NBA Media Notes: Cuban Promises Improvements To Mavs' Sites

Cuban Says Mavs' Web Sites Will All Have More Original Content This Season

Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban on his blog wrote fans will see "continued improvements in the Mavs websites" this season. Mavs.com, Friends.Mavs.com and Mavswiki.com all will have "more original content," and the team will be "twittering and updating facebook pages with scoops, pictures, videos, everything and anything we can think of." Also, the team on its Web site will have "complete write ups about every game minutes after the game is over." In addition, Cuban noted the Mavericks have "partnered with Hewlett Packard" for a promotion called The HP Insider. Fans can "upload a video showing" why they are the biggest Mavericks supporter, and the winner will go behind the scenes with the team (BLOGMAVERICK.com, 10/26).

CONFLICT OF INTEREST? In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones wrote ABC and ESPN are "at it again, seeing no issue with their broadcasters doing television commercials with players." The latest ad promoting NBA coverage on the networks is "as entertaining as the others, but it features" analyst Jeff Van Gundy and Clippers F Blake Griffin. Jones: "This is a conflict. Griffin, one would assume, was compensated for his appearance, and one would assume that Van Gundy and Griffin hung out while shooting" (TAMPABAY.com, 10/26).

CABLE GUYS: In Sacramento, Bill Bradley notes every Kings game this season "will be seen on cable," as the team yesterday announced that CSN California will broadcast the games. That is a "departure from the past when as late as last season" KXTV-ABC carried 15 games, but Kings VP/Communications Mitch Germann "didn't shut the door to another over-the-air station picking up Kings games." Meanwhile, there will be "no pre- and postgame shows." Germann said that the show was "eliminated for financial reasons" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/28).

BLAZING A NEW TRAIL: In Seattle, Greg Johns reported KING-NBC is "using its affiliates to carry 15" Trail Blazers games in the Seattle market this season. A dozen of the games "will be available on KING's Universal Sports channel -- Comcast 115 and digital channel 5.2 -- and three more will air" on KONG-Ind (SEATTLEPI.com, 10/23).

NOTES: Fox NFL sideline reporter Jaime Maggio has joined CSN Philadelphia as the sideline reporter for all 76ers home broadcasts. Maggio succeeds Dei Lynam, who this season has expanded her duties to include serving as CSN's "76ers Insider" (CSN Philadelphia)....Florida Today Magic beat writer John Denton, who has covered the team since '98, will provide Magic and NBA coverage on the team's official Web site (Magic).