03/17/20: NFL Draft deflates Vegas plans

Tuesday March 17, 2020

As casinos close their doors on the Las Vegas Strip, the NFL made its decision on the upcoming NFL Draft formal, and will alter its plans for the 2020 NFL Draft as a result of the coronavirus, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced. While the clubs’ selection of players will proceed as scheduled from April 23-25, the live, public events that had been slated will now be cancelled. The NFL is exploring “innovative” options for how the process will be conducted and will provide that information as it becomes available. “This decision reflects our foremost priority – the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” said Commissioner Goodell. “While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL Draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”

PROGRAMMING

ESPN lined up more than 13 hours of live NFL Free Agency specials through Wednesday. Wendi Nix (through Wed), Suzy Kolber (Tue) and Trey Wingo (Wed) all host back-to-back editions of NFL SportsCenter Special: NFL Free Agency Countdown at 3p on ESPN. Adam Schefter, Chris Mortensen, Josina Anderson and Dianna Russini will report on player signings, trades and more, while Tedy Bruschi, Booger McFarland, Louis Riddick and Mike Tannenbaum will provide expert analysis and front office insight. Additionally, ESPN’s Ryan Clark, Dan Graziano, Dan Orlovsky and Marcus Spears will offer analysis on NFL Free Agency during editions of Get Up and First Take.

Major League Baseball is now push Opening Day into mid-May at the earliest after Sunday’s recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control. MLB reports that Commissioner Rob Manfred conducted a conference call on Monday with all 30 Clubs. “We will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts, and urge all baseball fans to follow suit,” MLB said in the statement. “MLB extends its best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by the coronavirus.”

The International Olympic Committee will not implement a closed doors policy at this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics despite the coronavirus outbreak, according to The Guardian, which noted an IOC source stating that a closed doors approach that kept out live audiences was already rejected in internal IOC meetings

The WTA announced more cancellations due to the ongoing global coronavirus outbreak, including its tournaments in Stuttgart, Istanbul and Prague will not be held as scheduled. “At this point in time, the WTA Tour is now suspended until May 2. We will make a decision in the week ahead regarding the remaining WTA European clay court events and will continue to monitor this situation closely and its impact on the 2020 WTA Tour season.”

The NHRA is also downshifting, telling fans that it was shutting down its drag racing for 30 days as a result of the virus. This suspension includes events at all NHRA-owned tracks and any NHRA-sanctioned events such as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. “We intend at this time to resume the original schedule on April 17-19 in Houston, and continue thereafter, subject to developments in the interim. The spring Las Vegas event is postponed with new dates TBD. Please go to LVMS.com for information if you have purchased tickets for the postponed event.”

The IOC boxing task force decided to suspend the current boxing Road to Tokyo European Qualifier in London, as well as the subsequent Americas and final world qualifiers, which were scheduled to take place in May.

Golf media personality Nikki Bondura is joining instructor Martin Hall as a guest co-host for GOLF Channel’s studio instruction show, School of Golf, beginning with a new world premiere episode tonight at 7p. Bondura will be filling in for regular co-host Blair O’Neal, who is on maternity leave.

Get a jump start on your Upfront goals
Make sure your company’s upfront info is included in the #1 Guide to Upfront! Cynopsis’ Upfront Navigator is the ultimate resource center, with an up-to-date calendar of the events schedule, network resource guide (including video options), plus coverage from the presentations, road shows, and meetings taking place in NY and around the country.

Contact Cynopsis today to get a jump on the competition & reach your target audience in this highly-engaging environment!

SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association made a joint donation of $1 million to help fight hunger as a result of school closures and quarantines stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The donation will be split evenly among Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America. Feeding America will distribute funds to local member food banks in high need areas across the United States to help feed children and families impacted by current, and potentially extended, school closures and other disruptions as a result of the epidemic. Meals on Wheels America will use the emergency funds to boost the organizational capacity of the network to provide in-home meals to vulnerable senior citizens during this time of crisis.

DIGITAL, DATA & TECH

The European Volleyball Confederation locked in a long-term betting streaming and data rights deal with IMG Arena for events spanning volleyball, beach volleyball and snow volleyball. Advisers Media International, the independent sports rights distribution company, brokered the agreement on behalf of the CEV and has retained all betting category sponsorship rights for all CEV events.

