Let’s do some links today. I hope to get some other things done today and some time down the road, I need to do some work.
We begin Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch who gives us his March Media Power List. Some good names on it.
Some links from USA Today and lots of good ones at that. Sean Leahy notes that the Dallas Cowboys will be seen aplenty in primetime in the 2011 NFL regular season.
Sean notes that in addition to the Cowboys, the usual suspects like the Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Jets and others get multiple primetime games as well.
Michael Hiestand says while the primetime NFL schedule looks good on paper now, will the matchups really be attractive come fall?
Michael also looks at the ratings of selected events from the weekend.
Michael shares his thoughts on the NHL staying on NBC/Versus.
In what could be the first of several takeovers in Comcast/NBC markets, John Ourand at Sports Business Daily reports that Comcast SportsNet Bay Area will produce live sportscasts for the San Francisco NBC affiliate, KNTV.
Brian Lowry at Fox Sports says Sports Law & Order does not make for good television.
Dan Wetzel of Yahoo feels the fact that the NFL has scheduled two meaningful games in the New York area and Washington on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 should show that the league is serious about ending the lockout before the season begins. I’ll mildly disagree as I’m sure the NFL had plans to have games scheduled there for quite some time, but we’ll see if the league follows through.
Gregg Rosenthal of Pro Football Talk notes the five NFL teams that didn’t get scheduled for primetime.
The St. Petersburg Times’ Eric Deggans in the Indiana National Sports Journalism Center talks with investigative reporter Armen Keteyian about his return to Real Sports this month.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Marisa Guthrie has NBC Sports Group Emperor Dick Ebersol being extremely optimistic about the company’s new 10 year deal with the NHL.
Jon Lafayette at Broadcasting & Cable says with its new deal, NBC/Versus will get extra exclusivity from the NHL.
Jon says the $2 billion pricetag for the NHL shows that Comast is willing to spend money on sports.
Michael Malone of B&C has more details about Comcast SportsNet Bay Area taking over the live sportscasts for NBC’s KNTV.
Janon Fisher of Adweek says a New York woman is suing the Yankees for trademark infringement saying the team never paid her uncle to create what is now the iconic logo for the franchise.
Glenn Davis at SportsGrid says a New York Daily News Mets beat writer did his best to come up with a creative lede to describe yet another loss by the team.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell asks does it really matter who is on the Madden NFL video game cover?
Bruce Allen from Boston Sports Media Watch takes a look at what the impact of a Comcast SportsNet New England/NBC partnership could mean for the New England region.
From the New York Times, Richard Sandomir says the NHL decided to remain loyal to the networks that stood by it when times were tough to find a television home.
Newsday’s Neil Best says ESPN Radio New York is undergoing yet another scheduling shuffle.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says poker’s time on TV might be over.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette gives praise to the NBC/Versus deal with the NHL.
Ken McMillan at the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record speculates on what the NFL schedule in New York would look like throughout the 2011 season provided the lockout is settled.
Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner takes a look at the NHL’s new contract with the NBC Sports Group.
Stephen Whyno of the Washington Times tells us what the NBC Sports Group/NHL deal means for fans.
An era in broadcasting is ending as long-time Voice of the North Carolina Tarheels Woody Durham announced his retirement today. Durham began broadcasting Carolina football and basketball in 1971 and ended this year in 2011 which means an amazing 40 year career. I used to pick up the games through various 50,000 watt AM radio stations from the Tarheels Radio Network. He was great to listen to and I loved his style of calling a game.
Robbi Pickeral of the Raleigh News & Observer says Durham felt it was time to retire.
Briana Gorman from the Durham Herald-Sun writes that the news of Durham’s retirement came as a shock to some.
Ed Hardin of the Greensboro News & Record says Durham was a journalist and a friend.
Bob Sutton of the Gaston Gazette shares one particular memory about Woody Durham.
Alan Ford of the Gazette says Woody was there to call all of the big moments in Carolina basketball.
Aaron Keck at radio station WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC has reaction from those who worked with Durham over the years.
Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asks Woody’s son, Wes, an outstanding broadcaster in his own right and voice of Georgia Tech basketball and the Atlanta Falcons, on whether he would succeed his father.
Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham (AL) News feels ESPN’s Bob Knight should go one step farther after his apology on comments he made about Kentucky’s basketball program.
In fact, ESPN issued a short statement on Knight’s comments.
Then ESPN issued an apology attributed to Knight.
Eric Crawford at the Louisville Courier-Journal says Knight’s apology still doesn’t address inaccuracies in his original statements about Kentucky.
In Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman has some various Windy City sports media news and notes.
Ed says the Chicago Bears did not receive the maximum number of primetime appearances.
Chip Scoggins from the Minneapolis Star Tribune says without Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings’ primetime appearances have been cut significantly.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times looks at the new NBC Sports Group/NHL deal.
Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News notes that the Pac 12 asked Fox for a lot of money and that is why the rights to the conference are currently on the open market.
David Shoalts of the Toronto Globe and Mail says the NHL wants to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix at all costs over its TV market. There’s been talk the Coyotes may have to Winnipeg, but nothing has been confirmed.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Globe and Mail writes that Don Cherry’s making light of concussions isn’t helping the situation.
The lovely Kat Hasenauer at SportsGirlKat (and she is lovely as I’ve met her in person) says blogging should not have a negative connotation. Very good post.
Sports Media Watch speaks with the Vice President of Content at NBA Digital.
SMW notes that NBC Sports Group is about to rebrand Versus very soon.
Let’s get Steve Lepore’s take on the NBC Sports Group new contract with the NHL in Puck The Media and he says it’s a win-win not just for both parties, but for fans too.
Steve also has the NHL Playoff weekend ratings for Versus.
The Canadian Sports Media blog has its observations on The Group and NHL getting back together.
The Big Lead talks about its first online NFL Pre-Draft special that will take place next Monday.
Dave Kohl in Major League Programs looks at sports radio ratings in various major markets.
Ok, I think I’m done for now.
