BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that CNNfn "pulled the
plug" on "Sports Inc.," unable to "find enough of an
audience beyond sports marketing circles" (BRANDWEEK, 9/29).
RYDER CUP: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes that NBC
covered the Ryder Cup "in a classy, even-handed fashion,"
and said the network "beautifully captured the essence" of
the event (N.Y. POST, 9/29)....NBC's Saturday's coverage of
the Ryder Cup drew a 4.3 overnight rating, up 16% from the
'95 event (Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY, 9/29).
NETWORKS: CBS has been awarded the international TV
convention's Sportel Golden Podium Award for "Sports TV
Image of the Year" for its coverage of Tiger Woods hugging
his father, Earl, following his '97 Masters win (CBS)....The
"epic battle" between Disney and News Corp. in sports TV,
was examined by Mark Landler in Sunday's N.Y. TIMES.
Landler: "If Mr. Murdoch succeeds in his strategy of
fashioning a national sports empire on the appeal of local
games, he will write a new chapter in the annals of sports
on television. ... [But] regardless of whether Fox succeeds
against ESPN, some observers doubt that Mr. Murdoch will
change the way Americans watch sports" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/28).
MAGAZINES: Julie Foudy of the U.S Women's National
soccer team has been named as a Contributing Editor at Conde
Nast Sports For Women (Conde Nast).
