Nov 19 2008

ESPN Wins BCS TV Rights: Another Blow to Football Fans Without Cable

Category: Economy, Entertainment, Pro Sports, Sports — Tim @ 10:30 am

For those football fans without cable TV, you are now officially in trouble:

ESPN and the Bowl Championship Series confirmed Tuesday that they have reached agreement on a four-year television deal beginning in 2011 that gives the cable network broadcast rights to the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and the national championship game, which rotates among those three plus the Rose Bowl. Sources from both sides said the contract is worth $500 million.

Perhaps this is a sign of the times. It’s getting harder to find the “free lunch” in the sports world. Prime sports are moving more toward a pay-per-view option:

ESPN and other cable network providers say this isn’t a big deal, noting that in most American homes today, subscription TV is a utility, like power and water. An estimated 98 million of America’s 118 million television households have cable or satellite systems.

Moreover, some of that other 20 million are a step ahead, not a step behind. They’re iPhonegeneration kids who skip cable so they can get higher-octane Internet - and watch TV that way.

But still, for the 15 million to 20 million households that only have broadcast TV, Tuesday’s announcement is the bluntest declaration so far that they’re being shut out of one of America’s biggest cultural common denominators: major sports.

It is true, as cable and sports operators note, that this is a business with costs, and no one has a right to enjoy the product for nothing.

OK. So most of us already have ESPN and having access online helps those who do not have cable. Add to that the digital TV conversion in February and it looks like not having cable/satellite is no longer even an option for sports fans or TV viewers in general.

I know the “bottom-line” mentality has been around since the first exchange of goods, but it seems that we are getting out-of-hand. Advertising is squeezed into every possible corner, even on the field of play and the player’s uniforms. Commercials run over top of plays and have worked their way into the play-by-play. We are already paying for the right to view sports. At what point does it end?

More misunderestimation

Nov 14 2008

Mitch Mitchell, Drummer for Jimi Hendrix, Dead at Age 62

Category: Entertainment, Video — Tim @ 10:30 am

The final surviving member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, drummer Mitch Mitchell, passed-away Wednesday:

Mitch Mitchell, the jazzy and versatile British drummer in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, died Wednesday in a hotel in Portland, Oregon. He was 62 and had recently finished a national tribute tour, Experience Hendrix.

The cause was unknown, said Bob Merlis, a publicist for the tour.

Mitchell was one of two Englishmen in the Experience, the group that catapulted Hendrix to fame in the late 1960s.

Along with the bassist Noel Redding, who died in 2003, Mitchell was recruited in a rush in the fall of 1966, after the journeyman Hendrix had been discovered in a New York club and whisked to London by Chas Chandler of the Animals.

Rest in peach Mitch. I can only imagine the reunion tour that is happening in heaven right now.

More misunderestimation

Nov 13 2008

Paula Goodspeed, American Idol Contestant and Paula Abdul Fan, Commits Suicide

Category: Entertainment, Video — Tim @ 8:16 am

Those of you who follow American Idol probably remember the audition for Paula Goodspeed, Paula Abdul’s “number one fan.” If you don’t here is the video:

In LA this week, news came out that Paula Goodspeed committed suicide near Abdul’s home:

Paula Goodspeed, 30, was found dead, an apparent suicide, Tuesday evening in her car, which was parked a few doors down from Abdul’s Los Angeles home. Reuters reported that prescription pills, along with CDs and pictures of Abdul, were found in the car.

“It appears to be a suicide by overdose,” Detective Robert Bub of the Los Angeles Police Department told Reuters.

Rest in peace Paula.

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Nov 12 2008

Lindsay Lohan on Access Hollywood Calls Obama “Our First Colored President”

Category: 2008 Election, Entertainment, Video — Tim @ 7:22 am

Lindsay Lohan was on Access Hollywood and managed to put her foot squarely in her mouth.

Leave it to Lindsay Lohan to be the first celebrity to offer support and excitement for her candidate while at the same time insulting him. In a recent interview with Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos this week, the troubled starlet stated her excitement for our country’s “first colored” president.

Here is the actual video from the Access Hollywood website.

In listening to the interview, she actually said, “it’s our first colored president”. Are you kidding me? How can someone claim to be involved in the race for President and be so far out of touch with the world today? This is not the 1970s and you are not Archie Bunker.

See what happens when actors go off-script.

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More misunderestimation

Nov 07 2008

Tough Economic Times May Equal Short Lines at Walt Disney World

Category: Economy, Entertainment — Tim @ 11:47 am

The tough economic times are having an impact on the Disney Corporation:

The global economic downturn hit Walt Disney Co’s quarterly results harder and faster than Wall Street expected, with the company on Thursday reporting a sharp decline in hotel bookings and softness in advertising revenue at its networks.

Disney’s shares slid 9 percent in extended trade but recovered a bit after executives announced plans to discount stays at Walt Disney World to stimulate bookings in the first half of 2009.

“Consumer confidence is the lowest we’ve seen in over three decades, and even the best product out there is feeling the effect,” Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger told analysts on a conference call.

The entertainment industry better take notice, times are getting tough. What about the Disney parks?

