In Dallas, Barry Horn noted despite the Rangers having the biggest division lead in the AL, their Aug. 14 game against the Tigers is the first of two "under consideration" for ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" during the second half of the season. It would mark the Rangers' '16 "debut in ESPN's sweet spot." "Sunday Night Baseball" is the net's "lone truly national game of the week" and is an "exclusive window." The Rangers "have played four times" on FS1's national game of the week. But that is "second tier" for now (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/1).
FIGHTING WORDS? In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes ESPN's Chris Fowler and Chris Evert on Friday during Wimbledon "unsurprisingly -- but perhaps uneasily -- indulged" Serena Williams' "violent tantrum" after losing her first set against Christina McHale. Williams rallied to win the match, and ESPN's theme "also resumed: Serena Williams is not only the world's best female tennis player ... she's among the finest humans on earth." Williams was "extended her usual TV entitlement -- as if, again, we wouldn't know good from bad, right from wrong" (N.Y. POST, 7/5).
WALKING OFF: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote FS1's Skip Bayless was "torched on Twitter, and other media precincts, by his now former colleagues who ... were actually outraged over him -- once again -- trashing LeBron James." Instead of trashing Bayless, his former ESPN colleagues "should have saluted him." Raissman: "If his detractors at ESPN had problems with Bayless’ take on James, or any other subject for that matter, why did they wait until he was out the door to lower the boom?" In his ESPN end, despite how his colleagues characterized him, Bayless "went out in style." Raissman: "Pissing everyone off" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/3).
DINNER & A MOVIE: In N.Y., Michael Cieply noted a "minor panic" was created Thursday among Oscar voters and those who court them when new campaign rules for the coming Academy Awards season were announced. Those promoting ESPN’s, “OJ: Made in America,” for instance, "were about to send invitations to a filmmaker lunch at the not unfancy Craft restaurant" this week in L.A. However, they were left to wonder if such an occasion might "lead to suspensions or expulsions?" Sources said that Academy officials "were privately consulted, and approved the Craft luncheon." Cieply noted ESPN has "no intention of showing its 450-minute O.J. Simpson documentary to the crowd at Craft" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/4).
