CYNOPSISSPORTS
12.22.16 Good morning. It’s Thursday December 22, 2016 and this is your first early morning Sports briefing.
The NFL’s ad revenue – after increasing in September and October – was down 17% year-over-year in November, according to ADWEEK.
The decline is partially attributed to there being four fewer NFL games this November from a year ago. But the main reason for the revenue drop is an increase in audience deficiency units, or makegoods, that are given to advertisers who didn’t receive guaranteed impressions earlier in the season. NFL ratings were down 14% for the first nine weeks of the season, a decline that many network and league executives attributed to the presidential election.
The World Series champion Chicago Cubs will make a league-high five primetime appearances on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball during the 2017 season, including an opening-night game at the rival St. Louis Cardinals on April 2. The Cubs will also play back-to-back Sunday night games on ESPN against the Boston Red Sox on April 30 and the New York Yankees on May 7. The Yankees and Cardinals are both scheduled to make four Sunday Night Baseball appearances.
Shaquille O’Neal will be front-and-center in his TNT analyst role when his jersey is retired by the Miami Heat tonight. O’Neal will provide game commentary with play-by-play voice Kevin Harlan and analyst Reggie Miller for the Heat’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, which starts at 8 p.m. ET. TNT’s coverage will include the retirement of O’Neal’s jersey at halftime.
NBC Sports and Whistle Sports have teamed up on a new soccer series – It’s Called Football – that will debut on Dec. 26. The six-part series kicks off with back-to-back episodes beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN following a live Premier League tripleheader of games. The show will be hosted by trick shot specialists and YouTube sensation F2 Freestylers, a two-man group that will take fans behind the scenes with different Premier League clubs, providing background on the culture, songs, stadiums, history and fans of the club.
ESPN Radio will celebrate its 25th year in 2017, with an anniversary special set for Wednesday, Jan. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. ET across its 500 nationwide affiliates. The special will be hosted by Keith Olbermann and feature guests Tony Bruno and Chuck Wilson – all three of whom were voices on the first ESPN Radio broadcast. Throughout 2017, ESPN Radio will revisit the Top 25 of the last 25 years, with a new list (Best Coaches, Best Fights, Most Underrated Athletes, etc) debuting each month on ESPNRadio.com.
NHL Network will be the exclusive TV home for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship in the U.S., a tournament that starts with Team USA facing Latvia on Dec. 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Handling the broadcast of all Team USA games live from Canada will be Steve Mears, co-host of the NHL Network’s “NHL Now,” longtime NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman and reporter Jill Savage. NHL Network will also air coverage from the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic in Toronto on Jan. 1 and the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic in St. Louis the following day.
Fox Sports is offering viewers a one-of-a-kind telecast for a women’s basketball game between St. John’s and Seton Hall on Dec. 30. There will be no commercials aired on FS2 and both head coaches will wear live microphones, allowing viewers to hear what they say on the sidelines, in huddles and in the locker rooms. If the test run is successful, Fox Sports said it would expand the initiative to more games in the future.
Former champion Miesha Tate will be among the FS1 desk analysts for Fox Sports’ coverage of UFC 207, which features a Dec. 29 bout between UFC superstar Ronda Rousey and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. UFC middleweight champ Michael Bisping and former title contender Kenny Florian will also be desk analysts alongside host Jon Anik for UFC 207.
ESPN signed TV and radio host Bomani Jones to a multiyear contract extension, continuing a partnership that’s been in place since 2013. Jones will continue to host The Right Time with Bomani Jones on ESPN Radio weekdays from 4-7 p.m. ET and remain co-host of Highly Questionable, with Dan Le Batard and Papi, weekdays on ESPN at 4:30 p.m. ET.
It’s awards season, and we are thrilled to offer our sixth annual Cynopsis Sports Media Awards on April 13 in NYC. New categories (VR, Instagram, Snapchat, eSports, etc.) and more chances for you to showcase your best work to the entire industry. Get those entries in before the holidays! Click here to enter.
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We live in such an exciting time – women are rising in the ranks and excelling in the fields of digital content, marketing, advertising, social media, & online. With these trailblazers in mind, we are pleased to announce the call for entries of our third annual TOP WOMEN IN DIGITAL AWARDS, celebrating the unique, the uncommon & the bold.
