Game One of the NBA Finals earned an 18.0/32 national
     rating, making it the highest-rated Game One in NBA Finals
     history.  The previous high was a 16.8, which was reached
     twice before, in '93 and '96 -- both Bulls series.  NBC
     estimates that 53.3 million viewers saw all or part of the
     game, topping the '96 Bulls-Sonics (48 million) as the most
     watched Game One in history.  In the home markets, Salt Lake
     City got a 56.1/75 and Chicago earned a 47.2/67 (THE DAILY). 
     

          News Corp. President Peter Chernin told Fox affils that
     they "must show greater willingness to share programming
     costs with the network if they want to stay competitive,"
     during Fox's affils conference in L.A., according to Davies
     & Rice of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.  Chernin: "(The) next time
     event programming becomes available, if Fox hesitates
     because of a worry about the financial consequences, I would
     contend that this would be potentially disastrous for us
     all."  The comments came as Fox "was trying to hammer out an
     arrangement" with its affils regarding its $4.4B NFL deal
     (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/5).  DAILY VARIETY's Jenny Hontz
     reports that Fox Sports Exec Producer Ed Goren told affils
     that Fox will be in a "war" with CBS next year for viewers. 
     But Hontz writes that "the war was going on between Fox and
     its affils."  Sources say that "heated words were exchanged
     in two closed-door meetings" between Fox and its affiliate
     board (Jenny Hontz, DAILY VARIETY, 6/5).

          Four years "after scoring surprisingly high" ratings
     with the World Cup, ESPN and ABC "are hoping for a repeat
     performance this summer," according to Breznick & Reynolds
     of CABLE WORLD.  Along with ESPN2, the networks will show
     all 64 World Cup '98 games live in the U.S. for the first
     time.  Tournament coverage begins June 10 with two games on
     ESPN.  Both ESPN and ESPN2 will run 30-minute pre-game shows
     before each match, and ESPN2 will also present a 30-minute
     wrapup program each night.  ESPN, which averaged a 1.8
     rating for 41 telecasts in '94, "is shooting for at least a
     1.1 to 1.3 average."  ABC, which will show 14 games,
     including all three scheduled Team USA games, declined to
     project a rating.  In '94, ABC averaged a 5.3 for 11
     telecasts.  ESPN is also "already pitching" next year's
     Women's World Cup to advertisers.  ESPN "is seeking six
     prime sponsors" for its coverage (CABLE WORLD, 6/1).

          The July issue of Inside Sports "will be its last,"
     according to Keith Kelly of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS.  IL-based
     Century Publishing is selling the book to CA-based Petersen
     Publishing, which "will shut down the title and offer paid
     subscribers its own" Sport magazine.   Kelly's industry
     sources estimate the deal at $8M.  A "last-minute effort" by
     Inside Sports Publisher Jerry Croft "to lead a management
     buyout" was unsuccessful.  Kelly reports that about 20
     people "are out of work" as a result of the shutdown. 
     Inside Sports' circulation was up 2% in the second half of
     '97, at 751,151, while Sport's circulation was down 4.1% to
     751,968.  Century Chair Norman Jacobs, on the reason for the
     sale: "I heard that Disney/Hearst were willing to spend $50
     to $100 million on ESPN [Magazine] to go up against Sports
     Illustrated. ... Petersen had a very nice offer on the table
     -- and I decided it was time to let the big boys slug it
     out" (Keith Kelly, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/5).  In Chicago, Tim
     Jones writes that the sale "marks the first bloodshed in a
     sports magazine war redefined in March" with the launch of
     ESPN Magazine (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/5). 

          ESPN: Responding to a Hollywood Reporter story that
     showed a decline in ratings for ESPN and "SportsCenter,"
     while noting an increase in ratings for "Fox Sports News,"
     ESPN's Mike Soltys said, "Nielsen research for the February
     sweeps in 39 major markets shows that Fox's rating went
     down, not up. SportsCenter delivers eight times the audience
     of Fox Sports News" (USA TODAY, 6/5).  As for ESPN's ratings
     dip, Soltys pointed to fragmentation throughout the TV
     sports audience, adding that "a lot of our fragmentation is
     partially internal," with viewers shifting to ESPN2, ESPNews
     or Classic Sports Network (THE DAILY)....ESPN's Stuart Scott
     signed a multi-year contract extension (HARTFORD COURANT,
     6/5)....Excite Inc. said it has reached a deal with Disney
     to provide access to some Disney Web sites, including ESPN
     SportsZone and ABC.com (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/5).
          THE THREE AMIGOS ON NBC: In Boston, Howard Manly writes
     that NBC's NBA crew "is not perfect," but Bob Costas, Isiah
     Thomas and Doug Collins "are right just a little more than
     they are wrong" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/5). In L.A., Larry Stewart
     writes that without Doug Collins, NBC "would be saddled with
     the possibly the worst announcing team on an NBA finals
     since the CBS days of Brent Musburger and Tommy Heinsohn." 
     He says Collins "might be the best basketball commentator
     since Rick Barry" (L.A. TIMES, 6/5)....The distant
     relationship between N.Y. Post columnist/NBC analyst Peter
     Vecsey and his brother, N.Y. Times columnist George Vecsey,
     is profiled by SI's S.L. Price.  Jazz President Frank
     Layden, on Peter's influence in NBA circles: "I see it in
     our people: They're afraid of him.  Even people in the
     league -- higher up -- are afraid of him."  NBC's Bob Costas
     says Peter "carries grudges, he exacts his revenge.  Get on
     his s---list, and you stay there for a long time" (SI, 6/8).
          NOTES: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reports that
     Saturday's Evander Holyfield-Henry Akinwande SET PPV fight
     will use a camera mounted 25 to 35 feet above the ring.  The
     camera will follow fighters in their ring walks and to "peer
     at them" between rounds (N.Y. TIMES, 6/5)....In N.Y., Allen
     Barra reviewed "The Commissioners," the new book by Chicago
     Tribune columnist Jerome Holtzman and published by Total
     Sports.  Barra writes that the book about MLB's leaders "is
     a mostly sad and comic chronicle about men who were hired
     under personal services contracts by the owners and almost
     immediately fell under the delusion that they represented
     the fans and the players as well" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/31).
                

