Some links on this Friday afternoon for you.
First, the Sports Media Watch blog points out that in a season in which most of the NFL TV partners are seeing lower ratings, CBS is the lone shining star and in addition, not only is CBS seeing significantly higher ratings for the NFL, it’s received higher ratings for its SEC coverage.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell looks at shoe company Adidas buying a retro jersey company and NBA ticket prices.
Looking at the Business of Sports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Don Walker has noticed that cable TV providers Time Warner and Charter Communications have lost customers while satellite companies Dish Network and DirecTV have gained. He wonders if this is a result of the two cable TV companies not carrying the Big Ten and NFL Networks. The Barron (WI) News-Shield has a story on a state legislator looking into the possibility of having Wisconsin Public Television carry all Big Ten sporting events. Todd Lancaster of the Washington (IN) Times-Herald college basketball fans will have a hard time watching their favorite team on the Big Ten Network.
Turning to the NFL Network, Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg writes that the channel may not warrant being on basic cable. Inside Indiana Business reports that a group of state legislators are asking the FCC to send the cable vs. NFL Network dispute into arbitration.
Andrew Herrman of the Chicago Sun-Times recaps the Today show’s interview with Michael Jordan this morning. And Today show producer Matthew Glick explains how NBC got the interview with Jordan.
Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer looks inside the 12 year contract between FSN Northwest and the Mariners which could be worth as much as $450 million.
Jack Bogaczyk of the Charleston (WV) Daily Mail says CSTV has given the West Virginia-Marshall game in January back to local TV after both schools appealed to the network.
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press talks to ESPN’s Jay Bilas and Digger Phelps about the college basketball season.
Dan Jones of the University of Oregon’s student newspaper, the Daily Emerald, writes that ESPN’s Shelley Smith loves to root for her daughter who’s on the school’s soccer team.
Those are the links for now. We go into our Viewing Picks as in Primetime, College Football, NFL and Weekend coming up. Also, NFL Picks for Week 10 will be here during the weekend as well as Videos of the Week. Keep it here.
