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Archiv
July - Dezember 2005
More sports for Americans, Baseball still national
pastime
(December 22) Americans are watching more
sports but playing less, according a report released Wednesday.
Participation in almost every recreational sport, from golf
and tennis to bowling and snow skiing, was down in 2004, while
attendance at professional sporting events was up.
Television viewing also increased, continuing an eight-year
trend.
Those and many other facts were included in this year's Statistical
Abstract, a 1,023-page book of numbers quantifying just about
every aspect of American life.
The Census Bureau assembles the statistics from a myriad of
government and private sources. For example, Mediamark Research
is the source for the statistic that adult attendance at tennis
events rose slightly in 2004, with 841,000 reporting they
do so one or more times per month — while only 810,000
reported such attendance the year before. The tiny uptick
did nothing to change the overall percentage of about .39
percent of the adult population attending one or more tennis
events in an average month.
The National Sporting Goods Association is quoted as the source
for the report of an estimated upswing of $4 million in sales
of tennis-related merchandise (excepting shoes) in 2004 vs.
2003. Tennis shoes rose in sales from an estimated $1,802,000
to $1,838,000.
The Tennis Industry Association was the source for the report
that in 2004, the number of tennis players dropped by 100,000
from the year before, although since reporting those numbers
they have announced an increase for 2005. (For those keeping
score, the National Golf Foundation reported that adult golfers
in the same period dropped by nearly 600,000, although facilities
rose by about 150,000.)
Among professional sports, baseball is still the national
pastime when it comes to attendance, in part because there
are 162 games in the regular season.
Nearly 75 million people attended Major League baseball games
in 2004, compared with 23 million who went to National Basketball
Association games and the 22 million people who attended National
Football League games.
Among those who play, exercise walking was the number-one
sports activity, followed by camping and exercising with equipment.
The number-one leisure activity was dining out, followed by
entertaining friends and family at home and reading books.
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Anna-Lena Groenefeld honored at home
(December 13) Tennis professional Anna-Lena
Groenefeld is among five nominees for the second annual female
athlete of the year award in the federal state of Lower Saxony,
Germany.
The 20-year old upstart, hailing from Nordhorn, Germany, has
been nominated for the prestigious award after a breakthrough
season on the WTA Tour, reaching three finals on her way to
becoming the first German female player to break into the
world’s Top 20 since Anke Huber in 2001.
Voting for the award is open to the public
( http://www.balldessports.de/index1.html)
and will be conducted through January 10, 2006. Winners will
be announced during the 2006 “Ball des Sports”
gala on January 13.
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World class figure skaters to visit Oberstdorf
(November 28) World class figure skating
is back in Oberstdorf on December 30. Running in its 12th
year, the New Year’s Eve Figure Skating Show, which
is marketed by ITMS Sports, will once again ring out the year
in spectacular style and fashion.
Led by former Olympic champion Oksana Bajul and German favourites
Kati Winkler & Renè Lohse, the traditional holiday
event promises a night of sports and entertainment excellence.
Several international superstars as well as former Olympic-,
World-, and European Championship medal winners are set to
hit the ice in the picturesque Bavarian winter resort town.
A sell-out crowd in the local Eissporthalle will provide the
appropriate setting for one of the last great sports highlights
of the year.
Eurosport, Europe’s largest sports television network,
will once again serve as the event’s television partner.
Live coverage from the Eissporthalle in Oberstdorf will begin
at 20:00 CET.
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US Airways name Phoenix Suns' arena
(November 17) The downtown Phoenix basketball/hockey/arena
football/concert venue known for 13 years as America West
Arena has a new name: US Airways Center.
The name change reflects the merger between America West
Airlines and US Airways that closed Sept. 27. The arena will
continue to operate as America West Arena as the naming conversion
takes place, with completion scheduled for shortly after the
first of the year.
The official announcement was made at a press conference attended
by US Airways Group Inc. Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Doug Parker; Phoenix Suns Chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo;
and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.
This is a 10-year agreement, replacing the 30-year, $26 million
deal signed back in 1992 when the arena first opened. Financial
terms of the new arrangement were not released.
