INT'L NOTES: The Independent TV Commission of England
has called for BSkyB's planned takeover of the Manchester
United Soccer Club to be blocked. The Commission has told
the Monopolies and Merger Commission it "should stop such
takeovers because they would impede the sale of broadcast
rights" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 2/12)....In Toronto, William
Houston writes that "heads will roll" at both TSN and CTV
SportsNet if CTV's acquisition of NetStar goes through. One
source: "There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of very nervous
people at TSN and SportsNet" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 2/12).
...DAILY VARIETY's Andrew Paxman reports that Televisa and
TV Azteca agreed to share TV rights to Mexico's national
soccer and adds that 60-second spots for Wednesday's Mexico
- Argentina soccer game in L.A. were "reportedly" being sold
at "a whopping" $100,000 plus 15% tax and the ads aired
simultaneously via both broadcasters (DAILY VARIETY, 2/12).
MORE NOTES: In N.Y., Steve Zipay writes that the NHL
"deserves better treatment" in "some of the media" and
points to the fact that the final game at Toronto's Maple
Leaf Garden on Saturday, one of the "historic nights in
hockey," is on ESPN2, not ESPN (NEWSDAY, 2/12)....In
Nashville, David Haerle writes SI has "pretty much outdone
themselves with unabashed smut," as the latest Swimsuit
Issue "truly shows no shame." Haerle: "Larry Flynt might be
proud, but that should be enough to compel any self-
respecting husband or father to cancel his subscription"
(TENNESSEAN, 2/12)....ESPN has reached an agreement with MA-
based StarGames to air the Best of the Beach Series on ESPN2
this summer. The agreement provides for coverage of the
Series' five championship events (Stargames).
