In L.A., Joe Flint reported Tennis Channel "wants back on the court," as it has "petitioned the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in an effort to reverse a May ruling by three of the judges there regarding a dispute" with Comcast. The court in the ruling said that Tennis Channel "had not proved" that Comcast "discriminated against it by not offering the network to all its subscribers as it does for sports networks it owns," including Golf Channel (L.A. TIMES, 7/13).
BEST-LAID PLANS: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote if CBS "can’t retain Yankees radio rights, it will adversely impact the company’s plan to put its CBS Sports Radio Network on 660-AM (WFAN's dial position) and make CBS-owned FAN an FM-only affair." The plan was "to AM/FM simulcast Yankees games, thus driving listeners to both stations, which would bring CBS Sports Radio some much-needed recognition." But with Clear Channel "stepping in and making what some sources claim is a preemptive bid, well above" the $13M per year CBS is "currently paying, the CBS plan might not come to fruition" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/14).
THE WOW FACTOR: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes, "The thing to like most about MLB Network is it’s either lucky or has a knack." The net was "in the right place" for Friday's Rangers-Tigers game "with the Tigers up 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh." Rangers P Joseph Ortiz, a "reliever just up from the minors," struck out Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera, who was "then seen mouthing something toward Ortiz." MLB Net followed with "a close-up tape" that showed Cabrera "was smiling." What he "mouthed to Ortiz clearly was 'Wow!' Never saw anything like that before. Thanks, MLBN" (N.Y. POST, 7/15).
BACK ON THE MIC: In Denver, Dusty Saunders reports Denver-based KCNC-CBS has hired former Rockies play-by-play announcer Tom Helmer "as the full-time replacement for Gary Miller, who left after 22 years to pursue radio work on ESPN." Helmer joins the station next Monday and "will make his TV debut a week later." He had "found some part-time work on Altitude's round-table sports shows and provided occasional sideline reporting last fall during Big Ten and Comcast college football coverage" (DENVER POST, 7/15).