The new naming rights deal will integrate the US Airways
name throughout the building, including exterior signage,
concessions materials, tickets, brochures and other collateral
material. The deal includes the creation of a "Heritage
Wall" that will profile the history of America West Airlines
from its creation through the US Airways merger. The display
will be located just inside the arena's entrances from the
plaza and Jefferson Street.
The arena currently is home to the Phoenix Suns of the NBA,
the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Rattlers of the
Arena Football League, and the Phoenix RoadRunners of the
East Coast Hockey League.
Tempe-based US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways
Express operate approximately 4,000 flights per day and serve
more than 225 communities in the United States, Canada, Europe,
the Caribbean and Latin America.
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Aleksandra Wozniak breaks into Top 200
(October 31) ITMS Sports Client Aleksandra Wozniak has reached
the Top 200 of the WTA Tour rankings for the first time in
her career. After advancing to the finals of the ITF Challenger
event in Mexico City on October 23, the 18-year old Canadian
is now ranked 189th.
Wozniak’s new career-best ranking has come about as
a result of playing in her third ITF Challenger final within
the last four weeks. Earlier this year, the Quebec native
also captured her first pro tour title at the $25,000 Challenger
tournament in Hamilton, Ontario.
Next up for Wozniak is the WTA Tour’s Bell Challenge
in Quebec City, Canada. A wild card entry into the main draw,
she will play American veteran and long-time Top 20 player
Amy Frazier in her first match.
Back
to Top
World Baseball Classic semis and finals
in San Diego
(September 30) Petco Park will host the semifinals
and finals of the World Baseball Classic March 18-20, according
to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Padres "consider it a coup" to have landed
the final two rounds of the 16-team tournament, as the event
will become the sport's "strongest international initiative"
after the elimination of baseball from the Olympics following
the '08 Beijing Games.
The ballpark, San Diego's proximity to the Mexican border
and the Padres front office's "enthusiasm for global
baseball were all key selling points in landing the event."
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "acknowledged that the lobbying
efforts" on behalf of Olympic baseball by Padres Owner
John Moores and CEO Sandy Alderson "were another important
consideration".
In L.A., the L.A. Times reports the Angels have submitted
a bid to host the second round of the tournament, which is
scheduled for
March 13-15 .
Back
to Top
MLB sets new single-seaseon attendance
record, surpassing '04
(September 30) MLB announced that with four days
left in the regular season, it has set a new single-season
attendance record. Through Wednesday night's games, the 30
teams have drawn a combined 73,070,631 fans, eclipsing the
'04 mark of 73,022,969. Average attendance is 30,936 per game,
up from 30,401 a year ago.
Back to Top
Sunitha Rao is voted ‘Player of the Day’
(September 21) Sunitha Rao, the 20-year-old
ITMS Sports client, was voted ‘Player of the Day’,
on the WTA Tour Sunfeast Open 2005 website yesterday. Her
photo is underscored in an accompanying text that describes
her impressive first round win at the $170,000 WTA Tour event:
“Her talent and audacity defied the odds. Sunitha Rao,
overpowered her opponent Neha Uberoi in a hard-fought 7-5,
4-6, 6-4 win.” Sunitha will face the No.2 seed Elena
Likhovtseva on Thursday at the event in Kolkata.
Sunitha Rao was also one of eleven tennis players that participated
in a fashion show at the Sunfeast Open Players’ Party
on Tuesday. Other players to walk alongside some of India’s
top models were Anastasia Myskina and Elena Likhovtseva.
"This was my first time on the ramp but I want to stick
to tennis right now," said Rao after the half-hour extravaganza.
Back
to Top
WTA Tour unveils plans to expand into
India and the Middle East
(September 20) In revealing its 2006 schedule,
the WTA Tour confirmed new events in both regions, the return
of the Tour Championships to Europe and a boost in total prize
money.
The new events will be staged in Bangalore, India in February
and Tel Aviv, Israel in October. It follows moves to infiltrate
the China and other Asian markets this year.
Prize money will leap by $1m – now breaking the $60m
for the first time over the course of the season.
Says WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott: “This schedule reflects
the continued global expansion of and investment in women’s
professional tennis.
“The return of the Tour Championships to Europe in
Madrid is particularly exciting for our European fans and
players, and will ensure a fantastic finale to the 2006 season.”
Back
to Top
Japan to play in inaugural World Baseball
Classic
(September 19) Japan will play in the 2006
World Baseball Classic, "after months of negotiations"
between its baseball commissioner's office and players' association.
