In N.Y., Mitchell Fink writes that Art Kaminsky of The
Marquee Group has "found no takers" in shopping a book about
Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry. Kaminsky, on Strawberry's
troubles: "Nobody wants to plunk down $20 for a book about a
guy who's in trouble with the law" (N.Y. POST, 5/17).
NOTES: The first four games of the Penguins-Maple Leafs
series drew an average Nielsen rating of 13.6 for Fox Sports
Net Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, Steve Sampsell noted that
"Fox Sports News" pulled a 4.2 rating prior to the telecast
of Game Four, about triple it's usual ratings (Pittsburgh
TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 5/16)....The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's
Langdon Brockinton writes that sources say ABC Sports is
selling 30-second spots for the Tiger Woods-David Duval
match-play prime time match for a "pricey" $150,000-160,000.
ABC is seeking to sell "all the commercial time for the
broadcast to just a handful of sponsors at a premium price,"
and it would "like to secure a title or presenting sponsor
for the event." Sources say the title sponsorship is valued
at "more than" $4M (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/17)....In
N.Y., Paul Tharp notes that ABC's budget cuts are affecting
ESPN and staffing freezes have been implemented at both ABC
and ESPN, which Tharp notes "could leave a hole in some
departments" (N.Y. POST, 5/17).
