Let’s go over a few things today. For a Thursday, there are a lot of links. Let’s head over to the new NBA TV deal first.
In an NBA notes report, Michael Hiestand in USA Today reports that the NBA TV deal with Disney/TNT is about a 20% increase from the current deal which expires after the 2007-08 season. Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says the focus of the deal is the digital rights for both ESPN and TNT. Greg Johnson of the LA Times says sports leagues are very protective of their digital rights and goes through the other leagues’ new media rights. Johnson and Dawn C. Chmielewski talk about the new digital age for the NBA. Alan Hahn of Newsday with help of the AP report writes about the deal. While some are enthusiastic about this new deal, Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News says the new deal is hardly consumer-friendly. In the Houston Chronicle, David Barron writes about the technology that is part of this new contract.
Over to the Detroit News, Joanne C. Gerstner writes that Michigan and Michigan State fans are worried that they won’t be able to see their respective schools on the Big Ten Network this fall. In the crosstown Detroit Free Press, columnist Drew Sharp takes Comcast’s side in the dispute over BTN carriage. And Mike Carmin of the Lafayette (IN) Journal & Courier says watching the Big Ten Network will be costly for fans.
Time Warner Cable and MASN are still fighting over carriage for the regional sports network in North Carolina. The two sides have agreed to go to arbitration. And MASN has launched a website asking for support for their side. And the Baltimore Business Journal says MASN is really pressing to get carriage.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette (that’s the name of the paper, folks) has a feature on the lovely Jayme Parker of NESN and WEEI. She’s had a following for doing SportsDesk on NESN, but since Hazel Mae came in, Jayme is no longer anchoring the program. So she’s been doing sports updates on WEEI and ending them with the signature close, “I’m Jayme Parker and consider yourself flashed.”
Danielle Sessa of the Bloomberg News Service says Carl Edwards’ car will be splashed with the Red Sox logo during this Sunday’s NASCAR race in Loudon, NH this weekend. His car is owned by the Roush-Fenway Racing team, partly owned by the Red Sox.
One of the good things ESPN has announced this week is the season premiere of College Gameday which will be on site at Virginia Tech on September 1. Following the pre-game which in my opinion is the best in the business, even better than the NFL pre-game shows, East Carolina at Virginia Tech which will be called by Mike Tirico, Bill Curry and Todd Blackledge. This will be the first football game at Virginia Tech since the tragic shootings on the Blacksburg, VA campus on April 16. And here’s the announcement from Hokie Sports.com.
The US Women’s Open takes place this weekend at the Pine Needles golf course in Fayetteville, North Carolina. NBC will have coverage and one person who’s been getting notice for her on-course reporting is former LPGA great Dottie Pepper. Michael Futch of the Fayetteville Observer has a story on Dottie and NBC’s coverage for the weekend.
Good news-bad news for Naples, Florida residents. They now have access to the NFL Network, but it’s on the dreaded Comcast digital sports tier so they’ll have to pay to get it.
The CBC begins airing the FIFA Under-20 World Cup starting this weekend and it’s the first FIFA event the network will carry under a new four year contract.
The Houston Press has a feature on the four sports radio stations in the city fighting for listeners.
Bob Smizik of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says a planned walkout by fans in the third inning of Saturday’s game between the Pirates and the Washington Nationals will not be carried by neither FSN Pittsburgh or MASN.
That’s it for now.
