RATINGS: Phillies TV ratings on WPHL-WB "have jumped"
43%, from an average of 3.0 in '97, to a 4.3 this season.
Comcast SportsNet's Phillies games are averaging a 2.3, up
60% from what PRISM averaged this time in '97 (PHILADELPHIA
DAILY NEWS, 6/24)....TNT, "boosted by a few highly watched
NBA playoff games," ended '98's second-quarter as the most-
watched cable network in prime time, according to Nielsen
figures. The net averaged 1,717,000 homes, followed by
Nickelodeon, TBS and Lifetime (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/24).
NOTES: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its
Indianapolis affil WRTV, ABC is allowing the station to
broadcast the Brickyard 400 live for the first time on
August 1. Races held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are
generally blacked out in the local market, so as not to
affect ticket sales (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 6/24)....CBS
Sports reached a two-year extension with the PBA to
broadcast 10 Tour events in '99 and 2000. The events will
be broadcast in an hour-long format, and are a joint venture
between CBS Sports, the PBA and The Marquee Group (CBS
Sports)....Raycom Sports will produce and televise two AVP
tournaments in August. Both events will be regionally
syndicated (Raycom Sports)....The NBA and WNBA reached new
deals with DIRECTV and Primestar to distribute "NBA League
Pass" and "WNBA Season Pass" subscription service (NBA).
