Cynopsis: Sports
02.19.13

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, February 19, 2013, and this is your first early morning Sports briefing. 

The sports world saluted Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss yesterday after his passing at age 80 due to kidney failure while battling cancer. The legendary owner was mourned not only around the NBA, but throughout the industry and the media as well. In addition to his ties to the Lakers, Buss, of course, was also once an owner of the LA Kings and a co-founder of Prime Ticket, among other accomplishments. 

“The NBA has lost a visionary owner whose influence on our league is incalculable and will be felt for decades to come,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern in a statement. “More importantly, we have lost a dear and valued friend. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”

“He was an outstanding human being who knew how to use his platform to enroll people,” said James Worthy, Time Warner Cable SportsNet Lakers analyst, NBA Hall of Famer and long-time Laker. “Dr. Buss was a people person, an extremely intelligent man who wanted to treat everybody fairly…He believed in this city; he believed in bringing success. If you sat in his office and you spoke to him, when you left there, you felt like someone had your back and that they were going to support you as long as you were a Laker.”

On the Air

TNT’s coverage of the 2013 NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia Motors packed a wallop, drawing an average of 8.0 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals scores. That represents an increase of 13% percent over 7.1 million total viewers last year. The corresponding 4.6 U.S. household rating was up 5%. Top markets included Miami/Ft. Lauderdale with a 12.6 HH rating, followed by San Antonio, Memphis, LA and Oklahoma City. The network’s coverage also drew 3.4 million comments across social platforms, according to Bluefin.

NASCAR’s return to FOX on Saturday led the channel to a ratings win, with the network landing in first in the 18-49 demo at a 1.3 for The Sprint Unlimited. The exhibition race drew 5.16 million viewers, according to early estimates from Nielsen. Meanwhile, Danica Patrick’s race to the pole during qualifying on Sunday handed Fox with a 2.0 overnight household rating, up 11% over last year.

Hockey Day in America returned for its third year on NBC, with both games on the channel drawing 1.3 scores, according to Nielsen Overnight numbers. The late game, featuring LA/Chicago, was up 30% over last year’s equitable game, which drew a 1.0.

ESPN reports that the company has until Thursday to match NBC Sports bid to nab Big East broadcast rights. The deal is estimated to be worth $20-23 million a year for seven years, and would guarantee key broadcast windows for the league’s games.

For the ninth year, NFL Network and NFL.com will be on hand for the NFL Scouting Combine, this year offering more than 60 hours of programming starting Thursday, February 21. The crew will feature a 24-man roster with on-field workouts set to begin Saturday, Feb. 23 at 9a. NFL Network will also follow four prospects throughout their “Draft Journey,” providing a behind-the-scenes look at how each is preparing to pursue their NFL career: USC quarterback Matt Barkley, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore and LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo. Online, NFL.com will offer two feeds with Matt “Money” Smith and Bucky Brooks offering coverage on one set, while Steve Wyche and Daniel Jeremiah provide further analysis.

Nielsen reports that networks significantly increased their coverage of the NFL leading into the Super Bowl with just over 462 hours of football coverage during the two weeks between this year’s conference championships and Super Bowl XLVII. That marks an increase of 13% over 2012 and 17% over 2009.

Voters decided that NBA TV’s NBA Fan Night presented by Sprint telecast will feature the Boston Celtics visiting the Denver tonight at 9p. Pregame starts at 8:30p.

The Professional Bull Riders and American Forces Network are teaming up to offer the 2013 PBR Built Ford Tough Series to nearly 1 million American service members, Department of Defense civilians, and their families worldwide. This deal now ups BFTS international distribution from 50 nations and global territories to include U.S. military installations, U.S. embassies and U.S. consulates in 175 countries and 140 U.S. Navy ships at sea.

ESPN sports trivia maven Howie Schwab is back, and will once again test the ranks of sports gurus in a new segment that will air every Wednesday (starting tomorrow) on ESPNU’s UNITE. “The Schwab” will challenge three college contestants a week, debuting with students from the Southeastern Conference. Schwab previously starred in the network’s sports trivia show Stump the Schwab.

Fresh off of a Super Bowl, New Orleans is now getting WrestleMania. The WWE, along with Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, the New Orleans Saints, and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome announced that WrestleMania XXX will hit the Big Easy on Sunday, April 6, 2014. WrestleMania XXIX takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on Sunday, April 7.

Yankees Access returns tonight at 10:30p on YES Network, with a look at reliever Joba Chamberlain and his Nebraska roots.

Save the date for the Cynopsis: Sports Media Awards. This year’s honors will be held on April 17 at Yale Club in Manhattan. Join us as we honor the best of 2012!

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Sponsorship & Promotion

Nike confirmed to the AP that the company will not use Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in future ad campaigns after the South African sports star was charged with murdering his girlfriend last Thursday. An online Nike ad depicting Pistorius with the caption: “I am the bullet in the chamber” has already been pulled, according to the report. In addition, Oakley suspended its contract with Pistorius.

BBVA Compass is launching a NBA-branded online account, NBA Banking, which “leverages the bank’s digital platforms to expand beyond its geographic footprint and capitalizes on its role as the official bank of the NBA in the U.S. to reach fans and customers nationwide.” The bank inked Kevin Durant and James Harden to global, multiyear deals as brand ambassadors for the bank.

Meanwhile, the league’s State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, which featured the Western Conference defeating the Eastern Conference by a score of 140 to 125 in Houston, drove a total $555,000 to charity from the event. $350,000 will be donated to Boys & Girls Club of America and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Meanwhile, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Make-A-Wish America will receive $150,000 with the Eastern Conference’s runner-up finish.

Digital Fields

NBA fans can now guzzle stats like never before, as the league made its database of practically every statistic in league history available to consumers. The site now offers every box score for every game played since the league’s inception in 1946 and allows fans to break down and compare lineup combinations. The NBA’s site also includes advanced metrics such as true shooting percentage and defensive efficiency.

Roster Moves

The NBA named Yannick Colaco Managing Director, NBA India. Colaco previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Nimbus Sport and will now oversee all of the league’s business and basketball development in the country.

The Main Event

Indiana/Michigan St. on ESPN at 7p.

ON THIS DAY in 1996: Patrick Roy earns his 300th win as a NHL goalie.

Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question: Dale Earnhardt (Sr.) was known by what nickname? Answer: The Intimidator. Kudos: Bob Melvin-NBC Sports Group/NY; Jon Piereth-Food Network/NY; Praveeta Singh-NBC Sports/NY; Mike Donato-CBS/NY; Noelle DeAtley-Creative Thinking/Charlotte; Chris Schwieterman-Gray Television, Inc./Tallahassee; G. David Brown-FOX Sports/Charlotte; Nancy Adams-HCA Mindbox/Ontario; Ryan Nolan-Sportsman Channel/New Berlin; Jim Dittemore-I Will Race You MotorSports Management/KC; Chris Kuhrt-DISH Network/Englewood; Jim Bernard-FOX Sports/LA; Miriam Aardahl-OMD/LA; Julia Sen-SOAPnet/Burbank; William “Chip” Beaman-Soundelux Design Music Group/Hollywood.

In The Know: Movie week. What actor received an Oscar nomination for the movie Hoosiers? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

Later — Chris
Chris Pursell for Cynopsis | Sports
02.19.13

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