NETWORK: NBC Sports and their pan-European and pan-
Asian sports arm, NBC Super Sports (NBCSS), have formed a
new venture to distribute NBC Sports and NBCSS programs
worldwide. NBCSS will be the int'l distributor for NBC
Sports programming and VP/Int'l Sales & Distribution Mark
Jeffers will oversee the venture. Jeffers, who will be
based in N.Y., will work with Thierry Pascal, who is in
NBCSS' London office. Jeffers comes from NBC Enterprises,
where he was the Dir of Sports Sales & Ops (NBCSS).....In
N.Y., Steve Zipay examined the upcoming TV contract
negotiations for both the NFL and NBA. Zipay, on the NFL:
"[T]he gut feeling is that the current networks and cable
partners will ink new deals. Having seen CBS lose not only
status but affiliates and ad revenue to Fox, the NFL
partners can't afford to bow out." Zipay, on the NBA: "The
early line: NBC ... and TNT each will pay more, but not
twice as much, to keep shooting hoops" (NEWSDAY, 10/10).
PUBLISHING: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke reports that Rick
Reilly "turned down" an ESPN/Disney offer and will remain at
SI for "more than" $500,000 annually. Reilly will "add
duties" at HBO, CNN and Warner Bros (USA TODAY, 10/10)....In
N.Y., Keith Kelly reports that with SI Publisher David Long
moving to become President-Media Sales & Marketing at Time
Inc., "there is an intense intramural competition going on
to land his old job." Kelly: "Insiders say the two leading
candidates are Time publisher Jack Haire and Life publisher
Ed McCarrick" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/10).
