Tuesday’s Sports Media Notebook — 01/06/2015

On this first Tuesday of the New Year, let’s open the notebook once again to provide you with some linkage and some news you can use. First, some thoughts which will take the place of the breaking news or news segment.

OPINION

As we’re over 48 hours from the time we learned of Stuart Scott’s death, it’s amazing to see the love for the SportsCenter anchor from not just within the sports media industry, but from the White House, leagues, teams and various athletes.

Yes, we have a tendency to overgush or overplay someone’s significance when a person dies, but in Stuart Scott’s case, I don’t think it’s overblown. He gave a voice to a part of the community that hadn’t been served by sports television. Before Scott hit the scene, anyone anchoring sports had to fit a certain style. And while ESPN helped to change the perception of sportscasters by making them stars (i.e., Chris Berman, Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann), they all assimilated into that one style of doing an intro, voicing the highlights and going to the next story.

Scott did more than that. And while his style wasn’t liked by some and even by ESPN management, he stuck to his guns. He knew what worked for him. It’s rare that someone in his or her twenties will know exact style fits, but Scott knew exactly what he wanted to do and how it would work. Thinking about it, it’s similar to Howard Stern when he hit the scene. Neither Scott nor Stern fit the mold of traditional broadcasting. They refused to yield to management and they had to fight to get their way, but at the end, they won.

Normally it takes several years for a broadcaster to find his or her voice and to establish him or herself, but Scott found it early and ran with it. While he struggled with management and even his own co-workers, he was eventually accepted and he’s made it easier for sportscasters following him to find a style that’s outside the envelope.

To show how Scott’s death has resonated, the BBC in the UK has a story on his influence and “the rise of the urban broadcaster.”

Dan Patrick had a good point on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday. Maybe we won’t appreciate what Stuart did right away, perhaps it’ll take years, but his influence will be felt throughout the industry.

LINKAGE

Newsday’s Neil Best says Stuart Scott definitely had chutzpah.

Newsweek’s John Waters provides his thoughts on Scott’s passing at his own site, Medium Happy.

Joe Lucia at Awful Announcing writes about a new over the top service from Dish Network that will include ESPN and ESPN2.

The ever-so-warped Anthony Crupi at Advertising Age says the NFL’s ratings continue to surge despite primetime blowouts and PR problems.

Over to Adweek where Michelle Castillo tells us that the Sporting News is revamping its mobile ad platforms so marketers can take advantage of a growing audience.

Barry Horn of the Dallas News says the Detroit-Dallas NFL Wild Card Playoff game registered the best ratings of all four postseason games over the weekend.

Paulsen at Sports Media Watch notes that CBS’ Wild Card game viewership sank to a three-year low.

Paulsen says the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game on NBC registered a six-year low.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch talks with NBC’s Rebecca Lowe about the NBCSN’s premier excursion with “Breakaway” last week.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says college football has lost its sense of tradition with the College Football Playoff.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says MSG Network has launched a new app which streams New York Knicks games to authenticated Cablevision Optimum subscribers.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Curling fans, NBCSN and Universal Sports will be teaming up for “Curling Night in America” throughout the winter months. Starting January 23, NBCSN will market Friday nights as “Curling Night” just as NBC promotes Sunday primetime as Football Night. For six consecutive weeks, Universal Sports will have Curling Night on Thursday nights, then NBCSN takes over the following night with an eight-team event.

We have details from a joint press release:

“NBCSN and Universal Sports Network’s Curling Night In America telecasts will feature eight international teams, comprised of four men’s and four women’s teams from top rinks in the United States, China, Japan and New Zealand, competing in the inaugural U.S. Curling Grand Prix. The event took place on Dec. 4-6 at the Four Seasons Curling Club, a Team USA National Training Center, in Blaine, Minn.”

Here’s the schedule for both networks:

Following is NBCSN’s telecast schedule for Curling Night In America in 2015:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
January 23, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 11 p.m.
February 6, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 11 p.m.
February 13, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 12 a.m.
Feburary 20, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 11 p.m.
March 6, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 11 p.m.
March 20, 2015 Curling Night In America NBCSN 11 p.m.

Following is Universal Sports Network’s Curling Night In America telecast schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
January 22, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 2 p.m.
January 30, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 2 p.m.
February 6, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 4 p.m.
Feburary 15, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 6 p.m.
February 27, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 6 p.m.
March 13, 2015 Curling Night In America Universal Sports 3 p.m.

And all of the events will be streamed on the NBC Sports Live Extra mobile and tablet apps.

On the first edition of 60 Minutes Sports of 2015, investigator Armen Keteyian speaks with the family of the late San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau. You remember Seau committed suicide in 2012 and an autopsy found that he had suffered from CTE, a condition that is degenerative brain disease that is found in those who have repeated concussions.

Seau’s ex-wife and children explain why they refused to take money in the NFL concussion settlement with ex-players. We have a preview clip.

60 Minutes Sports airs tonight at 10 ET/PT on Showtime.

And that will do it for today’s notebook. We’ll close up shop for now and be back tomorrow with another edition. Enjoy your Tuesday.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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