ESPORTS

The U.S. Soccer Federation opened the doors to the USeNT Open 2020, a fully-online qualifying tournament designed to select the U.S. eNational Team representatives for the FIFA eNations Cup 2020 online qualifiers. U.S. Soccer will host the online tournament on March 28-29, with the PS4 and Xbox winners forming the two-player squad which will represent the United States during FIFA eNations Cup 2020 qualifying and other national team events.

DreamHack and ESL saw TV 2 Norway pick up Norwegian media rights for the ESL Pro Tour, the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) circuit, linking more than 20 tournaments and leagues. TV 2 Norway’s new CS:GO season broadcasts will start in March 2020, broadcasting the top CS:GO matches in the world from DreamHack and ESL’s ESL Pro Tour — including the ESL Pro League and major tournaments.

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation is launching free daily “Community Club” sessions for students that will continue as needed. The interactive online gatherings will provide fun activities, socialization with friends, development of game skills, and insights into the careers and lives of professionals working in the esports industry, according to the announcement

INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association reached an agreement to not subject players to drug testing during the coronavirus hiatus, according to Yahoo Sports. Players typically undergo “six random, unannounced urine drug tests during each season and off-season,” as stated in Article XXXIII of the collective bargaining agreement.

David Aufhauser was named CEO of NeuroTrainer, a San Francisco-based cognitive training platform that enables athletes to train their minds and achieve new levels of human performance. The company allows athletes to step inside a virtual reality training neuro-gym and engage in “challenging brain exercises that generate relevant, personalized real-time neuroanalytic feedback to improve individual performance.” Clients include teams in the NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and NCAA. Aufhauser will be tasked with growing the company.

WHY CYNOPSIS JOBS?

-Targeted environment: We offer hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels/sectors.
-Impressive reach: Daily communication with a loyal community of more than 100,000+.
-Striking Impact: Over the past 20 years, we’ve connected 20,000+ people to their dream job.
-Personal Attention: Interact with a real person dedicated to helping you attain your hiring goals & increase SEO in the process.

Email [email protected] for rates & to see how easily this turn-key product works.

On This Day
2002: WrestleMania XVIII takes place in Toronto.

In the Know
Which country has produced the most Formula One World Championship winning drivers? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).

Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
What was the name of Dwayne Johnson’s character on Ballers? Answer: Spencer Stasmore. Kudos: John Ferlazzo/London; Keith Marder-Halstead Real Estate/NY; Denis Barry-CBS/NY; Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NY; Art Salisch-Nielsen/NY; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Travis Wacker-ESPN Chicago/Chicago; Sean Dennison-Fire Football Club/Chicago; Greg Moloznik-GLM Media/Scottsdale; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Cynopsis Team

Chris Pursell
@VegasandVine

Kerry Smith
Division President
Access Intelligence

Roberta Caploe
Publisher
@robertacaploe

Cynopsis Ad Sales
Mike Farina
203-218-6480

Albert Nassour
917-545-3129

Cynopsis Job Listings Sales
Trish Pihonak
203-899-8459
Director of Operations

CynopsisJobs
Check out more jobs in Cynopsis Classifieds »

Job of the day

MANAGER, CONTENT ACQUISITIONS DILIGENCE
ION TELEVISION
NYC
Resp for quantitative diligence & analytical support for content acquisitions. Transform data-driven insights into quantitative analysis, financial modeling and presentations. Mng Content Mkt Pipeline, incl exhibition & sales history. Full info HERE

Sr PUBLICITY & COMMUNICATIONS MGR >>
BABYGRANDE PR/Santa Monica: Motivated PR exec for Sr mgr or above position to dvlp strategies & implement publicity/comm campaigns for content-creators/producers. 5-7 years minimum of publicity and communications exp. Full info HERE (3/24)

MANAGER, DIGITAL SALES OPERATIONS >>
NBCU/NYC: Lead a team of Campaign Specialists responsible for setup, trafficking and optimization of Ad sales campaigns across all NBCU News properties. Min 5 yrs ad ops exp. Knwldg industry tools incl DFP, Operative, Canoe and Freewheel. Full info HERE (3/26)

