UPN has signed a TV deal with the XFL and will carry
football games live on Sundays from 7:00-10:00pm ET. The
network will broadcast ten regular season games and one
playoff game beginning next February (UPN). DAILY VARIETY's
Schneider & Bernstein report that UPN has "all of its
affiliates on board" for the deal. The coverage will be
"produced by the XFL in tandem with NBC's Saturday night
games." Cross-promotion between the two XFL carriers will
result in NBC's Saturday XFL coverage being plugged during
UPN's Thursday night "WWF Smackdown" show, while UPN's
Sunday XFL coverage will be promoted during NBC's XFL
coverage. The WWF "will handle all ad sales" for UPN's XFL
broadcasts (DAILY VARIETY, 5/19). USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke
writes that TNN, USA and "an undisclosed third network are
vying" for the XFL's Sunday afternoon cable rights. TNN
Publicist David Schwartz said if TNN "gains the WWF rights,
we'll do 10 XFL games on Sunday afternoons" (USA TODAY,
5/19). In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich writes to "expect"
Headline Sports to strike a deal with the XFL. Zelkovich:
"The sport fits Headline's young audience, but you have to
wonder how many people will watch a league that goes head-
to-head with 'Hockey Night In Canada'" (TORONTO STAR, 5/19).
