I’m not going to do a full version of the megalinks today as I’m getting ready to go to Baltimore on Saturday. I’m meeting a group of Red Sox fans in Charm City so as I’m preparing to head down, I’ll do a shortened version of the links tonight.
Your Weekend Viewing Picks can be found here.
USA Today’s version of Mike & Mike, Hiestand and McCarthy debate the idea of expanding instant replay in baseball.
The Nielsen Wire blog notes that this year’s World Cup will truly be mobile.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says Fox has already sold 80% of Super Bowl XLV’s ad inventory during the network’s upfront sales period.
Anthony writes that TNT has sold most of its ad inventory for NASCAR.
John Eggerton in Broadcasting & Cable notes that ABC got a primetime ratings win with Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Paige Albiniak of B&C reports that eight Tribune stations including WPIX (NY), WGN (Chi) and KSWB (SD) in various local markets have picked up the rights to NFL Network games.
Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News talks with Versus president Jamie Davis about the ratings for Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final on the network on Wednesday.
The Sports Media Watch notes that the NBA Playoffs finished below last year’s ratings for TNT.
SMW says the opening game of the 2010 NBA Finals did very well on ABC.
SMW says they were down on ESPN as well.
SMW tells us that Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final set a ratings record for Versus.
Dave Kohl at the Major League Programs blog looks at the NFL’s efforts to get its Red Zone in every football stadium across the country.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media tells us that CBC host Ron MacLean prevents suicides on his days off.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell feels the Triple Crown needs a new TV model as the current one is not working.
The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn wonders why disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy has suddenly become a go-to source for sports radio stations on predicting the outcome of games.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick says don’t be so fast to bring in instant replay to baseball and he also accuses YES announcer and ESPN Radio New York host Michael Kay of lifting stuff from newspaper columns word for word.
Try to decipher Bob Raissman’s argument in the New York Daily News without getting kidney stones.
Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com writes in Press Box that a new nationally syndicated sports TV show will be produced in Baltimore.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner likes the way ESPN2 and Tennis Channel work together during Grand Slam tennis events.
Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald talks with Dolphins radio analyst Jim Mandich who’s been battling cancer.
Ray Buck in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that ESPN/ABC NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy is a very entertaining listen.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle notes that the story of Armando Galarraga’s non-perfect game bid has grown legs even on cable news shows.
In his blog, David notes that Marv Albert will no longer do Monday Night Football on Westwood One Radio.
Mel Bracht in the Daily Oklahoman says MLB Network will pick up pitcher Steven Strasburg’s Washington Nationals debut next week.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says ESPN is getting it right by hiring British soccer callers for the World Cup.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business explains why Game 3’s rating of the Stanley Cup Final fell below Game 2’s stellar numbers.
Ed has his winners and losers in sports business and media.
Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune writes that WGN in Chicago will air the Bears-Miami Dolphins game on November 18 that will be carried on NFL Network.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says the quality of webcasts for one particular minor league baseball organization is improving with each passing year.
Tim Buckley of the Deseret (UT) News says Miami sports radio host Sid Rosenberg was reprimanded by his bosses for ragging on Mormons.
Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that MLB Network picked up a coup in getting Steven Strasburg’s major league debut on Tuesday.
John Maffei from the North County Times says the S
trasburg debut and the NBA Finals on Tuesday will be must see TV.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has pictures of the beautiful people attending the Celtics-Lakers game on Thursday.
Tom talks with Jeff Van Gundy.
Tom has his media news and notes.
Bruce Dowbiggin in the Toronto Globe and Mail says NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t acquit himself well during an interview on CBC on Wednesday.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says the Blue Jays’ fortunes are matching their ratings.
And Chris tells Gary Bettman to stay off television.
To end the links tonight, William Houston in Truth & Rumours also discusses the Bettman appearance on CBC.
We are done. I’ll blog next from Baltimore on Saturday.
