Fang's Bites

Pat Summerall Broadcasting Timeline

With the sad news of the passing of former NFL player and broadcaster Pat Summerall, I’ll provide you with a timeline of his broadcasting career. Summerall was one of the best NFL play-by-play announcers of all time. One of the few who did both play-by-play and analysis during his career, he also branched out to call both college and pro basketball, boxing, golf and tennis.

Summerall was also a host for NFL Films along with eventual partner Tom Brookshier. Together, they called three Super Bowls (X, XII, XIV). And he was teamed with John Madden with whom he called eight Super Bowls.

He began his career with CBS back in 1962 and remained with the Tiffany Network until 1994 when the network lost the rights to the NFL to Fox. Summerall then moved to Fox where he stayed through the 2002 season. He worked the Cotton Bowl for the network from 2007 until 2010.

Summerall also filled in on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football in 2004.

Here’s the timeline.

1962 — Summerall joins CBS Sports after retiring from the NFL. He’s teamed with Chris Schenkel on New York Giants games.

1965 — Summerall is moved to DC NFL Team games with Jim Gibbons.

1967 — Calls the first half of Super Bowl I with Ray Scott, then moves to the sidelines for the second half to make way for Jack Whitaker and Frank Gifford in the booth. (UPDATE: Classic Sports TV and  Media says Summerall only worked the sidelines)

1968 — Begins calling The Masters and US Open Tennis on CBS. Also CBS abandons its practice of assigning announcing teams to one team. Summerall is shifted to the network’s number one team with Ray Scott. He and Scott call Super Bowl II.

1970 — Calls Super Bowl IV with Jack Buck and Frank Gifford.

1972 — Calls Super Bowl VI with Ray Scott.

1974 — Calls his last Super Bowl (VIII) as analyst with Ray Scott. Becomes the lead play-by-play man for the first season of the NBA on CBS through the finals between Boston and Milwaukee. CBS reassigns him to play-by-play on the NFL and teams him with Tom Brookshier, his partner on the NFL Films show, “This Week in Pro Football.”

1975 — Hosts the Pan American Games in Mexico.

1976 — Calls Super Bowl X with Brookshier.

1978 — Calls Super Bowl XII in New Orleans.

1980 — Calls Super Bowl XIV, his last with Brookshier.

1981 — Splits the first 8 weeks of the season between Hank Stram and John Madden. After Week 8, CBS decides to team Summerall and Madden permanently.

1982 — Summerall calls Super Bowl XVI with Madden.

1983 — Replaces Vin Scully on the 18th hole at The Masters and teams with Ken Venturi on the PGA on CBS for the rest of his time on the network.

1984 — Summerall and Madden team for Super Bowl XVIII.

1985 — Calls the NCAA Tournament with Larry Conley.

1987 — Summerall and Madden team for their third Super Bowl (XXI).

1990 — Summerall and Madden call Super Bowl XXIV.

1992 — Summerall and Madden call Super Bowl XXVI. Is admitted to the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment of alcoholism.

1994 — Summerall and Madden call their last NFL game for CBS, the NFC Championship between San Francisco and Dallas at Texas Stadium. Summerall calls his final Masters on CBS and is replaced on the 18th hole by Jim Nantz. Summerall and Madden join Fox Sports.

1997 — Summerall and Madden call their first Big Game in five years, Super Bowl XXXI on Fox.

1999 — Summerall and Madden pair for Super Bowl XXXIII.

2002 — Summerall and Madden call Super Bowl XXXVI, their final Big Game together. Madden leaves Fox to join Al Michaels on Monday Night Football. Summerall retires, then decides to return to Fox calling primarily Dallas Cowboys calls with Brian Baldinger. After the 2002 season, Summerall leaves Fox after the network would not guarantee he could work mostly Dallas games.

2004 — Substitutes for Mike Patrick on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football and partners with Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire on preseason and early season games until Patrick returns.

2007 — Returns to Fox to call the Cotton Bowl.

2010 — Calls his last Cotton Bowl for Fox.

2011 — Makes his final appearance on Fox on the Cotton Bowl pregame show.

1st Round of The Masters Scores for ESPN

One of the reasons why ESPN wanted The Masters after USA Network was not just the prestige of carrying the event, but also getting viewers. It has certainly done that.

The first round of The Masters from Augusta, GA received a 2.4 household rating for Thursday with an average viewership of 2.851 million viewers. Both numbers are up from the year before. In addition, ESPN says The Masters did very well among younger male viewers in the 18-34 demographic.

Here’s the blurb from ESPN.

ESPN’s Thursday Masters Viewership, Ratings Rise

Viewership and ratings rose for ESPN’s live telecast of the first round of the 2013 Masters Tournament on Thursday, April 11, with double-digit ratings increases among younger viewers.

The telecast averaged 2,851,000 viewers with a 2.4 household coverage rating based on fast nationals, according to the Nielsen Company. Viewership grew seven percent from last year’s first round, which averaged 2,661,000 viewers, and the rating was an increase of three percent from a 2.3 last year. The rating peaked at a 2.7 from 5-5:30 p.m. ET.

ESPN’s telecast also saw a 16 percent rise in the Male 18-34 demographic, averaging a 1.4 rating vs. a 1.2 for last year’s first round, and a 15 percent rise in the Male 18-49 category.

While ESPN’s live Masters coverage ends Friday, the ESPN 3D Network will have live telecasts of the final two rounds of the event on Saturday and Sunday from 4-7 p.m. each day. In addition, SportsCenter and ESPN.com will continue to report from the Masters throughout the weekend.

We’ll see if the numbers are up again for today’s action.

Get Ready to hear “Augusta” Numerous Times This Week

The Masters begins on ESPN on Wednesday with the Par 3 Contest and then the 1st and 2nd Rounds on the Alleged Worldwide Leader followed by weekend coverage on CBS. It also means the repeated playing of its iconic theme, “Augusta” on both networks. The Masters’ theme is so associated with the event, that other rightsholders around the world play it as well.

So to get you in the mood, here’s “Augusta” in its entirety.

I would embed the vocal version, but I think you would revolt so I won’t. You can find it on YouTube if you try hard enough.

Masters Live Returns to CBSSports.com

The Masters’ online presentation has been expanding over the years and for 2013, the tradition of presenting Amen Corner, Holes 15 & 16, and the featured group continues this year. In addition, the CBS Sports Network show, “Masters on the Range” will be shown online as well.

We have the schedule for all of the online channels provided by CBSSports.com and seen also on Masters.com.

Masters Live on CBSSports.com Returns for 2013 Masters^®

Four channels of live golf action let fans follow the Masters Tournament on CBSSports.com and Masters.com

NEW YORK, NY, and AUGUSTA, GA, April 3, 2013 – CBSSports.com, in conjunction with Masters.com, CBS Sports and the Masters Tournament, today announced that Masters Live, live full day video coverage from the Augusta National Golf Club, will return for the 2013 Masters Tournament. With four live channels of golf action, Masters Live will be presented throughout the week of the 2013 Masters, April 8-14, providing more than 90 hours of live video from Augusta National.

The 2013 Masters Live suite of video productions features a line-up of four channels of live golf action from the Masters, including:

• Masters On The Range: Now in its third year, the live show originating from the Tournament Practice Range at Augusta National will be available on CBSSports.com, Masters.com and CBS Sports Network. Presented on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Masters week on CBSSports.com and Monday through Sunday on Masters.com and CBS Sports Network, Masters On The Range will feature interviews with players and analysis of the field leading up to the start of the 2013 Masters. Brian Crowell, Billy Kratzert and Bobby Clampett will provide commentary and analysis for Masters On The Range.
• Amen Corner: Live streaming video of the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th holes from Augusta National. Grant Boone and Matt Gogel will provide commentary and analysis for Amen Corner.
• Hole Nos. 15 & 16: Live streaming video of the 15^th and 16^th holes from Augusta National. Jerry Foltz and Billy Ray Brown will serve as the announcers for 15 & 16.
• Featured Group: Live streaming video of selected groupings as they play hole Nos. 10-18 from Augusta National. Andrew Catalon and Kratzert will be providing commentary and analysis of the featured groupings.

Immediately following the conclusion of CBS Sports’ television coverage on Saturday and Sunday, CBSSports.com will present a Masters Live Weekend Recap Show. Hosted by Boone and Gogel, the Masters Live Weekend Recap Show will review all of Saturday’s and Sunday’s action and be available live and on demand.

In addition to the four channels of live golf action and the Masters Live Weekend Recap Show, CBSSports.com will present the following video highlights from the 2013 Masters Tournament:

Highlights from the Par 3 Contest: First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become a beloved Wednesday tradition at the Masters. The 2013 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 10. CBSSports.com will provide video highlights of the action.

Press Room: Video highlights of player interviews conducted in the Interview Room from Augusta National.

Tournament Highlights: Video highlights of play from each day of the 2013 Masters Tournament.

Historical Highlights on Demand: On-demand video of memorable highlights and classic moments from past Masters Tournaments.

Augusta National Aerials: On-demand video fly-overs of the Augusta National Golf Club, allowing fans to enjoy the beauty of one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

All elements of Masters Live will be available free of charge at CBSSports.com and Masters.com.

The Masters, the most renowned tournament in golf, will be broadcast on CBS Sports for the 58^th consecutive year, a record for the longest-running sporting event broadcast on one network. This year marks the 77^th Masters Tournament, one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year.

Schedule for Masters Live Video on CBSSports.com and Masters.com in 2013

Masters on the Range (Presented Monday-Wednesday on CBSSports.com and Monday-Sunday on Masters.com)

Tuesday, April 9: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Wednesday, April 10: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Thursday, April 11: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday, April 12: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Saturday, April 13: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sunday, April 14: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM 

Featured Group*

Thursday, April 11:     12:00 Noon – Completion of play
Friday, April 12: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
Saturday, April 13:      12:30 PM – Completion of play
Sunday, April 14:       12:30 PM – Completion of play

Amen Corner*

Thursday, April 11:      10:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday, April 12:           10:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, April 13:      11:45 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, April 14:        11:45 AM – 6:00 PM

15 & 16*

Thursday, April 11:       11:45 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday, April 12:            11:45 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 13:       12:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Sunday, April 14:       12:30 PM – 6:30 PM

* Start and end times are estimates and subject to change. All times eastern daylight.

That is all.

ESPN at The Masters

Coming up this week, the golf calendar really comes into focus as The Masters^® takes place this week in Augusta, GA. ESPN will carry the first two rounds of the tournament on Thursday and Friday. The network also carries the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday as players get to have fun before the real thing starts the following day.

Mike Tirico will be the host for ESPN’s coverage in Butler Cabin. He’ll be joined by Curtis Strange. CBS will produce ESPN’s coverage and provide their announcers for the early rounds.

ESPN’s live coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET and will run until 7:30. Edited replays will run Thursday and Friday nights starting at 8 p.m. ET.

We have ESPN’s full coverage plans which will begin in earnest on Wednesday.

ESPN at the Masters Tournament

One of the great traditions of spring, the Masters Tournament at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club will kick off ESPN’s championship golf schedule for 2013. In its sixth year at the Masters, ESPN will air 4.5 hours of live Tournament play daily from the first two rounds, the traditional Par 3 Contest the day preceding the Tournament and four days of action on the ESPN 3D Network. Expansive news, information and analysis will appear on a variety of ESPN platforms in the U.S. and internationally, including television, radio, online and mobile devices.

ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air 4.5 hours of live first and second round action on Thursday, April 11, and Friday, April 12, from 3-7:30 p.m. ET with an edited encore presentation in prime time each night from 8-11 p.m. Live ESPN coverage will also be simulcast on ESPN3 and WatchESPN. The ESPN 3D Network will air three hours of live play from the first two rounds each day starting at 4:30 p.m. as well as live play from the Saturday and Sunday rounds at 4 p.m.

Prior to the live television windows Thursday and Friday, SportsCenter will air updates every 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. daily.

Mike Tirico will serve as host of ESPN’s Thursday and Friday telecasts and will conduct player interviews from Augusta National’s Butler Cabin with analyst Curtis Strange. CBS will again produce the telecasts with CBS’ golf announce crew also contributing to the coverage.

SportsCenter at the Masters

ESPN’s flagship news and information program SportsCenter will feature live updates from Augusta National Golf Club throughout the Masters Tournament beginning the afternoon of Monday, April 8.

On the first two days of play, Thursday and Friday, April 11-12, SportsCenter will bring viewers up to date from Augusta every 30 minutes with highlights, scores and interviews until ESPN’s telecast of live play begins at 3 p.m. each day. Included will be Thursday’s traditional ceremonial first tee shot with legendary golfers Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

A one-hour SportsCenter at the Masters special will air Wednesday, April 10, at 5 p.m. on ESPN with a preview of the tournament. Host Scott Van Pelt will be joined by analyst Andy North and reporter Tom Rinaldi as well as ESPN.com national columnist Gene Wojciechowski and ESPN The Magazine columnist Rick Reilly. The SportsCenter special follows ESPN’s telecast of the Masters Par 3 Tournament from 3-5 p.m.

Several player press conferences will take place on Tuesday, April 9, and SportsCenter will air the news conferences of Rory McIlroy (9:30 a.m.), Tiger Woods (1 p.m.) and Phil Mickelson (2:30 p.m.).

Van Pelt and Mike Tirico will host SportsCenter reports from the Masters with North and Rinaldi and contributions from analysts Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger.

Wojciechowski will present a feature on 14-year-old Tianlang Guan, the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the Masters. The young phenom is shown during preparations in his native China, where Wojciechowski and an ESPN crew spent a week with him, and ESPN spent time with him as he first arrived at Augusta.

Also airing across multiple ESPN programs including SportsCenter will be Tirico’s conversation with Tiger Woods at the recent PGA TOUR event in Orlando.

The Masters on ESPN 3D

ESPN’s television coverage will include 12 hours of programming in 3D on the ESPN 3D network, with three hours daily from all four rounds of Tournament action. Thursday and Friday’s telecasts begin at 4:30 p.m. while the weekend telecasts begin at 4 p.m. Sean McDonough will host ESPN 3D’s telecasts of the first two rounds with analyst Paul Azinger, while Azinger will join host Mike Tirico and analyst Curtis Strange for the weekend rounds.

Masters Par 3 Contest

The fun and family-oriented Masters Par 3 Contest will air Wednesday, April 10, from 3-5 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3. The Par 3 Contest, which began in 1960, was first televised by ESPN in 2008. On the telecast, Mike Tirico, Andy North and Curtis Strange will be joined by Tom Rinaldi, who will conduct interviews on the putting green.

The Masters on ESPN Deportes

ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s multimedia, Spanish-language sports brand dedicated to providing the widest variety of sports to the U.S. Hispanic sports fan, will have live television coverage of the first and second rounds of the Masters Tournament on Thursday and Friday, April 11-12, from 3-7:30 p.m. Francisco Aleman (analyst), Silvia Bertolaccini (play-by-play) and John Sutcliffe (on-course reporter) will call the action from Augusta National Golf Club.

