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Golf Channel Airs Live Four Round LPGA Coverage

Starting tonight, Golf Channel will carry the LPGA LOTTE Championship from the Ko Olina Golf Club on the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii. The four round coverage will be live in primetime starting at 6:30 East tonight and going through Sunday evening.

Tom Abbott will be the main at the 18th tower along with Judy Rankin. Mark Rolfing will also be on hand at the 17th.

LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan is expected to join Tom and Judy at the 18th sometime during tonight’s coverage to discuss the future of the LPGA and where it’s headed.

We have the Golf Channel press release for you.

GOLF CHANNEL/LPGA AIRTIMES AND NOTES: LPGA LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP (AIRTIMES EXTENDED)

Live Tournament Broadcast Airtimes Extended Wednesday-Sunday

LPGA LOTTE Championship
Dates: April 18-21
Venue: Ko Olina Golf Club, Oahu, Hawaii

Airtimes: Wednesday 6:30-11 p.m. (Live)
Thursday 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live)/1-4 p.m. (Saturday Replay)
Saturday 7-10 p.m. (Live)/10 p.m.-1 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Tom Abbott (Play by Play)
Judy Rankin (Analyst)
Mark Rolfing (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On Course)
Jane Crafter (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Wednesday-Saturday Tournament – The LPGA LOTTE Championship will take place Wednesday-Saturday, with live coverage in primetime on Golf Channel.
• I.K. Kim and Karin Sjodin Featured Wednesday for LPGA Unplugged -– LPGA professionals I.K. Kim and Karin Sjodin will be featured participants on Wednesday on “LPGA Unplugged,” a new feature airing on Golf Channel during LPGA tournament coverage where players discuss all aspects of golf, the tour and their everyday lives.
• LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan to Join Broadcast Booth Wednesday -– LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan is scheduled to join Abbott and Rankin in the broadcast booth during Wednesday’s live tournament coverage.
• 2011 U.S. Women’s Open Champion So Yeon Ryu Rookie Spotlight –- 2011 U.S. Women’s Open champion So Yeon Ryu will be Golf Channel’s rookie spotlight player during Thursday’s live tournament coverage.
• Walk and Talks Featured – Golf Channel on-course reporters Jerry Foltz and Jane Crafter will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four rounds of tournament coverage.
• Headlining the field: World No.1 Yani Tseng, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Ai Miyazato, Stacy Lewis, Suzann Pettersen, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, Azahara Munoz, Beatriz Recari, Christina Kim and Brittany Lincicome.

So far, it’s been quite the NBC Sports Group morning. Back later.

Golf Channel Announces Extension To Air LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship

The first major tournament on the LPGA calendar, the Kraft Nabisco is this week and Golf Channel has announced a three year extension to air the Championship beginning in 2013.

Golf Channel took over the rights to the Kraft Nabisco, formerly known as the Dinah Shore Invitational from ESPN2/CBS in 2011. Before last year, three rounds aired on ESPN2 and the final round on CBS. Since then, Golf Channel has given the major four round coverage and increased viewership in each of the two years it has aired the tournament.

It also marks the first of two major LPGA tournaments on Golf Channel, the LPGA Championship being the other.

We have the announcement regarding the rights extension.

GOLF CHANNEL ANNOUNCES THREE-YEAR TV RIGHTS EXTENSION TO KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

LPGA Tour’s First Major of the Year Exclusively on Golf Channel
Golf Channel to Air 35 Hours of Coverage Beginning with Wednesday’s LPGA Majors Golf Central Special

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 27, 2012) – Golf Channel and the LPGA Tour have agreed to an exclusive three- year extension of the network’s exclusive rights to the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the season’s first major championship. The joint announcement was made this week by LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan and Golf Channel President Mike McCarley.

“Based on the strong promotional advertising, the incredible tournament coverage and ‘storytelling,’ and the record-high viewership results that occurred in 2011, we’re excited to partner with Golf Channel and continue showcasing the LPGA’s first major,” Whan said.

Golf Channel viewership for its inaugural coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2011 kicked off with the tournament’s highest-rated and most-watched first round in 18 years, which was followed by a second round that was the highest in 17 years. Golf Channel also aired 280 percent more hours of coverage than the previous year when the event aired on CBS and ESPN2 (34 hours in 2011 versus 9 hours in 2010). Average viewers for the entire tournament increased 29 percent from 2010 (511,000 on Golf Channel versus 395,000 on CBS/ESPN2).

Overall ratings for the LPGA Tour on Golf Channel in 2011 were up 30 percent over the previous year, helping fuel Golf Channel to its most-watched year in its 17-year history.

“Extending our exclusive partnership with the LPGA Tour and the Kraft Nabisco Championship is great for fans of the game and the excitement that the season’s first major championship brings,” McCarley said. “We’re looking forward to showcasing these compelling stories for our viewers and providing a home for the tournament for years to come.”

The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of two LPGA Tour major championships airing exclusively on Golf Channel in 2012, also including the LPGA Championship (June 7-10). This week’s event will host an elite field, headlined by defending champion Stacy Lewis and current World No. 1 Yani Tseng, who already has won three times in 2012 and is seeking her sixth major title. Golf Channel will begin its coverage with a one-hour Golf Central Special Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on the eve of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, kicking off the LPGA Majors season.

Golf Channel will air six hours of daily, live coverage Thursday and Friday from Noon-3 p.m. ET and 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET. Weekend coverage will air live from 4:30-8:30 p.m. ET. Kelly Tilghman will serve as Golf Channel host of each day’s telecast, while also conducting one-on-one interviews with players. Terry Gannon will handle play-by-play, joined by lead analyst and LPGA Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin. Tom Abbott will call the action from a tower position on the golf course, with Jane Crafter, Phil Parkin and Jerry Foltz reporting from the ground. Scott Walker will conduct post-round interviews and report for Golf Central throughout the week. Golf Central also will precede all four rounds of the Kraft Nabisco Championship with half-hour preview shows featuring highlights, interviews and analysis.

Kraft Nabisco Championship Live Airtimes (all times Eastern)

Wednesday
Golf Central Special — 10-11 p.m. Live

Thursday and Friday
Golf Central Pre Game — 1:30 a.m.-Noon Live
Rounds 1/2 — Noon-3 p.m. Live
Golf Central — 6-6:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 1/2 — 6:30-9:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 1/2 — 1:30-4:30 a.m. Replay

Saturday and Sunday
Golf Central Pre Game — 4-4:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 3/4 — 4:30-8:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 3/4 – Midnight-4 a.m. Replay

That will do it.

The 2012 LPGA Tour Starts in Earnest on Golf Channel on Thursday

There have been a couple of LPGA Tour events so far this year, however, they’ve taken place in Asia. Now the LPGA comes back to America starting this weekend with the LPGA Founders Cup. It kicks off 23 events on the calendar including four round coverage of tour major tournaments such as the Kraft Nabisco (formerly known as the Dinah Shore) and the LPGA Championship.

Most of the events will be seen live on the weekends while some tournaments will have tape delayed coverage on weekdays.

Rich Lerner, Terry Gannon and Tom Abbot will share the play-by-play. Kelly Tilghman will be host at three events. We have the entire list of the LPGA Tour on Golf Channel.

GOLF CHANNEL DOMESTIC LPGA TOUR SEASON BEGINS THURSDAY

Two Major Championships Headline 23-Event Schedule
Exclusive Golf Channel Coverage of Kraft Nabisco Championship Marks Season’s First Major, March 29-April 1

ORLANDO, Fla., (March 13, 2012) – Golf Channel’s domestic coverage of the 2012 LPGA Tour season is the most anticipated in the network’s history, featuring full coverage of the first two major championships and unique storytelling of the game’s current and rising stars, all kicking off Thursday in Arizona with the LPGA Founders Cup.

Golf Channel’s live coverage of the LPGA Founders Cup will take place Thursday-Friday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET, followed by live weekend coverage from 4-7 p.m. ET. The tournament coverage will include features on the LPGA’s Founding Members and Pioneers, Hall-of-Fame players and the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program.

Headlining the 2012 broadcast schedule will be live coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship (March 29-April 1), golf’s first major championship of the season. Golf Channel will broadcast 20 hours of live coverage throughout the tournament, including six hours of live coverage on Thursday and Friday. The season’s second major of the year, the LPGA Championship, will air on Golf Channel June 7-10, when World No. 1 Yani Tseng will look to defend her 2011 title.

In total, Golf Channel will broadcast 23 LPGA Tour events -– the majority produced in high definition –- in 2012.

Golf Channel is entering the third year of a 10-year partnership with the LPGA Tour as the exclusive cable home. In 2010, the network introduced and featured several unique production elements to enhance the telecasts and showcase the personalities of LPGA Tour players, most notably fitting players with microphones during competition. “Mic’d Up” now also is featured on PGA TOUR telecasts.

Golf Channel will continue to provide viewers with its signature production elements for LPGA Tour telecasts, beginning this week with the LPGA Founders Cup. During the opening rounds, Golf Channel will feature “LPGA Unplugged,” where two LPGA Tour players will discuss all aspects of golf, the tour and their everyday lives. During Friday telecasts, a player in the field will join the network’s announcers as a player analyst. Other popular elements also will return, including rookie and player profiles, interviewing players as they are walking the fairways (“Walk and Talks”), and weekly tips from players. Throughout the year, LPGA players will be “mic’d up” during their opening rounds of play.

Golf Channel also will expand its LPGA broadcast team in 2012. Rich Lerner will join Terry Gannon and Tom Abbott as play-by-play hosts, with Kelly Tilghman joining the team as show host for the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA Championship and the CME Group Titleholders. Scottsdale resident Brandel Chamblee will serve as lead analyst this week for the LPGA Founders Cup, and Matt Gogel and Curt Byrum will make guest appearances throughout the year as tower reporters. Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin, Jane Crafter, Kay Cockerill, Val Skinner, Jerry Foltz and Phil Parkin all return to Golf Channel’s LPGA broadcast team in 2012.

Golf Channel will continue to provide enhanced news coverage of the LPGA Tour and will produce several programs with LPGA stars throughout the year.

3/15-3/18 — RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup LIVE
3/22-3/25 — Kia Classic LIVE
3/29-4/1 — KRAFT Nabisco Championship LIVE
4/18-4/21 — LPGA LOTTE Championship
4/26-4/29 — Mobile Bay LPGA Classic LIVE
5/17-5/20 — Sybase Match Play Championship TD/LIVE
6/1-6/3 — ShopRite LPGA Classic LIVE
6/7-6/10 — LPGA Championship LIVE
6/21-6/24 — Manulife Financial LPGA Classic LIVE
6/29-7/1 — NW Arkansas Championship TD/LIVE
7/26-7/29 — Evian Masters TD/LIVE
8/17-8/19 — Safeway Classic LIVE
8/23-8/26 — Canadian Women’s Open TD/LIVE
9/6-9/9 — Kingsmill Championship LIVE
9/20-9/23 — Navistar LPGA Classic TD/LIVE
10/11-10/14 — Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia TD
10/19-10/21 — LPGA Hana Bank Championship TD
10/25-10/28 — LPGA Taiwan Championship TD
11/8-11/11 — Lorena Ochoa Invitational LIVE
11/15-11/18 — CME Group Titleholders LIVE

Number of events, schedule and times subject to change

That does it.

Let’s Do Some Thursday Linkage

Today is going to be a busy day with the UFC on Fox press conference and the NHL TV schedule announcement. I figure now would be a good time to linkage and I hope I don’t get interrupted here at work.

The big news that broke late yesterday was DirecTV announcing that it would offer its NFL Sunday Ticket package to Sony Playstation 3 platforms. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News writes that the package will be offered to both non and current DirecTV subscribers.

In Sony’s official Playstation 3 blog, Philip Rosenberg explains what Playstation fans will see with the NFL Sunday Ticket offering.

Kari Lipschutz of Adweek tells us what this move means for Playstation owners.

CBS Radio continues to kill off its heritage rock stations and flip them to FM sports. It killed off rock stations in Boston and Cleveland in favor of new FM sports stations. Today’s it’s Philadelphia’s turn as long-time rocker WYSP will go by the wayside for a simulcast of WIP which was the 2nd station in the country after WFAN to go all-sports. All Access says the flip to sports will occur after Labor Day.

Dan Gross of the Philadelphia Daily News has the full details of the format change.

The Crossing Broad blog provides its reaction to the move.

The 700 Level analyzes what this all means for the Philly sports fan.

Back to Multichannel News, Mike Reynolds writes that the University of Hawaii will launch its own regional sports network on Friday, beating the Longhorn Network’s launch by a week.

Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com says a big payday for the Big East’s TV contract could lead to major changes in the conference.

The LPGA has announced that it’s hired long-time Golf Channel anchor Kraig Kann as its chief communications officer.

Bob Cook at Forbes.com detests ESPN’s coverage of the Little League World Series.

Brandon Costa at Sports Video Group says the New York Jets will add a 1st and 10 line to its in-house game productions.

At SportsGrid, Timothy Burke has the audio of USA Today’s Danny Sheridan backing off a promise to name the money provider in the Cam Newton scandal and then he attacked bloggers. Not a good way to go, Danny.

To CNBC’s Darren Rovell who wonders why the NFL Players Association settled for as little as it did with the NFL.

At the Business of College Sports, the SportsBizMiss, Kristi Dosh goes over why the SEC did not formally invite Texas A&M to join its conference.

Tim Walker of the Independent in the UK explores the launch of ESPN.com’s Grantland and praises the site.

Jessica Heslam of the Boston Herald says former WEEI personality Pete Sheppard resumes his duties at Patriots.com next month.

