramento.
The Florida Marlins promise local officials that if the team gets a new ballpark, it will change its name to the Miami Marlins.
In a deal TV executives are calling "the most 
lucrative international deal ever signed by a U.S. league for distribution in a single country," Major League Baseball agrees to a six-year, $275 million pact with ad company Dentsu to broadcast MLB games in Japan.
Oct. 30
The NFL awards Arizona the 2008 Super Bowl.
Nov. 3
Best Western enters a three-year, $10 million deal to become NASCAR's first official hotel.
Nov. 4
The NFL Network kicks off to DirecTV's 11.8 million subscribers.
Nov. 10
CBS agrees to a four-year, $120 million extension with the USTA to continue airing the U.S. Open through 2008.
Nov. 13
Major League Baseball announces that 5 to 7 percent of player drug tests came back positive, triggering a clause in the collective-bargaining agreement for mandatory leaguewide testing.
Nov. 16
ESPN earns a 9.6 (8,447,000 households) Nielsen cable rating and averages 11.7 million viewers for a Sunday night Cowboys-Patriots game, marking the fifth-biggest audience in cable TV history.
Nov. 17
 |
| Kasten |
With the sale of the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights pending, and Time Warner looking to slash Braves payroll, Stan Kasten steps down as president of the Atlanta sports teams.Nov. 19
Major League Soccer signs 14-year-old soccer phenom Freddy Adu to a multiyear contract believed to be worth several hundred thousand dollars a season.
Nov. 20
 |
| AFL pigskin gets new look. |
The Arena Football League signs a four-year deal with Spalding that will put a new-look pigskin into play next season. Terms are not disclosed. The ball is tan-colored and features a dark blue stripe.Nov. 22
A sellout crowd of 57,167 fans brave subzero temperatures to watch the Heritage Classic at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. The NHL's outdoor experiment involving the Oilers and Canadiens plays to rave reviews across Canada.
Nov. 30
CBS and its affiliates reach an agreement on 
a value-exchange program relating to the network's annual broadcast of the NCAA men's basketball championship. Effective Dec. 31, the agreement includes an exchange between CBS and its affiliates, including sales inventory and cash contributions. Specific terms and length of the agreement are not disclosed.
Dec. 1
Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer is confirmed as last week's mystery buyer of 6 percent of Manchester United, fueling more talk of a takeover attempt and overshadowing the team's $43 million sponsorship renewal with Vodafone. Glazer's stake in the team grows to 14.3 percent.
The Chargers file a lawsuit in L.A. Superior Court to get out of their lease at Qualcomm Stadium. The team wants to prove it has suffered financial hardship, a requirement before it can opt out of its lease.
Dec. 2
Comcast, in conjunction with the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks, is set to launch Comcast SportsNet Chicago in October 2004. The venture marks the first time the majority of major pro sports teams in one market would come together to start a station.
WTA Tour player Kim Clijsters says she won't participate in next summer's Athens Olympics because the Belgian Olympic Committee prohibits its athletes from wearing apparel not made by team sponsor Adidas. She has a deal with Fila.
Dec. 4
Under fire from fans, media and politicians since 
former President Ulice Payne publicly expressed concern over the team's plans to cut payroll to as low as $30 million next season, the Brewers agree to open their books to a panel of three local businessmen. Legislators still seek a state audit.
The Phoenix City Council unanimously approves $17 million in funding for renovations to America West Arena, spurred in part by anticipated stiff competition for events from the new Glendale Arena.
 |
| Wang |
Frustrated by delays in the sales process, New York Islanders co-owner Charles Wang withdraws his bid to purchase the New Jersey Nets and move the team to Long Island.Dec. 7
For the first time in the six-year history of the Bowl Championship Series, the No. 1-ranked team in the AP and USA Today/ ESPN polls will not play in the designated national championship game. Top-ranked USC will face No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, while second-ranked LSU will play third-ranked Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
Dec. 8
The board of directors of YankeeNets meets to consider ways to dissolve the holding company.
The NBA and NBPA announce that the league will exercise its option to extend the collective-bargaining agreement through the 2004-05 season. The parties have agreed to meet on a regular basis in order to reach a new, long-term agreement.
Dec. 10
The History Channel announces a two-year, $2 million marketing alliance with the NBA. NBA Entertainment will produce two shows for The History Channel about the league's legacy, and the network will be presenting sponsor of 10 to 12 "Hardwood Classic" nights at various NBA arenas, in which teams wear retro-styled "throwback" jerseys.
Dec. 11
Nike signs Serena Williams to a long-term shoe and apparel contract. Terms were not disclosed, but sources said the deal's worth at least $60 million.
