NETWORK: Fox Sports Detroit debuts today with a full
     lineup to include live events and reruns (DETROIT NEWS,
     9/15)....In Hartford, WFSB-TV will televise four regular-
     season ABL Blizzard games this season.  The deal includes a
     preseason special, and an option on playoff games (HARTFORD
     COURANT, 9/13)....In Tacoma, Bob Condotta put the Mariners'
     new KIRO radio deal at $6M/season (NEWS TRIBUNE, 9/13).
          PUBLICATIONS: The N.Y. Times introduced format changes
     today that includes a stand-alone sports section seven days
     a week, color photos on the front page of the sports
     section, and more "complete and streamlined" sports results
     pages, organized league-by-league, with capsule reports on
     each team (N.Y. TIMES, 9/15).
          TV PROGRAMMING: In N.Y., Kay Gardella gave the SI For
     Kids Show four stars.  Gardella: "[I]t's not just for kids,
     either.  Adults like myself, who aren't fanatical followers
     of sports, can learn from this" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/13).    
     ...In Toronto, Rob Longley: "Perhaps its time for ABC to
     consider starting Monday Night Football at 8 p.m.  Games
     that are consistently ending after 12:30 a.m. are creating
     weary viewers that are surely contributing to the 18%
     decline in ratings" (TORONTO SUN, 9/15).  In Miami, Barry
     Jackson wrote that while ratings are down for "MNF," the
     game "seemingly despite itself now -- continues as the NFL's
     venerable flagship.  Gray and listing, perhaps, but a
     flagship nonetheless" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/14). 
          PERSONALITIES: As Marv Albert prepares for his
     September 22 assault trial, Joel Myers will replace him in
     NBC's NFL lineup (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 9/15).

          The Flames, Oilers and Canadiens are the only three NHL
     teams without an official Web site, according to Mitch
     Garber of the Montreal GAZETTE.  Garber: "Did you know you
     could sell more Canadiens merchandise off the Internet than
     you will ever sell out of the Molson Centre store?"  While
     the NHL's web site at www.nhl.com "is doing a good job,"  
     the league is planning a "total graphic and content
     relaunch" on October 1, making the new site "easier to
     navigate and more fan-friendly" (Montreal GAZETTE, 9/14).
          ONLINE NOTES: The A-10 has launched www.atlantic10.org
     (Atlantic 10)....Packers.com, the team's official site, has
     surpassed the 10 million hit mark less than two months after
     it was launched (Packers.com)....ABC Sports Online has
     launched a new "Monday Night Football" site at www.abcmnf.
     com.  The site features "real time" displays with data
     coming directly from ABC Sports' control room (ABC).