Joe Drape at the New York Times says NBC Sports will air horse racing from the Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky in October.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has a look at the ACC Network schedule.

Laura Nachman notes that Vince Papale won’t be hosting Eagles Confidential this season.

Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Root Sports will change its night for high school football programming where it can show most of it live.

Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wants to know who should be added to the Miami Dolphins radio broadcast team.

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that the Grizzlies will be changing radio stations when the NBA returns from lockout.

B.J. Bethel of the Dayton Daily News says ESPN is part of the problem with college football.

James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press says Lions fans won’t be heckling Matt Millen as he’s been taken off ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown show.

The Holland (MI) Sentinel reports that Fox Sports Detroit will increase its high school football coverage this fall.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that NFL Network will air the 2010 Packers edition of America’s Game the night before the NFL regular season opener.

Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business notes that a new book on the late Walter Payton will be published in October.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News reviews an HBO Real Sports segment comparing and contrasting the Brothers McEnroe’s opinions on how to revive American tennis.

Tom talks with two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion Danielle Kang.

Gary Lycan of the Orange County Register writes about the New York Jets being heard on Southern California radio this season.

Sports Media Watch notes that the first preseason Monday Night Football game received lower ratings from last year’s opener.

SMW has some various ratings news and notes.

Joe Favorito wonders if the NBA’s D-League can benefit from the NBA lockout.

Ben Koo at Awful Announcing looks at ESPN’s reluctance to cover the Miami payment scandal that was uncovered by Yahoo! Sports this week.

Scott Christ at Bad Left Hook takes a look at boxing’s TV ratings this year to date.

I’m going to end the links there. It’s going to be a busy day here. Keep your RSS and Twitter feeds updated. The posts could get fast and furious this afternoon.

Golf Channel’s Live Tournaments For This Weekend

This weekend, Golf Channel has action from four golf tours this weekend. Most all of the action will be seen live. There will be action from the PGA, LPGA, Champions and European PGA Tours. Let’s see where they will take place and what times they will be seen starting on Thursday. Here is your schedule.

GOLF CHANNEL LIVE TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES AND NOTES (AUG. 18-21)

Final Opportunity to Qualify for PGA TOUR Playoffs at Wyndham Championship
Final Major of the Year at the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship
U.S. Solheim Cup Team Takes Shape at Safeway Classic
European Tour Heads to Czech Republic for the Czech Open

Wyndham Championship
Dates: Aug. 18-24
Venue: Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)
Sunday 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Rich Lerner (Play by Play)
Frank Nobilo (Analyst)
Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)
Craig Perks (Tower)
Matt Gogel (On Course)
Todd Lewis (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Final Opportunity to Qualify for the PGA TOUR Playoffs – The Wyndham Championship will be the final opportunity for players to earn FedExCup points and improve their positions heading into the Playoffs, or in some instances, move into the top 125 and qualify for the first Playoff event next week at The Barclays.
• Four Rounds of Coverage – In addition to Thursday and Friday coverage, Golf Channel will air early coverage on Saturday and Sunday, leading into CBS Sports’ telecast. Golf Channel also will re-air CBS Sports’ coverage in prime time, Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
• Players on the Bubble: Ernie Els (No. 126), Padraig Harrington (130), Ben Curtis (131), Justin Leonard (142), Angel Carbrera (150), defending champion Arjun Atwal (120), Camilo Villegas (125) and Paul Casey (147).

Senior Players Championship
Dates: Aug. 18-21
Venue: Westchester Country Club, Harrison, N.Y.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 12:30-3 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 12:30-3 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
John Mahaffey (Tower)
Dave Marr (Tower)
Billy Ray Brown (On Course)
Tim Rosaforte (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Final Major of the 2011 Season – The Senior Players Championship is the fifth and final major of the 2011 Champions Tour season.
• Headlining the Field: Headlining the 78 player field are Fred Couples, Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Nick Price, Kenny Perry, defending champion Mark O’Meara, Mark Calcavecchia, Jay Haas, Corey Pavin, Olin Browne, John Cook, Tom Kite and Hale Irwin.

Safeway Classic
Dates: Aug. 19-21
Venue: Ghost Creek Golf Course, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, North Plains, Ore.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 7-9:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Jane Crafter (Analyst)
Tom Abbott (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On Course)
Val Skinner (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Final opportunity to qualify for the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup Team – The Safeway Classic will represent the final opportunity for U.S. born players to earn points to qualify for the U.S. Solheim Cup Team.
• Stacy Lewis Mic’d Up – 2011 Kraft Nabisco Champion Stacy Lewis will be fitted with a microphone during Friday’s live tournament coverage. Viewers will be able to eavesdrop on conversations between Lewis and her caddie throughout the round.
• U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Rosie Jones in Broadcast Booth – During Friday’s live tournament coverage, U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain Rosie Jones will join Gannon and Crafter in the broadcast booth.
• Ryann O’Toole Rookie Spotlight – Former Big Break contestant and LPGA Tour rookie Ryann O’Toole will be Golf Channel’s rookie spotlight player during Saturday’s live tournament coverage.
• Walk and Talks Featured – Jerry Foltz and Val Skinner will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four rounds as part of Golf Channel’s “Walk and Talk” feature.
• U.S. Team Captain Rosie Jones to Announce Solheim Cup Team – Approximately one hour after tournament play concludes on Sunday, Golf Channel will break in to programming to televise the announcement of the U.S. Solheim Cup Team and the two captain’s picks.

Czech Open
Dates: Aug. 18-21
Venue: Prosper Golf Resort, Celadna, Czech Republic

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)
Friday 9 a.m.-12p.m. (Live)
Saturday 8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)
Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)
Denis Hutchinson (Analyst)
Paul Eales (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Miguel Angel Jimenez, David Howell, Robert Rock, Thomas Aiken, Chris Wood, Thongchai Jaidee, Soren Kjeldsen, Jeev Milkha Singh, Alexander Noren, Richie Ramsay and Oliver Wilson.

That’s it.

A Wednesday Link Thing

Let’s do some linkage on this Wednesday. Trying to do this early instead of late.

Starting with Michael Hiestand of USA Today who tells us what ESPN has promoted Trent Dilfer among its NFL analysts and dropped Matt Millen although he remains on its college football coverage.

Cam Martin of SportsNewser is as confused as I am as to why and how Time magazine named the Bleacher Report as one of its top 50 websites of the year. This is not just sports, but every single website.

Marcus Vanderberg at Media Bistro speaks with former ESPN’er Josh Elliot about his current gig at Good Morning America.

Timothy Burke of SportsGrid has the video of ESPN’s Erin Andrews playing with puppies while guest-hosting on Regis & Kelly today.

David F. Carr of Information Week explains how Comcast SportsNet uses social media to its advantage.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that ESPN is placing two channels on Hong Kong’s Internet TV provider.

Andrea Morabito of Broadcasting & Cable says Showtime is picking up two more episodes of its MLB reality series, “The Franchise” as the San Francisco Giants’ season is hanging in the balance.

At the Sports PR Blog, Michael Speciale says the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speeches by Shannon Sharpe, Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders all had a common thread.

Rip Empson at TechCrunch notes that ESPN has a new company that’s managing its online video streams.

Domenic Poli of the Brattleboro (VT) Reformer says the late Atlanta Braves announcer Ernie Johnson, Sr. never forgot his Vermont roots.

In Press Box, DCRTV’s Dave Hughes writes about Brett Haber leaving WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.

Ileana Limón at the Orlando Sentinel writes that Conference USA and ESPN have settled the network’s lawsuit against the league after it said CUSA had breached its contract by signing a new rights deal with Fox Sports.

Brad Zimanek of the Montgomery (AL) Advertiser says televising the local LPGA event live on Golf Channel this year will add a new element to this year’s tournament.

The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader says Kentucky will be heavily featured on ESPN’s Super Tuesday SEC basketball schedule.

Kirk Bohls at the Austin American-Statesman says splitting up Texas and Texas A&M would be bad for college football, fans and TV.

John Kiesewetter at the Cincinnati Enquirer notes that the Bengals preseason opener did well in the local ratings.

Steve Walentik of the Columbia (MO) Tribune wants to know why ESPN didn’t see something wrong with the Longhorn Network ahead of time?

Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star looks at Kansas State’s plans to start its own online TV network.

Austin Meek of the Topeka (KS) Capital-Journal says the launch of K-StateHD.TV was planned long before the latest Big 12 crisis.

The San Francisco Business Times reports that the America’s Cup has signed a deal with Versus.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail takes a shot at crosstown rival the Toronto Star for a misquote in an obituary for Winnipeg Jets center Rick Rypien who died Monday.

Speaking of the Star, Raju Mudhar speaks with the editor of ESPN The Magazine about the reaction to its story on the Toronto Blue Jays allegedly stealing signs.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog has a guest column from Mark Milner of North of the 400 who wonders what’s going on with TSN Radio.

The Brothers Yoder at Awful Announcing go over Yahoo! Sports’ extensive investigation into the University of Miami’s football program that could lead to its very hard downfall.

The Football Girl speaks with ESPN’s new coordinating producer for Sunday NFL Countdown.

Steve Lepore of Puck The Media wonders if the Stanley Cup Final rematch between Boston and Vancouver is going to be a lead-in for NBC’s NFL Wild Card Saturday playoff doubleheader.

And that’s going to do it for today.

Golf Channel’s Tournament Action for the Weekend

Golf Channel has coverage of four tournaments from four separate tours. Golf Channel will be live from the the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open and have taped coverage of the LPGA Evian Masters which will become a major on the tour in 2013. We have details of what will be aired starting Thursday.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: July 21-24

Keegan Bradley and Caddie Mic’d Up at Canadian Open
Strong International Field at Evian Masters
Nationwide Tour Heads to the Buckeye State for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational
Johnson and Watson Headline Field in Sweden at Nordea Masters

Canadian Open
Dates: July 21-24
Venue: Shaughnessy Golf Club, Vancouver, B.C.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)
John Mahaffey (Tower)
Billy Ray Brown (On Course)
Todd Lewis (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Keegan Bradley Mic’d Up During Thursday’s Live Coverage – PGA TOUR professional Keegan Bradley and his caddie will be fitted with microphones during Thursday’s opening round of coverage.  Viewers will be able to eavesdrop on conversations between Bradley and his caddie throughout the round.
• Thursday and Friday Featured Groupings: Bradley (mic’d up), Jim Furyk and Carl Pettersson will be the featured grouping for Thursday’s opening round of coverage.  Friday’s featured grouping will include World No. 1 Luke Donald, Matt Kuchar and Mike Weir.

Evian Masters
Dates: July 21-24
Venue: Evian Masters Golf Club, Evian-les-Bains, France

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday         6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD) / 12-3 a.m. (Replay)
Friday              6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD) / 12-3 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday          1-4 p.m. (TD) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday            1-4 p.m. (TD) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Tom Abbott (Play by Play)
Jane Crafter (Analyst)
Phil Parkin (Tower / Interviews)
Val Skinner (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• 2007 Evian Masters Champion Natalie Gulbis Joins Broadcast Booth on Friday – Following her round on Friday, Natalie Gulbis will join Tom Abbott and Jane Crafter in the broadcast booth as a guest analyst during the telecast.
• Star-Studded International Field – More than 25 countries will be represented in the 111 player-field this week.  41 of the top 50 in the current Rolex World Rankings are entered, including the top-16 players in the world.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational
Dates: July 21-24
Venue: Scarlet Course, The Ohio State University Golf Club, Columbus, Ohio

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)
Friday                          12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday                      6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (TD) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday                        7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (TD) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Jerry Foltz (Play by Play)
Craig Perks (Analyst)
Mark Lye (Tower)
Kay Cockerill (On Course)
Tripp Isenhour (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Look Who’s in the Truck, Russell Knox –Chiquita Classic champion Russell Knox will join Golf Channel’s live tournament production team on Friday as a scoring and spotting producer following his round.
• College Colors Day, Saturday – Nationwide Tour professionals will be sporting their collegiate colors during Saturday’s third round of play.
• U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein Featured During Thursday’s Coverage – Reigning U.S. Amateur champion and Oklahoma State All-American Peter Uihlein will be featured during Thursday’s live tournament coverage.

Nordea Masters
Dates: July 21-24
Venue: Bro Hof Slott GC, Stockholm, Sweden

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)
Friday                          9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)
Saturday                      7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (Live)
Sunday                        7:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:
Whit Watson (Studio Host)
Renton Laidlaw (Play by Play)
Warren Humphreys (Analyst)
Paul Eales (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Johnson, Watson Headline International Field – Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson headline the U.S. contingent entered into the field.  The field includes Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Peter Hanson, Oliver Wilson, John Edfors, Todd Hamilton, Thomas Aiken and Soren Hansen.

That’s all.

Bringing You Sunday Linkage

I’m at work again, but I’m trying to cope by flicking on the Watch ESPN for the Women’s World Cup game against Brazil. I’ll give you what linkage I can find today.

Mike McCarthy of USA Today says Turner Sports has reportedly hired Shaquille O’Neal for its NBA coverage. Still no official comment from Turner.

John Eggerton of Multichannel News reports on an FCC Enforcement Bureau recommendation to an administrative law judge about carriage for Tennis Channel.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel recaps YES’ special postgame show on Yankees shortshop Derek Jeter after he achieved baseball immortality on Saturday.

Mike writes that YES saw a ratings season high for the Jeter 3,000th hit game.

From Advertising Age, Brian Steinberg asks if Wimbledon is willing to put its matches all under one TV roof, will other sporting events follow its lead?

Yahoo Sports’ Michael Silver talks with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen about how the channel is handling the lockout.

