HOCKEY ON THE WEB: In Toronto, Josh Rubin writes that
"one of the best league Web sites in pro sports is going to
be getting even better" with NHL.com's addition of Gamecast,
a feature which will allow the site to run live, in-game
statistics. NHL.ICE GM Tom Richardson says that Gamecast
will serve as "a supplement to the radio broadcasts"
available on site. Rubin notes the "biggest surprise about
the new package isn't what it contains but who is providing
it." Despite working with IBM "for the past few seasons,"
ESPN Internet Ventures will be "putting together the new
package." Richardson, on IBM: "They're not in the business
of doing fantasy games, and they're not in the business of
doing things like Gamecast." He added the tie with EIV
"will give us some great cross-promotional opportunities
that we wouldn't have otherwise had" when ABC picks up the
NHL over-the-air TV package next season (TOR. STAR, 3/31).
INTERNET NOTES: NEWSWEEK profiles Quokka.com under its
"Hot Property" column in its Cyberscope section (NEWSWEEK,
4/5 issue)....ISN California, Inc., a subsidiary of BC-based
Internet Sports Network, Inc. (ISN), has finalized a merger
with Pickem Sports Inc., a CA-based contest operator and
software developer (ISN)....Online sporting goods sales are
examined in Internet World. A November report from
Forrester Research estimated that $56M in sporting goods
will be sold online this year (INTERNET WORLD, 3/29).
MORE NOTES: A law that allows the FCC to regulate cable
rates expires at midnight tonight. In Detroit, Brenda Rios
writes that consumer groups "worry cable companies, which
have raised rates more than 22 percent nationwide since
1996, will charge exorbitant prices without government rate
control" (FREE PRESS, 3/31)....The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's
Langdon Brockinton reports that the U.S. Open's women's
tennis singles final will be played after completion of the
two men's singles semifinals, rather than between them (SBJ,
3/29 issue)....SportsTicker's Howe Sportsdata has extended
its relationship with the NAPBL's Int'l League as official
statistician and information bureau (SportsTicker).
