TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of FSN's
"Primetime" (Fox Sports Net Detroit) and ESPN's
"SportsCenter," which aired at about 11:22pm due to the
Seahawks-49ers preseason game, both led with Pirates-Reds
and followed with Brewers-Astros. CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight"
led with A's-Red Sox and followed with Royals-Yankees. The
first non-MLB story on "Primetime," at 9:37 into the
broadcast, was an update on the health of Spurs F Sean
Elliott. The first non-MLB story on "SportsCenter," at 8:32
into the broadcast, was the Bucks-Magic trade. At 6:26,
"Sports Tonight" went to its "Inside the NFL" feature with
Peter King (THE DAILY).
SEEING RED? In Cincinnati, John Fay writes that ESPN
"is looking for an over-the-air outlet to carry Reds games
in the event they make the playoffs as a wild-card team."
WCPO-ABC GM Bill Fee: "They offered it to us. We're not
interested." WSTR-WB's Bill Pulliam says the station "isn't
interested either." But WXIX-Fox GM Jon Lawhead says his
station is "taking a look at it" (ENQUIRER, 8/20).
NEEDED A CLUE ON JAYS-A'S: In S.F., Steve Kroner
reports that "none" of the three games in the recent Blue
Jays-A's series were televised, "even though the series
pitted two of the three contenders" in the AL wild-card
spot. A's Dir of Broadcasting Ken Pries: "To be honest, at
the beginning of the year, we didn't think the A's-Blue Jays
series in the middle of August was going to be such a
critical one. Early last week, we had some discussions
about airing a game or two, but we just couldn't get it
done" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/20).
MORE NOTES: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth reports that ABC will
carry John Elway's number retirement ceremony during
halftime of the Broncos-Dolphins September 13 season-opener
on "MNF," instead of "the usual highlight package" (L.A.
DAILY NEWS, 8/20)....The Racing Network has made its
racetrack programming available to subscribers in Canada for
a cost of C$499. The cost includes a decoder box and
satellite dish (Racing Network)....The Sunshine Network
announced its schedule for the "Dodge Florida High School
Champions Series," which debuts September 3 and features
nine FL-area high school football games (Sunshine Network).
