Time for some linkage on this Wednesday.
In case you missed it from early this morning, I wrote a post on how you can avoid paying the $3.99 fee to watch the March Madness Live app on your mobile, iPad or online.
And Maine Sports Media has a legal promo code which you can use to avoid paying the fee while supplies are still available.
Tim Layden of Sports Illustrated has a great story on when the NCAA Tournament truly became March Madness back in 1981 when NBC switched from buzzer beater to buzzer beater. I remember every one of these moments that Layden describes. Yes, I’m old.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand handicaps where ESPN’s Erin Andrews could be headed once her contract is up.
Joe Lucia at Awful Announcing says Erin Andrews isn’t the only free agent at ESPN.
Michael Bradley at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center writes having March Madness online is a good thing for everyone.
Michael Smith and John Ourand at Sports Business Daily report that the Big 12 is close to signing a rights extension with current TV partners ESPN and Fox Sports Net.
Tom Lorenzo of SportsGrid has video of President Obama making his Final Four picks on ESPN.
R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News says FX had strong ratings for the premiere “The Ultimate Fighter”.
Emma Bazilian of Adweek writes that Time.com is launching a sports blog.
Brian Lowry of Fox Sports says CBS/Turner is not worried about losing viewers to the March Madness Live online app.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell suggests if Tim Tebow gets traded to Jacksonville, it would be huge for the franchise.
At Fishbowl NY, Jerry Barmash notes that WFAN’s Boomer & Carton will be skating for charity next week.
To the Schenectady Gazette where Ken Schott says ESPN has named its announcing teams for the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championships.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says the overnight ratings for the NCAA Tournament’s FIRST FOUR™ games were down from last year.
Pete says NBA TV will be all over the NBA Trade Deadline.
Ken McMillan from the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record writes that Time Warner Cable will air the New York State high school basketball championships.
Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call says Drexel got plenty of sympathy from the TV analysts during NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday.
Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times reports that a local sports radio talk show host who used a racial slur earlier this week has left the station.
Eric Deggans of the Times also has a story on the controversy.
Mel Bracht of The Oklahoman says the NBA’s Thunder topped the local ratings last week.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Fox Sports Ohio is now airing “Reds Live” nightly.
In Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman notes that Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf grants a rare interview tonight.
Ed says a new Chicago sports news website is preparing to launch next month joining an already crowded marketplace.
Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times talks with ESPN’s Dick Vitale.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says CBC will shift focus from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators.
Sports Media Watch looks at the overnight ratings for the opening night doubleheader of the NCAA Tournament.
SMW tells us that the Knicks and Rangers are performing well in the ratings for MSG Network.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media learns that NBC will air its first-ever NHL playoff doubleheader in April.
Steve says NBC Sports Network will carry Thursday’s Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers game marking the return (again) of Sidney Crosby to the ice.
Steve also provides the coverage plans for NBC Sports Network and TSN for Crosby’s return.
Joe Favorito says horse racing is trying to make some inroads into the March sports calendar.
Ty Duffy of The Big Lead wonders if an ESPN anchor attempted to recruit a high school basketball player for his alma mater.
And that is where the links will end for today.
More posts are on the way. Keep your feeds updated.