Stephen Douglas at The Big Lead wonders if the LPGA should be selling sex to help market its stars.

Marcus Vanderberg at SportsNewser says Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has issued a statement about berating a caller with a gay slur late last month.

Marcus points out that CNN is no longer into sports.

Jesse Sawyer from the Avon (CT) Patch notes that ESPN’s Kenny Mayne will be hosting a football skills clinic this week. Before ESPN, Kenny was the starting quarterback at UNLV. The story also reveals that Kenny is moving back to Seattle, WA where he lived before hitting it big with ESPN.

Newsday’s Neil Best has the transcripts of both the radio and TV calls of the Jeter 3,000th hit.

Neil talks about a new era of TV coming into Wimbledon for next year.

George Vescey of the New York Times says the best way to view the Tour de France is from your TV.

Karen Crouse of the Times talks with an LPGA Tour rookie Ryan O’Toole who prepared for life on the tour through Golf Channel’s Big Break reality show.

Brent Briggeman of the Colorado Springs Gazette also spoke with O’Toole about her time on Big Break.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette says ESPN2 will have the replay of today’s dramatic USA-Brazil Women’s World Cup game which had a lot of twists and turns.

Adam Sichko of the Albany (NY) Business Review notes that a local company will help produce live horse racing from nearby Saratoga for NBC.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner talks about Showtime getting into the sports reality TV realm with the new MLB TV series, “The Franchise”.

Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman talks with ESPN’s Nomar Garciaparra about the Home Run Derby.

From the Dallas Morning News, Barry Horn discusses the Longhorn Network making some on-air hires.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle tries to reassure readers about the availability of the Longhorn Network.

Kevin Benz at Culture Map Houston wonders if ESPN is making the Longhorn Network all about ESPN instead of University of Texas sports.

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Bengals talks with ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden about the NFL lockout.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says TBS and MLB Network analyst John Smoltz still has a dream to be a professional golfer.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talks with Fox’s Joe Buck about his recovery from an ailment that affected his voice. And many of you have either tweeted or e-mailed me about this and have noticed how he has sounded since the Super Bowl. Dan’s story pretty much explains what happened.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says Joe Buck didn’t mince words when it came to the Dodgers ownership debacle.

That’s going to do it for today.

Golf Channel’s Live Golf Action This Week

This Golf Channel press release has been coming too few and far between lately. This used to come every Wednesday and I would try to post this before the golf tournaments began on Thursday. However, this release came this afternoon after two tournaments started airing. But out of loyalty to the good people at the NBC Sports Group/Golf Channel, I’ll post this. I’ll edit out today’s action.

So here’s what you’ll see on Golf Channel this weekend.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: June 24-26

Live, Four-Round Coverage of the LPGA Championship
PGA TOUR Heads to Connecticut for Travelers Championship
Champions Tour Returns to Endicott for Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
Live Coverage of the PGA Professional National Championship

LPGA Championship
Dates: June 23-26
Venue: Locust Hill Country Club, Pittsford, N.Y.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday              12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday          4-7 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday            4-7 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Judy Rankin (Analyst)
Tom Abbott (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On Course)
Jane Crafter (On Course)
Val Skinner (On Course)
Rich Lerner (Show Host/Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Live, Exclusive Four-Round Coverage – Golf Channel will air live, four-round coverage of the LPGA’s second major of the year.
• High Definition Broadcast – The LPGA Championship will be produced and broadcast in high definition.
• Walk and Talks Featured – Golf Channel’s Jerry Foltz, Val Skinner and Jane Crafter will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four rounds of the tournament.
• Featured Groupings: Featured groupings the first two days of action will include Michelle Wie/Cristie Kerr and Brittany Lincicome; Yani Tseng/Ai Miyazato/Juli Inkster; and Sandra Gal/Suzann Pettersen/Paula Creamer.

Travelers Championship
Dates: June 23-26
Venue: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday 3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Central Pre Game (Live)
Friday         2:30-3 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday        12:30-1 p.m.

Golf Central (Live)
Monday-Friday                6-6:30 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday             7-7:30 p.m.

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Kelly Tilghman (Play by Play)
Frank Nobilo (Analyst)
Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)
Craig Perks (Tower)
Phil Parkin (On Course)
Mike Ritz (Interviews)

Golf Central On-Site Broadcast Team
Whit Watson (Host)
Brandel Chamblee (Analyst)
Mike Ritz (Reporter)

Broadcast Notes:

• Golf Central On-site at Travelers Championship – Golf Central and Golf Central Pre-Game will broadcast live and on-site Thursday-Sunday at TPC River Highlands.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
Dates: June 24-26
Venue: En-Joie Golf Course, Endicott, N.Y.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday              6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD)
Saturday          7:30-9:30 p.m. (TD)
Sunday            7:30-9:30 p.m. (TD)

Golf Channel Live Tournament Broadcast Team:
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
John Mahaffey (Tower)
Matt Gogel (On Course)
Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Nick Price, Tom Watson, Tom Lehman, Fred Funk, defending champion Loren Roberts, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, Jay Haas, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Pernice Jr., Gary Koch, Tommy Armour III and Hal Sutton.
• Watson to Make First Appearance at Endicott in 35 Years – Golf Channel will break down Tom Watson’s swing in a feature during tournament coverage.  Watson will be making his first appearance at En-Joie Golf Course this week since 1976.

BMW International Open
Dates: June 23-26
Venue: Golfclub Munchen Eichenreid, Munich, Germany

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday                          9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday                      8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday                        8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)
Renton Laidlaw (Play by Play)
Warren Humphreys (Analyst)
Julian Tutt (On Course)

PGA Professional National Championship
Dates: June 26-29
Venue: East Course, Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pa.
West Course, Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pa.

Airtimes (Eastern)
Sunday                        2-4 p.m. (Live)
Monday                       3:30-6 p.m. (Live)
Tuesday                       3:30-6 p.m. (Live)
Wednesday                 3:30-6 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Dave Marr (Play by Play)
Michael Breed (Analyst)
Mark Lye (Tower/ On Course)
Donna Caponi-Byrnes (On Course)
Mike Ritz (Interviews, Tue-Wed)

Broadcast Notes:

• One Minute Lessons from PGA Professionals – Throughout the four days of live tournament coverage, Golf Channel will air a series of one-minute lessons from PGA Professionals.
• Michael Breed Takes on Hersheypark – PGA Professional and The Golf Fix host Michael Breed will visit Hersheypark to “teach” people how to ride roller coasters, play arcade games and eat park food in a special feature during the telecast.

And we’re done. One more press release post coming up.

Golf Channel’s Tournaments For The Week

Golf Channel is going to be quite busy as it takes full four round coverage of the first LPGA Major tournament of the year, the LPGA Kraft Nabisco, better known to some as Dinah Shore Weekend. In addition, Golf Channel will be live for the PGA’s Houston Open. Golf Channel will also carry live coverage of the PGA European Tour in Morocco and then there’s the Champions Tour as well. You can see that Golf Channel will be quite busy starting on Thursday morning. Here is the tournament schedule for the four tours in action this week.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: March 31-April 3

Twenty Hours of Live Coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship
Mickelson, Westwood and Kim Featured Grouping at Houston Open
Brooks and Gallagher Jr. to Make Champions Tour Debuts in Mississippi
European Tour Returns to Morocco for Trophee Hassan II

Kraft Nabisco Championship
Dates: March 31 – April 3
Venue: Dinah Shore Course, Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday         12-3 p.m. (Live), 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live) / 1 a.m.-4 a.m. (Replay)
Friday              12-3 p.m. (Live), 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live) / 6 a.m.-9 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday          4:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday            4:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Judy Rankin (Analyst)
Phil Parkin (Tower)
Tom Abbott (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On-Course)
Jane Crafter (On-Course)
Rich Lerner (Show Host / Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Twenty Hours of Live Coverage: Golf Channel will deliver a total of 20 hours of live coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, including six hours daily Thursday and Friday.
• Wie and Creamer; Webb and Kerr Featured Pairings: Featured pairings for Thursday’s opening round of coverage include defending champion Karrie Webb and World No. 3 Cristie Kerr for the 12-3 p.m. ET telecast, followed by Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer for the 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET telecast.
• Walk and Talks Featured – Golf Channel’s Jerry Foltz and Jane Crafter will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four rounds of the tournament.
• Past Champions on Thursday and Friday – Hall of Famers and past champions of the Kraft Nabisco Championship are scheduled to visit with show host Rich Lerner during Thursday and Friday’s live tournament coverage.
• Super Slo Mo Featured – Super G, Golf Channel’s super slow motion camera feature, will be on display during all four rounds of live tournament coverage.
• High Definition – Golf Channel will produce and broadcast all four rounds of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in high definition.

Houston Open
Dates: March 31-April 3
Venue: Tournament Course, Redstone Golf Club, Humble, Texas

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday                      1-3 p.m. (Live)
Sunday                        1-3 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Frank Nobilo (Analyst)
Gary Koch (Tower)
Jimmy Roberts (Tower)
Mark Rolfing (Tower/On Course)
Dottie Pepper (On Course)
Roger Maltbie (On Course)
Mike Ritz (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Kim, Mickelson and Westwood Featured Grouping for Thursday Coverage: Defending champion Anthony Kim, World No. 2 Lee Westwood and World No. 6 Phil Mickelson will be the tournament’s featured grouping during Thursday’s opening round of coverage. 
• Golf Channel To Air Live, Weekend Coverage: In addition to early-round coverage, Golf Channel will air two hours of live action Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET leading in to NBC Sports’ live coverage.
• Golf Channel on NBC: All golf coverage on NBC has been re-branded as “Golf Channel on NBC.” The coverage will incorporate the Golf Channel look throughout every telecast, down to the logo on the NBC Sports commentators’ apparel. Golf Channel’s tournament graphics will be showcased throughout all coverage, which now includes a custom-made Golf Channel-NBC peacock combination logo.
• Srixon Protracer Featured: Srixon Protracer, a graphics technology that measures the flight and trajectory of a golf shot using superimposed graphics to show the ball flight, will be featured on several holes at Redstone Golf Club.

Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
Dates: April 1-3
Venue: Fallen Oak Golf Course, Saucier, Miss.

 

Airtimes (Eastern):
Saturday (Friday night)          12:30-2:30 a.m. (TD)
Saturday                                  9-11 p.m. (TD)
Sunday                                    9-11 p.m. (TD)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
David Marr (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
Billy Ray Brown (Tower)
John Mahaffey (Tower)
Matt Gogel (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Mark Brooks and Jim Gallagher Jr. to Make Champions Tour Debuts – Multiple PGA TOUR tournament winners Mark Brooks and Jim Gallagher Jr. will make their Champions Tour debuts this week at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic.

Trophee Hassan II
Dates: March 31 – April 3
Venue: Golf du Palais Royal, Agadir, Morocco
Golf de L’Ocean, Agadir, Morocco

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     11 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)
Friday                          11 a.m.-12 pm. (Live)
Saturday                      11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Sunday                        9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)
Julian Tutt (Play by Play)
Warren Humphreys (Analyst)
Paul Eales (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, David Howell, Chris Wood, Jeev Milkha Singh and Paul McGinley.

That’s all.

Doing Some Sunday Linkage

Let’s provide some links on this Sunday. Original plans to go to work have been scrapped leaving me free to do links which is good for you. I certainly hope you had a chance to read my Sunday thoughts which I hope to make a weekly feature here at Fang’s Bites.

Here are the links.

Jon Weisman of Variety talks with CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus who’s happy to be focusing totally on sports after being the President of both the network’s news and sports divisions until this year.

Jon says Fox Sports Net will air a bi-weekly spring basketball series.

Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News looks at the NCAA Tournament’s ratings for Friday.

Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser writes about WWE announcer Michael Cole tweeting a gay slur at a colleague, just two weeks after the company announced an alliance with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Dan Fogarty from SportsGrid has the video of CBS/Turner’s Charles Barkley urging college players to remain in school.

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe writes about ESPN taking Baseball Tonight on the road for Sunday Night Baseball.

To Phil Mushnick of the New York Post who sees things that nobody else does.

Keith Groller from the Allentown (PA) Morning News says tonight’s 60 Minutes profile on legendary high school basketball coach Bob Hurley should be quite interesting.

Dave Hughes from DCRTV.com writes in Press Box that the voice of the Maryland Terrapins, Johnny Holliday has been honored by the ACC.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner notes that Howard University students are learning the machinations behind the marketing of NASCAR.

Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel talks with Golf Channel/NBC’s Dottie Pepper who’s back trudging along the courses with the PGA/LPGA pros this season.

Brandon Marcello of the Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger says Mississippi State University is considering moving its football season opener to accommodate Fox Sports Net.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes about sportscaster Nick Charles’ last fight. Literally.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says a Reds TV special airs live locally tonight.

The Denver Post notes that Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is going to be modeling underwear for the Jockey™ brand.

The Denver Business Journal reports that ESPN Radio will switch affiliates in the Rocky Mountain region starting next year.

Ferd Lewis of the Honolulu Advertiser says the future of University of Hawaii sports on TV is quite cloudy right now.

Sports Media Watch notes that CBS/Turner continues to do well for the NCAA Tournament.

Joe Favorito says sports leagues would help themselves by tapping the growing Hispanic market.

And that’s going to do it.