In addition, ESPNDeportes.com, the No. 1 Spanish-language sports website among Spanish-preferred fans in the U.S., will offer extensive Masters coverage at its golf index page, including:

• Chats with the on-air experts.
• Various feature golf columns leading up to first-round play and post reports daily.
• Previews and analysis, including a hole by hole preview
• Nightly ESPN video wrap by ESPN Deportes’ golf experts on site.
• Daily blogs
• Real-time leaderboards
• Hole-by-hole analysis
• Daily tournament photo galleries and video highlights
• Daily polls

The Masters on Other ESPN Digital Platforms

WatchESPN

All Masters programming on ESPN is also available on computers, smartphones, tablets and Xbox via WatchESPN, accessible to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliate provider including Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity TV, Midcontinent Communications, Cablevision, Cox, Charter Communications and AT&T U-verse.

ESPN.com

• News, reactions and columns from senior golf writers Farrell Evans and Bob Harig, national columnist Gene Wojciechowski and ESPN The Magazine columnist Rick Reilly.
• “Digital Drive,” an exclusive ESPN.com program hosted by Scott Van Pelt and Andy North, will be produced each night Wednesday-Sunday of Masters week.
• Live chat, featuring new “Scribble Live” application, moderated by golf reporter Michael Collins and ESPN The Magazine’s Sarah Turcotte.
• A new original digital comedy video with defending Masters champion Bubba Watson and Collins debuts April 4.
• Collins will hand out nightly grades for the top 10 players in the world plus other notable names.
• “Championship Central” on the ESPN.com/Golf index page focusing on the majors and the Presidents Cup.
• ESPN Golf Cast with an easy to use interface with scoring, video and social media elements.
• Links to Masters.com incorporating traffic roll-up of live feeds from Amen Corner, Holes 15 and 16 and the Featured Group 1 and Featured Group 2 channels.
• Pre-Tournament coverage began in mid-March with the “Road to The Masters” series tracking the latest news and historical reviews of the year’s first major. Included are more than 50 Masters Moments video highlights.
• Daily Masters coverage began April 1 with ESPN analyst Andy North ranking his best 10 shots in Masters history by a Masters winner. The video series began with the 10^th ranking and will conclude Wednesday, April 10, with the No. 1 shot.
• Interactive elements including Best Ball Challenge and Masters conversation pages.

• Video clips from ESPN golf analysts Andy North, Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger.
• Photo Galleries
• Live scoring from Masters.com.

ESPN3

ESPN’s multi-screen, live event sports network will simulcast ESPN’s telecast of the Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 10, from 3-5 p.m. and the first and second rounds of play on Thursday and Friday, April 11-12, from 3-7:30 p.m.

Additional coverage of the Masters on ESPN platforms:

ESPN Radio

Dan Davis will provide coverage through all four rounds of The Masters for ESPN Radio and ESPNRadio.com. His in-play reports will run during SportsCenter updates twice an hour. Davis will also guest on network talk shows. Additionally, the weekly Ian O’Connor Show (Sundays 7-9 a.m.) will originate from Augusta on April 14.

ESPNRadio.com will highlight player interviews, course analysis and up-to-the-minute updates of the Masters.

ESPN The Magazine

The “Photo” issue of ESPN The Magazine, on newsstands April 5, contains a two-page Masters preview by Scott Miller in the Playbook section. ESPN golf analysts Paul Azinger and Curtis Strange break down Holes 13, 14, 15 and 16 at Augusta National Golf Club.

ESPN International

This year 72 countries will see the Masters on ESPN platforms and can follow the event on ESPN television, online, mobile and broadband platforms.

• Latin America and the Caribbean (all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest coverage to 51 countries and more than 41 million households).
• For the first time ever, a live 30-minute preview show will air prior to all four rounds of the Masters in Spanish-speaking Latin America.
• In Canada, TSN will air the first two rounds of the Masters and the Par 3 Contest live with same day re-airs in primetime of the third and final rounds. RDS will carry all four rounds live in French and the TSN.ca digital platforms will stream exclusive live coverage of “Amen Corner,” a Featured Group of the day, plus holes 15 and 16. TSN’s television networks reach approximately 15 million households.
• In Northern Africa and the Middle East – excluding Israel – all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest will be televised to 21 countries.
• The Par 3 Contest, all four rounds of the Masters and exclusive broadband coverage of “Amen Corner,” a Featured Group of the day and holes 15 and 16 will be live on ESPN Play in Spanish-speaking Latin America and on ESPN Play via the WatchESPN platform in Brazil. Additionally, for the first time, a mobile/tablet version of ESPN Play will be available in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic will feature a tribute to the Masters in the days leading up to ESPN’s live coverage of the event with 43 hours of special programming. The tribute begins Tuesday, April 9, at 8 p.m. ET with an airing of highlights of the 1963 Masters won by Jack Nicklaus, on the 50^th anniversary of that tournament, and will run straight through until 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, when ESPN’s live coverage of the 2013 Masters begins. Following the airing of the 1963 event, other Masters that are celebrating important anniversary dates also will air before the tribute airs highlights from every Masters played since 1960, starting chronologically with the 1960 Masters at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10.

The Masters Tournament – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA
(all times Eastern)

Day/Date	Program	Time	Networks
Wed., April 10	Masters Par 3 Contest	3 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN3, WatchESPN
	SportsCenter at the Masters	5 p.m.	ESPN, WatchESPN
Thu., April 11	First Round	3 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, WatchESPN
	First Round	4:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
	First Round (encore)	8 p.m.	ESPN, WatchESPN
Fri., April 12	Second Round	3 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, WatchESPN
	Second Round	4:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
	Second Round (encore)	8 p.m.	ESPN, WatchESPN
Sat., April 13	Third Round	4 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Sun., April 14	Final Round	4 p.m.	ESPN 3D

That will do it for this post.

Back For Some Linkage

Yesterday, I focused on several press releases before heading out for errands. Today, it’s back to the links.

Daniel Kaplan at Sports Business Journal writes that the NFL wants to set up local zones in Super Bowl host cities similar to what Indianapolis did with a village and zip line this year.

Mike Ozanian of Forbes explores the sale of the San Diego Padres and how it contrasts greatly from the Dodgers sale.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch explores NBC’s plans for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and I liked what I saw during the first night of coverage on Wednesday.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News feels NBC’s multiplatform coverage of the NHL postseason should increase ratings and open ad sale opportunities.

John Koblin at Deadspin looks at ESPN’s free agents and handicaps who stays and who goes.

George Winslow at Broadcasting & Cable notes that one company will provide multiscreen coverage of the Olympics to computers.

Ben Koo at Awful Announcing writes that HBO is interested in the Atlanta Falcons for the next season of Hard Knocks.

Toni Fitzgerald at Media Life explores how the NHL is expanding its brand by marketing a 21 foot tall replica of the Stanley Cup in New York’s Times Square.

Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Michael Bradley says no media outlet is safe from the budget ax.

Karen Hogan at Sports Video Group looks at SNY’s studio renovations.

SVG’s Ken Kerschbaumer tells us how ESPN’s 3D production of The Masters^® has grown over the years.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell says Masters champion Bubba Watson is bound to be a marketing champion as well.

Ira Kantor at the Boston Herald writes that the Red Sox have chosen Comcast to provide computer networking services at their ballparks.

To Fishbowl NY and Jerry Barmash who says MSG Network saw excellent ratings for the New York Rangers this season.

Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union says MLB Network is looking to gain “exclusive content” for the channel.

Ken McMillan of the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says CBS Sports Network airs a special on the Army Spring Football game this weekend.

Laura Nachman says a legendary Philadelphia sportscaster passed away over the weekend.

John F. Morrison of the Philadelphia has the obituary for late sports talk show host Steve Fredericks.

At Press Box, Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com says Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic plans to expand its Baltimore Ravens offseason coverage.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner has a couple of NHL on NBC analysts handicap the Capitals chances against the defending Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that embattled Miami sports radio host Sid Rosenberg has been fired after his latest brush with the law.

And Radio-Info says another embattled sports talk show host takes Rosenberg’s place on his former station.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says a new sports talk show will debut in the market on Monday.

Mel Bracht of The Oklahoman says ESPN’s Skippy Bayless had to backtrack from claims about his high school basketball career on First Take this week.

Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star says new royals TV analyst Rex “The Wonder Dog” Hudler is hoping to win over fans in his new gig.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune writes that NHL fans will see more postseason games on TV than ever before.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the Broadway play on Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times misses Dodgers voice Vin Scully as he’s had to miss broadcasts due to a cold.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a local sports talk show host who late last year acknowledged he has Parkinson’s Disease now finds himself without a job.

The Chronicle gets the host’s reaction to his firing.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the firing came as a surprise.

Sports Media Watch has some various ratings news and notes.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says NBC Sports Network’s NHL ratings are down from last year’s record ratings on Versus.

Martin Charles writes in the Sports PR blog says it’s important for athletes to get media training to understand how to properly handle reporters’ questions.

The Big Lead talks with multi-faceted Julie Alexandria.

And that’s going to do it for now.

Bringing Out Some Tuesday Linkage

Let’s do linkage again. Trying to get this done as I have several errands to run in the afternoon.

At Multichannel News, Mike Reynolds says Fox Sports is eying several sports properties which are coming up for grabs as potential programming for a cable channel which would challenge ESPN.

Mike talks with the President of New York regional sports network SNY about what he’s looking for in 2012.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today discusses the lower ratings for The Masters^®.

Lacey Rose at the Hollywood Reporter goes in-depth on Fox Sports taking over Saturday nights in 2012.

Tim Nudd of Adweek looks at New Era’s sequel to last year’s funny Yankees-Red Sox ads with a new batch for the Cubs-White Sox rivalry.

Mike Shields from Adweek explores how ESPN tries to get fans use its sites as “second screens” while they watch sports on other networks in real time.

David Goetzl at MediaPost notes that ESPN’s public relations blog has now added podcasts.

Also from MediaPost, Wayne Friedman talks about the NCAA Tournament being one of TV’s biggest social media activities.

Bill Cromwell at Media Life says while Bubba Watson brought excitement to The Masters^®, it didn’t translate in the ratings.

To Forbes where Trefis Team analyzes what a Fox Sports cable network would mean for parent company News Corp’s stock price.

Also from Forbes, Tom Van Riper looks at the commitment NBC Sports Group is assembling for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Fox Sports reports that NFL Network is unlikely to bring back Warren Sapp. He just recently filed for bankruptcy.

SportsbyBrooks notes that ESPN’s Skippy Bayless lied about his high school basketball career.

The Lost Ogle which looked into Bayless’ claims about his high school basketball career has an extensive post unearthing Daily Oklahoman stories and box scores. Great stuff.

Sports Video Group looks at one company that will stream the Olympics all over the world.

Evan Silva from Pro Football Talk says based on the success of Super Bowl XLVI, Indianapolis plans to make another run at hosting another Big Game.

Amy K. Nelson has the Miami Marlins statement suspending manager Ozzie Guillen for his comments in Time regarding Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell has Magic Johnson talking about the exorbitant sales price for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Darren notes that incoming NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has signed an endorsement deal with Castrol?

Alex Weprin of TV Newser has a video tour of MLB Network’s New Jersey studios.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says MLB will unveil its version of the Red Zone Channel tonight on three satellite and cable providers.

Laura Nachman notes that a former Philadelphia Phillie joins a local sports radio station for the 2012 season.

At the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg says a local sports radio host continues to fan the Crosby vs. Ovechkin flames.

Lisa De Moraes says “Cops” is the victim of Fox giving Saturday primetime to its sports division.

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson says embattled sports radio host Sid Rosenberg has been suspended. Again.

David Barron at the Houston Chronicle notes that Time Warner Cable subscribers won’t have access to three Astros games on Fox Sports Net.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says Wednesday’s Reds game will be picked up by MLB Network.

Robert Feder at Time Out Chicago reports that a local sports radio host returned to work this week after being out due to health issues.

Sports Media Watch says Fox is reaching back to the old Baseball Network for “Baseball Night in America.”

At Awful Announcing, Ben Koo wishes there would be more synergy between NBC and the Comcast SportsNet regional networks.

To the Bleacher Report where Jim Williams asks which network offers the best MLB announcers?

That’s going to do it.

Masters Champion Bubba Watson To Appear on Late Show with David Letterman

Announced today by CBS, the Late Show with David Letterman will have this year’s Masters champion, Bubba Watson as a guest on Tuesday.

THIS JUST IN…
…from CBS Entertainment

2012 MASTERS CHAMPION BUBBA WATSON TO VISIT CBS’s “LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN,” TUESDAY, APRIL 10

NEW YORK, April 9, 2012 – 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson talks about winning his first major championship Sunday at Augusta in thrilling fashion when he visits the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, Tuesday, April 10 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT). Florida native Watson closed with a four-under-par 68, finishing 10-under-par to tie with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, forcing a sudden-death playoff. After both finishing the first playoff at the 18^th hole at par, on the second playoff hole on the 10^th green, both golfers drove their tee shots toward the woods to the right of the hole, landing Watson, a self-taught golfer, deep in the woods. After a dramatic shot out of the woods to land his ball onto the green within a few feet of the 10^th hole, Watson clinched victory by making par after a bogey by Oosthuizen, earning the lefty his first green jacket at Augusta National Golf Club.

Also visiting the LATE SHOW on Tuesday, April 10 are actor Sean Hayes and musician Shooter Jennings.

The LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN is a production of Worldwide Pants Incorporated. Barbara Gaines, Matt Roberts, Jude Brennan, Maria Pope, Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel and Rob Burnett are the executive producers.

That is all.

Back To Linkage

Been so busy lately that it’s been effecting the blog. Sorry about that. This weekend was planned for me again, so I really couldn’t post too much around the personal events. It also meant I couldn’t watch any of The Masters^® or any baseball. The only things I could watch was The Amazing Race and Mad Men so you could tell what type of weekend it was.

One of these days, I’ll be able to have a normal weekend where I can post what I like.

Anyway, you don’t care about my life or problems, you want links and that’s what I’ll provide.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today looks at CBS’ coverage of The Masters^®.

Mike Foss of USA Today’s Game On has old fossil Fox’s Tim McCarver railing against social networking.

Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Eric Deggans of the Tampa Bay Times says journalists can lead the way to change Augusta National’s sexist policies.

Joe Posnanski writes his last column for Sports Illustrated.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch talks with ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy who freely admits who he’s supporting in the Stan Van Gundy/Dwight Howard conflict that arose last week.

John Consoli from Broadcasting & Cable writes about Fox handing over a majority of its Saturday primetime hours this year to Fox Sports.

Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine says Fox Sports will fill Saturday primetime with existing properties such as college football, MLB, NASCAR, NFL preseason and UFC.

John Ourand of Sports Business Journal explains how Fox Sports came to program a majority of Saturday nights for the network.

Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News reports that Dish Network has picked up the Univision Sports channel.

Sam Thielman of Adweek says NBC will go all out to measure viewing habits on all platforms during the Summer Olympics.

Nat Ives of Advertising Age reports that the poorly promoted NFL Magazine will be shuttered after four issues.

Karen Hogan of Sports Video Group looks at TBS’ plans for Sunday Afternoon Baseball.

The Big Lead explores ESPN kicking out the Colonial Athletic Association from BracketBusters college basketball event after the conference signed a new contract with NBC Sports Group.

Timothy Burke at Deadspin has a screengrab of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball crew with $78 worth of the new Texas Rangers 2 foot long hot dogs.

Boston Sports Media Watch celebrates 10 years. It’s a great site and Bruce Allen has been very kind to me over the years.

To Phil Mushnick at the New York Post who enjoyed a Tiger-fee Masters.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette has the NHL Conference Quarterfinal schedule.

Jim Williams at the Washington Examiner looks at the Broadway play on Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

Bob Molinaro at the Virginian-Pilot feels ESPN is being petty by booting the CAA out from BracketBusters.

The Tampa Bay Times’ Tom Jones gives his two cents on the the weekend in sports television.

Jessica Lipscomb and Victoria Macchi of the Naples (FL) Daily News says the host of an Outdoor Channel/ESPN2 fishing show was killed in a plane crash last week.

Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tells us to get ready for a lot of hockey.

Dusty Saunders at the Denver Post says CBS got the job done at The Masters^®.

Kelly Lyell of The Coloradoan has Colorado State University disappointed about the end of the mtn.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune says it’s no surprise of the demise of the mtn.

Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that the fall of the mtn. was just a matter of time.

Dan Hayes of the North County Times says the San Diego Padres ownership picture is becoming much clearer and that should lead for the formal approval of the team’s rights deal with Fox Sports.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has the sports calendar for this week.

Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star puts a lid on two traditional Original Six NHL rivals who won’t be in the postseason.

Sports Media Watch discusses Fox Sports and the Olympic Trials in primetime plus the end of the mtn. in a news and notes post.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media mostly likes what he sees with NBC Sports Group’s scheduling for the NHL Conference Quarterfinals.

Joe Favorito talks about the latest NHL Playoff beard promotion, continuing activation for the Geico Gekko and promotion for the Family Circle Cup.

And we’re done now.

Over Four Million People Watched The Masters On Friday

ESPN had a record audience watch The Masters^® on Friday, over four million. Actually, 4.1 million watched to be exact. It was the largest audience ever to watch the tournament on a Friday and the third largest ever for a golf event.

ESPN had a 3.3 household rating for the late Friday afternoon coverage matching 2010′s record numbers. It’s also up 14% from last year’s Friday coverage.

We have the ESPN press release.

ESPN Has Record-Setting Friday Masters Audience

With an average of 4.1 million people watching, ESPN’s live telecast of the 2012 Masters Tournament on Friday, April 6, was the most-viewed Friday coverage ever for the event and the third-largest audience ever to watch golf on cable.

According to fast national data from the Nielsen Company, ESPN’s telecast earned a 3.3 household coverage rating, matching the 2010 record for ESPN’s highest-rated Friday coverage of the Masters. The rating was up 14 percent from a 2.9 for last year’s Friday telecast.

The viewership average of 4.1 million for Friday’s coverage of second round Masters play was up from the 3.5 million average for last year’s event and exceeded the previous Friday record of 3.9 million that was set in 2010.

The viewership for the 2012 Friday telecast ranks third all-time for golf audiences on cable, exceeded only by ESPN’s coverage of Thursday play in the 2010 Masters (4.9 million) and ESPN’s telecast of the 2008 U.S. Open playoff (4.8 million).

ESPN’s two-day average rating for the Masters was a 2.8, an increase of 12 percent from last year’s 2.5, while the average viewership for the two days was up from 3 million in 2011 to 3.4 million in 2012.

The ESPN 3D Network will have a live telecast of the final round of the Masters on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. ET and SportsCenter will continue to report from the Masters throughout the weekend.

And that’s it.

ESPN Sees Increased Ratings For The Masters

Thursday’s First Round coverage of The Masters on ESPN saw increased ratings from the year before. ESPN says the fast national rating rose to 2.3 from 2011′s 2.1, a 10% increase. And the average viewership saw a 4% jump from last year, going from 2.55 million to this year’s estimated 2.66 million.

Here’s the press blurb from ESPN.

ESPN’s Thursday Masters Viewership, Ratings Rise

ESPN’s live telecast of the first round of the 2012 Masters Tournament on Thursday, April 5, averaged 2,661,000 viewers with a 2.3 household coverage rating based on fast nationals, according to the Nielsen Company.

The rating was an increase of 10 percent from last year’s first round, which earned a 2.1 rating. Viewership was up four percent over last year’s 2,550,000 average.

Across ESPN digital platforms – including ESPN.com, the ESPN mobile Web and ScoreCenter – the first round of the Masters generated an average of 50,600 people using one of those properties at any given minute of the day, up 35 percent compared to the previous year (source: Adobe/Omniture). Daily unique visitors to the Golf index page on ESPN.com were up 10 percent, while total minutes to the page were up 53 percent. Additionally, daily unique visitors to Golf content on the mobile Web were up 67 percent.

While ESPN’s live Masters coverage ends Friday, the ESPN 3D Network will have live telecasts of the final two rounds of the event on Saturday and Sunday from 4-7 p.m. ET each day. In addition, SportsCenter will continue to report from the Masters throughout the weekend.

That’s it.

The Masters on CBS; A Tradition Unlike Any Other

As Augusta National Country Club swirls in another controversy over allowing women to join, The Masters^® goes on as if nothing is going on in the outside world.

ESPN airs live first and second round coverage beginning today at 3 p.m.

CBS will air highlights of the weekday rounds tonight at 11:35 ET before the Late Show with David Letterman. Then CBS starts its coverage on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday, it’s full 18 hole coverage beginning at 2 p.m.

The usual suspects will be calling the golf at The Masters^®, Jim Nantz, Sir Nick Faldo, Uncle Verne Lundquist, Peter Oosterhuis, David Feherty, Bill Macatee, Ian Baker-Finch and Peter Kostis.

CBS also produces Masters Live online which will focus on Amen Corner, holes 15 & 16 and the Featured Group of the Day.

Here’s CBS’ press release which I never received and stole from its website.

WORLD’S BEST GOLFERS COMPETE FOR COVETED GREEN JACKET AT 2012 MASTERS^®

CBS SPORTS BROADCASTS MASTERS^® FOR 57th CONSECUTIVE YEAR
Masters^® Is Longest-Running Sporting Event Broadcast on One Network

The Masters^®, the most renowned tournament in golf, will be broadcast on CBS for the 57th consecutive year from the majestic setting of Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.  This year marks the 76th Masters Tournament, one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events of the year.  Last year, South African Charl Schwartzel won his first Green Jacket with a record-setting birdie run on the final four holes.  His birdie on the 18^th hole capped off one of the most thrilling conclusions in the history of the Tournament as Schwartzel overtook Rory McIlroy, the 54-hole leader, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy and Luke Donald.

CBS Sports will bring viewers all the color, artistry and drama inherent to the world’s most prestigious golf tournament and first major of the year with live third-round coverage of the Masters on Saturday, April 7 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET).  Final-round 18-hole coverage is scheduled for Sunday, April 8 (2:00-7:00 PM, ET).  Highlights of early-round play will be presented by CBS Sports on Thursday, April 5 and Friday, April 6 (11:35-11:50 PM, ET; both nights).

For the 27th consecutive year Jim Nantz will cover the Masters for CBS (his 25th year as host).  He also handles coverage of the Highlight Shows, originating from Butler Cabin on the grounds of Augusta National. Three-time Masters champion Sir Nick Faldo joins Nantz in the 18^th hole tower as lead analyst. Peter Oosterhuis will describe the action at the 17^th hole; Verne Lundquist, the 16^th hole; David Feherty,  the 15^th hole and Highlight Shows; Bill Macatee,  the 14^th hole; Peter Kostis, the 13^th hole; and Ian Baker-Finch will tell the story at the 11^th and 12^th  holes. Grant Boone and Matt Gogel call the live streaming video action for Amen Corner, along with Jerry Foltz and Billy Ray Brown for 15 & 16 and Andrew Catalon and Billy Kratzert for Featured Group and Jennifer Mills, Peter Oosterhuis and Kratzert call the action for Masters On The Range.

Augusta National, home of the Masters since its inception in 1934, is the unrivaled host to the world’s greatest players and the most memorable moments in golf. Schwartzel returns to Augusta to lead the tournament field of invitees, which is considered America’s most prestigious gathering of professional and amateur golfers. The 2012 tournament field of invitees expected to compete includes past Masters champions Woods, Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera, Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O’Meara, Trevor Immelman, Larry Mize, Ben Crenshaw, Fred Couples, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson,  Zach Johnson, Bernhard Langer,  Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle. Other U.S. players include Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, Sean O’Hair, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan and Matt Kuchar.  Other international stars include Donald, McIlroy, Scott, Day, Ogilvy, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Ryo Ishikawa, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington, Martin Laird, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Tim Clark, Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Aaron Baddeley, Y.E. Yang and Darren Clarke.  (*For the complete 2012 Masters Tournament invitees log onto masters.com)

CBS Sports’ coverage of the Masters will be produced by Lance Barrow, coordinating producer of CBS Golf, along with David Winner, and directed by Steve Milton and Bob Matina. Jim Rikhoff will serve as replay producer. Bob Mansbach will produce the late night highlight shows and Chris Svendsen will direct. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports.

That is all.

Golf Channel Has Masters Week Covered

Now that college basketball is winding down, we can shift to other sports and with the first week of April comes The Masters^®. While ESPN and CBS will provide the live coverage on-course, Golf Channel will be at Augusta to provide coverage of the news conferences, do live interviews and provide analysis. Coverage began on Golf Channel on Monday through Morning Drive with Gary Williams, Erik “I’m in Mensa and I’m Way Smarter Than You” Kusilias and Holly Sonders and Live From The Masters.

Overall, Golf Channel will have 60 hours of Masters coverage, most through “Live From.”

We have the Golf Channel press release.

GOLF CHANNEL HAS THE MASTERS COVERED

Sixty Hours of Live News Coverage from Augusta and Orlando
Palmer, Player, Floyd, Nicklaus, Watson, Crenshaw and Norman Among Daily Special Guests
Begay, Goydos, Browne and Flesch Guest Analysts Throughout the Week
Morning Drive Expands Through Weekend During Masters Week

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 2, 2012) – Golf Channel is primed to deliver 60 live hours of news coverage from this week’s Masters tournament – the most-anticipated major championship in golf -– with live news reports, inside analysis, player interviews, special guest appearances and compelling features throughout the week.

Sixty Hours of Coverage: Headlining the 60 hours of news coverage will be the network’s franchise news program -– Live From the Masters – providing more than 42 hours of live wrap-around news coverage throughout the week from Augusta, Ga., and Golf Channel’s Orlando studios, beginning Monday and concluding Sunday following tournament coverage. Morning Drive, the network’s live weekday morning show, will expand to seven days, with daily guests from Augusta. The 19th Hole will broadcast live from Golf Channel’s Orlando studios on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, and on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, Michael Breed will host a special Golf Fix from Augusta Country Club.

Live From the Masters Broadcast Team and Special Guests: PGA TOUR professionals Notah Begay, Paul Goydos and Steve Flesch and Champions Tour professional Olin Browne are scheduled to join Golf Channel this week as contributing analysts on Live From. Begay will contribute from Augusta, with Goydos, Flesch and Brown in Orlando. Legends of the game also are scheduled to make special guest appearances on the Golf Channel set throughout the week, including Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, Ray Floyd and Greg Norman.

Golf Channel’s Live From the Masters broadcast team will include Rich Lerner, Steve Sands, Todd Lewis, Whit Watson, Nick Faldo, Frank Nobilo, Brandel Chamblee, David Feherty, Charlie Rymer, Billy Andrade, Ken Schofield, John Feinstein, Alex Miceli, Tim Rosaforte, Jason Sobel, Rex Hoggard and Jay Coffin reporting from Augusta, Ga. Kelly Tilghman, Mike Ritz, Tripp Isenhour and Randall Mell will report and contribute from the network’s Orlando studios.

News Conferences: Live From the Masters news coverage will feature pre-tournament news conferences Tuesday and Wednesday from Augusta National, including top-ranked players Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and defending champion Charl Schwartzel. Tuesday’s news conference coverage airs from 1-4 p.m. ET, and Wednesday’s coverage airs from 12-1 p.m. ET.

Live From the Masters News Coverage: Live From the Masters will provide more than 42 hours of comprehensive wrap-around news coverage of the Masters, including player interviews, analysis, up-to-the-minute leaderboard updates and daily features from Golf Channel’s team of anchors, reporters and contributors. Live From the Masters will air Tuesday and Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. ET; Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET; Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. ET, and Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. ET.

Live From the Masters Scheduled Features:

• Defending Champion Charl Schwartzel Recalls Masters Victory – Tim Rosaforte visits with Charl Schwartzel to recount his 2011 Masters victory.
• Fred Couples on 20^th Anniversary of Masters Victory – Fred Couples will sit down with Rosaforte to discuss his Masters victory in 1992 and what it meant to him.
• Mickelson on the Masters – Steve Sands will sit down with three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson to discuss his success at Augusta National and why the tournament has a special place in his heart.
• Rory McIlroy Discusses Masters Heartbreak – Sands visits with Rory McIlroy to discuss his 2011 Masters heartbreak and what he gained from that experience that helped him elevate to World No. 1.
• Larry Mize on the 15^th Anniversary of his Memorable Masters victory – In one of the more memorable playoffs in Masters history, Larry Mize defeated Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman when Mize chipped in from well off the green to claim his lone Green Jacket. The shot is widely known as one of the most memorable shots in tournament history. Rich Lerner will visit with Augusta native Mize, who will take a look back at his remarkable victory.
• World’s Top-Ranked Amateur Patrick Cantlay Talks About his First Masters – UCLA golfer and the world’s top-ranked amateur Patrick Cantlay will visit with Steve Burkowski to discuss his successful 2011 season, resisting the pressures on turning professional and preparing for his first Masters.

