In Portland, Noelle Crombie reports Trail Blazers radio analyst Antonio Harvey will be among the first Oregon residents to receive the state's "first batch of recreational marijuana licenses" Friday, and he has "informed the Trail Blazers of his family's plans to start a recreational cannabis business." Harvey's contributions to the business "will be limited to that of an investor," and his bosses have asked him "not to 'flaunt' his role in the company." Harvey said, "I don't partake in marijuana. I don't use any of the products. For me, this was a business opportunity and a chance to support my wife and her family." Harvey joined the Blazers broadcast team in '05 (Portland OREGONIAN, 4/29).
CHUNK OF CHANGE: SI.com's Richard Deitsch yesterday cited a source as saying that Fox Sports will pay Skip Bayless "in neighborhood of $5.5 million per for four years, plus a $4M signing bonus" (TWITTER.com, 4/28). In DC, Matt Bonesteel wondered if Bayless is "worth anywhere near that amount." Based on the money Fox is giving Bayless -- not long after the company "reportedly went through a round of layoffs, no less --it sure seems like it expects a sizable chunk of that audience to jump ship to Fox Sports 1 whenever Bayless's show gets off the ground." However, viewers "certainly aren't flocking to [Colin] Cowherd in great numbers, and anything on Fox Sports that isn't a live event draws crickets." Throwing "another log on the hot-take fire doesn't seem likely to change that" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/28).
PLAYOFFS?! In St. Louis, Dan Caesar notes Blues TV announcers John Kelly and Darren Pang still "will be covering the team" despite NBC taking over the exclusive rights to the NHL playoffs beginning with the conference semifinals. FS Midwest plans wrap-up shows after all remaining Blues playoff games, and Kelly and Pang will "contribute to those programs from the game site." Pang in the past has provided commentary to Canada's Sportsnet and was set to have "been there for the second round of the playoffs." But because there are no Canadian teams in the postseason, Sportsnet officials "are allowing him to remain with the Blues" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/29).
WHY END A GOOD THING? Rick Monday and Charley Steiner have signed new multiyear agreements to continue as the Dodgers' radio broadcasters. They have been working together for the past 12 seasons. Monday is in his 24th season as a Dodgers analyst, while Steiner is in his 12th season doing play-by-play (Dodgers).
