Media research firm Enders Analysis yesterday said that the London Games for U.K. TV networks and pay TV operators, “particularly satellite TV giant BSkyB,” are “shaping up to be a win-win situation." The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s George Szalai noted this year is the “first occasion in modern times when the Olympics broadcast licensee in the host country is a public broadcaster.” Some observers “originally thought BSkyB and cable giant Virgin Media might see negative effects.” But earlier this month “two deals with Olympics implications were struck as the BBC unveiled a deal to bring 2,500 hours of Olympics coverage to 10 million homes of BSkyB, and Eurosport struck a second deal with BSkyB to showcase more than 100 hours of 3D content on a 3D channel during the Olympics.” Enders yesterday suggested that Virgin Media “could soon reach similar deals” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 4/16).
EARLY BIRD: CBS announced that the Navy-Notre Dame game scheduled for Sept. 1 in Dublin, Ireland, “will kick off at 2 p.m. local time -- and therefore 8 a.m. for any viewers in the Central Time Zone.” CBS’ Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson “will handle broadcast duties from Aviva Stadium” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/16).
READY TO RUMBLE: WWE's WrestleMania XXVIII “set a new pay-per-view purchase record, with 1.3 million homes worldwide buying the show.” The record “beats 2007's WrestleMania 23 as the most-watched WWE pay-per-view of all time.” The mark is “especially impressive given the growth of illegal pirate streams over the last five years” (NEWSDAY.com, 4/16).
