Time once again to provide the Friday megalinks. Lots of links to get to.
Don’t forget to check out the Weekend Viewing Picks for your sports and primetime viewing.
To the links.
National
A few stories from USA Today. Michael Hiestand speculates on a combined Comcast/NBC Sports juggernaut.
Hiestand says a NASCAR spokesman took ESPN/ABC to task for its production of last week’s race.
Michael McCarthy writes that if the NCAA opts out of its current contract with CBS, then ESPN would be happy to jump in the bidding for the NCAA Tournament.
The Nielsen rating Wire blog notes that as the World Series’ ratings increased, so did interest in MVP Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell looks at the last men standing at the World Series of Poker.
Jon Weisman of Variety says the Yankees World Series win turned out to be a huge ratings victory for Fox.
David Tanklefsky from Broadcasting & Cable says Disney and ESPN will re-brand the Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Florida early in 2010.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says this year’s World Series was the most viewed since 2004 when the Red Sox swept St. Louis.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine says the Series’ high ratings weren’t just due to the Yankees, but there were other factors that contributed as well.
The Sports Media Watch says the Yankees helped to bring a big audience to the World Series.
SMW says the World Series was a big hit in New York and Philadelphia.
SMW has the ratings for the entire 2009 MLB Postseason.
Good article by SMW on the ratings comparison between MLB and the NBA.
And the SMW has some ratings news and notes.
Pro Football Talk goes after ESPN Boston’s Patriots blog for plagiarizing one of its articles word for word.
Jim McCable of Golfweek writes that Dottie Pepper is cutting down on her TV schedule.
Joe Favorito says when it comes right down to it, live sports is king.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe writes that CBS Radio’s new FM sports radio station is making a dent in its war with long-time incumbent WEEI.
Jessica Heslam of the Boston Herald reports that the local Fox TV affiliate is letting go of its long-time sports director.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette writes about a local native leaving WEEI’s sales department for a position with the Miami Dolphins.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says a new Knicks coach’s show on MSG Network might be turning a new leaf for the organization.
Richard writes the Yankees are a big TV draw across the country.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman feels MLB Network analysts and hosts made several errors after the Yankees clinched the World Series.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick will miss Bill Walton on NBA broadcasts.
Pete Dougherty in the Albany Times Union talks with NBC’s Tiki Barber.
Ken Schott of the Schnectady Gazette writes that NHL Network is picking up a Union College hockey game.
Dave Hughes from DCRTV.com writes in Press Box about ESPN’s Len Bias documentary, the Baltimore Sun not sending a reporter to the World Series and why Anita Marks is the subject of jealousy among her co-workers.
Mark Maske in the Washington Post writes that a down economy is a boon for the NFL’s TV ratings.
Tim Lemke from the Washington Times has the marketing winners and losers from the World Series.
Jim Williams in the Washington Examiner looks at former DC NFL team star John Riggins blasting owner Dan Snyder on Inside the NFL.
South
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wonders if ESPN has too much power in college sports.
Mike Bianchi from the Orlando Sentinel feels ESPN Radio’s Mike Golic owes an apology to Florida’s Brandon Spikes.
Barry Horn in the Dallas Morning News compares how the World Series did against the Mavericks and Stars.
Barry says Dallas finished near the bottom of the major markets rated for the World Series.
Barry says the
re’s a clear winner in a three way sports radio ratings race in Dallas.
Barry writes that being the Cowboys flagship station is not helping one sports radio station.
Barry notes that NBC’s Football Night in America analysts aren’t high on the Cowboys.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle also writes about local sports radio and the World Series’ ratings.
In his blog, David adds a few items to his Friday column.
To the Daily Oklahoman where Mel Bracht talks to an unhappy Ron Franklin of ESPN who feels he’s being forced out of the network. I agree. Ron is nothing but class and I feel he’s one of the great college football and basketball announcers of all-time. But ESPN apparently doesn’t feel that way.
In his media notes, Mel writes that the Thunder set a ratings record for Fox Sports Oklahoma this week.
Mel also looks at the best college football games of the week.
Midwest
Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Yankees are truly a marquee team as the ratings have shown.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business says the Bulls have upgraded their website.
Ed also has his weekly sports business and media winners and losers.
Paul Christian in the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin looks at Fox NFL Sunday heading to Afghanistan this Sunday.
Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes about one local sports radio station’s personnel move.
Scott Dochterman of the Iowa City Gazette says no matter what one says about the World Series’ ratings, the NFL is still king.
West
Scott D. Pierce in the Deseret (UT) News says high definition is coming to the mtn., but not fast enough for some fans.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune says a long-time sports reporter in the market is being let go by the local NBC station.
John Maffei in the North County Times also writes about the local sports reporter.
In the Ventura County Star, Jim Carlisle writes that Bill Walton will be missed.
Jim says Matt Millen is slowly rehabilitating his reputation after his failed GM tenure with the Lions.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times warns of being caught on the internet or writing something on a social media site.
Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News discovers that former Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca has been handicapping the horses on TVG.
In his blog, Tom has some more with Lo Duca.
Tom also has his usual extensive media notes.
Canada
In the Toronto Globe and Mail, Bruce Dowbiggin writes that a Vancouver sports radio station is ready to launch a spinoff.
The Toronto Star’s Chris Zelkovich says a former broadcast executive is finding a second life in front of the camera.
In the Truth & Rumours blog, William Houston says Phil Kessel’s debut for the Maple Leafs brought record ratings for Rogers Sportsnet Ontario.
And William looks at a sports talk show host’s firing from The Score.
That will conclude the megalinks. Expect some press release posts tonight.