The players and Nippon Professional Baseball had objected
because the event will be held during spring training and
because it is organized by MLB and the MLBPA "rather
than an international body".
Back
to Top
US Open sets new attendance records
(September 15) It was a record-setting fortnight
in Flushing Meadows. The USTA today announced that an all-time
attendance record was set at 659,538 fans, breaking the previous
record set in 2001, by over 20,000 fans.
New daily total attendance records were set as well, with
58,589 fans visiting the Open on Saturday, September 3rd,
and 58,817 fans streaming through the gates the next day,
Sunday, September 4th.
The US Open remains the world’s highest attended annual
sports event.
Back
to Top
US Open television ratings up sharply
(September 13) Television ratings for the
2005 US Open on CBS and USA Network were up sharply, as reported
by US sports business publication Sports Business Daily.
CBS, which televised the tournament’s final weekend,
saw its ratings increase considerably for all of its four
feature broadcasts. On Saturday, the two men’s semi-finals
earned a 2.9/7, up 61.1% from a 1.8/5 rating earned last year.
The women’s final, a prime-time affair between Kim Clijsters
and Mary Pierce , then followed suit with a 24% increase over
last year. Finally, Sunday men’s final between Andre
Agassi and Roger Federer earned a 6.2/12 rating, up 100% from
2004.
USA Network, the tournament’s main carrier through
its first 11 days, averaged a 0.8 cable Nielsen rating and
889,000 total viewers, up 7% and and 8%, respectively, from
last year.
Back
to Top
Perebiynis to take rest of year off
(August 8) ITMS Sports tennis client Tatiana
Perebiynis has been diagnosed with glandular fever and will
be forced to take the reminder of the year off.
Despite reaching the finals of the mixed doubles at Wimbledon
last month, Perebiynis was forced to make the difficult decision
due to the viral infection that had been hampering her health
for several months prior to its diagnosis.
A blood test taken during the WTA Tour tournament in Birmingham
in June confirmed that the 22-year old Ukrainian had contracted
glandular fever. Glandular fever, properly known as infectious
mononucleosis, is a viral infection that causes illness similar
to influenza, including fever, headaches, and tiredness, along
with aches and pains all over the body. Patients continue
to feel weak and tired, and easily exhausted, for a period
of months afterwards.
Perebiynis hopes to start training again in the fall and
plans to comeback to the tour at the beginning of 2006. The
WTA Tour granted injury special rankings for Perebiynis to
use when she returns. Her special ranking have been set at
131 in singles and 54 in doubles. Perebiynis will be able
to use these rankings to enter tournaments, which should allow
her to quickly regain both her form and rankings.
Back
to Top
Baseball set for true world series
(July 12) Major League Baseball executives
have unveiled plans for an international tournament featuring
16 nations.
The inaugural World Baseball Classic will be held in March
2006, featuring a US squad composed of professional players
and teams from 15 other nations, many with professional stars
of their own.
The tournament marks a broad move into the worldwide marketplace,
announced only three days after the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) voted to drop the sport from the Summer Games
after 2008, reports the Los Angeles Times newspaper.
Many within baseball had complained about the IOC decision,
but Commissioner Bud Selig put a different spin on it.
"I don't know if frankly I consider it a blow,"
Selig said on the eve of the
All-Star game. "I'm sorry they made the decision, but
we're moving on in a very dramatic way to internationalise
the sport."
The tournament - to be played again in 2009, then every four
years
thereafter - would take place during the first three weeks
of March,
finishing just before the NCAA men's basketball tournament
reaches its peak.
With all the major stars theoretically available, baseball
could have a
scaled-down version of soccer's popular World Cup.
Major league owners and the players association would "jointly
govern" the 18-day competition, essentially owning an
event they foresee growing into an international spectacle.
Back
to Top
George Pascal talks MLB on Bloomberg
TV
(July 6 ) Major League Baseball is the focus
of this week's " Horizont Sport Business Talk" on
Bloomberg TELEVISION. In presence of ITMS Sports Executive
Director George Pascal, the show will discuss Major League
Baseball's activities in the US, internationally and in Germany.
