The Dodgers' carriage issue on Time Warner Cable SportsNet LA is entering its third season, and in L.A., Bill Plaschke writes under the header, "Do The Dodgers Really Want Their Fans To Miss Vin Scully's Final Season?" The broadcaster is entering his 67th and final season in the booth, and what "should be one of the shining moments in Dodgers history will be one of the lowest." The Dodgers have "refused to make any concession that would truly honor Scully's similar final ride." The Dodgers "blame DirecTV and others for refusing to negotiate" with TWC to air Dodgers games, even though it is the Dodgers' "greed that led to the unworkable $8.35-billion deal that has led TWC to charge a price that most providers will not pay." The Dodgers "blame everyone but themselves" (L.A. TIMES, 1/29).
SOMEBODY TO LOVE: The Blackhawks and WGN Radio on Thursday announced that they have agreed on a five-year broadcast rights extension. The agreement will keep Blackhawks games on the station through the '23-24 NHL season. WGN Radio has been the flagship station for the Blackhawks since the start of the '08-09 campaign (WGN Radio).
KEEPING IT SIMPLE: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes with Creighton-Georgetown "close down the stretch Tuesday, FS1 did what so many don’t." With the ball in play, it "kept the screen clean, the camera on the court in a wide shot, thus we never lost sight of what the live crowd was watching: the game!" Mushnick gives kudos to producer Pete Macheska and director Rich Russo for "not feeling the need to impede" (N.Y. POST, 1/29).
GAME NIGHT: In L.A., Paresh Dave reports ESPN2 plans to "broadcast the final stages of a collegiate video game tournament for the second straight year, a symbolic endorsement of increasing interest in e-sports events." Blizzard Entertainment's "five-on-five online war game 'Heroes of the Storm' will be used for the aptly named Heroes of the Dorm competition." ESPN2 will "broadcast the final three matches over two days, April 9-10, instead of just the final battle on a single night" (L.A. TIMES, 1/29).
