Media Notes

Writer Feels L.A. "SportsCenter" Shows Feature Too Much Scott

ESPN began airing the 1:00am ET "SportsCenter" from L.A. earlier this week, and in L.A., Diane Pucin writes it is "the right thing. ESPN needs to be in Los Angeles." The L.A. shows will air Monday-Friday, and co-anchor Stan Verrett said, "We don't want the Los Angeles 'SportsCenter' to look different than the Bristol 'SportsCenters.' We've established a brand. It's not broke, it doesn't need fixing. We're adding another dimension." But Pucin writes if there is a "criticism to make about the first few shows done from Los Angeles, it's that the network felt the need to make Stuart Scott such a focal point." ESPN Producer Sandy Nunez said that rotating anchors "makes sense from an ESPN perspective." Nunez: "This is an enormous initiative. When you go through this much trouble, yeah, you want a marquee name." ESPN VP Judi Cordray: "Stuart is the face of 'SportsCenter.' We want him out here this week." Pucin: "From a local viewer perspective, it will be nice to get Everett and Verrett together, to let them find their rhythm, see how they evolve into West Coasters" (L.A. TIMES, 4/8).

DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Ourand & Mickle report the USOC "has been talking with Comcast officials about partnering" on a "stand-alone Olympic channel." But Comcast Exec VP David Cohen last week "sounded skeptical that a year-round channel with Olympic content would work." Cohen: "It's no secret that they've been out there talking about it. Before there can be an Olympic Channel or an Olympic Network, you have to really figure out what it is that's going to be on it and what it does to Olympic rights" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/6 issue).

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE: In N.Y., Stephanie Clifford notes the American Society of Magazine Editors "has not yet publicly commented" on the cover design for the April 6 issue of ESPN the Magazine, which features a "fold-out flap over half of the cover with the words, 'You wouldn't settle for an incomplete cover.'" When pulled back, the flap "reveals an ad for Powerade." ESPN Publishing GM & Editorial Dir Gary Hoenig: "We're certainly conscious of industry standards, and in retrospect, did we push the envelope a little bit on this one? Maybe. But we keep looking for ways to help our advertisers out, so we're not going to be unwilling to listen if there's an interesting idea" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/8).

SLOW START: Last Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the first-ever IndyCar Series race on Versus, earned 233,000 viewers from 2:38-5:02pm ET. Last year’s IndyCar season opener, the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300 from Homestead-Miami Speedway, earned 1.1 million viewers on ESPN2 on a Saturday night in primetime. The '08 race from St. Pete, which was that season’s second telecast, earned 575,000 viewers on ESPN for a Sunday afternoon telecast (THE DAILY).