VIEWERS MISS THE BOATS IN BAY AREA: ESPN2 NOT CARRIED

          Sailing fans in S.F., Oakland and "other Bay Area
     cities" have found it "challenging" to follow the America's
     Cup on TV because ESPN2, which carries the event, "isn't
     available in those cities," according to Steve Kroner of the
     S.F. CHRONICLE.  S.F.'s AT&T Cable (formerly TCI Cable) does
     not offer ESPN2 on either basic cable or its digital
     package.  AT&T Cable did put ESPN2 on its S.F. systems for
     last summer's X Games in S.F., but there "doesn't appear
     much chance" for a similar move with America's Cup.  AT&T
     Cable spokesperson Andrew Johnson: "We've had nowhere near
     the interest in the America's Cup as we did in the X Games. 
     Also, because the X Games were a local event, we felt more
     of an obligation to show them.  We've just seen very, very
     little interest (in the America's Cup)."  AT&T has "reserved
     a spot" for ESPN2 on its basic lineup in the Bay Area when
     it upgrades its system next year (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/14).