In N.Y., Bob Raissman noted sources in the MLB umpiring
ranks said that umpires "are tired of the way" ESPN and Fox
have portrayed them, and as a form of protest, an umpire
crew started some innings before the allotted 2:10 period
for commercials during last Sunday's ESPN Indians-Angels
telecast, causing ESPN to miss some pitches. Additionally,
the umpires union, MLBPA and MLB officials plan to ask Fox,
ESPN and NBC to refrain from using the overhead home-plate
camera used to replay controversial balls and strikes (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 4/13)....Fox Sports West 2 "plans to contest"
the Mighty Ducks decision to lift the ESPN blackouts of
Games 1 and 2 of their playoff series against the Coyotes.
FSW2 spokesperson Steve Webster: "Fox Sports West 2 has
exclusive rights to televise these games locally and we
intend to enforce these rights vigorously" (L.A. TIMES,
4/15)....Saturday's Oscar De La Hoya-Pernell Whitaker boxing
match set a PPV record of 800,000 home buys and a $32M gross
for a non-heavyweight fight (USA TODAY, 4/15). Promoter Bob
Arum said TVKO's Larry Merchant "will never again work a Top
Rank (Arum's Company) pay-per-view telecast unless he
apologizes," for remarks Saturday that the use of a Mariachi
band was a "marketing ploy" to get Mexican fans to support
the Mexican-American De La Hoya (L.A. TIMES, 4/15).
