Media Notes
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Celtics-Bulls Game Seven Most-Watched
First-Round Game Ever On Cable TV |
TNT’s coverage of Game Seven of the Celtics-Bulls first-round NBA Playoffs series Saturday night was the most-watched first-round game ever on cable TV with 6.987 million viewers. That figure supplants the previous record set by Celtics-Bulls Game Six on TNT last Thursday, which drew 5.352 million viewers. For the entire first round of the NBA Playoffs, TNT averaged 3.379 million viewers, up 14.3% from 2.956 million viewers last year. Meanwhile, CSN Chicago’s coverage of Celtics-Bulls Game Seven earned a 5.84 local rating (204,000 HHs) in the Chicago market. For six telecasts in the series (excluding Game Four on ABC), the net averaged a 4.59 local rating. That is up 25% from the Heat-Bulls first-round series on the net in '07, the last time the Bulls were in the playoffs (THE DAILY).
ON TOP OF THEIR GAME: In Toronto, Zelkovich & Campbell report Rogers Sportsnet is averaging 310,000 viewers for Blue Jays games this season, up 6% from 293,000 viewers last year, and the growth has come "without [the] benefit of games against usual ratings-drivers" the Yankees and Red Sox. Rogers Sportsnet last year aired two Blue Jays series against the Red Sox and one against the Yankees in the first month of the season, but the Blue Jays have yet to play either team this season. The Blue Jays currently lead the AL East with a 19-10 record (TORONTO STAR, 5/6).
DODGE BALL: In Las Vegas, Ed Graney reports ESPN Radio 1100 Las Vegas is "close to finalizing an agreement to air one Dodgers game weekly and perhaps a few more on another Lotus station." ESPN Radio 1100 Program Dir Mitch Moss: "With our network contracts, that's all we could really do right now." Graney notes KSFN-AM, which had carried Dodgers games in Las Vegas since '01, in March changed its call letters to KYDZ and its format to kids radio (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/6).
DIGITAL DRIVE: The Chicago Tribune is "planning a network of blogs as the centerpiece of a digital push designed to win younger audiences" on ChicagoNow.com. A source said that the blogs "will cover everything from sports and lifestyle to arts and culture," and former MLBer Jack McDowell "will write one." The site currently is "undergoing testing and is expected to be launched in the next month" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 5/4).
COMINGS & GOINGS: Newsday Yankees beat writer Kat O'Brien is "leaving the Yankees beat ... after two years to further her education" at the Univ. of Pennsylvania. O'Brien's successor "most likely will be Erik Boland," who is currently on the Jets beat (NEWSDAY.com, 5/5)....Former Baltimore Sun columnist Ray Frager is now writing for Sports Media Journal (SMJ). Frager filed his first story on May 3 (SMJ)....Leafs TV host Jody Vance is leaving the network to join Vancouver's CHHR-FM, a new adult album alternative rock station debuting in June (THESTAR.com, 5/5).
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