ANALYST SALES OPERATIONS >>
NBCU/NYC: Help identify, evaluate & dvlp to strengthen the division, expand revenue streams that align with NBCU’s long term convergence strategy between linear & digital operations teams. Min 2 yrs of professional exp in digital advertising. Full info HERE (3/26)

MANAGING DIRECTOR, DIGITAL >>
Spectrum Networks/NYC: Lead talented team of journalist ensuring our trusted news networks engage our audience. Manage digital teams in mult locations. 10+ years relevant newsroom management experience in a fast-paced, constantly evolving digital publishing envir. Full info HERE (3/25)

MANAGING DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MID-WEST >>
Spectrum Networks/Columbus OH: Lead the pioneering approach on delivering impactful and relevant content to the communities we serve. Manage digital teams in mult locations. 10+ years relevant newsroom management experience in a fast-paced, constantly evolving digital publishing envir. Full info HERE (3/25)

MGR, CHILDRENS TV >>
The Jim Henson Co/LA: Self-starter w/ability to work under tight deadlines in a fast-paced envir for Creative Affairs dept. Identify new projects & talent, oversee dvlpmnt of series to pitch & sell to the various ntwrks & studios. Min 2 yrs exp as a Coord in children’s TV w/exp in preschool arena. Full info HERE (3/25)

GRAPHIC OPERATIONS MANAGER >>
PAC-12/SF: Oversee the building, development and localization of studio-based Chyron package. Minimum of 7+ years in production and technical operations is necessary. Full info/apply HERE (3/24)

MGR, BRAND STRATEGY & COMMUNICATIONS >>
PEACOCK – NBCU/NYC: world-class strategist who will bring every aspect of our brand to life—from go-to-market planning, to IP, to audience development. 6 yrs brand planning/marketing strategy exp (TV/DTC) from the entertainment, advertising, or consumer products industry. Full info HERE (3/24)

VP PROGRAMMING >>
TLC/New York or Silver Spring MD: Critical thinker to drive audience growth for TLC’s content. Responsible for inventory planning, scheduling, budgeting, and cross-departmental communication. 10+ yrs relevant exp required. Apply Full info HERE (3/24)

MANAGER, CONTENT ACQUISITIONS DILIGENCE >>
ION TELEVISION/NYC: Resp for quantitative diligence & analytical support for content acquisitions. Transform data-driven insights into quantitative analysis, financial modeling and presentations. Mng Content Mkt Pipeline, incl exhibition & sales history. Full info HERE (3/23)

SPECIALIST – DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA >>
TLC/Silver Spring MD or NYC: Create and publish the best digital & social content experiences for TLC and Discovery Life. Implement effective, innovative & influential social media strategies as the brand’s voice. 3+ yrs exp in social media marketing required. Full info/apply HERE (3/23)

MEDIA SALES PLANNER >>
Fuse Media/NYC: Experienced candidate to join dynamic team developing customized plans and presentations for Ad Sales clients. 2-4 yrs exp media sales co., or advertising agency pref’d w/strong knwldg media math. Exc problem solving & analytical skills. Full info HERE (3/21)

SOCIAL MEDIA INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS CONSULTANT (PT) >>
A+E Networks/NY: Part time candidate to provide insight to inform digital monetization team, guide strategy, provide feedback on performance, & identify key opportunities to build A+E’s presence across social platforms & maximize revenue. Full info HERE (3/21)

DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY >>
beIN Sports/Miami FL: Establish/maintain relationships w/ System level & Sr MSO staffs. Identify & direct mktg opps to ensure maximum revenue potential from accounts. Min 5-10 yrs exp in affiliate mktg or sales within ent/media, pref at a cable TV network w/est’d industry contacts. Full info HERE (3/21)

MANAGER, INVENTORY (TEMP) >>
Crown Media Family Networks/NYC: Mng process of monitoring and tracking all inventory through WideOrbit and Dealmaker reporting systems, while manually updating all ongoing daily changes. 2 or yrs exp in pricing and planning or advertising sales. Full info HERE (3/21)

