U.S. OPEN: NBC kicks off 16 hours of U.S. Open coverage
from 3:00-5:00pm ET today, with two more hours tomorrow.
NBC has six hours of coverage on both Saturday and Sunday
(Baltimore SUN, 6/18). In Boston, Howard Manly reports that
Casey Martin "will command at least initial face-time from
NBC" at the Open. NBC analyst Roger Maltbie: "We'll
definitely be covering Casey's opening tee shot today. We
feel it's a special occasion. It's newsworthy and we want
the viewing public to see it" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/18).
OTHER NOTES: In Baltimore, Milton Kent notes reports of
CBS possibly airing a barnstorming tour of locked-out NBA
players, and writes, "The prospect is delicious with irony."
After passing on the NFL, NBC officials "have been casting
public and private doubts about CBS' ability to make money"
on the deal, "while hinting at starting a new football
league that might have NBA backing." Now, CBS "may take the
NBA players that NBC has made into stars and show them at a
dramatically reduced cost, while NBC, which is obligated to
pay the NBA even during a lockout, stews on the sideline"
(Baltimore SUN, 6/18)....In Chicago, Fred Mitchell notes
talk that ESPN's Bonnie Bernstein is "leaving" to join CBS
Sports "to become the main reporter for NFL Today" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 6/18)....TBS announced plans to construct a $52M
production facility on its Techwood Campus and to renovate
its CNN Center, both in Atlanta (DAILY VARIETY, 6/18).