Morning Drive Expands to Seven Days: Kicking off Golf Channel’s Masters coverage will be Morning Drive, hosted by Gary Williams and Erik Kuselias. Golf Channel’s popular weekday morning show will expand to seven days during Masters Week and will include special expanded bonus coverage throughout the week, featuring daily guests from Augusta. (Complete airtimes appear below)

Wall-to-Wall Coverage on GolfChannel.com: GolfChannel.com will feature expanded editorial content and interactive capabilities with fans timed to the Masters this week, including:

Live Blogs & Chats
Jason Sobel and John Hawkins will host live chats Thursday-Sunday to keep fans up to date as the action unfolds.

Editorial Coverage
Jason Sobel, Rex Hoggard, Randall Mell, Jay Coffin and John Hawkins and Ryan Ballengee will contribute daily to the Golf Talk Central blog, along with daily columns, news articles, features and breaking news.

Exclusive Online Video Content
Morning and evening updates from Golf Channel’s Live From the Masters team will be available each day.

Live From the Masters Programming (all times ET)

Tuesday, April 3
Live From the Masters 1-4 p.m. (news conferences)
Live From the Masters 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 4
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
Live From the Masters 12-1 p.m. (Billy Payne news conference)
Live From the Masters 6-8 p.m.
Grey Goose 19th Hole 8-9 p.m.

Thursday, April 5 and Friday, April 6
Morning Drive 6-8 a.m.
Live From the Masters 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Live From the Masters 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 7
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
Live From the Masters 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Live From the Masters 7-9 p.m.

Sunday, April 8
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
Live From the Masters 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Live From the Masters 7-9 p.m.

And that is all.

Grinding Out Some Monday Links

Let’s do some links on this Monday.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today says the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game has become a showcase for upcoming NBA talent.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News writes that NBC Sports Network will get a lion’s share of coverage for the London Summer Olympics.

Brian Stelter of the New York Times reports that no-talent hack Ryan Seacrest has signed a new contract with NBCUniversal that also gives him a role on NBC’s Olympic coverage. I shudder at the thought.

Chris Ariens at TVNewser says NBC is putting former Today Show co-host Meredith Viera on the Olympics Opening Ceremony with Bob Costas and Matt Lauer.

Joe Posnanski talks about leaving Sports Illustrated for a new venture with MLB Advanced Media and the USA Today Sports Group. Disclosure: Fang’s Bites is an independently-owned site affiliated with USA Today Sports Group and had no prior knowledge of Posnanski’s move nor of the joint venture with MLBAM.

ESPN.com’s Kristi Dosh, a.k.a. The Sports Biz Miss handicaps the upcoming MLB TV rights deal negotiations.

King Kaufman at the Bleacher Report explains why the site will never do April Fools’ parodies.

Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing has some readers’ suggestions for CBS’ Jim Nantz to close out tonight’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship including one from yours truly.

The great Maggie Hendricks of Yahoo’s Cagewriter has some suggestions on how FX and the UFC can improve the new Ultimate Fighter reality show.

Today is World Autism Awareness Day. You may know a parent, a friend, a relative or a neighbor who is affected by Autism in one way or another. Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball writes in his SportsBash site on how he has been personally affected.

My good friend (despite her being a Yankees fan) Alison Faye in Tales of a Rocket Scientist also writes about her experience with her son who has Autism.

And Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets that he’ll be wearing a bowtie to benefit Autism Speaks.

Brandon Costa of Sports Video Group notes that CBS’ courtside cameras give the network some signature shots for the Men’s Final Four.

Brandon also looks at CBS’ studio set and Super Slo-Mo cameras at the Superdome for the Final Four.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times looks at the new Broadway play focusing on Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post mourns the passing of New York Cosmos great Giorgio Chinaglia.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that the Final Four received its best ratings on CBS in a decade.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette writes that the local cable news network will cover Union in the NCAA Frozen Four this week.

Ken McMillan at the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says a local radio station will cover high school sports.

Jim Wiliams of the Washington Examiner talks with Jim Nantz about his unique double of calling the Final Four and The Masters^® in successive weeks.

Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times reviews the weekend in sports television.

Tom also talks with the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball crew.

Sam Pennington of Suthern Gameday remembers the late Hall of Fame voice of the Kentucky Wildcats, Caewood Ledford.

David Barron from the Houston Chronicle notes two personnel moves at one local sports radio station.

Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explores the average age of those watching various sporting events.

Dusty Saunders of the Denver Post says the first week in April is a literal smorgasbord for the sports fan.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News explores the reasons why MLB clubs are so gung-ho on regional sports network rights fees.

Tom has your sports calendar for this week.

Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star has what writers outside of Canada are saying about the Blue Jays.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail was amused by a verbal sparring match aired in Canada over the weekend.

Barry Petchesky at Deadspin looks at one April Fools newspaper column that went published without being properly vetted.

Sports Media Watch says ratings for the NBA on ABC saw big increases.

Steve Lepore of Puck The Media says the NHL on NBC also had a good number.

And Joe Favorito says Fenway Park is ready to celebrate its Centennial.

We’re done.

Attempting A Friday Megalink Post

This week has been hellish for me and I apologize for not being able to post as much as I would like. I’ve been away from my computer for most of the day and by the time I get home, I’m tired and don’t want to update the blog.

Well, with me already done my errands for today, I’ll give you some linkage that has been seriously lacking this week.

Of course, there’s the Weekend Viewing Picks which you can peruse.

National

Michael Hiestand of USA Today says Jim Rome is hoping to make a splash as he prepares to launch his new daily show on CBS Sports Network.

Reid Cherner of USA Today’s Game On! blog says perpetually angry ESPN college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb is throwing his hat into the Kansas State coaching ring.

The Associated Press was on hand to witness Root Sports Northwest’s production of the Seattle Mariners-Oakland A’s regular season openers in Japan without actually traveling to the Far East.

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim has more thoughts on the numerous conflicts of interest in tennis broadcasting.

Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand has Fox Sports’ statement on its carriage dispute with Time Warner Cable over Fox Sports San Diego.

John profiles legendary sports television producer Don Ohlmeyer.

Around the Rings has the press release regarding the European Broadcasting Union obtaining the rights to the World Cups in 2018 and 2022.

ESPN Ombudsman Jason Fry of the Poynter Institute says college basketball analyst Bob Knight should not be allowed to live by his own rules when he’s on TV.

Scott Soshnick and Steven Church of Bloomberg Businessweek says the Los Angeles Dodgers sale was sparked by media rights.

Alex Ben Block of the Hollywood Reporter says former Sony Pictures head Peter Gruber who’s part of the new Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group could bring a new attitude towards marketing the team.

Jon Lafayette of Broadcasting & Cable has Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott calling rights fees for college football are undervalued.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says NESN National is being launched in Indianapolis.

Tim Nudd at Adweek says Chrysler is unveiling four new follow ups to its “Halftime in America” Super Bowl spots during various events this weekend including the NCAA Final Four and Mad Men.

Adweek’s Mike Shields writes ESPN.com is partaking in Facebook’s Open Graph, but with some restrictions.

Jason Del Ray at Advertising Age notes that CBS/Turner brought in its highest sales revenue ever for March Madness Live.

Ronnie Ramos at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says March Madness has been enhanced by social media and the digital experience.

The Brothers Yoder at Awful Announcing cast the upcoming Anchorman sequel using ESPN’ers. This is good.

Ben Koo at AA is not a huge fan of the overhead shots employed by CBS/Turner for the NCAA Tournament.

Dan Fogarty at SportsGrid says the Los Angeles Times feels there’s one person who could spoil the new ownership for the Dodgers.

Ahmed Yussuf at EPL Talk gives a first-hand account of following the English Premier League from Australia.

Sports Media Watch says last weekend’s rain-shortened NASCAR on Fox event did not do well in the ratings.

Joe Favorito asks if ‘The Hunger Games” could give archery a boost in time for this summer’s Olympics.

Jason McIntyre at The Big Lead reports that Joe Posnanski is leaving Sports Illustrated.

Ty Duffy at The Big Lead says the potential Fox cable sports network may not knock down ESPN, but could give it a run for its money.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell talks about two rival Hollywood agencies representing Tim Tebow simultaneously.

Bob’s Blitz says WFAN’s Craig Carton browbeat former Tiger Woods swing coach Hank Haney to the point where he hung up.

Brandon Costa of Sports Video Group says CBS returns to New Orleans where it began its Final Four journey 30 years ago.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe says ESPN MLB analyst Curt Schilling is facing hypocrisy calls after he criticized his former Red Sox team this week.

Chad adds some thoughts on Schilling and on NESN’s Jenny Dell that didn’t make his column.

Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch writes in SB Nation that a Tiger Woods in contention is good for The Masters^® and its TV partners.

Bob Tedeschi of the New York Times reviews this year’s edition of the MLB At-Bat app.

Richard Sandomir from the Times examines the Dodgers sale.

Anthony Riemer of Newsday looks at Jeremy Lin’s lunch with the sacked ESPN.com editor who unwittingly made a racial slur last month.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post feels Fox Sports’ Jimmy Johnson should not be advocating violence. I don’t think he did, Phil, but continue to hate everything, ok?

Justin Terranova of the Post has five questions for former Tennessee and current Sirius XM analyst Bruce Pearl on the Final Four.

The Albany Times Union’s Pete Dougherty has the ESPN MAC football schedule.

Pete has CBS excited about this year’s Final Four.

Jane Kwiatkowski of the Buffalo News says this is a tough time for the local TV sportscast.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call looks at a local PBS documentary on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Laura Nachman says Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia is ready for Phillies baseball.

Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog says the Fox sitcom “Raising Hope” gave another of many Capitals references.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner talks with MLB Network’s Mitch “Wildi Thing” Williams.

South

David Barron from the Houston Chronicle writes that the Houston Open should be helped by a lot of interesting storylines.

David says Jim Rome is getting ready for his CBS Sports Network closeup.

David writes that Texans running back Arian Foster is taking his show to the team’s radio flagship station.

In The Oklahoman, Mel Bracht has ESPN’s MLB analysts predicting the upcoming season.

Mel says there will be plenty of baseball available in the Oklahoma City market.

Mel reports a local radio station has flipped to being a full-time ESPN Radio affiliate.

Mel writes that a local radio sports director has been laid off thanks to Clear Channel.

Midwest

Elton Alexander of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer says New Orleans has provided CBS with plenty of Final Four excitement.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says a local TV station plans to ride the Kentucky train for as long as possible.

John says a couple of long-time local radio veterans got the ax due to Clear Channel cost cutting.

John writes that a radio documentary on late Cincinnati Reds voice Waite Hoyt airs this weekend.

The Indianapolis Star says Butler coach Brad Stevens will be a guest analyst for CBS on the Final Four.

Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes the Brewers have extended their radio rights deal with their long-time flagship station.

Bob says a local sportscaster is back to work after a long illness.

Bob tells us that Marquette coach Buzz Williams will also be a guest analyst on CBS this weekend.

Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin writes that CBS loves New Orleans at Final Four time.

Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says 20 Cardinals games won’t be seen by AT&T U-Verse subscribers this season.

Dan writes that the defending champions Cardinals will be in the national spotlight quite a few times this season.

West

Jay Posner at the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Fox Sports San Diego is not optimistic of getting a deal with two cable providers in time for Padres opening day.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star has ESPN’s MLB analysts praising Magic Johnson’s presence with the Dodgers.

Jim was surprised that Kentucky-Louisville wasn’t the nightcap for the Final Four.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says Lakers fans are enjoying having guest analysts on radio broadcasts this season.

Tom talks with Jim Rome about his CBS Sports Network show.

Tom has more on Rome in his blog.

Canada

The usually uninformed Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says CBC Sports appears to be rudderless as it heads into a new NHL negotiation.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog has the viewership numbers for Canadian sports television from last week.

And that will conclude the megalinks.

Masters Live Returns to CBSSports.com & Masters.com Next Week

The streaming webcast, Masters Live returns next week as The Masters^® comes back onto the sports scene.

For the first time, “Masters on the Range” will be seen both online and on CBS Sports Network. This will be seen on the days leading up the First Round.

When play begins, web “patrons” will be able to see the action on Amen Corner, Holes 11, 12 and 13 plus Holes 15 & 16 and the featured group in the both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Some of the announcers working for Masters Live will include Andrew Catalon, Grant Boone, Jennifer Mills, Billy Kratzert, Matt Gogel, Peter Oosterhuis and Jerry Foltz. This marks the first year that we won’t see the late Jim Huber on the coverage and the great sports essayist will be missed on this event.

We have the details plus the online schedule for each day at The Masters^®.

MARCH 29, 2012:CBSSports.com, in conjunction with Masters.com, CBS Sports and the Masters Tournament, today announced that Masters Live, live video coverage from the Augusta National Golf Club, will return for the 2012 Masters Tournament. Now with four live channels of golf action, Masters Live will be presented throughout the week of the 2012 Masters, April 2-8, providing more than 90 hours of live video from Augusta National. The 2012 Masters Live suite of video productions features a line-up of four channels of live golf action from the Masters, including:

• Masters On The Range: A live show originating from the Tournament Practice Range at Augusta National, Masters On The Range will be available for the first time in 2012 on CBSSports.com and CBS Sports Network. Presented on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Masters week, Masters On The Range will feature interviews with players and analysis of the field leading up to the start of the 2012 Masters. Jennifer Mills, Billy Kratzert and Peter Oosterhuis will provide commentary and analysis for Masters On The Range.
• Amen Corner: Live streaming video of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes from the Augusta National Golf Club. Grant Boone and Matt Gogel will provide commentary and analysis for Amen Corner.
• 15 & 16: Live streaming video of the 15th and 16th holes from the Augusta National Golf Club. Jerry Foltz and Billy Ray Brown will serve as the announcers for 15 & 16.
• Featured Group: Live streaming video of selected pairings as they play Hole Nos. 10-18 from Augusta National Golf Club. Andrew Catalon and Kratzert will be providing commentary and analysis of the Featured Groupings.

Immediately following the conclusion of CBS Sports’ television coverage on Saturday and Sunday, CBSSports.com will present a Masters Live Recap Show. Hosted by Boone and Gogel, the Masters Live Recap Show will review all of Saturday’s and Sunday’s action and be available live and on demand.

In addition to the four channels of live golf action and the Masters Live Recap Show, CBSSports.com will present the following video highlights from the 2012 Masters Tournament:

• Highlights from Par 3 Contest: First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become a beloved Wednesday tradition at the Masters. The 2012 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 4. CBSSports.com will provide video highlights of the action.
• Press Room: Video highlights of player interviews conducted in the Interview Room from Augusta National.
• Tournament Highlights: Video highlights of play from each day of the 2012 Masters Tournament.
• Historical Highlights on Demand: On demand video of memorable highlights and classic moments from past Masters Tournaments.
• Augusta National Aerials: On demand video fly-overs of the Augusta National Golf Club, allowing fans to enjoy the beauty of one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

All elements of Masters Live will be available free of charge at CBSSports.com and Masters.com.