          The season premiere of HBO's "Arli$$," a Tollin/Roberts
     Production, airs this Sunday at 9:30pm.  In the initial
     episode, titled "My Job Is To Get Jobs," AMM client Theo
     Holt is a reliable backup QB capable of winning games.  But
     when Theo's team releases him, and no other team signs him, 
     Arliss begins to wonder.  When he learns of a league-wide
     rumor that Theo is gay, he resurrects Theo's career as only
     Arliss can.  Cameos include Oscar De La Hoya, Bob Kraft, Al
     Michaels, Ken Norton Jr. and Craig Sager (THE DAILY).  
          REAX: In N.Y., David Bianculli gives the episode two-
     and-a-half stars and calls Robert Wuhl "fun to watch" (N.Y.
     DAILY NEWS, 6/5).  In Baltimore, Milton Kent writes that "if
     the first episode is any marker, 'Arli$$' will provide a
     hilarious way to pass the long, hot summer" (Baltimore SUN,
     6/4).  In L.A., Larry Stewart writes that the series "might
     be the funniest show" on TV (L.A. TIMES, 6/4).

          The following lists ratings from last weekend's
     sporting events.  All times are ET.  The numbers are
     gathered from the networks (THE DAILY): 


  
 
    
EVENT
    
DATE
    
NET
    
TIME
    
RAT/SHR
  
  
 
    
"NBA 
      on NBC": Bulls-Pacers Game 6
    
 
      
5/29
    
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
9:15-Midnte
    
    
 
      
13.8/26
    
  
  
 
    
USA-Scotland 
      soccer match
    
 
      
5/29
    
    
 
      
ABC
    
    
 
      
1:30-4:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.2/4
    
  
  
 
    
PGA 
      Tour: The Memorial
    
 
      
5/30
    
    
 
      
ABC
    
    
 
      
4:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
2.6/8
    
  
  
 
    
College 
      World Series: USC-LSU
    
 
      
5/30
    
    
 
      
CBS
    
    
 
      
1:30-5:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.5/5
    
  
  
 
    
CBS 
      Sports Spectacular: PBA Tour
    
 
      
5/30
    
    
 
      
CBS
    
    
 
      
5:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.8/5
    
  
  
 
    
Fox 
      MLB Saturday: Regional Games
    
 
      
5/30
    
    
 
      
FOX
    
    
 
      
1:00-4:00pm
    
    
 
      
3.1/11
    
  
  
 
    
French 
      Open
    
 
      
5/30
    
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
3:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.6/5
    
  
  
 
    
PGA 
      Tour: The Memorial
    
 
      
5/31
    
    
 
      
ABC
    
    
 
      
3:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
3.0/8
    
  
  
 
    
Track 
      & Field: Prefontaine Classic
    
 
      
5/31
    
    
 
      
CBS
    
    
 
      
4:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.8/5
    
  
  
 
    
"NHL 
      on Fox": Stars-Red Wings
    
 
      
5/31
    
    
 
      
FOX
    
    
 
      
2:00-5:00pm
    
    
 
      
2.2/6
    
  
  
 
    
French 
      Open
    
 
      
5/31
    
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
3:00-6:00pm
    
    
 
      
1.9/5
    
  
  
 
    
"NBA 
      on NBC": Bulls-Pacers Game 7
    
 
      
5/31
    
    
 
      
NBC
    
    
 
      
7:30-10:00pm
    
    
 
      
19.1/33
    
  


          NOTES: ABC's ratings for The Memorial were up 30% on
     Saturday and 3% on Sunday, compared to '97....The NHL
     playoffs on Fox are averaging a 1.8 through Sunday, down 14%
     from last season....ESPN's NHL playoff numbers are down 23%
     through Wednesday, from a 1.3 last year to a 1.0 this year. 
     ESPN2's 24 NHL playoff telecasts averaged an 0.5....Through
     22 games, NBC's NBA playoff coverage is averaging a 7.7/20,
     up 4% from last year's 7.4/19....Fox's MLB season debut was
     up 3% over the '97 opener, and 15% over the '97 average (THE
     DAILY)....The MLB debut of Yankees P Orlando Hernandez
     received a 5.4 rating on MSG Network -- MSG's second-highest
     Yankees rating this year (N.Y. POST, 6/5).
          NUMBERS FROM CANADA: In Toronto, David Shoalts writes
     that the NHL playoff ratings "have been a disaster" (GLOBE &
     MAIL, 6/5)....CTV drew 780,000 viewers for Game Seven of
     Bulls-Pacers -- the third-highest basketball rating in the
     net's history, and 570,000 over its '98 playoff average
     (TORONTO STAR, 6/5)....In Toronto, William Houston reports
     that Blue Jays ratings are up 19% from last year, averaging
     525,000 viewers, up 101,000 from '97 (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/5).