Time for some links today.
This is the day when the MLB Draft is televised for the first time. ESPN2 gets the honors so the Alleged Worldwide Leader will have the drafts of the NFL, NBA and MLB in its fold. Today’s draft is being held at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has a preview. The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein says any draft is an inexact science. Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says ESPN2 is hoping for a good number in the ratings. Tim Lemke of the Washington Times says ESPN2 is wading into uncharted territory. Carl Stewart of the Oakland Tribune isn’t too enthralled about ESPN’s decision to televise the MLB Draft. Jill Painter of the LA Daily News has a more positive spin on the draft.
ESPN which has put college basketball games on multiple platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360) is doing the same for the first few minutes of the NBA Finals tonight. Can you say overkill? The Sports Media Watch blog says the use of multiple channels is excessive.
Jerry Garcia of the San Antonio Express has an interview with Ahmad Rashad of NBA TV.
The Des Moines Register reports that the annual rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State game will be on Versus only. This is part of a sublicensing agreement between Fox Sports Net and Versus. Overall, five Big 12 games will be seen on the little-seen cable channel. So Big 12 football games will be seen on ABC, ESPN, Fox Sports Net and Versus.
LSU is moving its football and basketball games from Sirius Satellite Radio to XM.
The NHL has signed a deal with Sling Media to share clips online. Sling Media makes the Sling Box which MLB is fighting.
Chris Cobb of the Vancouver Sun says Don Cherry’s appearance on NBC Monday was more to promote himself than anything else. I disagree, but Cherry has never liked people from Vancouver so this is par for the course.
On to Jericho, the New York Times reports on the excellent decision by CBS to bring the series back next season. Matt Webb Mitovich of TV Guide writes about Skeet Ulrich thanking the fans for the NUTS campaign. The Hollywood Reporter says most of the cast will return. The nutty Kristen from E! has more on the Jericho resurrection.
And yesterday was the last day on the job for the great Bob Barker.
