Time for another edition of the notebook. Let’s do this.
NEWS
NBC Sports has announced it will pick up radio coverage of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Over the past few years, radio coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes has been piecemeal with various syndicators producing the races. Now, NBC which has the TV rights will also air the races on radio through its partners, the Horse Racing Radio Network and Westwood One. Each race will air from 5-7 p.m. ET. The announcers and hosts for the coverage have yet to be announced.
CBS says it’s returning to boxing through Showtime as the two networks have signed a deal with the Premier Boxing Champions for eight live events in 2015. PBC has previously signed deals with NBC/NBCSN and Spike. CBS will air its boxing cards in conjunction with Showtime Championship Boxing events.
The already announced events are as follows:
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
On Saturday, March 28, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will present a doubleheader featuring a featherweight showdown between WBC champion Jhonny Gonzalez and top contender Gary Russell Jr., and a matchup of 154-pound contenders Jermell Charlo and Vanes Martirosyan. The live SHOWTIME telecast will preview the following week’s April 4 CBS debut of Premier Boxing Champions.PREMIERE BOXING CHAMPIONS ON CBS
The CBS premiere on Saturday, April 4 (3 p.m. ET/Noon PT) will feature light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson defending his WBC title against former super middleweight champ Sakio Bika. In the co-feature, undefeated light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev will face veteran former world champ Gabriel Campillo. The CBS broadcast, with its national reach of more than 110 million households, will offer a broad platform to promote a major SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event just two weeks later.SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
On Saturday, April 18, SHOWTIME presents the network debut of former world champion and Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., as he takes on light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara.PREMIERE BOXING CHAMPIONS ON CBS
On Saturday, May 9 Premier Boxing Champions returns to CBS for the second installment (4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT). This broadcast will pit undefeated Omar Figueroa, who recently vacated his Lightweight World Championship to move up in weight to 140 pounds, against former champion Ricky Burns.The April 18 SHOWTIME telecast and the May 9 CBS broadcast will support—and be supported by—the May 2 SHOWTIME PPV event featuring the undefeated, world’s No. 1 ranked fighter, Floyd Mayweather.
Additional confirmed dates for Premier Boxing Champions on CBS include live broadcasts in June, July and September, with up to three remaining events on the 2015 calendar yet to be announced. The live boxing broadcasts on CBS, other than the aforementioned premiere, will be broadcast live at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.
So boxing returns in a big way to network television with 11 PBC events on NBC including five in primetime and another five scheduled on CBS. The last time CBS aired a live boxing event was in 2012.
LINKAGE
At Sports Business Journal, John Ourand and David Broughton report that Atlanta, Cleveland and Milwaukee are experiencing the biggest ratings gains among NBA markets this season.
Sports Business Daily notes that the bidding for the media rights for the Australian Football League looks like it will have one less TV network.
Lesley Goldberg from the Hollywood Reporter notes that actor Skylar Astin wasn’t out of work for long. Just days after TBS canceled “Ground Floor,” Astin has picked up the starring role in a new ABC sitcom about the NBA.
Jeff Haggar at Classic TV Sports corrects the media reports about Dick Vitale calling all Duke-North Carolina games for the ESPN family of networks.
Ed Sherman of the Sherman Report wonders along with HBO’s John Oliver, how is Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue still a thing?
Jason Dachman of Sports Video Group looks at NFL Network’s coverage of the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine.
A few links from Paulsen at Sports Media Watch. First, overnight ratings for the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited on Fox were up from last year’s race on Fox Sports 1. Second, Duke-Syracuse’s overnight ratings were down from last year’s game, but still were the highest numbers for college basketball games for the weekend. Lastly, the PGA’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on CBS did better this year.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times goes behind-the-scenes with USA Network on its preparation for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Mark Washburn at the Charlotte Observer profiles pit reporter Jamie Little who joins Fox this after a 13 year career at ESPN/ABC.
Jim Williams at Sports Talk Florida analyzes Sports Illustrated’s interview of TNT’s Charles Barkley.
