PACKERS REEL 'EM IN ON MONDAY: ABC's Packers-Steelers
"MNF" game won the night with a 15.6/25 rating. The rating
is the second-highest "MNF" number this season, trailing
only the October 5 Vikings-Packers game. The game drew a
9.8/25 in adults 18-49. DAILY VARIETY's Tom Bierbaum
reports that the Packers "may" be challenging the Cowboys as
the NFL's "top draw" (DAILY VARIETY, 11/11). USA TODAY's
Rudy Martzke reports the rating brings "MNF" to within 7% of
'97's season average (USA TODAY, 11/11).
MALONE'S FADE AWAY? Salt Lake City's KALL-AM, which had
carried Karl Malone's talk show on L.A.'s KXTA-AM, has
"dropped the two hour program after Malone's agent demanded
the station start paying for it." KALL had been receiving
the show for free. Malone began hosting the show on October
26 and said "he wouldn't do such a show unless it was
carried in Utah." Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, reportedly
is seeking about $1,000 per show (AP, 11/11).
ESPN.COM REFUNDS FOR LOST GAMES? In Toronto, Josh Rubin
writes that while ESPN.com "hasn't been hurt too badly by
the NBA lockout just yet," one "potential problem" is
"deciding what to do with subscribers to their premium
online service." Such subscribers pay for live audio
coverage of every NBA game. Rubin: "Given that the NBA
games are a big selling point for premium subscriptions,
some refunds could be in order" (TORONTO STAR, 11/11).
NOTES: CBS SportsLine has launched a Sports Stores area
for merchandise and collectibles (AD AGE, 11/11)....NBC
Sports execs are in San Diego "scouting for a city" to host
the Gravity Games (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/10).
