I’m grouping three press releases here. All deal with the NFL, two with the Draft and one on embattled Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Let’s deal with the Draft first since it begins tonight and continues through Saturday.
Sports Illustrated informs us on its coverage and says it will offer live video coverage on its website throughout the Draft.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED GROUP’S SI.COM PLANS WALL-TO-WALL DRAFT COVERAGE WITH A NEW, ROBUST VIDEO PROGRAMMING EFFORTAd Revenue for Draft Coverage At An All-Time High—Dodge, Levitra Anchor SponsorsNew York— April 21, 2010— The Sports Illustrated Group‘s SI.com (www.SI.com) plans exhaustive coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft. SI’s award-winning football team including Peter King, Don Banks, Andy Staples, Tony Pauline, Stewart Mandel, Ross Tucker and media columnist Richard Deitsch will provide wall-to-wall analysis. Look for a live draft tracker, King’s “32 Things I Think I Think” after round 1, Banks’ “Snap Judgments” and more best-in-the-business reporting and analysis from SI’s team of reporters. SI.com’s NFL page was recently named the best Regular Department or Section by the American Society of Magazine Editors in the first-ever Awards for Digital Media.As part of SI’s new video initiative, “SI Inside Report” Anchor Maggie Gray will be on hand at the Draft to interview the key newsmakers, SI journalists and talk with the fans. Throughout the week SI.com has been delivering daily video profiles of top prospects and “Inside Report” has been catching up with SI writers to get the latest from the draft rooms.This year Dodge, Levitra, Sheraton, History Channel, IBM and Samsung have signed on as sponsors for SI.com’s Draft coverage making this the most lucrative NFL Draft in franchise history. Dodge is the presenting sponsor of the NFL Draft site (www.SI.com/NFLDraft), and has also bought SI’s Draft videos and the NFL Draft edition of the popular “Truth and Rumors” column. The Levitra and IBM buys include ads in SI.com’s NFL Draft event site.
More stuff coming up after the jump.
I love the people at Comcast SportsNet and appreciate all of the press releases, but I really want the Philadelphia channel on DirecTV. If CSN affiliates in New England, DC, Chicago, Bay Area and California can be on my TV, why not Philadelphia, CSS and Northwest? Let’s get this done, Comcast!
Anyway, here is a press release from Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia on its coverage plans for the weekend and how it will cover the Draft from the Eagles point of view.
COMCAST SPORTSNET AIRS EAGLES DRAFT SPECIALS, PLUS PROVIDES EXTENSIVE DRAFT CONTENT ONLINE AT CSNPHILLY.COMPHILADELPHIA -(April 20, 2010) – Comcast SportsNet, the leader in local sports, provides Eagles fans with the most comprehensive coverage of the Eagles 2010 NFL Draft with three specials featuring Comcast SportsNet’s panel of experts including Gregg Murphy, Ron Burke, Ray Didinger and Derrick Gunn. In addition to the specials, Comcast SportsNet will have additional coverage in Daily News Live, SportsNite and online at CSNPhilly.com.Comcast SportsNet will air three consecutive days of specials, coinciding with the 2010 NFL Draft. The series kicks off on Thursday, April 22 and wraps up after the conclusion of the Draft on Saturday, April 24.Draft Day 2010 DetailsThursday, April 22 at 10:30 p.m.The panel will analyze the Eagles’ first round moves and Derrick Gunn will be live from the NovaCare Complex. Pennsylvania Governor and Eagles Postgame Live analyst Ed Rendell will join the panel in studio to offer his thoughts on the draft.Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.Fans will hear from the Eagles’ First Round pick, plus the panel will predict what the team will do in Rounds 2 and 3.Saturday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m.The panel will dissect the Eagles’ draft selections and Derrick Gunn will have interviews with prominent members of the Eagles’ front office.Comcast SportsNet will also have a complete wrap up of the three day draft during SportsNite on Saturday, April 24 at 10 p.m. and SportsRise on Sunday from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m.CSNPhilly.comLeading up to the Draft, CSNPhilly.com profiles draft prospects, plus Eagles Insider Ray Didinger breaks down the potential Eagles draft picks, as well as predictions from various football experts. CSNPhilly.com will also have up-to-the minute reports on draft day, plus a complete draft recap on Monday. Fans can check out the extensive pre-draft coverage at http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/nfldraft_2010/Instant AccessEagles fans can be the first to hear about the Eagles’ draft picks by signing up for Comcast SportsNet’s mobile alerts as well as following CSNPhilly on Twitter and Facebook.
And Fox Sports’ NFL analysts Michael Strahan and Brian Billick opine on the Big Ben suspension.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTESStrahan and Billick Weigh-In on Roethlisberger SuspensionSTRAHAN & BILLICK WEIGH-IN ON ROETHLISBERGER SUSPENSION — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended today for six games without pay for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and ordered to undergo behavioral evaluation. FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Michael Strahan and NFL on FOX game analyst Brian Billick react to Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision.STRAHAN: “It’s in line with what Roger Goodell has done since he’s taken over as commissioner. He’s trying to set a tone for the NFL. If you’re a player in the NFL, you aren’t representing just yourself or your team you are representing the league and the Commissioner is just trying to protect that. I think the harshness of the penalty was to set an example for other players. Your stature as a star in the NFL doesn’t matter. Goodell has consistently been stiff with his suspensions and fines. In a sense the severity of the suspension is warranted and hopefully it’ll give Ben a chance to reflect and make better decisions going forward.”BILLICK: “The Roethlisberger suspension was necessary for the Commissioner to maintain his steadfast commitment to ‘drawing a line in the sand’ with regards to player conduct in the NFL. Players must be made to understand that they are responsible for their behavior, even in a predatory environment, such is their life. The boorish behavior of Roethlisberger demanded that this type of sanction be leveled.”
That’s it. Thanks for reading.
