Let’s provide links while I can. Trying not to make this a week where links are scarce. Let’s get this done.
First, Jessica E. Vascellaro and Darren Everson of the Wall Street Journal look at how infusions of TV rights money has changed college sports not necessarily for the better.
John Ourand at Sports Business Daily notes that Longhorn Network has picked up its first major cable provider just ahead of Friday’s launch.
Tim Baysinger of Broadcasting & Cable also writes about Longhorn Network’s carriage deal.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News looks at Fox Soccer signing a multiyear deal for the UEFA Europa League.
Emma Bazilian of Adweek says the Bleacher Report has raised $22 million in capital for future expansion of the site.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine explores the rich naming rights deal involving MetLife and the New Meadowlands Stadium.
Dave Kindred at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says there are not that many differences between “New School” and “Old School” writers.
Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser says the operator of an illegal sports video streaming site was arrested by the Feds yesterday.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell feels Danica Patrick’s popularity has hit the wall.
Dashiell Bennett of the Business Insider’s Sports Page notes that ESPN put up a controversial rendering (now since taken down) of Michael Vick as a white man.
Robert Littal of Black Sports Online has a problem with ESPN’s premise of making Vick a white man.
At ESPN Front Row, PR maven Mike Soltys informs us that the Alleged Worldwide Leader has revised its social networking policy.
Claire Atkinson of the New York Post says any talk of the NFL and Time Warner Cable being close on a deal for NFL Network is just that. Talk.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that TBS has made a change for its Sunday MLB game due to Hurricane Irene.
Ken Schott says a local radio station will have a unique baseball-horse racing on-air schedule this Saturday.
Ken McMillan of the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says the MSG Networks will be airing plenty of college football in the fall.
Ken adds that MSG Network will air a prospects hockey tournament next month.
Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call says an area native is doing overnight sports reports on WFAN.
Justin Fenton and Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun report that police have confirmed that former Orioles pitcher and broadcaster Mike Flanagan took his own life outside his home on Wednesday.
Peter Schmuck of the Sun says now is not the time to speculate why Flanagan chose to end his life.
The Sun’s Kevin Cowherd writes that Flanagan made people laugh as a player and as a broadcaster.
In Press Box, Dave Hughes says Flanagan’s death is still a mystery.
Matt Brooks in the Washington Post’s Early Lead blog says Flanagan’s death has hit the Orioles very hard.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner writes that Danica Patrick’s move to NASCAR makes the Baltimore Grand Prix one of her last IndyCar races of her career.
Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte (NC) Observer says thanks to its new ESPN contract, ACC basketball will get plenty of TV exposure.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has a primer on the Longhorn Network.
Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus feeling the SEC will be standing pat for the foreseeable future.
Jimmy says Verizon FiOS will be distributing the Longhorn Network across the country.
The Houston Chronicle says a local TV station will begin airing Thursday night high school football games.
David Barron of the Chronicle writes that the Longhorn Network is ready to launch, but won’t be seen widely in Houston.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business says Notre Dame has renewed a radio rights deal with WLS-AM.
Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at a big reveal from ESPN Films’ documentary on the Steve Bartman 2003 NLCS inc
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has Sports Illustrated saying the beating of a San Francisco Giants fan in the Dodger Stadium parking lot earlier this year sealed the fate of the franchise.
Mason Kelly of the Seattle Times says a local high school gym got a facelift thanks to an ESPN program.
Only Deadspin. It has a spy inside ESPN’s State of the Union meeting with higher ups.
Sox & Dawgs looks at SNY’s UConn football coverage.
The Toronto Sports Media blog notes that long-time Maple Leafs voice Dennis Beyak is apparently heading to Winnipeg.
Sports Media Watch has some various football programming notes.
That is going to finish the links for today.
