TV MONITOR: Last night's 10:00pm ET 60-minute edition
of FSN's "National Sports Report" led with Red Sox-Devil
Rays, followed by Giants-Pirates. The first non-MLB report,
at 5:24 into the broadcast, was first-round coverage of the
U.S. Open, and "NSR" had 1:52 of total U.S. Open coverage.
Last night's 11:00pm ET 30-minute edition of CNN/SI's
"Sports Tonight" also led with Red Sox-Devil Rays, followed
by Indians-Rangers. The first non-MLB report, at 7:13, was
the U.S. Open, and "Sports Tonight" had 2:30 of total U.S.
Open coverage. Last night's 11:00pm ET 60-minute edition of
ESPN's "SportsCenter" also led with Red Sox-Devil Rays,
followed by Astros-Mets. The first non-MLB report, at
19:53, was Ravens OL Jonathan Ogden agreeing to a six-year,
$44M extension. "SportsCenter" reported on the U.S. Open at
21:25 and had 1:36 of total U.S. Open coverage (THE DAILY).
NOTES: In San Diego, Jim Trotter reported that "in
hopes of lessening the media demands" on Chargers QB Ryan
Leaf, the team is "making him available on Mondays and
Wednesdays, for group interviews only" (SAN DIEGO UNION-
TRIBUNE, 8/29)....USA Network's opening day coverage of the
U.S. Open on Monday earned a 1.3 cable rating, up 30% from
last year's 1.0 (AP, 8/30)....The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's
Michele Greppi writes when CBS' "The NFL Today" begins
production Sunday at its new outdoor studio in N.Y., the
show's analysts will "mix it up with fans, kibitzers and
second-guessers." CBS Sports President Sean McManus: "I
think some unpredictable and fun things are going to happen"
(HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/30)....In S.F., Tommy Cummings writes
from a "business standpoint, HoopsTV.com is a success
story." The site announced a content sharing agreement with
ESPN.com this week (see THE DAILY, 8/28), which The Carmel
Group's Jim Stroud called "a coup for HoopsTV. ... I don't
see how (HoopsTV.com) can go wrong" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/30).
