SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote Golf Channel did "excellent work" yesterday afternoon as it covered the final few holes during Jim Furyk's final round 58 at the PGA Tour Travelers Championship. Golf Channel also got lead CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Peter Kostis to "call the final hole." It also was "great work" by Golf Channel to "follow Furyk all the way to the scoring trailer" (SI.com, 8/7). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes it was a "great day for heads-up, on-the-fly cooperative TV and, because of both, a great hour for viewers" (N.Y. POST, 8/8).
ROLE PLAY: Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez will play his final game Friday, and execs from both Fox Sports and ESPN said that they are "interested in talking to A-Rod about a possible TV role." SPORTING NEWS' Michael McCarthy wrote Rodriguez was "pretty impressive" in his short stint with Fox during last year's MLB Postseason. YES Network also is a "possible landing spot." The RSN "could not be reached for comment" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 8/7).
BUSINESS SENSE: THE BIG LEAD's Kyle Koster cited a source as saying that Darren Rovell "will stay at ESPN on a multi-year contract." Rovell's role is "expected to remain largely unchanged on the social media, digital and television sides." Rovell had "been in talks to return to CNBC," where he worked from '06-12 (THEBIGLEAD.com, 8/5).
BERRY PICKING: SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote ESPN extending fantasy sports analyst Matthew Berry through '21 was a "smart signing." Deitsch: "I've always believed the Fantasy Sports analyst position has been undervalued at major sports outlet given the tangible metrics and monetization the best in class can bring you. To Berry’s credit, ... he’s built himself into a brand, and one more valuable than many people at his company who are more compensated then he has been" (SI.com, 8/7).
