MLB WONDERS IF ESPN2 CAN PRODUCE THE RATINGS FOR BIG GAMES

          MLB is examining its options on how to proceed over
     ESPN's intention to move its September Sunday Night cable
     games to ESPN2, and ELECTRONIC MEDIA's Steve Donohue reports
     that while ESPN2 is projected to be in 60 million homes by
     September, ESPN's ratings "dominate" ESPN2. From December
     through April, ESPN averaged a 1.1 (798,000 homes) while
     ESPN2 pulled in a 0.4 (232,000).  But ESPN VP/Communications
     Chris LaPlaca said that ESPN2 pulls in good ratings for "big
     games."  LaPlaca: "If the event is big, ESPN2 will deliver
     ratings points."  An industry source told Donohue, "It comes
     down to who needs who more.  It's either going to cost them
     (ESPN) a lot of money, or ESPN could lose its baseball
     contract."  Paul Kagan analyst John Mansell: "I would be
     very surprised if baseball would yank its contract from ESPN
     over a handful of September games" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 5/18).