Golf Channel’s Live Golf Action This Week

Golf Channel will have three live tournaments, the PGA Tour’s Transitions Championship, the LPGA Founders Cup in Arizona and then the European PGA Tour’s Sicilian Open in Italy. What day and what time is coming up.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: March 17-20

Live Tournament and Wraparound News Coverage On-Site at Transitions Championship
LPGA Kicks off Domestic Schedule in Phoenix at RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup
European Tour Heads to Italy for Sicilian Open

Transitions Championship
Dates: March 17-20
Venue: Copperhead Course, Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club, Palm Harbor, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday                      1-3 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (NBC Replay)
Sunday                        1-3 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (NBC Replay)

Golf Central Pre Game (On-site at Innisbrook Resort)
Thursday-Friday         2:30-3 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday        12:30-1 p.m.

Golf Central (On-site at Innisbrook Resort Thursday-Sunday)
Thursday-Saturday          6-6:30 p.m.
Sunday                             7-7:30 p.m.

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Frank Nobilo (Analyst)
Gary Koch (Tower)
Jimmy Roberts (Tower)
Mark Rolfing (Tower)
Dottie Pepper (On Course)
Roger Maltbie (On Course)
Scott Walker (Interviews)

Golf Central On-Site Broadcast Team
Todd Lewis (Host)
Charlie Rymer (Analyst)
John Hawkins (Insider)
Scott Walker (Reporter)

Broadcast Notes:

• Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game on-site – Thursday-Sunday, Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game will broadcast live and on-site from Innisbrook Resort.  Todd Lewis, Charlie Rymer, John Hawkins and Scott Walker will report from the network’s Studio G set in front of a live audience.
• Golf Channel To Air Live, Weekend Coverage: In addition to early-round coverage, Golf Channel will air two hours of live action Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, leading in to NBC Sports’ live coverage.
• Golf Channel on NBC: All golf coverage on NBC has been re-branded as “Golf Channel on NBC.” The coverage will incorporate the Golf Channel look throughout every telecast, down to the logo on the NBC Sports commentators’ apparel. Golf Channel’s tournament graphics will be showcased throughout all coverage, which now includes a custom-made Golf Channel-NBC peacock combination logo.
• Srixon Protracer Featured: Srixon Protracer, a graphics technology that measures the flight and trajectory of a golf shot using superimposed graphics to show the ball flight, will be featured on several holes at the Copperhead Course.
• Headlining the Field: World No. 1 Martin Kaymer, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Retief Goosen, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Jhonattan Vegas, Stuart Appleby, Ryo Ishikawa, Matteo Manassero, David Duval and John Daly.

LPGA Founders Cup
Dates: March 18-20
Venue: Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Phoenix, Ariz.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday              6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday          6:30-9 p.m. (Live)
Sunday            7-9 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Jane Crafter (Analyst)
Phil Parkin (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On-Course)
Val Skinner (On-Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Domestic Schedule Begins – The LPGA Founders Cup is the first 2011 LPGA Tour event contested in the U.S.
• Walk and Talks Featured – Golf Channel’s Jerry Foltz and Val Skinner will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all three rounds of the tournament.
• Inkster in the Booth During Friday’s Telecast – Juli Inkster is scheduled to join Hammons and Crafter in the booth on Friday as a guest analyst.
• Jennifer Song, Rookie Spotlight – LPGA Rookie Jennifer Song will be Golf Channel’s rookie spotlight on Friday.  At every LPGA Tour event in which she competes, she donates 1/3 of her winnings to a local charity.

Sicilian Open
March 17-20
Venue: Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa, Sicily, Italy

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday                          9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday                      9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)
Sunday                        9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)
Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)
Warren Humphreys (Analyst)
Julian Tutt (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Colin Montgomerie, Chris Wood, Jeev Milkha Singh, Richard Green and Michael Campbell.

That’s it. One more golf-related press release is on the way.

Golf Channel’s Live Tournaments This Week

We have your tournaments for Golf Channel. It’ll have coverage of the PGA and LPGA Tours. Plenty of coverage of the WGC-Match Play Championship as well as the LPGA Tour stop in Singapore. In addition to the Match Play Championship, Golf Channel will be in Mexico for the other PGA Tour tourney, the Mayakoba Golf Classic, which will have Greg Norman and John Daly in the field. Let’s look at the schedule.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Feb. 23-27

Golf Channel and NBC Sports Team Up for WGC-Match Play Championship
LPGA Tour Heads to Singapore for HSBC Women’s Champions
The Shark Welcomes the PGA TOUR’s Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun

World Golf Championships-Match Play Championship
Dates: Feb. 23-27
Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Wednesday                 12-6 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)
Thursday                     2-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Friday                          2-6 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday                      12-2 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (NBC Replay)
Sunday                        9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (NBC Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Nick Faldo (Analyst)
Gary Koch (Tower)
Peter Jacobsen (Tower)
Mark Rolfing (Tower / On Course)
Dottie Pepper (Tower / On Course)
Roger Maltbie (On Course)
Phil Parkin (On Course)
Rich Lerner (Interviews)
Kelly Tilghman (Show Host / Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Golf Channel on NBC – Golf Channel and NBC Sports will combine resources this week in their first event together under the newly-formed NBC Sports Group.  Golf telecasts on NBC Sports will now be re-branded as “Golf Channel on NBC,” with NBC golf coverage incorporating the Golf Channel look and feel throughout every telecast.
• Aimpoint and Srixon ProTracer Featured – Aimpoint, Golf Channel’s Emmy-award winning putting line technology that predicts the line of the putt and where players must aim to hole out, will be featured on holes 6 and 14 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain.  Also featured will be Srixon Protracer, a graphics technology that measures the flight and trajectory of a golf shot using superimposed graphics to show the ball flight.
• Expanded Morning Drive and Golf Central Coverage – Morning Drive, the network’s new morning show, will have additional live airings for 30 minutes each leading into Thursday and Friday’s coverage.  Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game will wrap live tournament coverage all week.

• Golf Central Special: State of the Game Live – Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET, a first-of-its-kind television event will include the biggest names that cover the game – Dan Hicks, Johnny Miller, Roger Maltbie, Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee – discussing golf’s biggest issues.  State of the Game Live will be a roundtable discussion of relevant events making news at the WGC-Match Play Championship; Tiger Woods; the emergence of European stars and what it means for American golf and the PGA TOUR; and rules.

HSBC Women’s Champions
Dates: Feb. 24-27
Venue: Garden Course, Tenah Merah Country Club, Tenah Merah, Singapore

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday         11 a.m.-1 p.m. (TD)
Friday              11 a.m.-1 p.m. (TD)
Saturday          10 a.m.-12 p.m. (TD)
Sunday            2-4 p.m. (TD)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Ai Miyazato, Jiyai Shin, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, Karrie Webb, Suzann Pettersen and Christina Kim.

Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun
Dates: Feb. 24-27
Venue: El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba Resort, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD)
Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD)
Saturday                      6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD)
Sunday                        7-9:30 p.m. (TD)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Billy Andrade (Analyst)
John Maginnes (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Greg Norman Spotlight Player – Hall-of-Famer Greg Norman will be Golf Channel’s spotlight player during Thursday’s telecast, featuring a one-on-one interview that will take place prior to the tournament.  Norman is the course designer for El Camaleon Golf Club.

That will do it.

Headlining the Field: Aaron Baddeley, Jhonattan Vegas, Boo Weekley, John Daly, Tom Lehman, Fred Funk, Rory Sabbatini and Jerry Kelly

Late Night Thursday Links

I wasn’t able to provide links during the day and I keep accumulating sports media stories and I don’t want to get into this pattern where I can provide links Monday through Wednesday, but not from Thursday through Sunday. That’s not good especially since you have come to expect linkage just about every day. So I’ll burn the midnight oil and do some linkage for you.

Let’s start with Milton Kent of Fanhouse who fears that Dan Patrick might be risking becoming an enabler to Charlie Sheen after two interviews that have been picked up by the tabloid press.

To Advertising Age where Michael Bush looks at the Super Bowl ads that remain on the national conscience while other brands have faded from memory.

Rich Thomaselli from AdAge looks at the LPGA’s new ad campaign in an attempt to raise awareness and bring the tour’s stars to the forefront. You might recognize the name of a certain sports media blogger in the story.

Dan Fogarty at SportsGrid explains why you haven’t seen Friend of Fang’s Bites Michelle Beadle on ESPN2′s SportsNation recently.

Also from SportsGrid, Brad Cohen feels Tony Kornheiser looks bad over his refusal to speak about Dan Snyder’s lawsuit against the Washington City Paper on his radio show.

Michael David Smith at Pro Football Talk says Mr. Tony loses credibility the longer he protects Snyder.

Jeff Neuman at Real Clear Sports has an interesting article on the making of the great movie, Slap Shot and some casting decisions that might have changed the movie we know and love.

At Adweek, Anthony Crupi tries to read between the lines at comments made by new NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke on whether the network will actually make a run at bidding for the 2014/2016 Olympics.

To the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center where Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg Times writes that sports broadcasters should be held to the same standard as broadcast news journalists when it comes to endorsing products.

The Hollywood Reporter has Dan Patrick explaining how he got Charlie Sheen on his syndicated radio show.

Sofia M. Fernandez of the Reporter says Comcast’s new 3-D channel debuts Sunday with the airing of the NHL’s Heritage Classic.

R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News notes that HBO has scheduled its first boxing pay-per-view event of 2011.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel reports on ESPN’s dedicated channels being available online to Verizon Fios TV subscribers.

Alex Weprin from SportsNewser notes that the producers of the Broadway play, Lombardi, now want to bring another sports story to the Great White Way.

A.J. Daulerio of Deadspin laments the loss of contributor Katie Baker to Captain Blowhard’s yet-to-be-named project at ESPN.com.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media provides the market-by-market breakdown for the early games of NBC’s Hockey Day in America doubleheader.

The Boston Herald’s Jessica Heslam talks with outgoing WEEI midday host Dale Arnold who still is shellshocked about losing his show.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the Reds will be seen quite often on MLB Network during Spring Training.

Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel searches for the lost younger NASCAR viewer.

Bob says the Miami Heat are burning up the NBA’s ratings.

Ed Sherman at Crain’s Chicago Business notes that the Windy City will be the host and the focus for NBC’s Hockey Day in America.

Michael Olivera of the Canadian Press notes that viewers are cutting the cable as they find affordable ways to watch their favorite hockey team either through their mobile phones.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog says CBC and Rogers Sportsnet will team up to air every game of the Women’s World Cup later this year.

Sports Media Watch says the Chicago Bulls are on a pace to set a regular season ratings record for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

SMW says the NBA’s marquee teams are helping to raise the ratings for ABC’s Sunday games.

I think that will hold us over until the regular Friday features start posting. Good night.

The 2011 LPGA Season on Golf Channel Begins on Friday

This is a first. Golf Channel has sent its entire LPGA schedule for 2011. I say good on Golf Channel! Many of the tournaments especially from the US will be aired live. Those tournaments played in Europe or Asia will be tape delayed. This is something I discussed with Advertising Age and I’ll provide the link later tonight. We have the entire schedule for you below.

Golf Channel LPGA Tour Season Begins Friday

Two Major Championships and The Solheim Cup Headline 22-Event Schedule in 2011

Exclusive Golf Channel Coverage of Kraft Nabisco Championship

Marks Season’s First Major, March 31

Annika Sorenstam Interview from Today’s Morning Drive: Annika Sorenstam Interview
Cristie Kerr’s Interview from Wednesday’s Morning Drive: Cristie Kerr Interview

ORLANDO, Fla., (Feb. 17, 2011) – Golf Channel’s coverage of the 2011 LPGA Tour season is the most anticipated in the network’s history and will feature full coverage of the first two major championships of the year and shot-by-shot coverage of the The Solheim Cup, one of the biggest events in women’s sports.  The network’s coverage of the 2011 LPGA Tour season will kick off tomorrow with LPGA Thailand at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Headlining the 2011 broadcast schedule will be live coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship (March 31-April 3), marking the first time the major championship will be on Golf Channel.  The network will broadcast 20 hours of live coverage throughout the tournament, including six hours of live coverage on Thursday and Friday.  In June, Golf Channel will air live the second major of the year, the LPGA Championship (June 23-26), and will follow later in the season with more than 24 hours of live, shot-by-shot coverage of The Solheim Cup (Sept. 23-25), from Killeen Castle, Ireland.

In total, Golf Channel will broadcast 22 LPGA Tour events – 12 domestic and 10 international.  Twelve of the 14 events in North America will be televised live.  Golf Channel will program coverage of the remaining seven international events – most originating from Asia – at optimal viewing times.  The Solheim Cup will air live.

Golf Channel is entering the second year of a 10-year partnership with the LPGA Tour as the exclusive cable home.  In 2010, the network introduced and featured several unique production elements to enhance the telecasts and showcase the personalities of LPGA Tour players, most notably fitting players with microphones during competition.  “Mic’d Up” now also is featured on PGA TOUR telecasts.

Golf Channel will introduce a new, enhanced graphics package for its LPGA Tour telecasts, beginning with the LPGA Founders Cup, (March 17-20). During Friday telecasts, a player in the field will join the network’s announcers as a player analyst.  Other popular elements also will return, including rookie and player profiles, interviewing players as they are walking the fairways and making the turn on the weekends (Walk and Talks), and weekly tips from players.

Golf Channel will continue to provide enhanced news coverage of the LPGA Tour and will produce several programs with LPGA stars throughout the year.

