The NCAA has scheduled a news conference for tonight
"to discuss an 'update on negotiations' for its next" NCAA
basketball TV rights deal, according to Wendell Barnhouse of
the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, who cites sources as saying
that a "stunningly lucrative new deal could be announced."
As the "bidding networks were invited to make" proposals of
five, eight, 10 and 11 years in duration, CBS is the
"favorite," with "estimates the deal could be" for ten years
and about $4B, which would "nearly double" the $216M per
year the net currently pays the NCAA in its seven-year deal
that expires in 2002. Fox, which "entered the negotiations
with ISL," made its "pitch" yesterday, while "cash-strapped
Disney" and CBS are scheduled for today. Barnhouse writes
that TV "insiders expect CBS to do all it can to retain" the
tournament rights after losing its NASCAR rights (FT. WORTH
STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/18). In Chicago, Ed Sherman writes that
the negotiations are "expected to come down to CBS and ABC-
ESPN." Sherman: "After losing the rights to NASCAR last
week, CBS desperately wants to stop its skid at 1." ABC
Sports President Howard Katz said, "Like most negotiations,
it will come down to money" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/18).
BRIDGE NEWS' Jennifer Allen cites "industry sources" who say
that CBS "will likely be the sole victor for the tournament
and ancillary rights" (BRIDGE NEWS, 11/18).
