TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of CNN/SI's
"Sports Tonight" led with an update on the Red Sox-Indians
Game Five, followed by a report on the neck injury of
Cowboys WR Michael Irvin. FSN's "Primetime" (Fox Sports Net
South) led with Irvin, followed by an update on the knee
injury to Bucs RB Warrick Dunn. ESPN's "SportsCenter," on
at 11:30pm, led with the NASCAR Winston Cup UAW-GM Quality
500, which was run Monday after being delayed by rain
Sunday, followed by a Red Sox-Indians update (THE DAILY).
NBC EYES THE TRAVERS? In Albany, Pete Dougherty
speculated whether NBC will pursue rights to The Travers
Stakes, whose TV rights are up for negotiations following
its broadcast on ESPN in 2000. NYRA Dir of Broadcast
Communications Bill Nader: "The Travers makes perfect sense
for NBC." But ESPN's Dave Nagle said ESPN "will continue to
be an important player in horse racing." Nagle added, "NBC
may be shopping the supplementary cable components (to the
Triple Crown deal), and we'd be interested in those" (Albany
TIMES UNION, 10/10). Meanwhile, MD Jockey Club President &
CEO Joe De Francis said having the NBA as a lead-in for the
Triple Crown series, "as opposed to competition is huge,
especially for the Preakness." De Francis: "This is like a
double bonus, getting rid of the competition and then using
it to your advantage" (Baltimore SUN, 10/10).
NOTES: In Pittsburgh, Bill Modoono criticized ESPN's
Dan Patrick for appearing in Coors ads with John Elway and
called it "troubling that so many" of ESPN's "on-air
personalities do not see their role as either journalists,
pundits, reformers or even knowledgeable sources of sports
information. Instead, their collective goal seems to be to
emulate Patrick and become celebrities" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-
REVIEW, 10/10)....The CART Hawaiian Super Prix "is still on"
and SpeedVision reportedly "will not only air" the race, it
"will also be the title sponsor" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS,
10/10)....NBC is broadcasting 30-second ad spots promoting
Providence, RI, "throughout the Gravity Games" telecasts
(Providence JOURNAL, 10/9)....Wayne Gretzky is reportedly
earning C$250,000 for his weekly column appearing in the
NATIONAL POST (TORONTO STAR, 10/12)....Sunday's Bears-
Vikings game earned a 24.7/54 local rating in Chicago,
making it the highest rated Bears game since '96 (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 10/12)....The Patriots-Chiefs game earned a 22.8/50
local rating in Boston (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/12).