DATE	EVENT	ROUNDS	BROADCAST
2/17 – 2/20	Honda LPGA Thailand	2 – 4	Tape Delay
2/24 – 2/27	HSBC Women’s Champions	ALL	Tape Delay
3/18 – 3/20	LPGA Founders Cup	ALL	Live
3/24 – 3/27	Kia Classic	ALL	Live
3/31 – 4/3	Kraft Nabisco Championship	ALL	Live
4/28 – 5/1	Avnet LPGA Classic	ALL	Tape Delay
5/19 – 5/22	Sybase Match Play Championship	ALL	Tape Delay/Live
6/3 – 6/5	ShopRite LPGA Classic	ALL	Tape Delay/Live
6/9 – 6/12	LGPA State Farm Classic	ALL	Tape Delay
6/23 – 6/26	LPGA Championship	ALL	Live
7/21 – 7/24	Evian Masters	ALL	Tape Delay
8/4 – 8/7	Imperial Springs LPGA	ALL	Tape Delay
8/19 – 8/21	Safeway Classic	ALL	Live
8/25 – 8/28	Canadian Women’s Open	ALL	Tape Delay/Live
9/9 – 9/11	NW Arkansas Championship	ALL	Live
9/15 – 9/18	Navistar LPGA Classic	ALL	Live
9/23 – 9/25	The Solheim Cup	ALL	Live
10/6 – 10/9	LPGA Hana Bank Championship	ALL	Tape Delay
10/14 – 10/16	Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia	ALL	Tape Delay
10/20 – 10/23	LPGA Taiwan Championship	ALL	Tape Delay
11/10 – 11/13	Lorena Ochoa Invitational	ALL	Live
11/17 – 11/20	Titleholders	ALL	Live

Number of events, schedule and times subject to change

I’ll be back later with more stuff.

Golf Channel Has Four Out of Five Pro Tours This Week

The LPGA kicks off its season in Thailand this week while the PGA Tour continues its West Coast Swing at the Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles. In addition, the European and Champions Tours continue their seasons. Plenty of action for the golf enthusiast. Here’s the tournament schedule starting Thursday and ending on Sunday.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Feb. 17-20

LPGA Tour Season Kicks off in Thailand
Watson Mic’d Up at Northern Trust Open
Champions Tour Heads to Naples for ACE Group Classic
India Hosts Avantha Masters

Honda LPGA Thailand
Dates: Feb. 17-20
Venue: Pattaya Old Course, Siam Country Club, Chonburi, Thailand

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday              12:30-2:30 p.m. (TD)
Saturday          3-5 p.m. (TD)
Sunday            3-5p.m. (TD)

Broadcast Notes:

• The Honda LPGA Thailand is the kickoff event for the LPGA Tour’s 2011 season.
• Scheduled to compete: Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Ai Miyazato, Jiyai Shin, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, Karrie Webb, Suzann Pettersen and Christina Kim.
• Golf Channel will carry international coverage beginning with the second round on Friday.

Northern Trust Open
Dates: Feb. 17-20
Venue: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday                      1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)
Sunday                        1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:
Terry Gannon (Play by Play)
Brandel Chamblee (Analyst)
Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)
David Feherty (Tower)
Billy Andrade (On Course)
Craig Perks (On Course)

Golf Central Pre Game Airtimes (On-site at Northern Trust Open, Times Eastern)
Thursday – Friday                   2:30-3 p.m. (Live)
Saturday – Sunday                 12:30-1 p.m. / 2:30-3 p.m. (Live)

Golf Central Airtimes (On-site at Northern Trust Open, Times Eastern)
Thursday – Saturday               6-6:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday                                    6-7 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

• Bubba Watson Mic’d Up -– 2011 Farmers Insurance Open champion Bubba Watson will be fitted with a microphone during Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.  Viewers will have the opportunity to eavesdrop on conversations between Love and his caddy throughout Thursday’s opening round of play.
• Mickelson and Defending Champion Stricker Headline Field – Phil Mickelson and defending champion Steve Stricker headline a strong field that also includes Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey Rickie Fowler, Jhonattan Vegas, Anthony Kim, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Rocco Mediate, David Duval and Ryo Ishikawa.

• Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game on-site – Thursday-Sunday, Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game will broadcast live and on-site from Riviera Country Club.  Kelly Tilghman, Frank Nobilo, Jim Gray and Tim Rosaforte will report from the network’s Studio G set in front of a live, studio audience.

ACE Group Classic
Feb. 18-20
Venue: The Quarry, Naples, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (TD)
Saturday                      6:30-9:30 p.m. (TD)
Sunday                        7-9:30 p.m. (TD)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
David Marr (Tower)
John Mahaffey (Tower)
Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Headlining the Field: Bernhard Langer, Nick Price, Mark O’Meara, Fred Funk, Loren Roberts, Jay Haas, Michael Allen, Gary Player, Tom Pernice Jr., Tom Kite, John Cook, Mark Calcavecchia and Ben Crenshaw.

Avantha Masters
Feb. 17-20
Venue: DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi, India

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday                     9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)
Friday                          9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)
Saturday                      9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)
Sunday                        9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team
Tom Abbott (Studio Host)
Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)
Dom Boulet (Analyst)
Julian Tutt (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

Headlining the Field: David Howell, Ross McGowan, Thongchai Jaidee, Jeev Milkha Singh, Soren Hansen, Gregory Havret and Paul McGinley

And more stuff is on the way. Keep it here.

Thursday’s Linkage

Let’s do some links for you on this Thursday. I hope to be able to do a bit more in the later part of the week unlike previous weeks where the links stop on Wednesday. Plenty of stuff to go over.

Michael Hiestand has a couple of articles on CBS/Turner changing the way we’ll watch the NCAA Tournament starting in March. First, he says times will be staggered and games will be spread out more so we can watch games from noon until midnight in the first three rounds of the tourney.

Mike says cable will change the way we’ll be viewing the tournament from now on.

Sports Illustrrated’s Richard Deitsch has the starting times and networks for the first week of the NCAA Tournament.

Sports Business Daily also goes over CBS/Turner’s plans for the NCAA Tournament.

This has nothing to do with sports, but more with the power of social media and establishing a brand. Douglas Alden Warshaw writes in Fortune about Conan O’Brien’s fast rise on Twitter and how he uses social media to engage with his audience.

Jon Lafayette of Broadcasting & Cable writes that the Chevy Camaro Super Bowl ad is now the most-watched TV commercial ever.

Mike Stern of Media Life Magazine says while the Super Bowl became the most watched TV program in US history, it may also be the most listened to program as well.

Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek reports that ESPN is selling ads faster than any other network.

Jonathan Berr from Daily Finance notes that Comcast is not willing to allow its SportsNet Philadelphia to go on satellite without a huge fight.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell tries to find out how much the Super Bowl flyover cost taxpayers.

The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir says several fans are now suing the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL over not being able to see the games after local fire marshals deemed their seating unsafe.

Bobby Cassidy of Newsday says CBS will air portions of Showtime’s Fight Camp 360 series to promote the Manny Pacquaio-Shane Mosley fight.

Neil Best of Newsday writes that SNY is the crown jewel of the New York Mets owners’ empire.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette has the start times for the first rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Ken McMillan of the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record is happy that two 50,000 watt heritage radio stations have regained the rights to baseball teams in their respective local markets.

Matt Palmer at Press Box notes that Orioles radio announcers Joe Angel and Fred Manfra will be moving with the team to its new home at WBAL.

DCRTV‘s Dave Hughes writes in Press Box about the O’s decision to leave CBS Radio’s FM sports station to return to WBAL.

The lovely Jen Royle of MASN says while the Orioles have left CBS Radio, Baltimore where she works full-time, she’ll figure out her next move soon.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog says the Capitals’ Vice President of Communication is leaving his post and will be missed in local circles.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says it’s time to get ready for NASCAR.

Gary Smits of the Florida Times-Union praises the PGA Tour and Golf Channel for getting behind some marquee groupings during the early rounds of golf tournaments to help ratings and on-site attendance.

Gary notes that former CBS Sports pioneering golf producer Frank Chirkinian will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport.

Jeff Shain of the Orlando Sentinel says Chirkinian’s stamp on televised golf is still being felt today.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says there’s a future for 3-D TV, just not in sports. I totally agree.

Cheryl Hall of the Dallas Morning News says after a slow start due to the weather, area businesses did see an economic impact from the Super Bowl.

Mitchell Schnurman of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says the Metroplex failed to get the job done during Super Bowl Week.

John Fay at the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Fox Sports Ohio will carry a handful of Reds exhibition games.

The Detroit News says all but one of the Tigers regular season games will be seen on local TV.

Jacob Newkirk of the Evansville (IN) Courier-Press isn’t happy that most of the St. Louis Cardinals schedule will be on cable.

The Milwaukee Sentinel’s Bob Wolfley says Vince Lombardi, or Dan Lauria playing Vince Lombardi assisted David Letterman on a Top 10 list.

Sharon Roznik of the Fond du Lac (WI) Reporter says the son of the late ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten is telling high school students about his alcoholism and how he almost met the same fate as his father.

Carrie Muskrat of MLB.com has the Chicago Cubs releasing its 2011 TV schedule.

The White Sox have released their broadcast schedules as well.

To Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business who says the Cubs will have almost all of their Spring Training games aired on radio, TV or the the internet.

The Belleville (IL) News-Democrat talks about the Cardinals TV announcing team for this season.

The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that Fox Sports Midwest will carry 152 regular season games.

The Phoenix Business Journal notes that the Suns’ TV ratings are up from last season while the Coyotes’ are down, the Cardinals beat them all.

Larry Bohannan of The Desert (CA) Sun reports that the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship will move to Golf Channel this year after being split between ESPN2 and CBS.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News wishes the Pac 10 would get rid of its current archaic TV contracts and begin anew. Right now.

Sports Media Watch talks about the ratings for the Super Bowl postgame shows on ESPN and NFL Network and other events.

SMW wonders with the NBC Sports takeover of Comcast’s sports properties, does it mean that viewers of Comcast SportsNet’s NBA properties in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, the Bay Area and Portland could hear the old NBA on NBC theme once again? As if you needed a reminder, here it is, the best theme in all of sports.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media speaks with Versus’ Brian Engblom about his new role as the on-ice analyst.

Mike Vitello of Awful Announcing explains how the NFL really dropped the ball regarding Super Bowl XLV and social interaction.

And that’s where we will end it for today.

Stirring Up Some Linkage

I’ll provide some linkage for you today.

This has nothing to do with sports media, just a very well written article by Sports Illustrated’s Joe Posnanski who shares his thoughts on Bob Feller who passed away Wednesday night at the age of 92.

At the Wall Street Journal, Jason Gay facetiously writes that ESPN will have to cancel some shows now that Brett Favre is not playing football. 

Etan Vessing of the Hollywood Reporter says Canadian Olympic broadcaster CTV has been cleared of repeatedly airing the video of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili’s death despite numerous complaints.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News writes that Versus saw its biggest audience ever for a regular season NHL game this week.

At Mediapost, David Goetzl also writes about Versus’ ratings.

David notes that ESPN will be airing 3-D ads during its first NBA game to be produced in the third dimension.

David says CBS will be streaming live part of its college basketball schedule online.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell talks with an inventor who hopes his 1st and 10 line will be seen inside NFL stadiums, not just on TV.

Darren is surprised to see boxing equipment manufacturer Everlast team up with Sears and Kmart.

At the National Sports Journalism Center, Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg Times lists his top 10 Sports Media stories of 2010.

Greg Wyshynski at Yahoo’s Puck Daddy recaps the premiere episode of HBO’s 24/7 Penguins/Capitals.

Ron Siwak of GolfWorld breaks news that the LPGA is not happy with its 10 year deal with Golf Channel that leaves it with tape delayed coverage even on weekend.s

Jessica Heslam at the Boston Herald says 98.5 the Sports Hub host Michael Felger is coming under fire from women’s groups for touting his wife in a hottest local news anchor online poll. Felger’s wife is Sara Underwood who works for WFXT-TV.

From the New York Times, Richard Sandomir says the NHL couldn’t be more pleased over the premiere episode of 24/7 Penguins/Capitals.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that 24/7 Penguins/Capitals was well-produced.

Sad story. You may not have known Steven Smith, but 578 people on Twitter did. I learned of his passing through several Yankee tweeps. Steven was a diehard Yankees fan, and from what I’ve learned of him, he could not have been nicer person. His dream was to work in sports. Pete Iorizzo of the Times Union writes that Steven’s untimely death earlier this week shook many of his Twitter friends.

Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says 24/7 was a compare and contrast session between the Penguins and Capitals. 

David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun notes that ESPNU will carry plenty of Charm City schools in its lacrosse schedule.

From the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg loved the premiere episode of 24/7 Penguins/Capitals.

Add Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times to those who loved 24/7 Penguins/Caps.

Kathy Vetter from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says ESPN will be using the City Where The West Begins as its Super Bowl headquarters over Dallas and Arlington.

Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that the Rose Bowl from January 2011 on, will be an all-cable affair.

Bob has Fox’s Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long discussing the end of Brett Favre’s consecutive start streak. 

Ed Sherman from Crain’s Chicago Business says a Comcast SportsNet host gets an expanded role on the channel. 

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times talks with ESPN’s Ron Jaworski about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

Eric Degerman of the Mid-Columbia Tri Cities (WA) Herald says it was local legend Bing Crosby who unknowingly helped to preserve a piece of baseball history.

Sports Media Watch says ESPN saw low ratings for the Heisman Trophy Presentation.

SMW also has some various news and notes.

Steve Lepore from Puck The Media liked 24/7 Penguins/Capitals.

Wendy Parker discusses the real purpose of espnW.

Joe Tetreault at Maury Brown’s Biz of Baseball talks about the new digital partnership between Fox Sports and NESN.

EPL Talk says ESPN2 drew the largest US TV audience ever for an English Premier match for Manchester United-Arsenal on Monday.

And we’re finally done. 