Bloomberg TELEVISION will broadcast the 25-minute episode
with George Pascal for the first time on Thursday, July 7
at 09.35. Reruns can be seen on Thursday at 13:35, 18:35,
and 20:35 as well as on Saturday and Sunday at 17:35.
ITMS Sports is the representing agency for Major League Baseball
in Germany.
Back
to Top
Aleksandra Wozniak breaks into Top 200
(October 31) ITMS Sports Client Aleksandra
Wozniak has reached the Top 200 of the WTA Tour rankings for
the first time in her career. After advancing to the finals
of the ITF Challenger event in Mexico City on October 23,
the 18-year old Canadian is now ranked 189th.
Wozniak’s new career-best ranking has come about as
a result of playing in her third ITF Challenger final within
the last four weeks. Earlier this year, the Quebec native
also captured her first pro tour title at the $25,000 Challenger
tournament in Hamilton, Ontario.
Next up for Wozniak is the WTA Tour’s Bell Challenge
in Quebec City, Canada. A wild card entry into the main draw,
she will play American veteran and long-time Top 20 player
Amy Frazier in her first match.
Back to Top
World Baseball Classic semis and finals in San Diego
(September 30) Petco Park will host the
semifinals and finals of the World Baseball Classic March
18-20, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Padres "consider it a coup" to have landed the
final two rounds of the 16-team tournament, as the event will
become the sport's "strongest international initiative"
after the elimination of baseball from the Olympics following
the '08 Beijing Games.
The ballpark, San Diego's proximity to the Mexican border
and the Padres front office's "enthusiasm for global
baseball were all key selling points in landing the event."
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "acknowledged that the lobbying
efforts" on behalf of Olympic baseball by Padres Owner
John Moores and CEO Sandy Alderson "were another important
consideration".
In L.A., the L.A. Times reports the Angels have submitted
a bid to host the second round of the tournament, which is
scheduled for
March 13-15 .
Back to Top
MLB sets new single-seaseon attendance record, surpassing
'04
(September 30) MLB announced that with four
days left in the regular season, it has set a new single-season
attendance record. Through Wednesday night's games, the 30
teams have drawn a combined 73,070,631 fans, eclipsing the
'04 mark of 73,022,969. Average attendance is 30,936 per game,
up from 30,401 a year ago.
Back to Top
Sunitha Rao is voted ‘Player of the Day’
(September 21) Sunitha Rao, the 20-year-old
ITMS Sports client, was voted ‘Player of the Day’,
on the WTA Tour Sunfeast Open 2005 website yesterday. Her
photo is underscored in an accompanying text that describes
her impressive first round win at the $170,000 WTA Tour event:
“Her talent and audacity defied the odds. Sunitha Rao,
overpowered her opponent Neha Uberoi in a hard-fought 7-5,
4-6, 6-4 win.” Sunitha will face the No.2 seed Elena
Likhovtseva on Thursday at the event in Kolkata.
Sunitha Rao was also one of eleven tennis players that participated
in a fashion show at the Sunfeast Open Players’ Party
on Tuesday. Other players to walk alongside some of India’s
top models were Anastasia Myskina and Elena Likhovtseva.
"This was my first time on the ramp but I want to stick
to tennis right now," said Rao after the half-hour extravaganza.
Back to Top
WTA Tour unveils plans to expand into India and the
Middle East
(September 20) In revealing its 2006 schedule,
the WTA Tour confirmed new events in both regions, the return
of the Tour Championships to Europe and a boost in total prize
money.
The new events will be staged in Bangalore, India in February
and Tel Aviv, Israel in October. It follows moves to infiltrate
the China and other Asian markets this year.
Prize money will leap by $1m – now breaking the $60m
for the first time over the course of the season.
Says WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott: “This schedule reflects
the continued global expansion of and investment in women’s
professional tennis.
“The return of the Tour Championships to Europe in
Madrid is particularly exciting for our European fans and
players, and will ensure a fantastic finale to the 2006 season.”
Back to Top
Japan to play in inaugural World Baseball Classic
(September 19) Japan will play in the 2006
World Baseball Classic, "after months of negotiations"
between its baseball commissioner's office and players' association.
The players and Nippon Professional Baseball had objected
because the event will be held during spring training and
because it is organized by MLB and the MLBPA "rather
than an international body".
