In the middle of my election blogging, I give you some interesting press releases.
First, ESPN’s Monday Night Football wins the night for the network.
Monday Night Football – “Wins the Night” for Third TimeCable’s 2nd-Biggest Audience of 2008ESPN.com NFL Content Yields 8.8 Million Visits & 67.1 Million Page Views
ESPN’s Monday Night Football – the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 23-6 victory over the Washington Redskins – earned a 10.2 rating, representing an average of 10,003,000 homes, making ESPN the night’s most-watched television network in primetime, broadcast or cable (14,205,000 P2+). It was the third time this season (nine weeks), ESPN “won the night” for overall audience on Monday. All nine weeks, ESPN has won the night among Adults 18-49 and in the key male demos among all networks, broadcast or cable. Also, the game drove significant traffic to ESPN.com’s NFL content.The telecast – which included halftime interviews by host Chris Berman with presidential candidates Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama – attracted the second-biggest cable television audience of 2008, behind only the September 15 MNF matchup of Philadelphia at Dallas (12,953,000 homes, based on a 13.3 rating, 18,608,000 P2+).For the NFL season to date, ESPN’s Monday Night Football is averaging a 9.1 rating and 8,939,000 households (12,398,000 P2+), up 6%, 7% and 11%, respectively from last season through 10 games (8.6 rating; 8,335,000 homes; 11,170,000 viewers). For 2008, Monday Night Football telecasts represent nine of cable’s 10 biggest household audiences of the year.
Next, TNT previews its NBA Thursday doubleheader.
TNT NBA Thursday Continues With Exclusive Doubleheader
76ers/Magic to be followed by Rockets/Trail Blazers
TNT NBA Thursday coverage continues on Thurs., November 6, 2008 with an exclusive doubleheader. Studio host Ernie Johnson and analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will preview the night’s action on NBA Tip-Off at 8 p.m. ET. Following the pre-game show, Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers will visit Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic for the first game of the evening. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter) will call the action. Game two will feature Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers hosting Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets at 10:30 p.m. ET. Marv Albert (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Mike Fratello (analyst) will be courtside with Cheryl Miller reporting. The night will conclude with the Emmy® award-winning studio show Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst).
Exclusive content, analysis from TNT announcers and replays of Inside the NBA are available on TNT OverTime on NBA.com. The broadband channel gives fans the inside scoop on players, coaches and storylines taking place around the league seven days a week. Check out the NBA on TNT pages on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/nbaontnt) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) to see the latest NBA on TNT schedule, news updates and special features from TNT announcers.
TNT NBA THURSDAY SCHEDULE:
Thu., November 6
8 p.m. NBA Tip-Off
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
8:15 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)
10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets @ Portland Trail Blazers
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Post-game Inside the NBA
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
The NFL wants you to know that while many of you can’t watch Thursday Night Football on your cable systems, you can see live cut-ins on NFL.com. Certainly not the best thing, but it’s better than nothing at all. Still, the NFL Network needs to work something out with Big Cable.
“NFL.COM LIVE: THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” FEATURES
“LIVE LOOK-INS” OF NFL NETWORK GAMES
“Live Look-Ins” On NFL.com Feature Two Streams, Multiple Camera Angles, Statistics & More
“Thursday Night Football” Kicks Off with Broncos at Browns
Thursday at 8:00 PM ET
NFL.com Live: Thursday Night Football, the Sports Emmy-nominated online companion to NFL Network’s game broadcasts, is back for a second season.
This Thursday night’s game between the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns on NFL Network at 8:00 PM ET will be featured on NFL.com Live, once again offering fans a unique way to experience NFL games.
The NFL.com Live broadcast will be anchored by a live, originally produced studio program and complemented by a live blog with analysis and commentary, on-demand video highlights and features, and in-progress game statistics.
This year, fans will be able to choose between two video streams. One stream will alternate between the NFL Network’s game broadcast and the live studio show. The second video stream complements the first with a “sideline pass,” showing alternative camera angles via live look-ins. NFL.com Live also will feature on-demand video, allowing fans to have access to game highlights throughout the broadcast.
Among the features making NFL.com Live a compelling viewing experience are:
- “Live Look-Ins” – Fans will get a live look at NFL Network game action throughout the broadcast, with
live action when either team enters the “red zone” (inside 20-yard line). NFL Network’s Sprint Halftime Show also will be shown on NFL.com.- Live In-Studio Programming – Includes game highlights, analysis, previews of the NFL games ahead that week, in-studio guests, and answers to questions submitted by fans on NFL.com.
- “Sideline Pass” Reports – When not showing live action of the game, the studio crew will go to the field for conversations with NFL Network talent, one posted on each sideline, with the latest updates on injuries and observations from each team’s bench.
- Featured NFL Network Programming – Segments of NFL Network programs reviewing the previous weekend’s games and previewing upcoming action.
NFL Network’s PAUL BURMEISTER will quarterback the live NFL.com video coverage of NFL Network games from the network’s Culver City, California studios. He will be joined by a rotating roster of two analysts each week, including ROD WOODSON, JAMIE DUKES, TERRELL DAVIS, MIKE MAYOCK and others. NFL.com Live also will feature NFL Network’s game audio feed with BOB PAPA (play-by-play) and CRIS COLLINSWORTH (analyst).
Additional interactive features will enhance NFL.com’s live video program:
- Submit a Question – Select fan questions submitted on NFL.com will be answered by NFL Network analysts.
- Live Statistics – Real-time statistical updates accompany the video program.
- Live Blogging – NFL.com and NFL Network experts – including those on-site at the game – provide live analysis and commentary.