Golf Channel’s Tournament Action

With the Silly Season fully underway, not all of the tournaments will be live. That’s just the way it is. So take a look at what’s up for the weekend. Some tournaments are already underway. I didn’t get this press release until tonight.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Dec. 8-12

Alfred Dunhill Championship Kicks Off 2011 European Tour Season

Greg Norman Hosts Elite Field at the Shark Shootout

Big Break Sandals Resorts Champion Carling Coffing Leading American After Two Rounds at Omega Dubai Ladies Masters

PGA Tour vs. Champions Tour vs. LPGA Tour at Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge

Shark Shootout

Dates: Dec. 10

Venue: Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                     3-6 p.m. (Tape Delay)/8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Kelly Tilghman (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Mark Rolfing (Tower)

Jimmy Roberts (Tower)

Roger Maltbie (On-Course)

Dottie Pepper (On-Course)

Scott Walker (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Norman Hosts Elite Field: Greg Norman hosts the 22^nd annual Shark Shootout, consisting of 24 PGA TOUR professionals paired into 12 person teams. The teams include: Matt Kuchar and Norman, Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker, Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank, Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter, Mark Calcavecchia and Jeff Overton, Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, David Duval and Davis Love III, Jason Day and Rory Sabbatini, K.J. Choi and Mike Weir, Fred Funk and Kenny Perry, and Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson.

Alfred Dunhill Championship

Dates: Dec. 9-12

Venue: Leopard Creek Country Club, Mpumalanga, South Africa

  

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Whit Watson (Studio Host)

Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)

Ken Brown (Analyst)

Denis Hutchinson (Analyst)

Julian Tutt (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• First Event for 2011 Season: The Alfred Dunhill Championship kicks off the 2011 European Tour Season and the Race to Dubai.
• The Field Includes: Louis Oosthuizen; Charl Schwartzel; Richard Sterne; David Howell; Pablo Martin and Alex Cejka.

Omega Dubai Ladies Masters

Dates: Dec. 8-11

Venue: Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          6:30-9:30 a.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      6:30-9:30 a.m. (Tape Delay)

Broadcast Notes:

• Big Break champion Carling Coffing Leading American After two Rounds – Carling Coffing, winner of Golf Channel’s Big Break Sandals Resorts reality series this fall, is T-7 at 3-under-par after two rounds of play, tied with Christina Kim as the leading American in the field. Coffing is playing via a sponsor exemption she earned as a result of winning Big Break. Lydia Hall of Wales leads the tournament at 7-under par, one shot over Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist.
• Headlining the field: Michelle Wie (-1), Anna Nordqvist (-6), Christina Kim (-3), Carling Coffing (-3) Alexis Thompson (+3), Laura Davies (+4) and In Kyung Kim (Even par).

3 Tour Challenge

Date: Dec. 9

Venue: Rio Secco Golf Club, Henderson, Nev.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Saturday                      1-4 p.m. (Re-air)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Steve Sands (Play by Play)

Butch Harmon (Analyst)

Dottie Pepper (On-Course)

Rich Lerner (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Now in its 19^th season, the 3 Tour Challenge is comprised of three players representing the three major tours: Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Boo Weekley representing the PGA TOUR; Nick Price, Bernhard Langer and Kenny Perry representing the Champions Tour and Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Natalie Gulbis representing the LPGA Tour. The teams will compete for a $1 million purse and in a new format – two-player, best-ball that allows each team to discard one score per hole.

That will do it.

Golf Channel’s Live Tournaments For This Weekend

Golf Channel has plenty of live action on this first weekend of December including the PGA Tour’s Chevron World Challenge and the LPGA Tour Championship. Plenty of stuff for the golf fan starting this morning. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for viewers.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Dec. 2-6

Tiger Woods Hosts Chevron World Challenge

LPGA’s Best at Season-Ending LPGA Tour Championship

Final Stage of PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament

Westwood, Els and Harrington Headline Nedbank Golf Challenge

Chevron World Challenge

Dates: Dec. 2-5

Venue: Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     4-7 p.m. (Live)/8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Friday                          4-7 p.m. (Live)/8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Terry Gannon (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Mark Rolfing (Tower)

Jimmy Roberts (Tower)

Roger Maltbie (On-Course)

Dottie Pepper (On-Course)

Steve Sands (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Woods Headlines Elite Field: An elite field of 18 players is scheduled to compete this week, including defending champion Jim Furyk and tournament host Tiger Woods, who is playing for the first time since 2007.
• Woods One-on-One with Golf Channel: Tiger Woods sat down with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands on Tuesday for a one-on-one interview, portions which will aired on Golf Central on Wednesday. The full-length interview also will be available online at www.GolfChannel.com.

LPGA Tour Championship

Dates: Dec. 2-5

Venue: Grand Cypress Golf Club, Orlando, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Rich Lerner (Show Host / Interviews)

Tom Abbott (Play by Play)

Jane Crafter (Analyst)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

Phil Parkin (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Laura Davies Mic’d Up – LPGA Tour professional Laura Davies will be fitted with a microphone during Thursday’s tournament coverage and also will be the network’s Spotlight Player.
• Walk and Talk Featured –Jerry Foltz and Stephanie Sparks will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four days of coverage as part of the network’s Walk and Talk feature. 
• LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan Joins Friday Telecast – LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan is scheduled to join Rich Lerner during the network’s live coverage on Friday.
• Defending Champion Anna Nordqvist Featured Friday – During Friday’s tournament coverage, Golf Channel will air a special feature on defending champion and Orlando resident Anna Nordqvist.

PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament

Dates: Dec. 1-6

Venue: Panther Lake and Crooked Cat Courses

Orange County National, Winter Garden, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Saturday                      1-4 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        1-4 p.m. (Live)

Monday                       12:30-4 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Curt Byrum (Analyst)

Mark Lye (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course – Monday)

Donna Caponi-Byrnes (On Course)

Mike Ritz (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• 25 PGA TOUR Cards on the Line: In what is commonly referred to as the toughest six days of golf, the final stage of PGA TOUR’s Q-School will feature 166 players competing in six consecutive rounds.  The top 25 will earn full playing privileges on the PGA TOUR for 2011.  Golf Channel will carry live coverage of the final three rounds.
• Storylines Aplenty: PGA TOUR veterans Billy Mayfair, Erik Compton, Briny Baird and Will MacKenzie, former golf prodigy Ty Tryon, and Brett Waldman – Camilo Villegas’ caddie – are a few of the many storylines headlining Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage.

Nedbank Golf Challenge

Dec. 2-5

Venue: Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)

Friday                          9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)

Saturday                      9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)

Sunday                        9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (TD)

Broadcast Notes:

• Westwood, Els and Goosen and Oosthuizen Headline 12-Player Field: Known as Africa’s Major, the Nedbank Golf Challenge will feature an elite field of 12 players, including World No. 1 Lee Westwood, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen, Retief Goosen, Edoardo Molinari, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Allenby, Justin Rose, Ross Fisher, Tim Clark and Anders Hansen.

More coming up later.

Golf Channel Has All Five Golf Tours in Action This Week

Here is your live and taped golf coverage for Golf Channel this week. All five tours are involved so consider this your golf programming guide for this weekend.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Oct. 28-31

Twenty-Five PGA TOUR Cards on the Line at Nationwide Tour Championship

Tournament Action of All Five Professional Golf Tours

Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island

Dates: Oct. 28-31

Venue: Ralston Creek Course, Daniel Island Club, Charleston, S.C.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     2-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Friday                          2-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Saturday                      2-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Sunday                        2-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Jerry Foltz (Play by Play)

Craig Perks (Analyst)

Phil Parkin (Tower)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

John Maginnes (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

·         The 25 to Earn PGA TOUR Cards – The top-25 players on the Nationwide Tour money list at the conclusion of the season-ending championship will earn their PGA TOUR cards for 2011.  Golf Channel will air the presentation on the season finale of Quest for the Card, Wednesday (Nov. 3) at 6:30 p.m. ET.

CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia

Dates: Oct. 28-31

Venue: The MINES Resort & Golf Club, Selangor, Malaysia

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Friday                          7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:

Steve Sands (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Matt Gogel (Tower)

Dan Boulet (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         World-Class International Field – The CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia features a 40-player field, comprised of the top-25 available players from the 2010 FedExCup standings, the top 10 from the Asian Tour Order of Merit and five sponsor exemptions.  Headlining the field are Ernie Els, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Y.E. Yang, Luke Donald and Retief Goosen.

Andalucia Valderrama Masters

Dates: Oct. 28-31

Venue: Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Studio Host)

Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)

Warren Humphries (Analyst)

Jay Townsend (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Kaymer Attempts Overtake World No. 1 – 2010 PGA Champion Martin Kaymer will overtake the World No. 1 Ranking from Tiger Woods with a victory this week.

·         Headlining the Field – Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari, Ross Fisher and Sergio Garcia.

LPGA Hana Bank Championship

Dates: Oct. 29-31

Venue: Sky 72 Golf Club, Incheon, South Korea

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          12-2 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      12-2 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        12-2 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Headlining the Field: Eight of the top-10 players in the Rolex Rankings – No. 1 Cristie Kerr, No. 2 Jiyai Shin, No. 4 Suzann Pettersen, No. 6 Na Yeon Choi (defending champion), No. 7 Michelle Wie, No. 8 Song-Hee Kim, No. 9 In-Kyung Kim and No. 10 Paula Creamer – are scheduled to compete.

AT&T Championship

Dates: Oct. 29-31

Venue: Oak Hills Country Club, San Antonio, Texas

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          4:30-7 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      4:30-7 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        4:30-7 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Curt Byrum (Analyst)

John Mahaffey (Tower)

David Marr (Tower)

Donna Caponi-Byrnes (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Final Chance to Qualify for Charles Schwab Cup Championship – The AT&T Championship will serve as the final qualifying tournament for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week.  The top-30 on the Champions Tour money list after the AT&T Championship will be eligible to compete next week.

• Headlining the Field – Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Corey Pavin, Kenny Perry, Mark Calcavecchia, Lee Trevino, Loren Roberts, Jay Haas, Fred Funk, Tom Kite, Nick Price and Craig Stadler.

That’s it for now.

Golf Channel’s Live Tournaments This Week

Golf Channel has action from four of the five major tours this week. Here’s the schedule.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Oct. 14-17

Major Champions Headline Field at Frys.com Open

Natalie Gulbis Mic’d Up at CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge

Nationwide Tour Heads South to Miami for the Miccosukee Championship

European Tour Returns to Portugal

Frys.com Open

Dates: Oct. 14-17

Venue: CordeValle Golf Club, San Martin, Calif.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     4-7 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          4-7 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      4-7 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        4-7 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Terry Gannon (Play by Play)

Brandel Chamblee (Analyst)

Matt Gogel (Tower)

Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)

Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Scott Walker (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Major Champions Scheduled to Compete: Major champions Trevor Immelman, John Daly, David Duval, Justin Leonard and Tom Lehman headline a tournament field that also includes Rickie Fowler, Stuart Appleby, Tim Clark, Henrik Stenson, J.B. Holmes and Kevin Streelman.

·         CordeValle Golf Club Spotlight Feature – CordeValle Golf Club will be Thursday’s spotlight feature, which will introduce viewers to the tournament’s new host venue.

CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge

Dates: Oct. 14-17

Venue: Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, Calif.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Friday                          7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Play by Play)

Beth Daniel (Analyst)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

Charlie Rymer (Tower)

Jane Crafter (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Natalie Gulbis Mic’d Up – LPGA Tour professional Natalie Gulbis will be fitted with a microphone during Thursday’s tournament coverage and also will be the network’s Spotlight Player.

·         Walk and Talk Featured – Jane Crafter and Stephanie Sparks will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four days of coverage as part of the network’s Walk and Talk feature. 

·         Mina Harigae Rookie Spotlight – LPGA Tour rookie Mina Harigae will be featured during Friday’s coverage.

·         Meaghan Francella Returns to LPGA Tour – During Friday’s tournament coverage, Golf Channel will air a special feature on Meaghan Francella, who returned to the LPGA Tour last month after contracting Lyme disease and taking a leave of absence from the Tour earlier in the summer.

·         Carling Coffing Makes LPGA Debut – Big Break Sandals Resorts champion Carling Coffing will make her LPGA Tour debut this week, competing on a tournament sponsor’s exemption.  Coffing will compete in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in November as a result of her Big Break victory.

Miccosukee Championship

Dates: Oct. 14-17

Venue: Miccosukee Golf & Country Club, Miami, Fla.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     1:30-4 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          1:30-4 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      1:30-4 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        1:30-4 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:

Jerry Foltz (Play by Play)

Craig Perks (Analyst)

Phil Parkin (Tower)

John Maginnes (On Course)

Todd Lewis (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Look Who’s In the Truck – Colt Knost: Colt Knost will trade in his golf clubs to sit in Golf Channel’s live tournament production truck as a graphics operator in the Look Who’s In the Truck feature segment during Friday’s tournament coverage

·         Caddy Knows Best – Nationwide Tour professional Todd Fischer and his caddy will participate in the network’s Caddy Knows Best feature during Friday’s tournament coverage.

Portugal Masters

Dates: Oct. 14-17

Venue: Oceanic Victoria Golf Club, Vilamoura, Portugal

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Whit Watson (Studio Host)

Renton Laidlaw (Play by Play)

Jay Townsend (Analyst)

Ken Brown (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Headlining the Field – Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ross Fisher, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Matteo Manassero.

That will do it.

