In DC, Liz Clarke reports that a sell-out crowd
"packed" George Washington Univ.'s Lisner Auditorium last
night for the Smithsonian-sponsored forum on the future of
auto racing. NASCAR President Bill France, on possibly
pooling NASCAR TV rights in one bid package: "We're
exploring that, but we're quite a ways away from any kind of
decision. A lot of the agreements don't run out for another
three or four years, so nothing would change overnight"
(WASHINGTON POST, 12/16)....Fox Sports Pittsburgh earned a
2.7 cable rating for Saturday's Univ. of Pittsburgh-UConn
men's basketball game, the net's third highest rating for a
college basketball game in four years (FSP)....Al Michaels,
on Keith Olbermann's reported $1M contract from Fox Sports:
"Is Keith Olbermann worth one-15th of what Kevin Brown is
worth? Absolutely. Fox got a bargain. It's a terrific
hire. You know what one-tenth of ratings point is worth?
Millions. If he raises the sports show two-tenths, he's one
of the greatest bargains in history" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE,
12/15)....Former Blazers radio announcer Bill Schonely
released his memoirs, titled, "Wherever You May Be ... The
Bill Schonely Story." The book was written with Oregonian
sportswriter Kerry Eggers and is published by BookPartners
(OREGONIAN, 12/16)....Heavyweight boxer Michael Grant signed
a five-fight deal with HBO, starting with a January 30 bout
against Ahmad Abdin (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/16).
