Media Notes
In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley wrote under the header "ESPN Has Celebrity Crush." In light of ESPN redefining the roles of "MNF" sideline reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya, the net "clings to nurturing this sports/celebrity nexus that has resulted in such continuing television tragedies as the ESPYs. What is it with this creepy preoccupation with seeking out even more opportunities to increase our exposure to celebrity culture? If that's part of the mission statement, then change your designation to reflect your agenda. Make it E!SPN." Wolfley: "However you view what Kolber and Tafoya brought to the game, at least it was about the game, or the players" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/14).
PADRES: In San Diego, Jay Posner reports Channel 4 San Diego is scheduled to televise 144 regular-season Padres games, "and for the first time every game will be in high definition." Fox has selected an additional six games for its Saturday schedule, leaving just 12 regular-season games not on TV. Channel 4 "remains hopeful of televising the two exhibition games" from Beijing against the Dodgers in March, but is "still awaiting word that [MLB] plans to offer a feed" to the U.S. (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/15).
NOTES: Red Sox radio analyst Dave O’Brien will join play-by-play announcer Joe Castiglione in the broadcast booth for the second straight year. O'Brien is slated to do a minimum of 135 games, and WEEI-AM radio host Dale Arnold will fill in for most of the games O’Brien is absent (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/15)….Comcast SportsNet Chicago will devote a full day of programming to late Baseball HOF announcer Harry Caray on February 18, the 10th anniversary of Caray's death (Comcast)….Southern Illinois Univ. has agreed to a multimedia rights deal with Learfield Sports. The seven-year deal plus a three-year option guarantees SIU more than $5M over the length of the contract (Learfield Sports)….Former U.S. Women’s national soccer team D Brandi Chastain will write a monthly column for Web sites in the Soccer News Network (Sports Vue Interactive).
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