The Golf Channel’s Tournament Schedule

Golf may be an afterthought now that the Ryder Cup is over, but Golf Channel has tournaments from four tours this weekend. There’s the PGA Tour with its Fall Series, the LPGA, Champions and European Tours all in action and Golf Channel will be on top of all of it with complete start to finish coverage. Here’s the breakdown of everything golf this weekend.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Oct. 7-10

PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour Coverage to Feature Players Mic’d Up

PGA TOUR Fall Series Heads to St. Simons Island at the McGladrey Classic

Champions Tour’s Final Major at Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship

Battle for LPGA World No. 1 Continues at the Navistar LPGA Classic

World-Class Field and Celebrities Team Up at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

 

The McGladrey Classic

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: Seaside Course, Sea Island Golf Club, St. Simons Island, Ga.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Saturday                      3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Sunday                        3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Terry Gannon (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)

Matt Gogel (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Mike Ritz (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Davis Love III Mic’d Up – Continuing a test with PGA TOUR players with microphones in 2010, Golf Channel will fit PGA TOUR professional Davis Love III with a microphone during Thursday’s opening round of coverage. Viewers will have the opportunity to eavesdrop on conversations between Love and his caddy throughout the opening round of play.  

Navistar LPGA Classic

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: The Senator Course, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Prattville, Ala.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Play by Play)

Beth Daniel (Analyst)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

Charlie Rymer (Tower)

Val Skinner (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Amanda Blumenherst Mic’d Up – LPGA Tour professional Amanda Blumenherst will be fitted with a microphone during Thursday’s tournament coverage and also will be the network’s Spotlight Player.
• At the Turn and Walk and Talk Featured – Val Skinner and Stephanie Sparks will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four days of coverage as part of the network’s Walk and Talk feature. On the weekend, they will interview players between holes 9 and 10 in the At the Turn feature.
• Battle for No. 1 Continues: Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ai Miyazato and No. 3 Cristie Kerr headline a field that includes No. 6 Na Yeon Choi, No. 8 In-Kyung Kim and No. 10 Paula Creamer. Creamer, the reigning U.S. Open champion, will make her first appearance in Prattville.

Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, Potomac, Md.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     1-3 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          1-3 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      12:30-3 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        12:30-3 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Curt Byrum (Analyst)

John Mahaffey (Tower)

Dave Marr (Tower)

Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Donna Caponi-Byrnes (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Season’s Final Major – An elite field headlines the Champions Tour’s final major of the year, including Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Fred Funk, Corey Pavin, Jay Haas, Mark Calcavecchia, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson.
• Langer Going for Three Major Victories – Bernhard Langer will attempt to match Jack Nicklaus as the only Champions Tour professional to win three major championships in one season.
• Homecoming for Funk – The Maryland native and former University of Maryland golf coach returns to a familiar venue and will attempt to equal Langer’s achievement in 2010 by winning back-to-back Champions Tour majors.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: Kingsbarns Golf Links, Kingsbarns, Scotland

 Carnoustie Golf Links, Angus, Scotland

 Old Course, St. Andrews Golf Club, St. Andrews, Scotland

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Todd Lewis (Studio Host)

Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)

Ken Brown (Analyst)

Dominik Holyer (Tower)

Julian Tutt (On Course)

Rich Lerner (Booth Analyst, Golf Central Reporter)

Broadcast Notes:

• Rich Lerner Joins Broadcast Team – Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner will join the broadcast team in Scotland, serving as a booth analyst on Thursday and Saturday and reporting for Golf Central throughout the week
• World-Class Field: Nine members of the successful European Ryder Cup Team and captain Colin Montgomerie headlines the world-class field that also includes three-time major champion Ernie Els, two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, major champions Michael Campbell, Paul Lawrie and John Daly, who returns to the site of his 1995 Open Championship victory.
• Sports and Entertainment Celebrities Featured – International celebrities will compete this week, including Samuel L Jackson, Hugh Grant, Kyle MacLachlan, Huey Lewis and Michael Flatley. Sporting legends from the world of soccer, tennis, soccer and skiing are also scheduled to compete.
• Unique Tournament Format – Contested on three of the world’s best known and respected courses – the Old Course at St. Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links – 168 teams consisting of one professional and one amateur will play the first three rounds on the three courses in rotation. The top-60 professionals and ties, plus the 20 leading teams, will play the final round at the Old Course at St. Andrews on Sunday.

And we’ll end it there for the night.

Golf Channel’s Live Golf Action This Week

We have the Golf Channel’s live tournament schedule. Again, this comes late, but better late than never. Golf Channel has live coverage of all five professional golf tours.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Sept. 9-12

PGA TOUR Playoffs Return to Chicago for BMW Championship

Live Tournament Coverage of all Five Tours

BMW Championship

Dates: Sept. 9-10

Venue: Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, Lemont, Ill.

 

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Prime Replay)

Saturday                      3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Prime Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Terry Gannon (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Gary Koch (Tower)

Brad Faxon (Tower)

Roger Maltbie (On Course)

Mark Rolfing (On Course)

Dottie Pepper (On Course)

Scott Walker (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Aimpoint Featured – Aimpoint, Golf Channel’s Emmy-award winning graphics technology that predicts the line of the putt and where players must aim to hole out, will be featured during live tournament coverage.
• Pro Tracer Featured – Pro Tracer, a system that traces the flight and trajectory of a golf ball over the course of the actual shot, will be featured during live tournament coverage.
• Top 70 Players in the Field: The BMW Championship will feature the top 70 players in the FedExCup Standings as they compete in the third event of the 2010 PGA TOUR Playoffs.

P&G NW Arkansas Championship

Dates: Sept. 10-12

Venue: Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, Ark.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      4-6 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        4-6 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Play by Play)

Judy Rankin (Analyst)

Charlie Rymer (Tower)

Kay Cockerill (On Course)

Val Skinner (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• George Lopez Joins Broadcast Booth on Friday – Actor/Comedian and avid golfer George Lopez will join Abbott and Rankin in the broadcast booth during Friday’s tournament coverage. 
• Walk and Talk/At the Turn Featured – Golf Channel’s Val Skinner and Kay Cockerill will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all three rounds of coverage.  They also will interview players during Sunday’s final round as they make the turn on the course.
• Suzann Pettersen Spotlight Player – Multiple LPGA Tour winner Suzann Pettersen will be featured during Friday’s opening round of coverage. LPGA Tour rookie Maria Hernandez will be the network’s Rookie Spotlight Player.

Utah Championship

Dates: Sept. 9-12

Venue: Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy, Utah

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        6:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        7-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

                             

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Jerry Foltz (Play by Play)

Craig Perks (Analyst)

Phil Parkin (Tower)

Mark Lye (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course/Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Look Who’s In the Truck – Jhonattan Vegas: Jhonattan Vegas will trade in his golf clubs to sit in Golf Channel’s live tournament production truck in the Look Who’s In the Truck featured segment. Vegas will work with the network’s volunteer spotters on the course.

Posco E&C Songdo Championship

Dates: Sept. 10-12

Venue: Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, New Songdo City, South Korea

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          1-3 a.m. (Live)/6-8 a.m. (Replay)

Saturday                      1-3 a.m. (Live)/2-3:30 p.m. (Replay)

Saturday                      11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Live)/2-4 p.m. (Replay, Sunday)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Curt Byrum (Analyst)

John Mahaffey (Tower)

Dave Marr (Tower)

Broadcast Notes:

• Champions Tour Makes Debut in Asia – The Posco E&C Songdo Championship will be the first Champions Tour event to be conducted in Asia, and will feature the largest purse in Champions Tour history at $3 million.

KLM Open

Dates: Sept. 9-12

Venue: Hilversumsche Golf Course, Hilversum, Netherlands

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Sunday                        8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)

Renton Laidlaw (Play by Play)

Jay Townsend (Analyst)

Ken Brown (On Course)

We’re done.

Golf Channel’s Tournaments This Week

Golf Channel sent this release a day late, but I’ll still post it. The network is airing five tournaments making it quite busy this weekend.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Aug. 25-29

PGA TOUR Playoffs Kicks Off at The Barclays

 LPGA Tour Heads to Canada for CN Canadian Women’s Open

Top Amateurs Compete in U.S. Amateur

The Barclays

Dates: Aug. 26-29

Venue: Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, N.J.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live)/8:30-11:30 p.m. (Prime Replay)

Saturday                      1-2:30 p.m. (Live)/9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Sunday                        12-1:30 p.m. (Live)/9:30-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Kelly Tilghman (Play by Play)

Nick Faldo (Analyst)

Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)

Gary McCord (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Steve Sands (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

·         Four-Day Live Coverage: Golf Channel will air three hours of live coverage Thursday and Friday, followed by early, live coverage Saturday and Sunday.

·         Trackman Featured at Ridgewood: TrackMan, a production feature that measures the speed, distance and trajectory of a golf shot, will be on display on holes 9 and 15 at Ridgewood Country Club.  On the par-3 15^th hole, Trackman also will measure the “target ball speed,” of players’ tee shots.  After players hit their tee shots, the actual ball speed will be shown alongside the target ball speed, giving viewers an idea of tee shots will be short or long of the pin.

Canadian Women’s Open

Dates: Aug. 26-29

Venue: St. Charles Country Club, Winnipeg, Canada

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          12-2 a.m. (TD)

Saturday                      12-2 a.m. (TD)

Saturday                      3-6 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        2-6 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

• Broadcast rights only allow Golf Channel to televise live coverage on Saturday and Sunday in the United States. The late night re-airs at midnight ET will air as scheduled, both in the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. Amateur

Dates: Aug. 25-27

Venue: Chambers Bay, University Place, Washington

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          1-3 p.m. (Live)

Boeing Classic

Dates: Aug. 27-29

Venue: TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, Washington

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      6:30-9:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        7-9:30 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Curt Byrum (Analyst)

John Mahaffey (Tower)

Dave Marr (Tower)

Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles

Dates: Aug. 26-29

Venue: PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Studio Host)

Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)

Denis Hutchinson (Analyst)

Julian Tutt (On Course)

We’re done here.

Golf Channel Is Busy This Weekend

One of those rare convergences when Golf Channel will be all over the Champions, European PGA, LPGA and PGA Tours. Here’s what you’ll see this weekend. I won’t since I’m away Thursday through Saturday. What the hell? Make it Sunday too.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: Aug. 19-22

Final Chance to Qualify for the PGA TOUR Playoffs at Wyndham Championship

Champions Tour’s Fourth Major at the JELD-WEN Tradition

LPGA Tour Returns to the U.S. with the Safeway Classic

Wyndham Championship

Dates: Aug. 19-22

Venue: Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-12 a.m. (Prime Replay)

Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-12 a.m. (Prime Replay)

Saturday                      12-1:30 p.m. (Live) / 9-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Sunday                        12-1:30 p.m. (Live) / 9-11:30 p.m. (CBS Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Rich Lerner (Play by Play)

Nick Faldo (Analyst)

Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)

Mark Lye (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Todd Lewis (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Four-Day Live Coverage: Golf Channel will air three hours of live coverage Thursday and Friday, followed by early, live coverage Saturday and Sunday.
• Final Chance to Qualify: The top-125 in the FedExCup standings after the Wyndham Championship will qualify for the 2010 PGA TOUR Playoffs.
• Homecoming for Golf Channel’s Lewis: Golf Channel reporter Todd Lewis is a Greensboro native and will report from the course and conduct post-round interviews from the Wyndham Championship.

JELD-WEN Tradition

Dates: Aug. 19-20

Venue: Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort, Sunriver, Ore.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     6:30-9 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          6:30-9 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Dave Marr (Play by Play)

Gary Koch (Analyst)

Mark Rolfing (On Course)

Dottie Pepper (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Langer Going for Three Straight Majors: Bernhard Langer will attempt to become the second player in Champions Tour history to win three consecutive major championships this week at the JELD-WEN Tradition.  Gary Player accomplished the feat in 1987-88 when he won the Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship and U.S. Senior Open in 1987 and the General Foods PGA Seniors’ Championship in 1988.

 Safeway Classic

Dates: Aug. 20-22

Venue: Ghost Creek Golf Course, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, North Plains, Ore.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      5:30-8 p.m. (Live)

Sunday                        5:30-8 p.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Tom Abbott (Play by Play)

Judy Rankin (Analyst)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

Phil Parkin (Tower)

Jane Crafter (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course / Interviews)

Broadcast Notes:

• Battle for Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Continues: World No. 1 Cristie Kerr, No. 2 Ai Miyazato and No. 3 Jiyai Shin are all in a tight battle for the top spot in the Rolex World Rankings.  All three are entered in the field this week.
• Walk and Talk / At the Turn Featured – Golf Channel’s Jane Crafter and Stephanie Sparks will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four rounds of coverage.  They also will interview players during Sunday’s final round as they make the turn on the course.
• Rookie Spotlight: LPGA Tour rookie Maria Jo Uribe will be featured during Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage.

Czech Open 2010

Dates: Aug. 19-22

Venue: Prosper Golf Resort, Celadna, Czech Republic

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          9a.m.-12 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Sunday                        8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Steve Burkowski (Studio Host)

Renton Laidlaw (Play by Play)

Denis Hutchinson (Analyst)

Kim Thomas (On Course)

More releases coming up.

Lots of Golf on Television This Week

This week, you have the PGA in Canada, the LPGA in France and a whole bunch of other action throughout the country and in Europe. Let’s take a look at how Golf Channel will shuffle between five tournaments.

