Will Fox Family Acquisition Be A Hit For Disney?

In formally announcing its deal for the Fox Family Channel, Disney Chair Michael Eisner "made it clear" that if given "his druthers, he would have passed" on the deal's MLB component. Eisner called taking MLB programming a "contingency of the deal" by Fox. He said the 8-11 postseason games are "sellable," while some reports have those playoff games all moving to ESPN. Meanwhile, Disney execs said they will use ESPN to promote the MLB weekly games on the largely non-sports network.

Thinking Globally
Comcast and QVC invest $40M into Global Sports; raising stake to 25% of company.

Blade Trunner
Nike shares holding steady this morning despite recall of about 425,000 pairs of Jordan Trunner due to metal strip.

D-Listed
Annual Racial And Gender Report Card gives high marks to WNBA and NBA. NFL, MLS and MLB receive D's in Gender category.

Sinking Down A Glorious Feeling
New Houston arena plan shows facility almost 32 feet below street level.

All Bets Are Off
af2 team to play in Mohegan Sun Arena, but name downplayed due to gaming concerns.

Giving Viewers An Eiffel
Outdoor Life trying to make the most of its extensive Tour de France coverage.

Smallball
ESPN looks at minor league baseball's renaissance as sport focuses on entertainment value.