While Fox Sports has run full-page ads in USA Today and
some of the weekly trade magazines touting Fox Sports News,
ESPN runs a two-page spread in the current ELECTRONIC MEDIA
which reads, "Lots of networks have viewers. Very few have
actual fans." Text: "Thanks to the dedication of our
viewers, ESPN now delivers more men 18-49 and 25-54 than any
other ad supported cable network, which has helped to make
ESPN the highest rated cable network among $75K+ households.
Plus, in the 4th quarter of 1997, ESPN was viewed by more
than 50 million households per month. Now those are some
numbers worth cheering about" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 9/14).
OTHER NOTES: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Liz Mullen
reports that Picabo Street has signed a deal with NBC Sports
to announce the '99 Skiing World Championships in Vail, CO.
Street, who has also talked to NBC about joining the net's
Olympic broadcast team, has also had discussions with
production companies about doing a TV movie about her life
(SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/14 issue)....AD AGE's Ann Marie
Kerwin reports that after Polly Perkins' departure as
President of Sport magazine, Publisher Gib Chapman will
continue day-to-day ad sales duties (AD AGE, 9/14 issue).
....The Red Sox are "supposedly" looking for "at least" $10M
per year in a new TV deal beginning next season. In Boston,
Howard Manly reports that some industry analysts "fear that
the Red Sox have waited too long to make a deal in time for
the carrier to lock in advertisers. A deal would have to be
done within the next 60 days to enable the carrier to make
its money back" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/15). ...Former Blackhawk
Billy Gardner has been hired as the team's TV/radio color
commentator. Last season, Gardner was an analyst for the
Hurricanes (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/15)....The Heat announced a
five-year contract extension with their flagship radio
station, WIOD-AM (Fort Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 9/15).