The Masters, the most renowned tournament in golf, will be broadcast on CBS Sports for the 57th consecutive year, a record for the longest-running sporting event broadcast on one network. This year marks the 76th Masters Tournament, one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events of the year.

Schedule for Masters Live Video on CBSSports.com and Masters.com in 2012

Masters on the Range (Also airs on CBS Sports Network)

• Monday, April 2: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
• Tuesday, April 3: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
• Wednesday, April 4: 9:00 – 11:00 AM

Featured Group*

• Thursday, April 5: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Friday, April 6: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Saturday, April 7: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Sunday, April 8: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play

Amen Corner*

• Thursday, April 5: 10:45 AM – 5:45 PM
• Friday, April 6: 10:45 AM – 5:45 PM
• Saturday, April 7: 12:00 Noon – 5:45 PM
• Sunday, April 8: 11:45 AM – 5:45 PM

15 & 16*

• Thursday, April 5: 11:45 AM – 6:45 PM
• Friday, April 6: 11:45 AM – 6:45 PM
• Saturday, April 7: 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM
• Sunday, April 8: 12:45 PM – 6:30 PM

* Start and end times are estimates and subject to change. All times eastern daylight.

That will conclude this post.

The Masters on ESPN

Starting next Wednesday, the annual rite of Spring, The Masters^® takes place at the scenic Augusta National Country Club in Augusta, GA. For five days starting with the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 4 through to the Final Round on Sunday, April 8, we’ll hear the familiar “Augusta” theme that has accompanied CBS’ as well as USA Network’s and now ESPN’s coverage of The Masters^®.

This year mark’s the fifth consecutive year that ESPN will air the Par 3 as well as the first two rounds of the tournament.

Instead of “fans”, we’ll hear about “Patrons.” Instead of the “rough,” announcers will describe the “second cut.” And instead of Gary McCord, we have nobody.

Anyway, ESPN will have extensive coverage of the PGA Tour’s first major of the year starting with the annual Par 3 contest on Wednesday, April 4 where the golfers will be able to “let down their hair” so to speak and have fun on the golf course.

Then ESPN will get its coverage going in earnest on Thursday, April 5 with the 1st round airing live at 3 p.m. ESPN 3D which about 17 people across the country can watch will have three hours of daily coverage from Thursday through Sunday.

Other ESPN platforms covering The Masters include ESPN Radio, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews and ESPN International. To say ESPN has The Masters^® is a huge understatement.

ESPN’s Live Masters Coverage Returns for Fifth Year

Live Play on WatchESPN; ESPN 3D Coverage Expands; SportsCenter Reports Start Monday

In its fifth year of live coverage of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, ESPN will air 4.5 hours of live Tournament play daily from the first two rounds, the traditional Par 3 Contest the day preceding the Tournament and 14 total hours of action on the ESPN 3D Network. Expansive news, information and analysis will appear on a variety of ESPN platforms in the U.S. and around the world, including television, radio, online and mobile devices.

ESPN and ESPN HD will air 4.5 hours of live first and second round action on Thursday, April 5, and Friday, April 6, from 3-7:30 p.m. ET with an edited encore presentation in prime time each night from 8-11 p.m. ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language U.S. sports network, also will televise the first and second rounds live from 3-7:30 p.m. and the ESPN 3D Network will air three hours of live play from the first two rounds each day starting at 4:30 p.m. as well as live play from the Saturday and Sunday rounds and the Par 3 Contest.

Prior to the live television windows Thursday and Friday, ESPN’s flagship news and information program SportsCenter will air updates every 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. daily.

Mike Tirico will serve as host of ESPN’s Thursday and Friday telecasts and will conduct player interviews from Augusta National’s Butler Cabin with analyst Curtis Strange. CBS will again produce the telecasts with CBS’ golf announce crew also contributing to the coverage. Paco Aleman and analyst Silvia Bertolaccini will present on ESPN Deportes with John Sutcliffe serving as the on-course reporter.

SportsCenter at the Masters
Live reports on SportsCenter from Augusta National Golf Club begin Monday, April 2, in the afternoon and continue through Sunday. Media Day is Tuesday, April 3, and SportsCenter will air the news conferences of Tiger Woods (1 p.m.) and Phil Mickelson (2:30 p.m.). Tirico and Scott Van Pelt will host SportsCenter reports from the Masters and will be joined by analysts Andy North, Paul Azinger and Strange, and reporter Tom Rinaldi. Van Pelt, North and Rinaldi also will present a special one-hour preview SportsCenter at the Masters on Wednesday, April 4, at 5 p.m. following the Par 3 Contest telecast. ESPN the Magazine’s Rick Reilly will provide essays for SportsCenter Wednesday through Sunday.

The Masters on ESPN 3D
ESPN’s television coverage will include 14 hours of programming in 3D on the ESPN 3D network, an additional 2.5 hours from last year’s coverage. Included will be three hours daily from all four rounds of Tournament action plus two hours of Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest. Thursday and Friday’s telecasts begin at 4:30 p.m. while the weekend telecasts begin at 4 p.m. The Par 3 Contest airs at 3 p.m. In 2010, the Masters became the first major sporting event produced and broadcast live in 3D internationally on television and the Internet. Gannon will host ESPN 3D’s telecasts with analyst Azinger Wednesday through Friday, while Tirico, Azinger and Strange will have the call Saturday and Sunday.

Masters Par 3 Contest
The Masters Par 3 Contest will air live Wednesday, April 4, from 3-5 p.m. on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN 3D and ESPN3. The Par 3 Contest, which began in 1960, was first televised by ESPN in 2008. On ESPN, Tirico, North and Strange will be joined by Rinaldi, who will conduct interviews on the putting green, and on-ground reporter Peter Kostis. Host Terry Gannon and analyst Azinger will be the announcers on ESPN 3D.

The Masters on ESPN Digital Platforms

WatchESPN
All Masters programming on ESPN also is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.

ESPN.com 

• News, blogs and columns from ESPN.com national columnist Gene Wojciechowski and golf writers Farrell Evans and Bob Harig.
• “CoverItLive” application moderated by Michael Collins.
• “Championship Central” on the ESPN.com/Golf index page focusing on the majors and the Ryder Cup.
• The ESPN Golf Cast application, which offers an easy-to-use interface with scoring, “CoverItLive,” video and social media elements.
• “Road to The Masters” series tracking the latest news and historical look backs of the year’s first major. Included are 50+ Masters Moments video highlights.
• ESPNRadio.com with highlighted player interviews, course analysis and up-to-the minute updates of the Masters
• Video clips from ESPN golf analysts Andy North, Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger.
• Photo Galleries
• Live scoring from Masters.com
• ESPNDeportes.com editorial coverage of the Masters in Spanish will include comprehensive daily print and video content, with analysis from on-air talent Aleman, Bertolaccini and Sutcliffe.

ESPN3
ESPN’s multi-screen, live event sports network will simulcast ESPN’s telecast of the Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 4, from 3-5 p.m.

Additional coverage of the Masters on ESPN platforms:

ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio will present updates from Augusta National Golf Club throughout the Masters Tournament Wednesday-Sunday, April 4-8. Reporter Dan Davis will have live hourly updates (4:40-9:40 p.m.) during the first two rounds and twice-an-hour reports at 20 and 40 minutes past the hour (1:20-8:40 p.m.) throughout the weekend’s SportsCenter Saturday and SportsCenter Sunday programs as well as during ESPN Radio’s NBA and MLB studio shows. Reports will also run on weekday’s SportsCenter AM (5-6 a.m.) and in SportsCenter Tonight (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) throughout the week.

ESPN the Magazine
The April 2 issue of ESPN the Magazine contains a multi-page Masters preview by Scott Miller. The Masters scorecards of three of this year’s favorites, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, are analyzed and Miller says the most crucial holes for each man lie back-to-back-to-back at Augusta (McIlroy – 10, Woods – 11, Mickelson – 12). Miller breaks down why the holes have made a difference to the three superstars in the Masters.

ESPN InternationalThis year 95 countries will see the Masters on ESPN platforms. Fans in these countries can follow the Masters on ESPN television, online, mobile and broadband platforms. The Masters is available in:

• Asia (17.5 hours to 22 countries and 174 million households via ESS), plus  two hours of Par 3 Contest coverage.
• Latin America and the Caribbean (all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest coverage to 51 Countries and more than 36 million households).
• In Canada, TSN and TSN-HD will air the first two rounds of the Masters and the Par 3 Contest live with same day re-airs in primetime of the final rounds. TSN’s networks reach approximately 15 million households.
• In Northern Africa and the Middle East, all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest will be televised to 21 countries.
• The Par 3 Contest, all four rounds of the Masters and exclusive broadband coverage of “Amen Corner,” a featured group and holes 15 and 16 will be live on ESPN Play in Spanish-speaking Latin America and on ESPN 360 in Brazil. Additionally, for the first time, a mobile/tablet version of ESPN Play will be available in Chile.

ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS will offer all the latest Masters news beginning Monday, April 2, with interviews, pre- and post-round news conferences and analysis from Scott Van Pelt, Andy North and Mike Tirico.

ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic will televise a 43-hour Masters Tribute featuring Official Masters Films beginning Tuesday, April 3, at 8 p.m. The tribute will include highlights from every year of the Masters from 1960 through 2011, with programming continuing all day Wednesday and through 3 p.m. on Thursday when first round coverage begins.

The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA

Day/Date	Program	Start	End	Networks
Wednesday, April 4	Masters Par 3 Contest	3 p.m.	5 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN3D
Wednesday, April 4	SportsCenter at the Masters	5 p.m.	6 p.m.	ESPN
Thursday, April 5	First Round	3 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Thursday, April 5	First Round	4:30 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Thursday, April 5	First Round (encore)	8 p.m.	11 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, April 6	Second Round	3 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Friday, April 6	Second Round	4:30 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Friday, April 6	Second Round (encore)	8 p.m.	11 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, April 7	Third Round	4 p.m.	7 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Sunday, April 8	Final Round	4 p.m.	7 p.m.	ESPN 3D

That is it for this post.

Late Monday Night Links

As promised earlier today, I’m giving you more links. I was out earlier today and I’ll be out again tomorrow so it’s going to be a bit crazy for me. So let’s get to the linkage right now.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch looks at the media circus that was the Tim Tebow press conference at the New York Jets practice facility on Monday.

Speaking of Richard, he and CNBC’s Darren Rovell were locked in Round 2 of their Twitter feud. This was fun while it lasted as Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing recaps.

Matt notes that Al Trautwig of MSG Network had a slip of the tongue.

And Matt is gleeful that ESPN’s Jonathan Coachman also had a similar slip.

Christina Settimi of Forbes looks at baseball’s biggest local cable TV rights deals.

George Winslow of Broadcasting & Cable says ESPN has promoted an executive to handle its international digital media efforts.

Sam Laird of Mashable notes that the Boston Bruins have launched their own social media portal, believed to the first in pro sports.

Todd Cunningham at The Wrap says with Tiger Woods win this past weekend, CBS now looks forward to having masterful ratings for The Masters^® in two weeks.

Dale Buss of Brand Channel writes that Jockey brand underwear welcomed Tim Tebow to New York as only it could.

Kevin Kaduk of Yahoo’s Big League Stew has one of the funniest on-screen graphics pulled by Fox Sports Midwest during a St. Louis Cardinals exhibition game.

Jesse Sawyer of the Avon (CT) Patch says ESPN’s Kenny Mayne has sold his Connecticut home over half a year after he moved his family to Washington State.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post hates everybody.

Breaking the Bob Raissman ban to note that the New York Daily News curmudgeon feels Tim Tebow is already a pro at handling the Big Apple media circus.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that the ratings for the NCAA Tournament this past weekend took a huge hit thanks to Tiger Woods.

Greg Connors of the Buffalo News writes about ESPN’s three month-long initiative to celebrate Title IX.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call talks about the departure of local native Meredith Marakovits for the bright lights of New York.

Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog tells us that he’s going to have a partner on the blog.

And Sarah Kogod introduces herself to DC Sports Bog readers in her first post.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner talks with Tennis Channel’s Mary Carillo.

Tom Jones from the Tampa Bay Times reviews the weekend in sports television.

Mel Bracht of The Oklahoman notes that the Oklahoma City Thunder set a new ratings record.

John Kiesewetter at the Cincinnati Enquirer says a nationally syndicated radio morning show will be in town for Reds Opening Day.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Wisconsin-Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 did well in the local ratings.

Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Tribune says BYU basketball coach Dave Rose has a future in TV if he so chooses.

Joe Flint of the Los Angeles Times says an investment bank helped to broker the Pac-12 media rights contract with ESPN and Fox plus other huge sports and entertainment megadeals.

Joe reports that DirecTV and Tribune are in a dispute over the company’s TV stations and this could include WGN America which carries a bunch of sports programming.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail has yet another amazingly uninformed column not realizing that CBS and Turner share the NCAA Tournament and CBS no longer regionalizes games. Many Canadian college basketball fans are aware of this, yet Bruce is not.

Sports Media Watch looks at the lower ratings generated by the NCAA Tournament over the weekend.

SMW has the viewership for the first primetime effort by ESPN2′s First Take.

To Macgasm where we learn that ESPN is teaming with Apple to make sports scores available on the Siri voice platform on the iPhone 4S.

Joe Favorito asks does UFC really needs New York to be successful?

Jim Connelly at USCHO.com wonders if ESPN is doing more to hurt the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament than help promote it.

Maury Brown at the Biz of Baseball wonders when MLB Network will hit Canada.

And we’ll end it there. Good night.

CBS Sports is Proud of Its 26 Sports Emmy Award Nominations

CBS Sports is that organization that just keeps chugging along. It was in a very bleak period from 1994-1998 when it lost the NFL, no NBA, was outbid for the NHL and seemed to heading in downward spiral. But since Sean McManus came on board as its President and now Chairman, the division not only re-obtained the NFL, became a player in college football, kept its PGA Tour commitments, kept the NCAA Tournament thanks to its partnership with Turner Sports, added Showtime Sports to its arsenal and now has CBS Sports Network.

For the 33rd Sports Emmy Awards, CBS and its affiliated networks, Showime and CBSSports.com have received 26 Sports Emmy Award nods, third among the sports network groups behind ESPN and the NBC Sports Group.

Some of CBS’ nominations include Live Sports Special (The Masters), Playoff Coverage (SEC Championship), Studio Host (James Brown), Play-by-Play (Jim Nantz and Marv Albert), Game Analyst (Gary Danielson), Sports Reporter (Tracy Wolfson), Weekly Studio Show (with Showtime for Inside the NFL) and Sports Documentary (again with Showtime for Game of Honor).

In addition, the Army-Navy game received multiple technical nominations.

Here’s the CBS Sports press release.

