NBC has reached a new multi-year deal to continue its
coverage of the French Open tennis championships. The new
contract takes effect this May, when NBC will carry 17 hours
of coverage over two weekends (NBC Sports). NBC has covered
the French Open since '83 (THE DAILY).
WHEN WITH ROME: Fox Sports Net will premiere "The Last
Word," a nightly half-hour sports debate program featuring
Jim Rome and Wallace Matthews, on January 5. The show will
air Monday-Saturday at 12:00 midnight, and will be repeated
at 6:00pm the following day, Monday-Friday (FSN)....Fox
Sports announced it will broadcast three installments of
skiing's "Sprints, Bumps & Jumps Championships" beginning
December 21 from Steamboat Springs, CO. Ensuing broadcasts
will be February 7 and March 28. The event combines
elements of mogul and aerial freestyle skiing (Fox Sports).
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: The Outdoor Life Network will
feature exclusive coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
in Skiing, Speed Skating, Bobsled, Biathlon and Curling as
well as the U.S. Ski Team Gold Cup this January. The three-
week coverage, which will run from January 3-25, will
consist of 13 hours from the Trial events, and eight hours
from the U.S. Ski Team Cup....In other news, Outdoor Life
will also carry the '98 UCI World Mountain Bike
Championships, set to take place September 19-21 at Mont-
Sainte-Anne, Quebec. The network will offer 16.5 hours of
coverage over the three day event (Outdoor Life Network).