- “Get NFL Network” – Allows users who want to get NFL Network to find information on how to get it.
In addition, through NFL Mobile Live, NFL Network’s eight-game “Thursday Night Football” package will be streamed live on phones with Sprint wireless service. This marks the first time that NFL games in their entirety are streamed on a wireless device.
NFL Network 2008 Schedule
Week 10: Thursday, November 6 at 8:00 PM ET
Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns
Week 11: Thursday, November 13 at 8:00 PM ET
New York Jets at
New England PatriotsWeek 12: Thursday, November 20 at 8:00 PM ET
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 13: Thursday, November 27 at 8:00 PM ET
Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (Thanksgiving)
Week 14: Thursday, December 4 at 8:00 PM ET
Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers
Week 15: Thursday, December 11 at 8:00 PM ET
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears
Week 16: Thursday, December 18 at 8:00 PM ET
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16: Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 PM ET
Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys
CBS College Sports also has a big BCS matchup this Thursday.
CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK’S FOOTBALL ACTION FEATURES PRIMETIME BATTLE BETWEEN NO. 10-RANKED UTAH AND NO. 11-RANKED TCU ON THURSDAY, NOV. 6
CBS Sports Analyst Dan Fouts Debuts on CBS College Sports Network
Mountain West Conference Matchup Will be Broadcast in High Definition
CBS College Sports Network broadcasts a primetime Mountain West Conference showdown on Thursday, November 6 (8:00 PM, ET), as undefeated and *No. 10-ranked Utah hosts *No. 11-ranked TCU. The game will be broadcast in high definition.
CBS Sports analyst Dan Fouts makes his debut on CBS College Sports Network and calls the action with play-by-play announcer Tom Hart.
CBS College Sports Network is available to fans across the country through various local cable operators and nationally via satellite on Dish Network (America’s Top 200 Package – Channel 152) and DIRECTV (Premier Package and Sports Pack – Channel 613). For more information about the Network and how to su
bscribe through your local cable operator, go to www.cbssports.com/cbscollegesports.The game is also available online via streaming video through CBS College Sports Network’s Pay-Per-View service. Fans can purchase the game for $14.95 at www.cbssports.com.
*AP Poll as of 11/2/08
AUDIBLES with CBS SpORTS Analyst DAN FOUTS
(UTAH –TCU):
This game is the classic confrontation between great offense and great defense. Brian Johnson is a great leader for the Utes, and leads an imaginative offense against one of the best, if not the best defense in the country.
(On TCU’s Defense):
TCU has a great shot at winning this game because of their defense. You can not ignore the other side of the ball for both these teams. But the key is whether TCU’s defense can impose their will on Utah’s offense. TCU’s only loss is against an Oklahoma team that may be the best team in the country when the season’s over. When you look at their defense and the points they’ve given up, which is not many, only Oklahoma has been able to score on them. And they score on everyone.
(On Brian Johnson and Utah):
The talk in Utah is that Brian Johnson is brilliant at times and other times bewildering. In this game, he can not afford to be bewildering. Utah has a lot of weapons and a lot of versatile players. It’s a wide open offense. The thing that hurt them last week against New Mexico were the penalties and turnovers. Error free is the way to go against TCU, because they won’t get that many opportunities.
HBO starts a new web series on boxing.
HBO SPORTS LAUNCHES ORIGINAL DIGITAL SERIES RING LIFE,
GRIPPING STORIES OF ASPIRING CONTENDERS
– Series to be featured on HBO.com, HBO Mobile
HBO’s YouTube Channel and Apple’s iTunes
New York, N.Y., November 4, 2008 – HBO Sports will present a new series of original short films titled Ring Life, which will roll out across HBO digital media platforms including HBO.com (http://www.hbo.com/ringlife/), HBO Mobile, HBO’s YouTube Channel, and as free podcasts via Apple’s iTunes Music Store beginning November 10, 2008. Ring Life will also be offered on HBO On Demand as of December.
Inspired by the real lives of eight hopeful boxers with dreams of becoming champions, each of the promising contenders will have their stories told in three, 4 to 6 minute segments which will play in weekly installments through April 2009.
Intimate, honest and compelling, Ring Life, narrated by Jim Lampley, the accomplished host for HBO World Championship Boxing and HBO Pay Per View, will chronicle the lives of these aspirants as they define the spirit of boxing; balancing jobs, family life, training, expectations and the pursuit of their dreams. Front and center in these fighters’ lives, Ring Life will get inside their hearts and minds to discover what drives them in the ring and beyond, in the ultra competitive sport of professional boxing.
“With so much at stake and tremendous pressure building within each of the 24 segments, watching these boxers go through hardships is enough to hook any viewer,” said Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “Whether you end up rooting for them or become astounded by their desire to stay the course, they will definitely make a lasting impression.”
The first boxer to be featured is former Golden Gloves champion Dmitriy Salita, an up-and-comer who is on the fight card for the HBO Pay Per View show on November 8th, Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones, Jr. An Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn, Salita’s life is a major balancing act between his strong faith, which guides his daily life, and how he adapts that world to fit his boxing aspirations. Salita’s first two segments will launch Ring Life on November 10th, followed by the third segment on November 17th.
The second Ring Life fighter to be showcased is rising heavyweight contender Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola, a 2001 Golden Gloves champion who is fighting on the November 29th Boxing After Dark telecast. The son of an East L.A. boxer, Arreola carries a considerable load – a dream of becoming the first heavyweight world champion of Mexican descent. Arreola’s video segments will premiere November 24th, and December 1st and 8th respectively, followed by new fighters stories released every Monday across HBO digital platforms.
And there you have it.
