In Phoenix, Meghan McCarthy reports FS Arizona D'Backs analyst Mark Grace "was arrested in Scottsdale on Memorial Day on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol." Police reports revealed that Grace was arrested on "suspicion of driving with a blood-alcohol of more than the legal limit of 0.08 percent and being DUI-impaired to the slightest degree." D'Backs VP/Communications Shaun Rachau said, "It's a pending legal matter, and we have no comment at this time" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/9).
CLASS IS IN SESSION: In Syracuse, Mike Waters noted the fourth annual Sportscaster U program taking place this week at Syracuse Univ. featured "more than the usual array of NBA players honing their on-camera skills in the studios of the Newhouse School of Communications." This year's version of the NBPA's "career development seminar," run by SU adjunct professors Matt Park and Dave Ryan, is different because of the "program's burgeoning alumni base." Past participants, including Eric Snow, Malik Rose and Brevin Knight, "have made their way into the broadcast field." NBPA Career Counselor Rich Rinaldi said that of the program's 16 graduates, seven are "still playing, seven are working in broadcasting and two are working in other fields" (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 6/8).
BLADES OF STEEL: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Etan Vlessing reported after CTV two weeks ago "grabbed the marquee Skate Canada TV property away from the CBC with a new ten-year deal, the public broadcaster on Wednesday answered with a five-year deal with the International Skating Union to air top international figure skating and speed-skating events." The deal hands the CBC "access to top international competitions like the ISU World Figure Skating Championships." By securing broadcast rights to "international events where the best Canadian skaters will compete and fill local TV screens, the CBC has managed to keep pace with CTV, which in recent years has made it a habit of taking key TV sport properties, including the Canadian rights to the Olympics, away from the public broadcaster" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/8).
THE WORLD IS WATCHING: The WTA said that 116 million TV viewers in China watched Li Na's French Open final victory over Francesa Schiavone last Saturday. WTA Chair & CEO Stacey Allaster said that the audience was the "biggest for a tennis match in China." Citing figures from CCTV, the WTA said that the "previous highest Chinese TV audience for a sporting event this year was when 60 million viewers" watched Li lose to Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open final (AP, 6/8).