Golf Channel Live Tournament Coverage: July 22-25

Battle for World No. 1 Continues at Evian Masters

PGA TOUR Heads to Canada for RBC Canadian Open

Nationwide Tour Returns to the Buckeye State

Evian Masters

Dates: July 22-25

Venue: Evian Masters Golf Club, Evian-les-Bains, France

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Friday                          6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      1-4 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        1-4 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Jane Crafter (Analyst)

Tom Abbott (Tower)

Phil Parkin (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Battle for Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Continues: New Rolex Rankings World No. 1 and Evian Masters defending champion Ai Miyazato and World No. 2 Cristie Kerr are scheduled to compete this week.  The two are in a tight battle for the top spot in the Rolex World Rankings.
• Also Headlining the Field: U.S. Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin, Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis, Suzann Pettersen, Christina Kim, Angela Stanford and Amanda Blumenherst. 
• Creamer Special Guest on Grey Goose 19^th Hole: U.S. Women’s Open Champion Paula Creamer will appear on the Grey Goose 19^th Hole from the Evian Masters Golf Club.  Grey Goose 19^th Hole airs Wednesday nights from 7-8 p.m. ET.

RBC Canadian Open

Dates: July 22-25

Venue: St. George’s Golf & Country Club, Toronto, Ontario

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Prime Replay)

Friday                          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Prime Replay)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Rich Lerner (Play by Play)

Peter Oosterhuis (Analyst)

Mark Lye (Tower)

Matt Gogel (Tower)

Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Dave Marr (Interviews)

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational

Dates: July 22-25

Venue: Scarlet Course, The Ohio State University Golf Club, Columbus, Ohio

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday                          12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday                      6:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

Sunday                        7-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)

                             

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Jerry Foltz (Play by Play) 
Craig Perks (Analyst)

John Maginnes (Tower)

Jason Buha (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• Craig Perks Makes Lead Analyst Debut – 2002 PLAYERS Champion Craig Perks made his Golf Channel debut earlier this month at the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic as a Tower Analyst.  This week, Perks will make his debut in the booth alongside Jerry Foltz as Lead Analyst.
• Meg Mallon Honorary Chairman – LPGA Veteran and Ohio State University Alum Meg Mallon will serve as the honorary chairman of the tournament.
• Caddy Knows Best and Look Who’s In the Truck: During Friday’s live tournament coverage, Nationwide Tour professional William McGirt and his caddy will participate in Caddy Knows Best, and fellow Nationwide Tour pro Dave Schultz will trade in his golf clubs for a production position as an Announcer Research Assistant in the Look Who’s In the Truck featured segment.

U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur

 Dates: July 19-24

 Venue: Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.

Airtimes (Eastern):

Friday                          11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Tape Delay)

Saturday                      4-6 p.m. (Tape Delay)

                             

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team:

Steve Melnyk (Play by Play)

Kay Cockerill (Analyst)

Steve Burkowski (Tower)

Vicki Goetze-Ackerman (On Course)

Donna Caponi-Byrnes (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

·         The 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur will be the 26th USGA championship conducted in North Carolina. The Girls’ Junior has been played twice previously in North Carolina – in 1989 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines and in 2006 at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte.

Nordea Scandinavian Masters

Dates: July 22-25

Venue: Bro Hoff Slott GC, Stockholm, Sweden

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday                     8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Friday                          8:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)

Saturday                      7:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)

Sunday                        7:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)

Golf Channel Tournament Broadcast Team: 
Todd Lewis (Studio Host)

Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)

Warren Humphries (Analyst)

Julian Tutt (On Course)

Broadcast Notes:

• High Definition: The Nordean Scandinavian Masters will be produced in high definition.
• The Field Includes: 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen, Edoardo Molinari, Robert Karlsson, K.J. Choi, Dustin Johnson, Pablo Martin, David Howell, Todd Hamilton and Danny Lee.

CBS will be in Canada and we’ll see it’s saying about the Canadian Open after the jump.

NATHAN GREEN LOOKS TO DEFEND AT “RBC CANADIAN OPEN” ON CBS SPORTS THIS WEEKEND, JULY 24-25

Australian Nathan Green aims to defend his title at the RBC CANADIAN OPEN as Canada’s national championship returns to historic St. George’s Golf and Country Club for the first time since 1968 and the fifth time overall. CBS Sports covers all the action from Etobicoke, Ontario, broadcasting the third and final rounds on Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 (3:00-6:00 PM, ET, both days), live on the CBS Television Network. 

 

Bill Macatee anchors CBS Sports’ coverage of the RBC Canadian Open from the 18^th hole tower this weekend alongside Ian Baker-Finch. Peter Oosterhuis,who won the 1981 Canadian Open, calls the action at the 17^th hole and Peter Kostis at the 16^th hole. David Feherty serves as on-course reporter.

Lance Barrow is Coordinating Producer of CBS Sports’ golf coverage. Steve Milton directs. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Last year, Green defeated Retief Goosen for his first PGA TOUR title at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in a Monday two-hole playoff. Green became the sixth international player to win this tournament since 1980. The last Canadian to win this tournament was Pat Fletcher in 1954. Canada’s only major championship winner, Mike Weir (2003 Masters®), has not won the Canadian Open but came close in 2004 when he lost a playoff to Vijay Singh. Green and Weir take on a field that includes Goosen, Paul Casey, Camilo Villegas, Sean O’Hair, Luke Donald, Tim Clark, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Fred Couples, David Duval, Ricky Barnes, Scott McCarron, Ricky Barnes, Lee Janzen, Charley Hoffman, Aaron Baddeley, Rocco Mediate, Trevor Immelman, Stuart Appelby, Chad Campbell, Charlie Wi  and Brandt Snedeker.

That’s it.

Some Friday Megalinks, Part II

Time for more megalinks.

National

First, several media writers are amused by the war of words between CBS and ESPN over the most viewed broadband event ever. ESPN claimed 1.1 million people went online to watch the USA-Algeria World Cup match on Wednesday. CBS jumped in by saying, “Not so fast!” It sent out a press release saying the Duke-Butler game had more online views. And early Friday evening, ESPN sent out its reply sticking with its claim and saying CBS’ measurement of online views is rather limited. Stay tuned.

Mike Shields from Mediaweek has a story on the CBS/ESPN sparring.

The Sports Media Watch tells us that the final round of this year’s U.S. Open was up from last year, but down from 2007 and 2008.

The Nielsen Wire blog says the goal that put the United States in the Round of 16 of the World Cup generated plenty of online buzz and messages.

From earlier this week, John Strege of Golf Digest reviewed the U.S. Open and Chris Berman’s performance, calling him “a human vuvuzela.” (Scroll down)

The Big Lead was not impressed with ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage. 

Yahoo’s Big League Stew blog has some baseball documentary suggestions for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times writes about the CBS/ESPN battle over online views.

Kevin Oklobzija from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle takes us behind the scenes with Golf Channel as it’s in town for the LPGA Championship.

David Farenthold of the Washington Post says MASN will air a year-long public service campaign on cleaning up Chesapeake Bay.

South

Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald writes that veteran announcer Dick Stockton will call Dolphins exhibition games on TV this season.

David Barron in the Houston Chronicle says two local colleges get more TV exposure for football season.

Midwest

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says ESPN’s Outside the Lines will explore drug charges against a Green Bay Packers defensive end.

Phil Rosenthal from the Chicago Tribune has a link to the opening of the new MLB Network reality series on the White Sox.

Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business has his winners and losers in sports business and media.

Paul Christian in the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin talks about the ratings for USA-Algeria.

David Briggs from the Columbia Daily Tribune writes that the University of Missouri is pondering its own sports TV network. 

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the future of a long-time sports radio personality could be in doubt.

The Kansas City Star says ESPN will be in town on Saturday for live shots of fans watching the USA-Ghana World Cup match. 

West

Scott D. Pierce from the Deseret (UT) News likes the British announcers on ESPN’s World Cup coverage.

To John Maffei of the North County Times who says Mark Neely who’s calling the San Diego Padres for a short stretch while Dick Enberg is at Wimbledon sounds like he hasn’t missed a beat.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says we’re watching the World Cup especially with the US involved. 

Jim talks with TNT’s Kenny “The Jet” Smith.

Canada

Chris Zelkovich from the Toronto Star says ESPN has changed the way we changed sports.

Chris adds a Toronto sports radio station underwent a lot of changes this week.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail also writes about the station’s personnel upheaval.

Dave Fuller from the Toronto Sun talks with the station’s program director about the personnel changes.

And we’ll end it there. Back tomorrow with more linkage and press releases.

Golf Channel Quotage Regarding the LPGA Championship

Here are highlights from the Golf Channel announcing crew regarding the LPGA Championship this weekend.

LPGA Championship

Golf Channel Broadcast Team Quotes

PITTSFORD, N.Y., June 23 – The LPGA’s second major of the year, the LPGA Championship, kicks off Thursday from Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y. Golf Channel will air live, four-round coverage of the tournament Thursday-Friday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET, followed by weekend coverage from 4-7 p.m. ET. Terry Gannon, Judy Rankin, Phil Parkin, Kay Cockerill, Val Skinner, Jane Crafter and Rich Lerner will host the network’s live coverage. We caught up with Rankin and Cockerill to give their thoughts and predictions on the week, and Gannon to discuss making his Golf Channel debut.

Terry Gannon, Play-by-Play Host

On making his Golf Channel debut this week:

“My passion for golf began as a kid, sitting on the couch with my Dad watching Jack Nicklaus teach us a thing or two about greatness. Over the last nine years I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the game, in the booth following the great players of the current era. Now, I’m extremely excited to be joining an accomplished group of professionals at the Golf Channel in covering the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour on a regular basis. It’s a new chapter in my professional life and the LPGA Championship is the perfect place to start. Sitting next to Judy Rankin at a major? I’ll take that any week of the year.”

Judy Rankin, Golf Channel Analyst and World Golf Hall of Famer

Thoughts on Ai Miyazato and the field this week:

“You have to mention Ai Miyazato as a favorite since she is having such a fabulous year. I wouldn’t say the long golf course here is favorable for Ai, but she simply is playing so well and her confidence is so high, she has to be a favorite. Suzann Pettersen is another favorite this week. She is second on the money list, and was fourth last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. I have to believe her game is in good order. The thick rough here and the long course will suit her kind of play. Any number of people might play well this week, as they have experience and success at this course. Jeong Jang is a girl who has won here. She hasn’t made a particularly big mark anywhere this year. But, at a place like this where you have had success, it sometimes brings out the good things in your game.”

Jiyai Shin returning to action this week

“Today is two weeks from the day of her appendectomy. So, she might be back a little early. You always say in competitive golf, ‘watch out for the walking wounded and sick.’ They tend to be relaxed and have lower expectations. As a result they don’t get too tied in a knot. So, it could play in her favor. I would have to think that it is a little bit early to come back after an appendectomy. But, losing the number one position in the world, and this week being a major championship, has driven her to come back a week sooner than she normally would have.”

Working with Terry Gannon, who is making his Golf Channel debut this week

“When you sit alongside someone, you really get to know how capable they are and how smooth they are. How often they jump in and help you. Terry is just terrific. We have become very good friends over the years and I couldn’t be happier to be working with Terry. He always has had a certain passion for the LPGA. I think that since he is working this one – one of the biggest LPGA events – speaks to that.  He knows the LPGA Tour and he looks forward to this week.”

Golf Channel On-Course Reporter and LPGA Tour Veteran Kay Cockerill

Thoughts on Ai Miyazato vs. Jiyai Shin for World No. 1

“I think it’s amazing what Ai has done this year, winning four times, including last week for the first time in the U.S. and taking the number-one ranking for the first time.  She has a chance to become the first Japanese woman to win a major since Chako Higuchi won the LPGA Championship in 1977. She will be under enormous pressure to do so, but she has the game and temperament to handle it. I think there will be a long lasting rivalry between Ai and Jiyai Shin. This week could be tough for Shin, as she is not 100 percent. I am doubtful she can handle it physically, being so soon back after surgery.”

Thoughts on course changes in preparation for LPGA Championship

.     “The LPGA brought in the fairways a lot, but the course is not running fast. The back nine is where it all happens and the fairways will get tighter and tighter as the week goes on.”

That’s it.

Golf Channel To Air LPGA Championship And Terry Gannon Makes His Debut

Golf Channel will air the second major championship on the LPGA Tour, the LPGA Championship this week. It’ll be start to finish coverage of the tournament with 9 full hours of coverage. In addition, Terry Gannon will in the 18th tower with Judy Rankin, both of whom have worked together at ESPN/ABC. Here’s the press release from Golf Channel.

Golf Channel to Air Exclusive Coverage of

LPGA Championship

Terry Gannon to Make Golf Channel Debut

                ORLANDO, Fla. (June 22, 2010) – Golf Channel returns to the Rochester area this week to deliver live, exclusive coverage of the LPGA’s second major of the year, the LPGA Championship.

Defending champion Anna Nordqvist will attempt to defend her title against a field headlined by new World No.1 Ai Miyazato, who overtook Jiyai Shin for the top spot following Miyazato’s victory at last week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic.  Shin, who had an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago, is scheduled to return to action this week. Paula Creamer, fresh off her seventh place finish last week after returning from a thumb injury, also is in the field, joining the likes of Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, two-time LPGA Championship winners Laura Davies and Juli Inkster and three-time winners Se Ri Pak and Nancy Lopez.

Golf Channel’s live coverage of the LPGA’s second major of the year will air Thursday-Friday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET, with weekend coverage from 4-7 p.m. ET. Terry Gannon will make his Golf Channel debut as play-by-play host of the telecast, joined by LPGA Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin as lead analyst. Phil Parkin and LPGA veteran Kay Cockerill will call the action from on-course tower positions, with Val Skinner and Jane Crafter reporting from the course. Rich Lerner will serve as show host and will conduct post-round interviews.

Produced in high definition, Golf Channel’s tournament coverage is scheduled to feature its signature production elements, including mic’ing up a player during Thursday’s round and conducting on-course interviews with players as they are walking the fairways and making the turn.

We’re done with this post.