The NFL released its schedule for next season and in
Baltimore, Vito Stellino writes that the "game of the season"
between the Cowboys and 49ers will be played on a Sunday, "even
though" it would "be perfect for Monday Night." Stellino
speculates the NFL is trying to give Fox "as many attractions as
possible" as it faces a financial hit on its NFL investment after
last season's ratings matchup loss to NBC (Baltimore SUN,
4/26)....TCU announced it has signed a two year deal to have its
football and basketball games broadcast on KTCK-AM (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 4/25)....During the NBA's first-round playoffs,
home games for the Rockets will be available only on pay-per-view
for $19.95 per game (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/26)....There is a
"strong possibility that for the first time" the World Series
could be televised by two networks, ABC and NBC. NBC Sports
President Dick Ebersol said he and ABC Sports President Dennis
Swanson will "sit down early this summer and divvy it up," if a
series split is required (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 4/26)....ESPN
will televise "Outside the Lines: Play Ball" on April 28 at
7:30pm. The 60-minute special will include a segment on the
economics of baseball (ESPN)....CBS, in an attempt to cut costs,
has offered close to 335 employees an early retirement package
and is also considering layoffs (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
4/26)....Bell Atlantic withdrew its FCC application yesterday to
build cable TV networks in mid-Atlantic cities, citing a need to
rethink their strategy (Mult., 4/26).
