TV MONITOR: Last night's 10:00pm ET 60-minute edition
of FSN's "National Sports Report" led with T'Wolves-Lakers,
followed by Kings-Trail Blazers. The first non-NBA report,
at 7:17 into the broadcast, was Mariners-Blue Jays. FSN's
first report on the NFL Draft came at 15:16, with 3:35 of
total coverage. Last night's 11:00pm ET 30-minute edition
of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with Pacers-Pistons,
followed by T'Wolves-Lakers. The first non-NBA report, at
3:01, was Mariners-Blue Jays. The first report on the NFL
Draft came at 16:01, with 1:21 of total coverage. Last
night's 11:00pm ET (late due to Sunday Night MLB) 60-minute
edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led with Flyers-Sabres,
followed by Panthers-Devils. The first non-NHL report, at
5:45, was Rangers-Indians. The first report on the NFL
Draft came at 36:42, with :40 of total coverage (THE DAILY).
NHL NOTES: In Pittsburgh, Stan Savran wrote that
ABC/ESPN "can't be terribly pleased about the composition"
of the NHL playoffs, as the "only top-10 markets involved
this year where the playoffs are a bigger story than the
draft or baseball are Philadelphia and Detroit" (POST-
GAZETTE, 4/16)...In Dallas, Barry Horn reported that Game
One of the Oilers-Stars series on FSN earned a 3.5 rating,
while Game Two, on KXTX-IND, earned a 5.7 rating. For the
regular season, the Stars averaged a 1.3 rating for cable
telecasts and a 2.6 rating for over-the-air broadcasts
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/15). See (#29) for more ratings.
NOTES: The SportsBusiness Journal's Langdon Brockinton
cites a Senior PGA Tour spokesperson as saying the Tour
would "like to be able to announce" a TV deal "in the not-
too-distant future," but the source declined to comment
further. While speculation has CNBC in talks for the rights
(see THE DAILY, 4/12), CNBC spokesperson David Andersen
would not comment on any deal, but said, "We like golf. The
demographics of golf enthusiasts are very, very similar to
those of CNBC's 'Business Day' viewers" (THE DAILY)....Dan
Marino has "indicated that he's likely to take a job with
HBO on its 'Inside the NFL' show." Marino: "It's a way to
start into TV. It's a unique atmosphere" (MIAMI HERALD,
4/15)....Burns Sports President Bob Williams, on the ratings
prospects for the WUSA: "I don't think women's soccer is
going to be able to survive. ... You have a men's sport
that's just a blip on the radar screen" (BRIDGE NEWS,
4/14)....USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand profiles NBC's
preparations for the Sydney Games and reports that the
network "won't bring back announcer John Tesh for its
Olympic gymnastics coverage" (USA TODAY, 4/17).
ESPN: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth, on Mike Freeman's book,
"ESPN: The Uncensored History": "Freeman attempts to
substantiate many of the [sexual harassment] charges, doing
more than 200 interviews over a four-year period. He does
not sensationalize them and deals with each side fairly. ...
Nonetheless, the response he has had from the book has
staggered him." Freeman: "It's been one of the most
interesting, frustrating, scary experiences of my life --
and I cover the NFL, where I'm dealing with two players
who've been charged with murder" (L.A. DAILY NEWS,
4/14)....In Richmond, Jerry Lindquist writes, "A weekly
half-hour version of ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' sure sounded
like a good idea, but it isn't working. Take yesterday's
free-for-all [on Bobby Knight]. ... It was such a ragged 30
minutes that nothing was gained by it except to confuse --
certainly not to amuse -- viewers" (TIMES-DISPATCH, 4/17).