Angel Verdejo of the Houston Chronicle writes that Fox Sports Southwest will stream the Texas high school swimming and wrestling championships.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
NBC has released this weekend’s English Premier League schedule for the networks of NBCUniversal.
| Date | Time | Match | Network |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 8 a.m. | Barclays Premier League Preview | NBCSN |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 9 a.m. | Premier League Live | NBCSN |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Chelsea v. Burnley | NBCSN, NBC UNIVERSO |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Swansea City v. Manchester United | Live Extra |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Crystal Palace v. Arsenal | Live Extra |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Aston Villa v. Stoke City | Live Extra |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Sunderland v. West Brom | Live Extra |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 10 a.m. | Hull City v. Queens Park Rangers | Live Extra |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 12:30 p.m. | Manchester City v. Newcastle | NBC, NBC UNIVERSO |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | 2:30 p.m. | Goal Zone | NBC |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | 6 a.m. | Premier League Live | NBCSN |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | 7 a.m. | Tottenham v. West Ham | NBCSN |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | 9:05 a.m. | Everton v. Leicester City | NBCSN |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | 11:15 a.m. | Southampton v. Liverpool | NBCSN, Telemundo |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | 1 p.m. | Goal Zone | NBCSN |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | Midnight | Match of the Day II | NBCSN |
NFL Network has announced the schedule for the Scouting Combine which will be held in Indianapolis this week:
Thursday, February 19
6:00 AM – NFL AM – LIVE
10:00 AM – NFL AM – Re-Air
12 Noon – NFL’s Top 10: Undrafted Players
1:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Draft Busts
2:00 PM – NFL Total Access Scouting Combine Press Conferences – LIVE COVERAGE
4:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Heisman Winners in the NFL
5:00 PM – A Football Life: Bill Belichick – Part 1
6:00 PM – A Football Life: Bill Belichick – Part 2
7:00 PM – NFL Total Access – LIVE
8:00 PM – 2014 Super Bowl Champion Player Stunt
9:00 PM – Brady 6
10:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Draft Steals
11:00 PM – NFL Total Access
12 Midnight – Brady 6
1:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Draft Steals
Friday, February 20
6:00 AM – NFL AM – LIVE
9:00 AM – 2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Kickers, Offensive Linemen & Tight Ends – LIVE COVERAGE
- Encores with cut down versions at 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM & 12 Midnight ET
7:00 AM – NFL Total Access – LIVE
- Encores at 11:00 PM ET
ALL DAY – NFL.com: Exclusive daily video clips available
Saturday, February 21
9:00 AM – 2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Running Backs, Quarterbacks & Wide Receivers – LIVE COVERAGE
- Encores with cut down versions at 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM & 12 Midnight ET
7:00 PM – NFL Total Access – LIVE
- Encores at 11:00 PM ET
ALL DAY – NFL.com: Exclusive daily video clips available
Sunday, February 22
9:00 AM – 2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Defensive Linemen & Linebackers – LIVE COVERAGE
- Encores with cut down versions at 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM & 12 Midnight ET
7:00 PM – NFL Total Access – LIVE
- Encores at 11:00 PM ET
ALL DAY – NFL.com: Exclusive daily video clips available
Monday, February 23
6:00 AM – NFL AM – LIVE
9:00 AM – 2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Defensive Backs – LIVE COVERAGE
- Encores with cut down versions at 2:00 PM, 8:00 PM & 12 Midnight ET
7:00 PM – NFL Total Access – LIVE
- Encores at 11:00 PM ET
And finally, here’s Golf Channel’s live tournament schedule for this week.
PGA TOUR
Northern Trust Open
Dates: Feb. 19-22
Venue: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-9 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Curt Byrum/Matt Gogel
On-Course: Phil Parkin/Phil Blackmar
Interviews: George Savaricas
LPGA TOUR
Women’s Australian Open
Dates: Feb. 18-21
Venue: Royal Melbourne Golf Club (Composite Course), Melbourne, Australia
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 11 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Thursday replay)
Thursday 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Friday replay)
Friday 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 3-6 p.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 3-6:30 p.m. (Sunday replay)
EUROPEAN TOUR
Indian Open
Dates: Feb. 19-22
Venue: Delhi Golf Club (Lodhi Course), New Delhi, India
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Tape delay)
Friday 5-7 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Tape delay)
Saturday 5:30-9:30 a.m. (Tape delay)
Sunday 5:30-10 a.m. (Tape delay)
And that will close the notebook for today.
