I am the attorney for The Nielsen Company (US), Inc., doing business as Nielsen NRG (“Nielsen”), and it has recently come to our attention that your web site, FANTASYMOGULS.COM, is publishing Nielsen NRG’s valuable proprietary tracking data (“Data”) without any authorization or license from Nielsen. Specifically, on your web site you are publishing NRG’s proprietary tracking information as of February 28, 2008, without permission at web address: http://news.fantasymoguls.com/originalcontent/2008/02/weekend-track-1./html.

Nielsen NRG’s tracking Data is the valuable, exclusive, proprietary, copyrighted property of Nielsen and your organization's blatant disregard of Nielsen’s ownership in and to the Data is a serious infringement of Nielsen’s intellectual property rights under Federal and State copyright laws, and can result in your organization paying statutory damages in excess of $150,000 per infringement.

Notice is hereby given that Nielsen views this copyright infringement with the utmost seriousness and, unless you immediately cease and desist from using Nielsen’s Data and remove the Data from your web site, and confirm that you have, and will continue to desist from this and any other infringement of Nielsen’s rights in the future, Nielsen shall pursue all of its legal and equitable remedies against you.

Michael J. Duffy
Associate General Counsel
The Nielsen Company (US), Inc.

February 28, 2008
WEEKEND TRACKING: 'Semi-Pro' Is a Slam Dunk with $42M-$45M; 'Boleyn Girl' Aiming
The new '70s-style basketball comedy Semi-Pro (New Line) appears to be the equivalent of a slam dunk at America’s box offices this weekend. The past few years have featured other Will Ferrell vehicles set in variety of sports, including Kicking and Screaming ($20.1 million opening), about soccer; Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ($47 million opening), set in the high-stakes world of NASCAR; and Blades of Glory ($33 million opening), with a focus on figure skating. Now, the former SNL star has turned his attentions to professional basketball.
A look at industry tracking points to an opening of better than $40 million for Semi-Pro, with a performance that far exceeds last year’s Blades:
UN-AIDED AWARENESS
Semi-Pro — 8 percent
Blades of Glory — 5 percent
TOTAL AWARE
Blades of Glory — 75 percent
Semi-Pro — 73 percent

DEFINITE INTEREST
Semi-Pro — 40 percent
Blades of Glory — 38 percent
FIRST CHOICE
Semi-Pro — 23 percent
Blades of Glory — 13 percent
This review-proof hoops spoof is especially strong with males: 35 percent of Males Under 25 name Semi-Pro as their First Choice this weekend, as opposed to the 16 percent score grabbed by Blades last March. Ferrell’s latest is also the First Choice of 33 percent of Males 25 Plus, compared to just 5 percent for the estrogen-laced comedy on ice. "The Greatest Fro on Earth" should wrap up the weekend with something in the $42 million-$45 million range, just shy of the $47 million delivered by Talladega Nights.
The other two wide releases are both female-skewing titles on 1,200 or so screens. Sony's The Other Boleyn Girl seems to have the advantage. It's based on the best seller of the same name by Philippa Gregory, which has a considerable following among women. Additionally, it has an A-list cast that includes Oscar nominee Natalie Portman, Golden Globe nominee Scarlett Johansson and Munich star Eric Bana.
Boleyn Girl will definitely exceed the disappointing $6.1 million captured by Elizabeth: The Golden Age in October. The Cate Blanchett sequel had slightly better Total Awareness (60 percent-56 percent), but women have far more interest in the soapy "bodice-ripper."
DEFINITE INTEREST WITH FEMALES UNDER 25
The Other Boleyn Girl — 42 percent
Elizabeth: The Golden Age — 28 percent
DEFINITE INTEREST WITH FEMALES 25 PLUS
The Other Boleyn Girl — 46 percent
Elizabeth: The Golden Age — 36 percent
FIRST CHOICE WITH FEMALES UNDER 25
The Other Boleyn Girl — 17 percent
Elizabeth: The Golden Age — 10 percent
FIRST CHOICE WITH FEMALES 25 PLUS
The Other Boleyn Girl — 23 percent
Elizabeth: The Golden Age — 18 percent
Elizabeth opened on about 800 more screens, and Penelope (Summit Entertainment) will lure in some younger females, so I’m projecting a modest $7 million-$10 million for The Other Boleyn Girl.
The aforementioned Penelope has kicked around the release schedule a bit, but it will finally hit the market this week, distributed by fledgling Summit Entertainment. The only other picture that they have released is last fall’s horror genre offering P2 ($3.95 million domestic). With a cast that includes Golden Globe nominees Christina Ricci and James McAvoy, as well as Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, this isn't a complete "throw-away." In fact, its tracking performance, especially among females, is comparable to last summer's Paramount fairy tale Stardust.
UN-AIDED AWARENESS
Penelope — 3 percent
Stardust — 2 percent
TOTAL AWARE
Stardust — 61 percent
Penelope — 60 percent
DEFINITE INTEREST
Penelope — 28 percent (Females Under 25 — 42 percent, Females 25 Plus – 33 percent)
Stardust — 27 percent (Females Under 25 – 33 percent, Females 25 Plus – 30 percent)
FIRST CHOICE
Penelope — 9 percent (Females Under 25 – 16 percent, Females 25 Plus – 13 percent)
Stardust — 5 percent (Females Under 25 – 8 percent, Females 25 Plus – 6 percent)
Stardust opened on over twice as many screens, and generated a dismal $9.1 million in August. Despite its respectable tracking performance, Penelope will be handicapped by its novice distributor and limited market penetration. I’m calling for something in the $4 million-$6 million range.
Final predictions for Feb. 29-March 2:
1. Semi-Pro (New Line) — $43.75 million
2. Vantage Point (Sony) — $13 million
3. The Spiderwick Chronicles (Paramount) — $9.3 million
4. The Other Boleyn Girl (Sony) — $8 million
5. Jumper (20th Century Fox) — $7.25 million
6. Step Up 2 the Streets (Disney) — $5.25 million
7. Penelope (Summit) — $5 million
8. Fool’s Gold (Warner Bros.) — $3.6 million
9. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $3.5 million
10. Juno (Fox Searchlight) — $2.9 million

Yikers.

Well, wrong or right, Mase has been much more responsible with these numbers than others who post and discuss them (ahem... Hollywood-Elsewhere.com).

Sorry to see this Mase. :( I've enjoyed reading your column in the time I've known about it. I hope you will at least continue to post your predicts and commentary as usual.

That is no lawyer. No lawyer I have ever heard of does that, they give supenons and summons not post comments. Here is how to prove, Michael J. Duffy you are a douch bag and you are a scum who are fooling around with your secretary so if you are true you will sue me:p

oh my god, its "THE MAN"!

That is a lie no good lawyer would post a comment on a blog site. They would issue a suspeon a letter to him telling him to stop. I also goggled the name of this lawyer and no such lawyer exists working for Nielsens.

ummmm why does it matter i mean really? they cant copyright facts....freedom of speech people

well they are a facts in a way...

if they interviewed x amount of people and x amount of people said they had definate interest in seeing a certain movie, then that is a fact. the interpration of those facts is different.