On ESPN's World Cup coverage, Fox Sports World (FSWo)
has been placing ads for its soccer programming "in ESPN's
face," buying ad time in the top 25 markets through local
cable operators and buying ads on ABC non-O&O affils as
well, according to Wayne Friedman of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
(See (#1) in THE DAILY, 6/19). But in N.Y., ESPN "caught
wind" of the ads running on Time Warner Cable and invoked a
clause in its contract agreement with the operator "that
requires the cable company to remove the Fox advertising
spots because they are in direct competition with ESPN."
Time Warner City Cable President Larry Fisher: "We have
cable contracts with ESPN that limit network spots when they
are in competition with ESPN." An ESPN spokesperson said
that the net "only allows nonsports cable networks to buy
time on its network." Fox/Liberty Senior VP/Marketing Peter
Liguori called the move "unfortunate and a bit funky,"
adding that other New York area cable operators continue to
carry the spots (Wayne Friedman, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/26).