JIM NANTZ, JAMES BROWN, GARY DANIELSON AND TRACY WOLFSON LEAD CBS’s 26 NOMINATIONS FOR 2011 SPORTS EMMY AWARDS

SHOWTIME/CBS Sports Garner Five Nominations for Epic Army-Navy Documentary A GAME OF HONOR”
CBS Sports’ Coverage of NCAA Tournament, Masters^®, SEC Football and Army-Navy Game Also Receive Nods to Highlight Network’s Other Nominations

Jim Nantz, James Brown, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson lead the list of CBS’s 26 nominations for the 2011 Sports Emmy Awards to be presented on April 30 in New York City.  Nantz, who won the 2008 and 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality -– PLAY-BY-PLAY, once again earned a nomination in that category. Brown’s nomination also is in the category in which he won in 2007, Outstanding Sports Personality -– STUDIO HOST, for THE NFL TODAY and INSIDE THE NFL on Showtime, while Danielson earned a nomination for Outstanding Sports Personality -– SPORTS EVENT ANALYST and Wolfson gained a nod for Outstanding Sports Personality -– SPORTS REPORTER. In addition, Marv Albert (CBS/TBS/TNT) earned a nomination for Outstanding Sports Personality – PLAY-BY-PLAY.

Among the other nominations for CBS Sports include multiple nods for its collaboration with Showtime on the epic Army-Navy documentary A GAME OF HONOR. The documentary garnered five nominations:

CBS Sports, teaming up with Turner Sports, also gained multiple nominations for its coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for Outstanding SHORT FEATURE (Human Highlight Reel – Manny Ohonme: The Great Samaritan); Outstanding LONG FEATURE (NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Amongst Friends: A Story of Loss and Healing); Outstanding TECHNICAL TEAM STUDIO (NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Road to the Final Four) and Outstanding NEW APPROACHES SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE (March Madness on Demand –- NCAA.com/CBS Sports/Turner Sports).

In addition, CBS Sports’ coverage of the Masters® earned multiple nominations for Outstanding LIVE SPORTS SPECIAL and The George Wensel TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (The Masters 3D Coverage –- CBS Sports/ESPN3D). And the Network’s coverage of the Army-Navy football game received three nominations for Outstanding OPEN/TEASE; Outstanding Post Produced AUDIO/SOUND and Outstanding MUSIC COMPOSITION/DIRECTION/LYRICS.

Rounding out CBS Sports’ nominations are Outstanding PLAYOFF COVERAGE – SEC Football Championship Game (Georgia vs. LSU); Outstanding STUDIO SHOW – WEEKLY – INSIDE THE NFL (Showtime/CBS Sports); and OUTSTANDING LIVE EVENT TURNAROUND (Tour de France -– CBS Sports/Versus).

CBS’ Showtime, along with MLB Productions, earned three nominations for its series The Franchise: A Season with the San Francisco Giants for Outstanding Post Produced AUDIO/SOUND; Outstanding MUSIC COMPOSITION/DIRECTION/LYRICS and Outstanding EDITED SPORTS SERIES/Anthology.

Our NCAA Tournament Tuesday Links

I know not many of you will feel it necessary to watch tonight’s FIRST FOUR™ doubleheader of the NCAA Tournament, but I will. Yes, the Tournament doesn’t start in earnest until Thursday, but seeing some postseason college basketball one day after Selection Sunday is always welcome.

Let’s do some links for you.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today talks the fanboys off the ledge, debunking the rumor that Erin Andrews is leaving ESPN.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has a viewer’s primer for the NCAA Tournament.

Brian Lowry of Variety says longer postseasons help the networks to offset rising fees to sports leagues.

In Baseball Prospectus, the Biz of Baseball’s Maury Brown gives us the real reason why Jeff Moorad pulled his offer to take control of the San Diego Padres and it wasn’t because of the team’s new contract with Fox Sports.

Tim Baysinger of Fox Sports Detroit says the regional sports network’s long-time VP of communications died suddenly over the weekend.

Mike Farrell at Multichannel News writes that sports networks carry the most expensive price tag for cable and satellite providers.

R. Thomas Umstead and Mike Reynolds of Multichannel sit down with YES Network officials to talk about the regional sports network’s 10th anniversary.

Emma Bazilian of Adweek says golf and sports magazines are preparing to cover The Masters^®.

Bill Imada at Advertising Age says the frenzy over Linsanity may be fading, but the lessons from that period are still being learned.

Simon Dumenco of AdAge writes that social TV data helped to save a Fox Sports Detroit marketing campaign that seemed doomed from the start.

Diego Vasquez of Media Life speaks with a media researcher about the increased ad inventory for the NCAA Tournament thanks to all the games being made available on TV.

Dan Fogarty of Sports Grid has the video of the national anthem being sung by fans led by the celebrated Timbers Army before last night’s MLS game between the Philadelphia Union and the Portland Timbers. It’s an awesome sight to say the least.

All Access reports that DC sports radio personality Doc Walker is staying with ESPN Radio Washington.

Jack Messmer of the Radio Business Report tells us that a new union contract with NBC gives the rank and file access to NBC Sports Network assignments.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says a woman who kept letters from the late George Steinbrenner dating back to when they were teens has died.

Jerry Barmash of Fishbowl NY writes that a veteran New York sportscaster is retiring after four decades.

Newsday’s Neil Best says ESPN will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark Title IX which brought women’s sports into equal footing with men’s on the collegiate level.

Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer has comments from MLS Commissioner Don Garber and NBC Sports VP Jon Miller about their new partnership.

Tom Jones at the Tampa Bay Times says a local sports radio morning show host called three African American NFL free agents “monkeys”.

A rare Barry Horn sighting for us. In the Dallas Morning News, Barry says the viewership for MLS on NBC Sports Network wasn’t great, but it was up from last year.

Mel Bracht at the Oklahoman notes that Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish is fast becoming a TV darling.

John Keating of Fox Sports Detroit remembers the regional sports network’s PR man who passed away last weekend.

Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Tribune reviews the local TV broadcast of Real Salt Lake’s MLS season opener.

Jeff Pearlman talks with former ESPN’er Sean Salisbury

Jeremiah Oshan of SB Nation says MLS’ debut on NBC Sports Network didn’t do well in the ratings, but was better than on its previous home.

And that will wrap it up for today.

What Should Be The Official Theme Tune For Each Sport?

Since television began, theme songs have helped us to identify our favorite programs. This is certainly the case in sports where the theme for Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, Wide World of Sports, the Olympics, The Masters and others have become iconic.

I thought about writing a post on which themes should be the “official” one for each sport since Paulsen at Sports Media Watch suggested ESPN trade for NBC’s “Roundball Rock” which became so identifiable with the NBA in the 1990′s.

[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/#!/paulsen_smw/status/170230484373209088"]

So in this post, I’m going to provide nominees for each sport from the various networks and have you vote on which one should be the “official” theme. Results will be released next Sunday.

Two examples of how themes are identified with sports. The Olympics on American television have been introduced with”Bugler’s Theme” composed by Leo Arnaud. Played originally on ABC’s coverage of the Olympics starting in 1968, it was purchased by NBC and used starting in 1992 all the way to the present.

Here’s Bugler’s Theme in its original version.

And this is the version used by NBC which is composed by John Williams combining “Bugler’s Theme” with “Olympic Fanfare” which was written for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Masters has its own theme that has been used on CBS and around the world. The theme’s name is “Augusta”.

Those are two examples of iconic sports theme tunes. Now let’s go through the nominees for each sport. There will be no more than three for each sport except for the NFL and NHL otherwise this post could get ridiculously long.

BASEBALL

I have three nominees for Baseball.

This is ABC’s Monday Night Baseball theme from the late 1970′s and one of my all-time favorites.

Here’s the MLB on ESPN theme. This is the current incarnation.

And the MLB on Fox theme that was used from 1996 through 2010, then Fox decided to use its NFL theme for all sports.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CBS March Madness Theme recut for its partnership with Turner Sports.

NBC’s College Basketball Theme from the mid-1980′s. Yes, NBC once had college basketball, kids.

ESPN’s college basketball theme from 1995 through 2001.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Your choices:

The SEC on CBS theme first introduced for Super Bowl XXI and subsequently used on its college football coverage, first the old CFA package in the late 1980′s, brought back in 1996 when CBS came back into college football after losing the sport in the early 1990′s and has been used ever since.

ESPN’s present College Football theme.

ESPN’s old College Football theme used until 1999. I like this one better than the current theme.

NBA

Here’s the NBA on CBS theme used from 1982 until 1990 when it left the sport for good. This is a clean copy of its open utilized from 1982 through 1988. The black spots are for video and voiceover. One of my all-time favorites.

The current NBA on TNT theme as composed by Trevor Rabin.

And you can’t have an NBA theme poll without NBC’s Roundball Rock composed by John Tesh and considered by many as the best sports theme of all-time. I’m inclined to agree.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

We have four choices, one for each network.

This is known as the NFL on CBS “Pots and Pans” theme that was used from 1986 through 1988. I’ve preferred this theme over the others have been utilized since. And ignore the quality of the video, just listen to the theme. And it was called “Pots and Pans” because some fans thought it sounded like pots and pans banging.

The NFL on Fox theme, now the music used for all sports, originally composed in 1994.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football theme composed by John Williams. We’re not using the “I’ve Been Waiting All Day For Sunday Night” sung by Faith Hill for obvious reasons. Someone put a compilation of the current themes together. I like it.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Heavy Action theme.

NHL

I’ll do five here.

The NHL on ESPN theme that was used through 2005.

How about the NHL on Fox theme that was used from 1995 through 1998? Here’s a compilation of the theme. You can still hear it on Fox Sports Net affiliates that carry the NHL locally.

Here’s the NHL on NBC theme that is currently being used. Different variation from its main theme, but you get the idea.

The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom Collins, probably the second most beloved hockey theme in Canada.

The old CBC Hockey Night in Canada theme which is now known as the Hockey Theme as it was purchased and now owned by TSN. Used since 1968.

TENNIS

We have three candidates for tennis.

The NBC Wimbledon theme which won’t be heard anymore as ESPN has the rights to the tournament.

When NBC was in the bad habit of tape delaying matches, I would find ways to watch BBC’s coverage which was always live. I got used to its Wimbledon theme and grew to like it.

And USA Network’s US Open theme music that we no longer hear unfortunately. Remember when USA actually had sports?

I don’t have a clean copy of ESPN’s tennis theme so the three we have will have to suffice.

SPORTS ANTHOLOGIES

Finally, we have the sports anthologies from the networks. This should be quite interesting to get your take. Anthology shows would put together various different events in one show, like track & field, barrel jumping, tennis or diving. ABC’s Wide World of Sports was the first of its kind on American television and then the other networks followed until the anthologies went extinct.

First, from across the pond, BBC’s Grandstand which was one of the longest running sports series on television. This ran until 2007. These are various opens from the 1990′s. This theme is catchy.

Here’s the open from the CBS Sports Spectacular from 1979 using Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

NBC had SportsWorld in the 1970′s and 1980′s. I like this music.

And the original that started it all in the U.S., ABC’s Wide World of Sports. The voiceover is from the late Jim McKay. This open is from 1984.

And that is going to do it. Vote and leave your comments on any omissions below.

CBS’ 2012 Golf Schedule Begins This Weekend

CBS Sports begins its 20 event PGA Tour schedule this weekend with the Farmers Insurance Open live from the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, CA. Jim Nantz and Sir Nick Faldo will be on hand at the 18th green and be joined by the usual cast of characters including David Feherty and Gary McCord to call event.

In addition to the 20 PGA Tour events, CBS will have The Masters^®, The PGA Championship as well as one Champions Tour event.

CBS’ schedule includes the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, The Byron Nelson Classic, The Colonial, The Canadian Open and many others.

Here’s the CBS press release.

CBS SPORTS TEES OFF 2012 GOLF COVERAGE WITH MOST EXTENSIVE SCHEDULE IN NETWORK TELEVISION HISTORY

JIM NANTZ AND SIR NICK FALDO ANCHOR CBS SPORTS’ GOLF COVERAGE
CBS SPORTS’ 2012 PGA TOUR SCHEDULE BEGINS THIS WEEKEND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AT “FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN” IN SAN DIEGO

The Masters? To Air 57th Consecutive Year on CBS; Network Broadcasts 22nd Consecutive PGA Championship

CBS Sports begins its 2012 golf coverage and continues to offer viewers the most comprehensive lineup in the history of network television. CBS Sports will broadcast 23 golf tournaments this year, totaling more than 155 hours of coverage, including the Masters?, PGA Championship, 20 PGA TOUR events, one Champions TOUR event and seven golf specials.

CBS Sports tees off the 2012 season at the Farmers Insurance Open this weekend on Saturday, Jan. 28 (3:00-6:00 PM, ET) and Sunday, Jan. 29 (3:00-6:30 PM, ET), live from the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif.

Jim Nantz, now in his 27th year overall covering golf for CBS Sports, serves as anchor for the Networks’ golf coverage.  Sir Nick Faldo, winner of six majors and more than 40 tournaments worldwide, returns for his fifth year as lead analyst alongside Nantz in the 18th tower. Nantz and Faldo are complemented by CBS Sports’ award-winning golf announce team of Ian Baker-Finch, Gary McCord, David Feherty, Peter Kostis, Bill Macatee, Verne Lundquist and Peter Oosterhuis.

Highlights of the 2012 schedule:

20 PGA TOUR events: Farmers Insurance Open, Waste Management Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Northern Trust Open, RBC Heritage,  Valero Texas Open, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Wells Fargo Championship, HP Byron Nelson Championship, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial,  the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, FedEx St. Jude Classic, Travelers Championship, AT&T National, The Greenbrier Classic, John Deere Classic, RBC Canadian Open, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Wyndham Championship and The Barclays.

The Masters, the most renowned golf tournament and the longest-running sports event on CBS Sports will be showcased for the 57th consecutive year from Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.  Coverage includes a pair of 15-minute highlight shows recounting early-round action on Thursday, April 5 and Friday, April 6 (11:35-11:50 PM, ET, both nights). Live coverage of the third round will be broadcast on Saturday, April 7 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET) and live 18-hole final-round coverage will be presented on Sunday, April 8 (2:00-7:00 PM, ET).

The 94th PGA Championship, the season’s final major which annually hosts the strongest field in championship golf, will be broadcast by CBS Sports for the 22nd consecutive year. Coverage begins with highlights of early-round action on Thursday, Aug. 9 and Friday, Aug. 10 (12:37-1:07 AM, ET, both nights). Live, 18-hole coverage of the third and final rounds will be broadcast on Saturday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 12 (2:00-7:00 PM, ET, both days) from the Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.

The Champions TOUR will be featured on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22 (1:00-3:00 PM, ET, both days) with the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at Savannah Harbor Golf Resort in Savannah, Ga.

CBS Sports also will broadcast three PGA TOUR Specials and two PGA of America Specials in addition to other golf specials throughout the year. CBS Sports will present “Jim Nantz Remembers Augusta: The 1987 Masters” on Sunday, April 8 (1:00-2:00 PM, ET).