SR DIRECTOR, INSIGHTS & POSITIONING OLYMPICS >>
NBCU/NYC: Drive research innovation, measurement opps & forward-thinking sales solutions for the Olympics. Must possess business & analytical acumen necessary to interpret and anticipate client needs & business implications. 10+ yrs exp rsrch, measurement or insights within sports ind. Full info HERE (3/21)

DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION >>
WHYY TV12/Philadelphia PA: Oversee national & local TV programming on broadcast, cable/satellite, live linear streaming and digital video platforms. Key liaison between Content Prod, Communication & Member Relations, Development and Institutional Advancement. Full info HERE (3/21)

MGR, MEDIA RELATIONS >>
FX/LA: Mng daily implementation of public relations for assigned FX programs. Plan/implement press and PR-related objectives & programs, assisting with the strategic plan’g. 5 yr previous exp publicity at a network or agency pref’’d. Full info HERE (3/20)

SALES COORDINATOR >>
Dish Media/NY: Responsible for the daily account management and support to assigned Account Executives. Support 1-2 Account Executives and planners. Full info HERE (3/20)

MARKETING STRATEGY >>
MGR/Discovery/LA or NYC: Top creative to plan/execute campaigns on/off platforms to build awareness & drive engagement for the Discovery, Animal Planet & Science brands/shows. Analyze audience inside out to dvlp strong campaigns across on-air, cross and paid media 5+ yrs exp req’d. Full info HERE (3/20)

DIRECTOR, PAID MEDIA >>
STRATEGY/Discovery/NYC: Lead effort of all media strategy for a key group of networks, mktg counterparts & internal team to acquire consumers who will watch the Discovery networks on various devices while focusing on top level network analysis and more. 7+ yrs paid media plan’g exp req’d. Full info HERE (3/20)

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DR >>
Fuse Media/NYC: Responsible for maintaining/growing our Direct Response business while working closely with internal depts to optimize inventory and maximize revenue to achieve quarterly and annual goals. Full info HERE (3/20)

DESIGNER ANIMATOR >>
A+E/NYC: Highly skilled 2d/3d Motion Designer/Animator to support growing team within Prod Operations. Create compelling, fresh design ideas and typography solutions that will help brand our Networks and be highly adept at broadcast design, branding, on-air & off-air design conventions & post-prod process. Min 5 yrs exp in Broadcast Design with a refined eye for design and extensive knowledge of Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Cinema 4D. APPLY HERE (3/20)

ASST MEDIA MANAGER (AMM) >>
Ad Council/NY: Seeking media strategist who is passionate about using their talent for social good work. The AMM is resp for assting day-to-day management of relats with pro-bono media agencies across all campaigns. Min 2 yrs exp in the media or adv. Must thrive on being organized/detail-oriented in a fast-paced and deadline-driven envir. Full info HERE (3/19)

MANAGER, AD SALES MKTG >>
Dish Media/NY: Looking for a smart, energetic and strategic thinker to drive awareness and rev for Dish and Sling in the advertising marketplace. Min 5 yrs in Advertising Sales or Marketing field with exp managing direct reports. Full info HERE (3/19)

SUMMER INTERN >>
Dish Media/NY: Is looking the next generation of leaders. Interns will have the opportunity to work in Advertising Sales/ Marketing, Data Analytics/ Market Research, Pricing & Inventory/ Finance. Full time from 6/8-7/31. Plus competitive pay. Full Info HERE (3/19)

VP, SALES DEVELOPMENT >>
ION Media/NY: Looking for a dynamic and exp. sales leader to oversee the development of overall sales strategies in breaking new categories and bringing in new business. Min 10 yrs. of Sales Management exp. with a demonstrated ability to bring in new revenue. Full info HERE EOE (3/19)

DIGITAL MRKTG MGR >>
NBC Universal/Phila, PA: Seeking a superstar to join our high-performance sls team. Ideal candidate must have digital mrktg knowledge, excellent people and communication skills, superior “bandwidth”, and is true team player. Min 5yrs exp with a deep understanding of digital video selling. Full info HERE (3/19)

@{optoutfooterhtml}@