Disney reported parks and resorts profit of $412 million, down from $430 million a year earlier. Sales at the unit rose 6.5 percent to $2.97 billion.

Reservations are off 10 percent for parks visits this quarter and next quarter compared with the year-earlier periods, Iger said. Holiday bookings at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, are down 1 percent, he said. Visitors who book four nights will receive an additional three for free, plus a $200 credit to spend on food or merchandise.

“People want to take vacations in 2009 but they are much more value-focused,” Iger said. “That’s why we have seen bookings fall off somewhat.”

The strengthening U.S. dollar is making the trip to Disney World less affordable for foreign tourists, who have bolstered Disney’s parks this year. Resort profit may decline 12 percent this fiscal year as the U.S. economy shrinks, said Barclays Capital analyst Anthony DiClemente before yesterday’s report.

By 4 get 3 free. That sounds like a good deal, but getting there and being able to take 7 days off in a trying job market may be a completely different issue. I think Disney is being short-sited here. I believe people are more likely to spend fewer days in the parks. Why not add incentives for shorter stays then 7 days? I know it is more cost-effective to have longer visits, but realistically, your customer’s needs have changed.

Does this signal really problems for Disney in the future? Forbes doesn’t think so:

Long-term, however, Spring said Disney still has solid brands and a strong balance sheet.

It’s good to know there will still be some magic in the Magic Kingdom for years to come. Maybe this just reduces the size of the crowds at Disney World for a while and prevents the need for the Fast Pass.

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More misunderestimation

Nov 04 2008

Heidi Klum Guitar Hero World Tour Risky Business Commercial

Category: Entertainment, Kids & Technology, Video — Tim @ 8:27 pm

Last week, we saw Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Tony Hawk, and Alex Rodriguez doing Tom Cruise in Risky Business to promote the release of Guitar Hero World Tour. This week, we get another version of this commercial with Heidi Klum.

Clearly a step-up in quality!

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More misunderestimation

Nov 03 2008

SNL: Ratings are In - Sarah Palin tops John McCain in Saturday Night Live Appearence

Category: 2008 Election, Entertainment, Politics — Tim @ 10:52 am

The Saturday Night Live battle for ratings supremacy is over and the winner is Governor Sarah Palin. Palin’s appearance on SNL topped that of running-mate Senator John McCain’s.

McCain’s appearance drew a rough estimate of 12 million viewers Saturday night, while Palin’s appearance was watched by more than 15 million when she appeared on Oct. 18.

In the end, both scored well, but Palin came out on top. You can watch them both here by using the SNL topic link and judge for yourself.

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More misunderestimation

Oct 31 2008

The Beatles are Coming to Rock Band

Category: Entertainment, Kids & Technology — Tim @ 6:00 am

Exciting news for Beatles fans:

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple Corps Ltd (the Beatles’ recording company) and MTV Networks are expected to announce today that the Beatles have licensed songs to the popular video game Rockband, a 4-person game which allows you to emulate your favorite bands with 2 guitars, drums and a microphone.

There are a lot of missing details, but it sounds interesting:

“This game is not just a Rock Band expansion pack. It is a new, full game title production built from the ground up,” Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos said during a Thursday morning conference call.

Giles Martin, son of Beatles’ record producer Sir George Martin and co-producer of the Beatles Love project, will serve as music producer.

The songs will be based on the U.K. versions, Giles said. “The thing we’re trying to keep to is for people to play the songs as if they’re playing the originals [and] preserve the sound quality as much as possible.”

I love the fact that they are planning to stay “true” to the original versions of these songs. I hate the ones that are butchered in some games systems. Even the two surviving Beatles are getting into the mix:

Starr and McCartney, the two surviving Beatles, talked up the game in a press release. “The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out,” said McCartney. “The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of time and how wonderful that The Beatles’ legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in,” said the fan-averse Ringo Starr.

You have to admire a band whose music remains relevant even after 4 decades. I know from experience what Guitar Hero has done for reviving old songs; this Rock Band Beatles version will undoubtedly extend The Beatles’ music for generations to come.

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More misunderestimation

Oct 31 2008

Guitar Hero World Tour Ad with Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Tony Hawk, and A-Rod

Category: Entertainment, Kids & Technology, Sports, Video — Tim @ 5:21 am

Guitar Hero World Tour has been released and they have hired some big name stars to promote the game. Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Tony Hawk, and Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez all do their best Tom Cruise:

Can’t say this makes we want to buy the game more, but I’m sure it will be a hit with others!

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More misunderestimation

Oct 14 2008

Obama Campaign Ads on Xbox 360

Category: 2008 Election, Entertainment, Kids & Technology — Tim @ 1:25 pm

You knew it was only a matter of time before your little escape from the world was invaded by politics. While driving in Burnout Paradise, gamers get hit with a political ad from the Obama camp

Obama Campaign Invades Burnout Paradise

“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, told me via email, noting that EA regularly allows ad placements in their online games. “Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,” she continued. “Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.”

Great idea, but this seems to be a little bit over the top. Most gamers buy games to escape from every-day pressures and now those games are being invaded by politics. Seems to be bitting the hand that is feeding Obama and not a very wise strategy.

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