Lance Barrow is coordinating producer and Steve Milton is director for CBS Sports’ golf coverage.

Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports.  Rob Correa is Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

And after the jump break, you’ll see the entire 2012 CBS Golf Schedule.

(continue reading…)

Going For Some Wednesday Linkage

Let’s do your links today. Trying to get them done earlier than the last two days. Good stuff to get to today. And I still finish them at 3 p.m.

Tripp Mickle and John Ourand report in today’s Sports Business Daily that the International Olympic Committee will conduct the bidding for the US TV rights for the 2014 & 2016 Games in the first week of June. Needless to say, Fang’s Bites will be watching.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today says the NFL will take a huge hit if the lockout is not resolved by the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

At Pro Football Talk, Michael David Smith says Mark Ingram Sr.’s lawyer is defending ESPN’s Suzy Kolber for her manipulative interview with Mark Ingram, Jr. at the NFL Draft last week.

David Ubben from ESPN.com says the Big 12 and Pac 12 media rights deals do not compare.

Diamond Leung of ESPN.com writes that the new Pac-12 contract is a win-win for basketball.

Patrick Rishe from Forbes says Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott has to be given credit for squeezing lemonade from lemons.

Sofia M. Fernandez from the Hollywood Reporter looks at the new Pac 12 deal with ESPN and Fox.

Jon Lafayette of Broadcasting & Cable notes that with lower expenses due to the sharing of the NCAA Tournament with Turner, CBS had higher profits in the 1st quarter of this year.

Tim Baysinger from B&C writes about Michele Tafoya joining NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News talks about ESPN’s ratings for the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Toni Fitzgerald in Media Life says there are several factors in the sharp decline in ESPN’s ratings and viewership for the NFL Draft.

In Advertising Age, Brian Steinberg says despite the NFL lockout, the networks have begun to sell advertising for football, both college and pro.

At SportsNewser, Alex Weprin tells us that the producers of the Broadway play, “Lombardi” are bringing down the curtain for the final time later this month.

The Huffington Post notes that Good Morning America introduced former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Josh Elliot to viewers on Wednesday. Elliot’s first day at GMA was Monday.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell notes that a LeBron James-endorsed energy strip is looking to pick up where energy drinks have left off.

At Pro Golf Talk, Ryan Ballengee discusses an interview Tiger Woods conducted with Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic about the injury he suffered at The Masters^®.

Carolyn Branff of Sports Video Group delves into the Pac-12 media deals.

Newsday’s Neil Best says “Lombardi” had one hellova Broadway run.

Ken Schott of the Schenectady Gazette talks about Michele Tafoya joining NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Barry Horn at the Dallas Morning News notes that for the Dallas-Los Angeles Lakers series opener, SoCal beat the Metroplex in the ratings.

John Maher of the Austin (TX) American-Statesman reports that the University of Texas will have final say including any firing of announcers from the ESPN-owned Longhorn Network. There’s a great way to leave your integrity at the door.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Bucks guard Chris Douglas-Roberts got some unwanted attention for tweeting about Osama bin Laden’s death.

Bob writes about Michele Tafoya joining Sunday Night Football.

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune talks with TNT’s Dick Stockton about the Bulls’ tepid start on Monday.

John Henderson of the Denver Post says the University of Colorado will get huge financial revenue from the new Pac-12 media rights contracts.

Mike Gorrell of the Salt Lake Tribune says the new Pac-12 deals with ESPN, Fox and Pac-12 Media Enterprises will give Utah fans plenty of inventory to watch.

Lya Wodraska from the Tribune writes that a conference-owned network will give Pac-12 schools some flexibility and exposure.

Patrick Finley of the Arizona Daily Star talks with the athletic director of Arizona State to get her reaction to the Pac-12 deal.

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times says the Pac-12 hit the motherlode of contracts.

Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News says just before it became fruition, the Pac-12 has already given itself a rich history.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News writes that the new Pac-12 deals mean every football and basketball game will be televised.

Rachel Bachman of The Oregonian explains what the Pac-12 deal means for both Oregon and Oregon State.

George Schroeder of the Eugene (OR) Register-Guard notes that Oregon will no longer have to worry about paying for the athletic budget.

Bud Withers of the Seattle Times says the new Pac-12 shows that the conference can no longer be considered a college sports doormat.

In the Toronto Globe and Mail, Bruce Dowbiggin wonders why CBC’s Glenn Healy isn’t a fan of Vancouver’s Green Men who have become a YouTube sensation.

Sports Media Watch notes that the ratings for Game 2 of Celtics-Magic on TNT did not come close to ABC’s numbers on Sunday, but still did well.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says the double overtime Game 2 of Nashville-Vancouver did not do too well on Versus.

I think that will do it for us.

Doing The Saturday Linkage

I got up early this morning (not that you care) and it now enables me to do some links for you. Some good stuff out today.

First USA Today’s Mike McCarthy, we learn that Joe Theismann claims he has not been told about any changes to the NFL Network Thursday Night Football booth. Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch reported earlier this week that Mike Mayock is replacing Theismann and Matt Millen. Thanks to Marcus Vanderberg at SportsNewser for the link.

Back to Marcus at SportsNewser, he tells us that the Los Angeles Times is explaining why it chose to print the homophobic slur Kobe Bryant used against a referee in an NBA game this week.

CNBC’s Brian Beers has three cities to where the Sacramento Kings should relocate and they don’t include Los Angeles.

Kathleen E. McLaughlin of Global Post says an economic summit in Communist China led officials to ban several TV channels including Golf Channel.

There’s a controversy brewing in Philadelphia over a she said/she said story that was originally posted in the Naked Philadelphian blog where Sarah Madson, the wife of Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson was quoted as saying she hates Phillies fans and they’re rude and she won’t live in the city in the offseason. Deadspin picked up the story and the story boomeranged from there.

But Kyle Scott from the Crossing Broad blog did some investigating and found that the writer of the post, Laura Goldman has a rather checkered past. While Mrs. Madson has not denied the quote, the Phillies issued a statement that Goldman never identified herself as a reporter, nor did she record the conversation with Madson. For her part, Goldman said she did identify herself not just once but several times.

Kyle has written a post for CBS Philadelphia on the whole matter and again, he questions Goldman’s credibility. The whole question on bloggers and ethics is coming up again. I’m not sure about Goldman’s actual credentials based on her rather shady past, but there is a standard to uphold on approaching a potential interviewee. If she did identify herself as a reporter, that’s one thing, but according to people who attended the event, there was no notebook or tape recorder and there is a claim that Goldman cornered Madson and would not let her go. This story is apparently not going away any time soon.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News says the NBA’s TV partners are looking forward to high ratings for the postseason.

Mike says Comcast SportsNet Chicago saw record ratings for the Bulls during the regular season.

Mike writes that the NHL on Versus saw increased viewership for the first night of the postseason.

Thomas Umstead of Multichannel writes that NBA.com is going to provide increased coverage for the NBA Playoffs.

Chris Tribbey of Home Media magazine says 3-D TV’s future depends on sports programming.

At SB Nation Boston, Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch takes a look at the Bruins and Celtics playoff TV coverage.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times takes a look at MSG Network Knicks analyst Walt Frazier’s extensive wardrobe.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post reports that Bob Papa and Gus Johnson are “neck-and-neck” for the NFL Network Thursday Night Football gig.

The Gaston (NC) Gazette reports that the local Fox Sports Radio affiliate has picked up the rights to the Charlotte 49ers basketball and football broadcasts.

Chris Bahn of Arkansas Sports 360 notes that the University of Arkansas is reaping the benefits of ESPN choosing its spring football game to air today.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes that the Fox/Big 12 deal could look frugal down the road and Barry also talks with CBS’ Bill Macatee about his infamous Tiger Woods interview at The Masters last week.

Speaking of that interview, the Golf Channel’s Bradel Chamblee takes Tiger to task for being smug with Macatee.

Nathan Olivarez-Giles of the Los Angeles Times writes extensively on the success of NBA.com’s video streams and how it looks to make a mark in social media.

Nathaniel Popper of the Times reports on the Fed’s crackdown on three online poker websites on Friday.

Ben Koo of Awful Announcing says while ESPN reported on the FBI’s shutdown of the poker betting websites, it did not mention the money it took in from each site for advertising.

The Hawaii Reporter says the NBC Sports Group will be covering a rowing and canoeing event at the islands next month.

Sports Media Watch notes the NBA on TNT wrapped up its most viewed regular season.

SMW says the same goes for the NBA on ESPN.

SMW says ABC had its highest-rated and most viewed season for the NBA as well.

Joe Favorito says Vancouver has untapped potential for the NHL and MLS.

And we are now done for the day. If there’s any breaking news, I’ll be here to cover it.

Let’s Do Some Friday Megalinkage

Last week, I could not do the megalinks as I was traveling in between two offices. Yesterday, I seemed to get that out of the way so it appears that I’m free to do the megalinks today. I hope I can give you a full set.

As usual, there’s a full set of Weekend Viewing Picks for sports and primetime programming. You can take them or leave them. Choose wisely.

Now to the linkage.

National

At USA Today, Michael Hiestand and Mike McCarthy debate ESPN’s new endorsement policy. New guidelines on ESPN reporters and anchors endorsing products were issued this week.

The St. Petersburg Times’ Eric Deggans writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center applauds the new ESPN policy.

Jessica E. Vascellaro and Matthew Futterman of the Wall Street Journal report that Comcast wants to become a bigger player in cable sports through its NBC division.

Emma Bazilian of Adweek says NBC Universal’s new CEO wants to make Versus a true challenger to ESPN.

Austin Karp of the Sports Business Journal notes that the NHL’s ratings on Versus are making gains as the playoffs begin.

A story from Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated grabbed a lot of buzz yesterday. Richard reports that NFL Network’s Draft guru Mike Mayock would replace analysts Joe Theismann and Matt Millen in the Thursday Night Football booth and Gus Johnson might replace play-by-play man Bob Papa.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says having both the Knicks and Rangers in the postseason should raise the profile of MSG Network this Spring.

ESPN’s Front Row blog looks at the network’s preparation for the NBA Playoffs.

Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser notes that ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose returns from his suspension this Saturday.

CNBC’s Tom Rotunno says interest in the New York Knicks in the NBA Playoffs is driving the secondary ticket market.

All Access notes that a San Francisco country station has flipped to FM sports talk.

Alan Bastable of Golf Magazine talks with CBS’ Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo about last Sunday’s exciting final round of The Masters^®.

To the Biz of Baseball where the great Maury Brown says MLB’s revenues have grown significantly from 1995 through 2010.

Bob’s Blitz has the video of Comcast SportsNet New England’s Joe Haggerty pushing a Canadiens fan out of camera range during a live shot after last night’s Habs-Bruins game.

The Crossing Broad blog isn’t a fan of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia superimposing ads behind the goal during the Sabres-Flyers series. I noticed Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic doing this too during the Rangers-Caps game on Wednesday.

The great Steve Lepore from Puck The Media likes NHL Network’s pregame efforts for the playoffs, but notes they could do better.

Sports Media Watch says Versus had good ratings for the opening night of the NHL Playoffs.

SMW tells us that Versus hit an all-time viewing high for the 2010-11 NHL regular season.

SMW says NBC had a mixed bag for its NHL regular season viewership.

SMW writes that ESPN will update its graphics and opening theme for the NBA playoffs.

Elie Mystal from Above the Law rips ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson for his thoughts of the Barry Bonds trial. Thanks to The Big Lead for the link.

Joe Favorito explains why he’s no longer writing for The Huffington Post. I’ve been hearing strange dealings going on there since it started a relationship with AOL earlier this year.

Brian Packey at Awful Announcing says the voices of the Sacramento Kings gave a tearful goodbye as they signed off following what could be their last game in California’s capital.

Dave Kohl at Major League Programs talks about MLB celebrating Jackie Robinson Day today.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe writes on how 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich scored a big coup by getting Charlie Sheen on their station after his Boston show earlier this week.

Bill Doyle from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette talks with Boston Bruins radio voice Dave Goucher.

Richard Sandomir from the New York Times discusses the new endorsement guidelines for ESPN personalities.

Stuart Elliot from the Times says ESPN and MasterCard are teaming up to produce a series on soccer that will be show in Latin America.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post continues his vitriol against everybody and everything in sports television.

The Post’s Justin Terranova has five questions for MSG New York Rangers analyst Joe Micheletti.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks with MSG Rangers voice Sam Rosen.

Pete says the Rangers’ playoff opener on Wednesday scored well for MSG Plus.

Ken McMillan from the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record notes that Versus and NHL Network will air the IIHF World Hockey Championships.

Laura Nachman notes that a local sports radio personality will jumping on board with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia for a midday gig.

Peter Van Allen of the Philadelphia Business Journal writes that Saturday is going to be a big day for the Delaware Valley sports fan.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog notes that the Capitals got big ratings in their playoff opener.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner also talks about the record ratings for the Caps.

Jim says with higher expectations for the Nationals, MASN’s ratings for the DC MLB team should rise with them.

South

Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times rightfully criticizes Pittsburgh personality John Steigerwald for his horrific column on Bryan Stow, the San Francisco Giants fan who was beaten into a coma by two Los Angeles Dodgers fans earlier this month.

Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald says by ESPN/ABC choosing the 76ers-Heat series over Knicks-Celtics proves the drawing power of LeBron James & Co.

In the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, ESPN’s Rachel Nichols pays tribute to a former boss.

Steve Gorten from the Sun-Sentinel says ESPNU will air three videos produced by the Miami Hurricanes’ website.

Nate Allen from the Helena (AR) Daily World says ESPN is in town for the Arkansas spring football game.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle writes that Hall of Fame Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton will be speaking about his colorful career at Texas A&M.

Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman says a new era in Oklahoma Sooners broadcasting begins on Saturday.

Midwest

Nice to have George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal in the megalinks again. He says fans without a rooting interest will have plenty of choices to watch in the NBA Playoffs starting tomorrow.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer discusses a new book on the 1961 pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds.

John says several well-known Cincinnati and national personalities were on hand last night to roast a local restaurant legend.

And John writes that from here on end, the Reds will be seen in high definition on Fox Sports Ohio.

Michael Zuidema from the Grand Rapids (MI) Press notes that a local lawyer by day also serves as  minor league baseball team’s radio analyst by night.

The Indianapolis Star notes that last Sunday’s IndyCar race on Versus barely registered in the ratings opposite The Masters^®.

Ed Sherman at Crain’s Chicago Business has some Windy City broadcast news and notes.

Ed says Notre Dame and Northwestern plan to meet on the gridiron again.

And Ed has this week’s winners and losers in sports business and media.