Back to Top
US Open sets new attendance records
(September 15) It was a record-setting fortnight
in Flushing Meadows. The USTA today announced that an all-time
attendance record was set at 659,538 fans, breaking the previous
record set in 2001, by over 20,000 fans.
New daily total attendance records were set as well, with
58,589 fans visiting the Open on Saturday, September 3rd,
and 58,817 fans streaming through the gates the next day,
Sunday, September 4th.
The US Open remains the world’s highest attended annual
sports event.
Back to Top
US Open television ratings up sharply
(September 13) Television ratings for the
2005 US Open on CBS and USA Network were up sharply, as reported
by US sports business publication Sports Business Daily.
CBS, which televised the tournament’s final weekend,
saw its ratings increase considerably for all of its four
feature broadcasts. On Saturday, the two men’s semi-finals
earned a 2.9/7, up 61.1% from a 1.8/5 rating earned last year.
The women’s final, a prime-time affair between Kim Clijsters
and Mary Pierce , then followed suit with a 24% increase over
last year. Finally, Sunday men’s final between Andre
Agassi and Roger Federer earned a 6.2/12 rating, up 100% from
2004.
USA Network, the tournament’s main carrier through its
first 11 days, averaged a 0.8 cable Nielsen rating and 889,000
total viewers, up 7% and and 8%, respectively, from last year.
Back to Top
Tatiana Perebiynis to take rest of year off
(August 8) ITMS Sports tennis client Tatiana
Perebiynis has been diagnosed with glandular fever and will
be forced to take the reminder of the year off.
Despite reaching the finals of the mixed doubles at Wimbledon
last month, Perebiynis was forced to make the difficult decision
due to the viral infection that had been hampering her health
for several months prior to its diagnosis.
A blood test taken during the WTA Tour tournament in Birmingham
in June confirmed that the 22-year old Ukrainian had contracted
glandular fever. Glandular fever, properly known as infectious
mononucleosis, is a viral infection that causes illness similar
to influenza, including fever, headaches, and tiredness, along
with aches and pains all over the body. Patients continue
to feel weak and tired, and easily exhausted, for a period
of months afterwards.
Perebiynis hopes to start training again in the fall and
plans to comeback to the tour at the beginning of 2006. The
WTA Tour granted injury special rankings for Perebiynis to
use when she returns. Her special ranking have been set at
131 in singles and 54 in doubles. Perebiynis will be able
to use these rankings to enter tournaments, which should allow
her to quickly regain both her form and rankings.
Back to Top
Baseball set for true World Series
(July 12) Major League Baseball executives
have unveiled plans for an international tournament featuring
16 nations.
The inaugural World Baseball Classic will be held in March
2006, featuring a US squad composed of professional players
and teams from 15 other nations, many with professional stars
of their own.
The tournament marks a broad move into the worldwide marketplace,
announced only three days after the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) voted to drop the sport from the Summer Games
after 2008, reports the Los Angeles Times newspaper.
Many within baseball had complained about the IOC decision,
but Commissioner Bud Selig put a different spin on it.
"I don't know if frankly I consider it a blow,"
Selig said on the eve of the
All-Star game. "I'm sorry they made the decision, but
we're moving on in a very dramatic way to internationalise
the sport."
The tournament - to be played again in 2009, then every four
years
thereafter - would take place during the first three weeks
of March,
finishing just before the NCAA men's basketball tournament
reaches its peak.
With all the major stars theoretically available, baseball
could have a
scaled-down version of soccer's popular World Cup.
Major league owners and the players association would "jointly
govern" the 18-day competition, essentially owning an
event they foresee growing into an international spectacle.
Back to Top
George Pascal talks MLB on Bloomberg TV
(July 6 ) Major League Baseball is the focus
of this week's " Horizont Sport Business Talk" on
Bloomberg TELEVISION. In presence of ITMS Sports Executive
Director George Pascal, the show will discuss Major League
Baseball's activities in the US, internationally and in Germany.
Bloomberg TELEVISION will broadcast the 25-minute episode
with George Pascal for the first time on Thursday, July 7
at 09.35. Reruns can be seen on Thursday at 13:35, 18:35,
and 20:35 as well as on Saturday and Sunday at 17:35.
ITMS Sports is the representing agency for Major League Baseball
in Germany.
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