The deadline to enter is Tuesday, January 10 so get ahead of the holiday season by starting your entry today!
Star Wars fans around the world have a new authentication program for signed memorabilia thanks to Major League Baseball. Topps and Authenticators Inc., which is owned and operated by MLB Business and Media, launched starwarsauthentics.com, a website for photos and authenticated autographs from iconic Star Wars actors. The items are printed using Topps’ technology and autographs are authenticated by Authenticators Inc., with a tamper-proof hologram affixed to each photo after a representative witnesses every autograph.
San Antonio-based supermarket chain H-E-B released a limited edition breakfast cereal commemorating the career of Tim Duncan, who retired earlier this year after 19 seasons and five NBA titles with the Spurs. Slam Duncan O’s, a honey nut toasted cereal with chocolate puffs, are expected to his stores on Jan. 16, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Villanova University on June 7-8 will host “Sport at the Service of Humanity,” a regional conference sanctioned by the Vatican following its inaugural conference on faith and sports in Rome two months ago. The October conference at the Vatican involved discussion among religious and sports leaders, athletes, business executives, academicians and media representatives about how sport and faith can drive positive social change and foster inclusion, involvement and inspiration among people from diverse backgrounds. The conference at Villanova is inclusive to all denominations, with President Peter M. Donohue saying the school is excited to support Pope Francis’ desire to explore how faith and sports can promote the betterment of society.
Obsev Studios’ sports brand, The Fumble, reached 600,000 subscribers as the website continues a year of record growth. Chronicling crazed fans, game-day fights and what athletes do after hours, The Fumble has helped Obsev.com amass 100,000 more subscribers since hitting the 500,000 milestone in October.
esports was a $892 million market in 2016, making it a major focus for brands and publishers, according to a report from SuperData. In the overall scope, esports is just a small part of what’s now a $91billion market for digital games and playable media, with consumers spending $41 billion on mobile gaming in 2016.
Online sports book Pinnacle says it has taken more 10% wagers on esports in 2016 than on ice hockey, yet another sign that the growth of esports is making it a rival to traditional sports. Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are the most popular games in real money esports betting.
Video game makers are making more of a push to entice women to participate in esports tournaments, according to a New York Times report. Among the efforts are “Bonnie and Clyde” events organized by Bandai Namco Entertainment in which teams consist of one man and one woman.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, NBC at 8:25p.
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CONGRATULATIONS
Nationwide/Wasserman
for your work on 2016 NASCAR Paint Scheme Reveal
The Leaderboard celebrates the organizations that utilized their social media platforms to promote product offerings to sports fans throughout 2016. Check out the full list of winners here.
ON THIS DAY in 2003: The New York Knicks hired Isiah Thomas as President of Basketball Operations.
In The Know: Who kicked a field goal in the second overtime to end the longest game in NFL history, on Christmas Day in 1971? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city.)
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question: Before taking over as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1959, which NFL team did Vince Lombardi work with as an assistant coach? Answer: The New York Giants. Kudos: Barry Solomon-Retailability Inc./New York; Denis Barry-CBS/New York; Marc Goldstein-Media Solutions/New York; Lewis Blaustein-GreenSportsBlogger/New York; Rick Rosenfelt-New York Red Bulls/Harrison, NJ; Jeff Spaulding-Spaulding & Associates Media Consulting/Mamaroneck, NY; Rich Dubroff-PressBoxOnline.com/Baltimore; Kevin McIntyre-Leverage Agency/Boston; Bob Eisenstaedt-Granite Springs Productions/Tampa; Peter Lasser-Lasser Productions/Atlanta; Chris Schwartz-International Speedway Corp/Charlotte; J.D. Spangler-JDL Broadcasting; Terre Haute, IN; Jason Brist-Outdoor Sportsman Group/Chicago; Jeff Mirkin-2:05 Engagement, Santa Monica, CA; Rick Pike-InterMedia Advertising/Woodland Hills, CA; Judie Henninger-Valentine Productions Inc/Santa Monica, CA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/Los Angeles.
Later — Chris
Chris Pursell for Cynopsis | Sports @VegasandVine
12.22.16
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