VARIETY's Janko Roettgers reported Google is "finally adding podcasts to its Play Music app." The feature, which could "roll out any day now, was prematurely announced by former Grantland editor and future HBO talk show host Bill Simmons on Twitter this week." Simmons quickly "took down the incriminating tweet, but other users confirmed that they had already seen glimpses of the new feature" (VARIETY.com, 2/3).
FIGHT NIGHT: In L.A., Lance Pugmire reported boxer Abner Mares will fight Fernando Montiel in the "co-main event" of the Premier Boxing Champions card March 12 on CBS. Mares-Montiel "strives to expand the audience" for the Keith Thurman-Shawn Porter WBA welterweight title, "appealing to the West Coast." Showtime Sports Exec VP & GM Stephen Espinoza: "We’re trying to cover all the bases. A Hispanic audience ... the hard-core fan, the casual fan. I expect this to do very well." Pugmire noted the fight card "will be preceded by two Big Ten Conference men’s basketball semifinals and the Mountain West Conference final" (L.A. TIMES, 2/3).
GET WELL SOON: MLB.com's Greg Johns reported Mariners TV play-by-play man Dave Sims is "recovering from prostate cancer surgery." Sims "vows to be ready to join the Mariners at Spring Training at the end of February in preparation for the televised Cactus League games" on Root Sports Northwest in March. Sims "had surgery to remove his prostate on Jan. 15" (MLB.com, 2/3).
