Time to do the links today. Once again, I ask if you could be so kind to donate to the Fang’s Bites TV fund. Trying to get two HD sets in time for the NFL season. Even if I can get half of the $1,200 target, that would be fine. So far, I’ve raised $66 so I have a ways to go. I’m only asking you to give $5, but if you wish to give more, that’s fine as well. The widget is under my profile to the left.
Ok to the links.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes about Michael Irvin joining the NFL Network this season.
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has his Media Power Rankings for August.
Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal says as many as 12 NFL teams could have local blackouts of at least one home game this season.
Jon Show of the SBJ says the LPGA is shopping around an umbrella naming rights deal for the next three seasons.
Terry Lefton of the SBJ writes that even with a new owner, Anheuser-Busch is still spending plenty on sports sponsorships.
Liz Mullen reports in Sports Business Daily that NHL Players Association Executive Director Paul Kelly has been voted out by the player reps.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell writes that Yankees season ticket holders won’t see that much of a price increase for the postseason.
Darren says the top selling NFL jersey, believe it or not, is Brett Favre’s Minnesota Vikings #4.
Darren got to play the world’s number two tennis player in the world, Andy Murray last week.
Mary Ellen Fillo of the Hartford Courant followed the brothers McEnroe as they made their way through ESPN last week.
Jackie Majerus of the Bristol (CT) Press covered an event on Friday that celebrated ESPN’s 30 anniversary and featured founder Bill Rasmussen.
Dave Phillips of the Shore Line (CT) Times says a local sports radio talk show host is beginning to make the move to TV.
Lynn Zinser of the New York Times says the ESPNization of the US Open has already begun.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick feels TV directors too often miss key action.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has your opening weekend TV schedule of college football action.
Pete says the Mets are being bumped off their local radio affiliate five times in September due to NFL conflicts.
Pete writes that Fox Sports has signed a new four year deal to keep the Cotton Bowl.
Ken McMillan of the Hudson Valley Times Herald-Record writes that ESPN will make visits to two of the service academies in November.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says get ready for round the clock coverage of the US Open.
Jim adds that for the third year in a row, TBS will use a Bon Jovi song as the theme music for its postseason MLB coverage.
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times feels there’s too many NFL exhibition games on TV.
Jon Solomon of the Birmingham (AL) News wonders if ESPN will play favorites with the SEC.
Paul Gattis of the Huntsville (AL) Times asks if the SEC made a deal with the Devil.
Mike Tankersley of the Montgomery (AL) Advertiser says a local station will be picking up SEC Network games.
Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says the ESPN/SEC 15 year contract will put the conference into many more homes across the country than its previous TV deal.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has a local sports radio tidbit.
Barry says the Cowboys once again won the ratings on Saturday night.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business says former White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell is throwing barbs at his former team in his Chicago Tribune blog.
The Denver Post’s Dusty Saunders says a former Colorado University QB makes his national TV debut on Fox Sports Net this week.
Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star says the new University Arizona TV network will be shown outside of Phoenix and Tucson on Fox Sports Arizona.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News talks about a feature that Bob Costas will narrate on MLB Network tonight.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star writes about TSN celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says vetera
n Canadian TV host Brian Williams (not the one from NBC News) looks forward to hosting another Olympic games.
Gareth Davies of the London Telegraph says ESPN UK plans to show British UFC fighters who normally would not be seen anywhere else.
Mike Reynolds of Mutlichannel News writes that Tennis Channel will not be on Cablevision for the US Open after all.
The Sports Media Watch looks back at last week.
The Sports Media Journal has two more videos from last week’s ESPN Media Workshop. Here’s one and it’s rather long, but it’s worthwhile to watch, regarding ESPN’s 30th anniversary and it starts with a demonstration of its new virtual technology.
And the SMJ’s Keith Thibeault got to shadow an ESPN Production Assistant as he prepared for a Baseball Tonight segment.
Keith gives his thoughts on attending the Media Workshop.
And Ray Frager writing in the SMJ is happy to hear that Monday Night Football will focus on the game instead of on everything else.
Michael David Smith of Fanhouse (whom I had the pleasure to meet last week at the ESPN Media Workshop) looks at some of the more prolific ESPN tweeters.
Andrew Hampp of Advertising Age has a review of the ESPN Media Workshop.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says there was a schism at ESPN over an ESPN report about a Vikings schism.
Steve Lepore of Puck The Media looks at some of the local NHL TV schedules.
Kristine Leahy of WEEI.com has today’s version of The Five.
Jan Ozer of Streaming Media.com finds out why NBCSports.com is using Microsoft’s Silverlight technology to stream Sunday Night Football.
That’s going to conclude the links for today.
