NBC Sports will carry a record 34 NBA telecasts for the
'99-2000 season, 17 of which are set for primetime. The
Lakers, Spurs, Knicks and 76ers each will be carried the
maximum 11 times, the Kings and Heat nine, and the Jazz
eight. Both the Pacers and Rockets will be shown seven
times (THE DAILY). NBC Sports VP/Press Information Ed
Markey, on the schedule: "First of all, it's an exact
science. The viewers tell us what they want to see by the
ratings. What we try to do is focus on match-ups and
rivalries found in intraconference games but also
highlighting the big interconference games" (AZ REPUBLIC,
7/23). USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke reports that the Lakers and
the Knicks are scheduled for the "maximum" 15 appearances on
Turner's 80-game schedule on TNT and TBS (USA TODAY, 7/23).
SPIRIT: In Philadelphia, Phil Jasner, on the 76ers' 11
NBC appearances: "These are the same Sixers who weren't on
last season's NBC schedule until an April 25 game against
Orlando was added." 76ers VP/Marketing & Communications
Dave Coskey: "No team is on more than we are; that's pretty
cool. It tells us that the league and the network have
decided we're one of the most exciting teams" (DAILY NEWS,
7/23). Also in Philadelphia, Stephen Smith notes that a
franchise-record 19 76ers games will be on national TV:
"Apparently, [76ers G] Allen Iverson really does mean box
office. Now he won't have to rely on Reebok commercials and
highlight reels for exposure" (PHILA. INQUIRER, 7/23).
WHY ARE THE BULLS BACK? In Chicago, John Jackson notes
the Bulls will have eight games televised by either NBC or
Turner, compared to last season, when the team had only one
national TV appearance (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/23).