Will Buss of the Belleville (IL) News-Democrat says Fox Sports Midwest and AT&T U-Verse are haggling over 17 St. Louis Cardinals games.

Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says despite not making the playoffs, the St. Louis Blues still set a ratings record for Fox Sports Midwest.

Sam Mellinger at the Kansas City Star says with a new rights deal in hand, the Big 12 became a big money player.

West

John Maffei of the North County Times writes that San Diego State University is concerned that the Mountain West Conference is falling behind in national TV exposure.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says the national NBA television analysts like the Lakers’ chances to repeat as champs this year.

In his notebook, Jim says The Masters^® drew in the viewers.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at how quickly Kobe Bryant’s homophobic slur transcended sports.

Jon Wilner from the San Jose Mercury News looks at the bidders for the Pac 12 TV rights.

George Schroeder with the Eugene (OR) Register-Guard says the Pac 12 is going to get rich very quickly thanks to some TV network.

Canada

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says a throwaway radio comment had Winnipeg laying down the welcome mat for the Phoenix Coyotes.

And we will end the megalinks there.

2011 Masters Is The 2nd Most Watched in Ten Years

CBS tells us that this year’s Masters had an estimated total of 42.3 million viewers watch this past weekend’s coverage. Sunday’s final round received a rating of 9.5 with a 20 share which is the third highest rating for a Masters in the last ten years. CBS has to be pleased with those numbers. We have the press release from CBS Sports.

SECOND-MOST VIEWERS IN 10 YEARS WATCH CBS SPORTS’ MASTERS® AS ESTIMATED 42.3 MILLION VIEW ALL-OR-PART OF WEEKEND COVERAGE

An estimated 42.3 million viewers (Persons 2+) watched CBS Sports’ third- and final-round coverage of the 2011 Masters on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10, making it the second largest number of viewers to watch all-or-part of the Network’s weekend coverage of the Masters in 10 years.

Sunday’s final round was watched in all-or-part by 35.8 million viewers (Persons 2+) and Saturday’s third round was watched in all-or-part by 21.2 million (Persons 2+). Both Saturday and Sunday was watched in all-or-part by the third largest number of viewers in 10 years.

Sunday’s final round coverage earned an average preliminary national household rating/share of 9.5/20, third to last year’s 10.7/24 and 2005’s 9.8/22 as the highest-rated Masters final round in 10 years.

Saturday’s third-round coverage earned an average preliminary national household rating/share of 6.5/15, second to last year’s 6.7/17 as the second highest-rated Masters third round in 10 years.

And that will do it for this year’s Masters coverage.

Some Monday Night Linkage Which Goes Into Tuesday Linkage

I was trying to post links last night and was making really good progress when, you guessed it, I fell asleep with the computer on again. That’s not good. So I’ll combine the full set of links that I found last night with this edition so you have a pretty good set of stories to sift through. That’s good for you. So let’s give you a lot of links today.

Joe Posnanski has a very thoughtful post on Tara Sullivan’s ordeal at The Masters, plus the really sexist and ignorant comments left at her story at NorthJersey.com.

Glenn Davis of SportsGrid notes that former Boston Globe columnist Jackie MacMullen weighed in on the Tara Sullivan controversy during ESPN’s Around the Horn.

Mike McCarthy of USA Today reports that Charlie Rymer of Westwood One was kicked out of Augusta National Golf Club while he was covering The Masters for violating a rule on cell phone usage.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today says the NFL Network will have extensive coverage of the NFL Draft later this month.

To John Ourand at Sports Business Journal who writes that the NHL has three strong bids for the US TV rights including a surprising one from Turner Sports.

At MediaPost, David Goetzl writes that ESPN was wise to take a wait-and-see attitude on iPad advertising for its app.

Toni Fitzgerald from Media Life says The Masters pulled decent ratings despite having a no-name winner.

Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk says Fox NFL Sunday co-host Terry Bradshaw says he is feeling the effects of the six concussions and numerous blows to the head from his playing days in the 1970′s.

Mike goes over the Jenn Sterger interview on Good Morning America and she doesn’t come off too well.

Mike talks about how a potential owner of a Los Angeles NFL team is predicting a huge TV rights windfall for the league in the next network negotiation.

To Yahoo’s Puck Daddy and Greg Wyshynski who writes that NBC/Versus have some heavy competition for the NHL TV contract.

Sports TV Jobs interviews YES Network host Nancy Newman about her experiences moving from Canada’s TSN to CNN Sports to YES.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell wonders if golf’s popularity has truly returned with Tiger Woods out of contention of many tournaments.

Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald says Tom Brady cries over the memory of his sixth round pick by the New England Patriots in a new ESPN/NFL Films documentary.

Newsday’s Neil Best says YES will produce postgame shows for all Yankees games no matter which network airs them.

Neil writes that the NBA’s TV partners are happy to see the Knicks in the playoffs.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times notes that The Masters saw some ratings slippage.

Pete Dougherty from the Albany Times Union says MSG Network has set its studio and game announcers for Knicks playoff games.

Ken Schott at the Schenectady Gazette talks about The Masters’ TV ratings.

Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that Root Sports will have the entire Penguins-Lightning series.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog notes that Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic has chosen its top story in the last ten years of local sports reporting.

Dan with the help of Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic recaps the last Capitals-Rangers playoff series in 2009.

Dan says one local DC radio personality is mocking the Washington Nationals’ radio deal.

Rusty Ray from the Pee Dee (SC) Morning News says a big crowd turned out for a live appearance by ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike.

David Barron and Joseph Duarte from the Houston Chronicle report that the Texas Bowl has a new sponsor.

Blair Kerkhoff from the Kansas City Star talks about a few college sports issues including the NCAA Tournament on CBS/Turner and the new Big 12 TV contract.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune says a local sports anchor doesn’t understand the distinction of an event airing on a local CBS affiliate while not being a network program.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News says once the Pac 12 TV contract is done, Commissioner Larry Scott will look to sign deals overseas, especially in Asia.

At Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Matt Maiocco says new 49ers radio analyst Eric Davis will have big shoes to fill.

Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says TSN Radio is debuting with guns locked and loaded.

Bruce Dowbiggin from the Toronto Globe and Mail also talks about TSN Radio’s debut.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog notes that TSN received good ratings for curling.

Sports Media Watch says NASCAR in primetime on Fox scored well.

To Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says NBC ended the NHL regular season on an upnote.

Steve also has the local rightsholders which will carry first round NHL Playoff games.

Joe Favorito says cricket is gaining in popularity not just worldwide, but also in the US.

Plenty of links today. Lots of good stuff. I hope you have time to look over all of the links.

Providing The Monday Links

Having already gone to a jobsite early this morning and having returned to the office already, I have some time to provide you with the Monday links. There’s a lot of stuff out there already so without further delay, here are your media links for today.

From USA Today, Michael Hiestand writes that CBS certainly benefited from a dramatically close final round of The Masters^®.

Mike McCarthy at USA Today has a short preview of tomorrow’s Good Morning America interview with former Versus “The Daily Line” co-host Jenn Sterger.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King has what is basically a throwaway line in his “Ten Things…” that NFL Network is thinking of bringing in its draft guru Mike Mayock into the Thursday Night Football booth. After enduring Joe Theismann and Matt Millen last season, the quicker this move is made, the better off fans will be.

And Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk expounds on the potential Mayock move to the booth.

PJ Bednarski of TV Newscheck reports that ABC affiliates are on board with helping to fund ESPN’s bid for the 2014/2016 Olympics.

Sports TV Jobs has an interview with ESPN’s Steve Berthiaume about how former President Jimmy Carter helped him get his big break.

Sports TV Jobs has a column from a former NFL Films intern explaining her work for the company last fall.

One of the most ridiculous stories coming out from The Masters last night was the barring of Bergen (NJ) columnist Tara Sullivan from the locker room after Charl Schwartzel’s win. She writes about the experience and says Augusta National Golf Club apologized to her afterwards admitting it was a mistake. I was ready to stop blogging about The Masters had Augusta officials not come forward immediately after she tweeted about the incident. It’s bad enough Augusta National has exclusionary policies towards women, but you can’t bar a female sportswriter from the locker room. And I can’t believe people still get angry over this issue.

At SportsGrid, Glenn Davis says Sullivan should come out of this ok.

Glenn also discusses the upcoming boring Jenn Sterger “woe is me” interview on Good Morning America.

At the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Jason Fry takes a look at Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s idea to ban internet writers from the covering his team.

Wayne Friedman of MediaPost writes that if the NFL lockout goes long, expect the ad dollars for games to go to network primetime spending.

Steve Smith of MediaPost’s VidBlog focuses on ESPN’s new iPhone app that allows Time Warner, Bright House and Verizon FiOS subscribers to see what’s on ESPN, for the most part.

A sad day for the sports blogosphere. Free Darko has announced it will cease operation as of today. Great blog, talented writers. It will be missed.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post says CBS followed Tiger Woods too much yesterday.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks about The Masters^® overall ratings which were down from last year, but still higher than normal.

Ken McMillan from the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record discusses the start of the NHL Playoffs and the network coverage.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog has your first look at Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin’s new Capital One ad.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner notes that CBS’ overnight ratings for The Masters^® were the 2nd highest in 10 years.

Tom Jones from the St. Petersburg Times has his take on the weekend in sports television.

Kyle Veazey of the Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger has a fascinating look at the finances of the Southeastern Conference taking the CBS and ESPN contracts into account.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle shares his thoughts on CBS’ Masters broadcast.

At Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman talks with a Comcast SportsNet news director about the channel’s hyperlocal mission.

And Ed says April is a really busy month for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Dusty Saunders from the Denver Post says Tiger Woods was a big part of CBS’ Masters coverage yesterday.

From the Los Angeles Daily News, Tom Hoffarth has your SoCal sports calendar for the week.

Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star says video games bring out the inner athlete in us.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog says TSN will be going head-to-head with CBC during the NHL playoffs.

Sports Media Watch discusses the ratings for the final round of The Masters^®.

Awful Announcing has the first of a two part interview with the great Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated.

Steve Lepore of Puck The Media is angry with MSG Network for putting the meaningless Knicks regular season finale on over the Rangers playoff game.

And we’re going to end it there. I have a couple of press releases to post.

CBS Gets Good Overnight Ratings For Final Round of The Masters, But Still Down From 2010

Just received the overnight ratings press release from CBS in regards to the final round coverage of The Masters^®. With Tiger Woods in contention until late plus seven golfers within two shots of the lead while third round leader Rory McIlroy was imploding, the ratings for The Masters^® were 10.4 with a 22 share, while down from last year’s spectacular 12.0/25, it remains the 2nd highest overnight rating for the tournament in ten years.

Austin Karp, the Assistant Managing Editor of Sports Business Daily points out that yesterday’s final round did beat out 2009 and 2008′s overnights rather handily.

We have the press release for you right here.

CBS SPORTS’ 2011 MASTERS FINAL-ROUND COVERAGE EARNS SECOND HIGHEST RATING IN 10 YEARS

CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2011 Masters on Sunday, April 10, which saw South African Charl Schwartzel win the coveted Green Jacket by birdying the final four holes in a dramatic final round, scored the second-highest rating for the final round of the Masters in the metered markets in 10 years.

Yesterday’s final-round coverage earned an average overnight household rating/share of 10.4/22, second only to last year’s 12.0/25.  This year’s 10.4/22 for the final round was up 18% from 2009 (8.8/21), up 17% from 2008 (8.9/18), as well as being up 1% from 2005 (10.3/21) when Tiger Woods won his fourth green jacket.  The final round in 2001 earned a 12.9/27 (Woods’ second Masters win).

This year’s final-round rating peaked with a 12.6/24 from 6:30-7:00 PM, ET.

And we’re done with this post.

Coming Back For Sunday Links

After not being able to bring you the Friday megalinks or even Saturday linkage, I have some time to provide the Sunday linkage. Some good stuff here and don’t forget to read my Sunday thoughts.

USA Today’s Mike McCarthy breaks news that former co-host of Versus’ The Daily Line, Jenn Sterger will give her first interview on the Brett Favre scandal to Good Morning America this week.

Mike notes that Jim Gray is not part of Golf Channel’s coverage of The Masters^® this year.

Rachel Cohen from the Associated Press says TV networks are trying to work out the kinks of shooting sports in 3-D.

From Yahoo’s The PostGame, Eric Adelson talks to former CBS golf announcer Ben Wright whose “Yes Sir!” call of Jack Nicklaus win in the 1986 Masters has been overshadowed and ignored by Verne Lundquist’s.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News notes that ESPN’s ratings for its opening round coverage of The Masters^® were down from the year before.

Mike says the ratings for The Masters^® did go up Friday when Tiger Woods got back into contention.

R. Thomas Umstead at Multichannel says UFC has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with Bud Light.

Anthony Crupi of Adweek says when you take bar and hotel viewing into account, the ratings for the NCAA Tournament goes up 20%.

Dan Fogarty from SportsGrid writes that the Joe Buck hate reached a fever pitch on Twitter during yesterday’s Yankees-Red Sox game on Fox.

Mohammed Rahman of SportsGrid says ESPN’s Jon Gruden hasn’t met a player he hasn’t liked.

The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick goes after EA Sports for not toning down the violence in the Madden NFL 12 video game.

Annie Karni of the Post talks with Jenn Sterger’s ex-manager (not Jenn herself?) about how it’s all Brett Favre’s fault that she can’t get her career off the ground. If you read the story in full, you’ll see that apparently Sterger’s interview with Good Morning America could lead into her working for ABC. In what capacity, I have no idea.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says ESPN’s ratings for the 2nd round of The Masters^® were down from last year.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post has former Nationals President Stan Kasten denying that former MASN TV analyst Rob Dibble was let go following an e-mail from the father of pitcher Stephen Strasburg.

At the WaPo’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg has Dibble responding to Kasten.

Mike Frandsen of the Washington Examiner says Dan Snyder’s Red Zebra DC radio station is defending its policy to pick up Baltimore Orioles games.

Greg Hardwig of the Naples (FL) Daily News talks with former CBS golf analyst Ken Venturi about watching The Masters without his good friend, the late golf producer Frank Chirkinian.

Mel Bracht from the Daily Oklahoman says 60 Minutes will profile St. Louis Cardinals 1st baseman Albert Pujols today.

Evan Binns from the St. Louis Business Journal says Fox Sports Midwest has added some familiar names to its Cardinals games.

The Kirksville (MO) Daily Express reports that a local cable provider won’t be airing 20 Cardinals games this season over a rights fee dispute with Fox Sports Midwest.

David Southorn of the Idaho Press-Tribune has the complete 2011 Mountain West football TV schedule.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media notes that NHL Network will reveal all of the playoff matchups tonight.

Awful Announcing says St. John’s basketball coach and former ESPN analyst Steve Lavin has prostate cancer. Our best wishes to Steve.

That’s going to do it for today.