We have less than a month to go in summer and with our Labor Day weekend coming next week, we all know that September means school, end of vacations and the like. It also means football in earnest. Where I’m going with this thought I don’t know, but I’m feeling melancholy that the summer is almost done.
Let’s do the megalinks and there are plenty of stories for you to read. Of course, the Weekend Viewing Picks give you what’s happening in sports and entertainment, but please do not point out to me that I’ve omitted the Emmys. It’s on NBC and I do not recommend NBC primetime or late night programming. Ever since the whole Jay/Conan thing, I’ve been boycotting NBC’s entertainment programming. Being a sports media blogger, I can’t boycott NBC Sports.
Now to the links.
National
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand points out that a possible victim of an 18 week NFL regular season might be the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
At Sports Business Daily, John Ourand writes that CBS has almost sold out of its NFL regular season ad inventory.
Milton Kent of Fanhouse says another possible victim to the expanded NFL regular season might be The Oscars.
Milton enjoyed listening to CBS US Open analysts John McEnroe and Mary Carillo square off over the ATP and WTA Tour schedules.
Kelly Riddell and Andy Fixmer of Bloomberg write that a hangup in the Disney/Time Warner dispute is the fees over the ESPN3.com broadband service.
Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News says Gol TV in HD gets picked up by Time Warner Cable in New York.
Lucia Moses at Mediaweek writes that Golf Magazine is feeling bullish about the sport despite its problems this year.
At the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Dave Kindred says journalists who try to build a personal brand do so at their own risks.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell feels a webcast on Ralph Lauren’s website might be the future of sports marketing.
Darren notes that there’s a prime parking spot available at The Barclays this week.
Emmett Jones at Sports Business Digest notes that Reebok is using an au naturel Kelly Brook to sell shoes.
Emmett says the NHL might create an all-women’s league to help the competitive balance in Olympic hockey.
Sports Media Watch has a few news and notes.
From Yahoo!, Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy looks at the five things learned from this week’s World Hockey Summit.
Brett Barrouquere of the Associated Press reports on a Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader who won a huge libel and slander award against a gossip website.
Bob Stockton of World Tennis Magazine says this year’s US Open Tennis Series garnered good ratings for ESPN2.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn from the Boston Globe says Hard Knocks with the New York Jets has become Must See TV.
Brian Ballou of the Globe reports that the son of NESN Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy was arrested this week for allegedly groping a woman.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times writes that Jay Mariotti is now wearing the shoe on the other foot after being bombastic throughout his career.
Bob Raissman at the New York Daily News feels Hard Knocks is riding the Darrelle Revis train despite his training camp holdout. Is Raissman actually watching the show?
Phil Mushnick in the New York Post says YES failed to cover all bases during an incident in a Yankees-Blue Jays game on Monday.
Claire Atkinson of the Post looks at how NFL fans can now watch games on their cell phones.
Brett Cyrgalis of the Post writes that a lack of American players will hurt U.S. Open ratings for CBS, ESPN and Tennis Channel.
Brett has five questions for SEC on CBS analyst Gary Danielson.
In NY Sports Journalism, Barry Janoff has the results of a readers poll of the greatest sports broadcast calls of all-time.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says the new local AHL team is planning to be proactive on local TV and radio.
Pete has more on the Albany Devils broadcast hopes.
Pete says Saturday’s Travers Stakes at Saratoga goes to regional television after being on national TV for a quarter century.
Ken McMillan of the Hudson Valley Times Herald-Record has a partial college football schedule for the MSG Networks.
Ken says get ready for preseason hockey.
Steve Sampsell of the Centre (PA) Daily Times talks with ESPN NASCAR analyst Tim Brewer.
The Delaware County Times says College Gameday will be visiting the Villanova campus in February.
Dave Hughes from DCRTV writes in Press Box that the Baltimore Ravens have signed with Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic for most of its TV programming.
Jim Williams at the Washington Examiner talks with ESPN/ABC college football analyst Jesse Palmer on Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen.
South
The Virginia Gazette picks up a story from William & Mary’s newspaper written by Virginia Nadler regarding ESPNU using school students to produce programming.
Tim Clodfelter of the Winston-Salem (NC) Journal says it’s getting down to the wire between Time Warner Cable and Disney.
The State in Charleston, South Carolina says it’s moving its Go Gamecocks website to a pay model.
Josh Hoke of The State writes that big name high school recruits bring the big lights to town.
Dave Scheiber of Fox Sports Florida has Rays analyst Kevin Kennedy recalling the moment when he got the networks’ attention.
John Lembo of the Bradenton (FL) Herald notes that ESPN is in town for a high school football game tonight.
John looks at the reasons why ESPN chose Bradenton as a broadcast location.
In the Orlando Sentinel, Shannon Owens has ESPN’s Lee Corso being bullish on the Florida Gators.
Stan Diel of the Birmingham (AL) News says the clock is ticking down in the talks between Bright House cable and ESPN.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes that the Texas Rangers continue to rack up the ratings.
Matt Heika of the Morning News says the Dallas Stars will have a new radio studio host this season.
Ray Buck at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram looks at former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach going to TV this season.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle notes that the local Little League baseball team is pulling in the ratings.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman says ESPN’s Lee Corso hopes to fulfill his new contract with the Alleged Worldwide Leader.
Midwest
Michael Zuidema from the Grand Rapids (MI) Press says high school football will be covered heavily by local TV throughout the season.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at NFL Films’ new documentary series that will air on NFL Network throughout the fall.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business has this week’s winners and losers.
Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune looks at the Fanhouse suspension of former Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti.
Interestingly enough, Mariotti’s former paper, the Sun-Times, uses wire reports to report on his suspension.
Paul Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that the Wild will have all of its games on TV for the first time since entering the NHL.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says a minor league baseball broadcaster still can’t over the death of a player last weekend.
West
Jay Drew of the St. Lake City Tribune looks at the factors, including ESPN, that led BYU to remain with the Mountain West Conference after briefly flirting with the WAC. Thanks to The Big Lead for the link.
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) News says BYU has long been owed a bigger slice of the TV pie due to the audience it brings to the table.
Jay Posner at the San Diego Union-Tribune says long-time Padres broadcaster Ted Leitner will return for another season.
To the North County Times where John Maffei talks with Texas Rangers/San Diego Chargers voice Josh Lewin who will also be doing duties for Fox this weekend.
At the Ventura County Star, Jim Carlisle writes about Notre Dame requesting NBC to reduce its commercial breaks for football games this season.
In the Los Angeles Times, Diane Pucin has CBS/NBC/ESPN2/BBC/7 Network analyst John McEnroe’s controversial comments about women’s tennis schedule being too demanding for its stars.
Joe Flint of the Times says an 18 game NFL schedule could bring a new TV partner and a permanent date for the Super Bowl.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the Sport Science franchise which ESPN picked up from Fox Sports Net.
Tom has more with Sport Science host John Brenkus who has been the human guinea pig for the show.
Tom also reviews the week in blogging and more.
Mark Glover of the Sacramento Bee says high school football is growing in the national spotlight.
Matt Phelps and Megan Managan of the Kirkland (WA) Reporter preview an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on a monumental Little League World Series upset from the early 1980’s.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail wonders when a local sports radio station will name a morning show host.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says the war of words over the new Rogers Sportsnet one is really heating up.
And we’re done. Thanks for reading.
