Let’s give you some links for Thursday.
Newsday’s Neil Best says new New York Knicks Donnie Walsh did his best to schmooze the media during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. And in his blog, Neil says a new era between the Knicks and the media began with free sandwiches and cookies.
Richard Sandomir and Howard Beck of the New York Times also write about the new media outreach by the Knickerbockers.
The Sports Media Watch says the merged Champ Car and Indy Racing League brought increased ratings for ESPN2 last weekend. And the blog has some idle notes including stuff on the Chicago Blackhawks, the Arena Football League and the NBA.
The Biz of Baseball has a couple of items for us today. First, Maury Brown writes that Major League Baseball’s out of market internet package, MLB.TV, has reached some record activity levels in the new season. And Maury says Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Red Sox DH David Ortiz will be “campaigning” for XM Satellite Radio.
Laura Nachman says Comcast SportsNet Philaldelphia will air a day night doubleheader between the Phillies and Nationals today.
Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post talks with TBS Sports’ Chip Carey about his broadcasting the new MLB package for the once-labled Superstation.
CBS Sports will have final round coverage of Lesbian Spring Break (you would know this if you watched the L Word or are a member of the Lesbian community), or what’s officially known as the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA’s first major of the season.
Tim Lemke of the Washington Times talks about ESPN taking over coverage of The Masters. This is not like they’re taking over everything. CBS is still producing the telecast on Thursday and Friday and CBS Sports will still broadcast 3rd and Final Round coverage.
Bob Molinaro of the Hampton Roads (VA) Virginian-Pilot says while people are talking about the NCAA Tournament, the ratings are still down.
Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has quotes from various college basketball analysts and coaches who say Tom Crean left Marquette’s basketball program in better shape than when he arrived.
Len Ziehm of the Chicago Sun-Times says Blackhawks fans won’t have to leave home to see their team on TV.
Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post says having Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup playoffs could be big for NHL, Versus and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.
Jessica Heslam of the Boston Herald says it’s likely that Steve Burton will take over as the top sports anchor at WBZ-TV now that Bob Lobel has been let go. Jenn Abelson of the Boston Globe writes that Lobel’s departure means the end of an era in Boston TV.
A couple of items from NBC Sports. It will start its countdown towards the Kentucky Derby with live coverage of the Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial this Saturday. And NBC Sports ends seven straight weeks of PGA Tour coverage with the Shell Houston Open this weekend.
NBC Sports.com will stream the Women’s Marathon Olympic trials live on April 20.
Meanwhile, Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog feels NBC Sports overhypes everything, especially its golf coverage.
Norma Reveler of the Hollywood Reporter says a battle is brewing in Canada as regulators are considering allowing US cable networks into the country.
That’s going to do for now.
