WEB SPENDING: The FINANCIAL POST's Barry Critchley
profiled Internet Sports Network Inc., a sports media and
entertainment company. The company recently raised $8M in
venture capital from institutional investors. ISNI Chair
Andy DeFrancesco: "We want to become the leading Internet
sports media and entertainment company" (FIN. POST, 3/17).
NO GOAL FOR MURDOCH? BSkyB's $1B takeover bid for the
English Premier soccer team Manchester United was "cast into
doubt" on Wednesday after a press report "suggested" that
the U.K.'s Monopolies and Mergers Commission had sent a
report to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which
"recommended the deal be blocked." The news sent shares of
BSkyB and Manchester United down "sharply." DTI will offer
its ruling in the next few weeks (INDEPENDENT, 3/18).
NAMES & FACES: Rick Sutcliffe will join ESPN as an
analyst for its Wednesday night MLB telecasts, select ESPN
radio broadcasts, as well as an occasional appearance on
"Baseball Tonight" (ESPN)....John Calipari has been hired by
ESPN as an analyst on "NBA Matchup" starting this Sunday
(ESPN). Calipari "ironically" replaces new Nets assistant
coach Jim Lynam on the show (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/19)....MLB
Commissioner Bud Selig will make a guest appearance on
ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" on April 4 (USA TODAY, 3/19).
...Peter King has signed a three-year extension with CNN/SI
and SI (Baltimore SUN, 3/19)....In Houston, David Barron
reports that the "Jeopardy" episode featuring Keith
Olbermann, Bob Costas and Robin Roberts airs Monday (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 3/19)....In Nashville, Tony Pettis writes that
Knoxville sportscaster Bob Kesling "ended up having to
lighten his wallet" to become the Univ. of TN broadcasting
voice. Kesling said that UT AD Doug Dickey asked "if I had
any skeletons in my closet ... so I went over today ... and
paid $577 worth of old parking fines" (TENNESSEAN, 3/19).
...In N.Y., Peter Vecsey takes a shot at the N.Y. Daily
News' Mitch Lawrence, who "branded" Vecsey as Knicks VP
Ernie Grunfeld's "No. 1 media crony" for reporting that
coach Jeff Van Gundy would be dismissed if the Knicks lost
Sunday to the Hornets. Vecsey: "Hey, if you haven't tried
it, don't knock it. In fact, it might serve Lawrence well
if he put in the time and got himself an NBA crony instead
of a European one. That way he wouldn't have to keep makin'
things up or rippin' off the competition" (N.Y. POST, 3/19).
MORE NOTES: NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay reports that MSG has
signed a five-year deal with WFAN which allows the station
to continue carrying Knicks and Rangers games. MSG will
continue to produce the games, but will now sell the ad time
as well (NEWSDAY, 3/19)....The Bruins and WBZ radio agreed
to a five-year contract extension (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/19).
