Ok, you’re owed some linkage big time. Thursday, I got caught up with the Sports Emmy Award nominations and the NCAA Tournament. On Friday, I was out of the office and unable to do the usual features until very late at night. So after running errands this morning, it’s time to provide you with some links. I do it for you, my loyal readers.
Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says an exciting first day of the NCAA Tournament led to a record number of visits to CBS/NCAA’s March Madness on Demand.
Mike says MLB Home Run Derby will become the first event to run on the Alleged Worldwide Leader’s new 3-D network.
Mike Farrell of Multichannel tells us that in its first quarter as a publicly traded company, Madison Square Garden pulled a profit thanks to higher cable affiliate fees for MSG Network.
Tripp Mickle and Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Daily write about the new collective bargaining agreement hashed out today between Major League Soccer and its players.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says the Big East lost out on some big money when three of its teams lost on the first day of the NCAA Tournament.
Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Dave Kindred finds that a Duke University cultural anthropologist on how big an event the return of Tiger Woods will be, not to just The Masters, but to the country.
SportsbyBrooks says it appears that The Masters will not have Tiger Woods’ first tee shot at Augusta National on live TV.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says sports retailers are hoping that Tiger Woods gets back on track.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says despite three overtime games and some big upsets, Thursday’s ratings for the NCAA Tournament were down from a year ago.
The Buffalo News’ Alan Pergament writes that CBS could not have asked for a more compelling first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Writing in Press Box, Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com says WJZ-FM has hired a replacement for Anita Marks who left earlier this year.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner looks inside the record viewing numbers at March Madness on Demand.
Jim explores how Tony Kornheiser and cyclist Lance Armstrong made up after Mr. Tony got in trouble again.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says CBS hopes it’s still broadcasting the NCAA Tournament in 2011 when the Final Four is played there.
Barry Horn in the Dallas Morning News has some tidbits he has picked up from watching the first two days of the NCAA Tournament.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has the latest on Vin Scully who had to be hospitalized after a fall this week.
And Tom has a clip of this Sunday’s 60 Minutes which focuses on #1 ranked doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan who grew in SoCal.
Tom’s Friday column looks at MLB Network’s 30 Clubs in 30 Days program on the Dodgers.
Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times says when Vin Scully is ok, it means Southern California is ok.
We have this video from the Times’ Jim Peltz and Fox Sports West’s Jill Arrington discussing Vin’s return to calling the Dodgers this Sunday after his fall.
I had wondered what was up with Jill. Now I know.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says CBC is convinced there’s a market for amateur sports on TV, but regulators are uncooperative.
William Houston in Truth & Rumours says an Olympics/amateur sports channel should be on the air in Canada.
The Sports Media Watch notes that the NHL on NBC fell below a 1.0 rating last week.
SMW says the ratings for the NCAA Selection Show on CBS fell last Sunday.
The Big Lead notes that CBS’ Greg Anthony wasn’t too happy over a late lane violation call that cost New Mexico State an upset bid over Michigan State.
Sox & Dawgs noticed that NESN was advertising Mets.com instead of the Red Sox.
Orbitcast says Sirius XM will air complete coverage of The Masters in April.
That will end the linkage for your Saturday.
