WNBA RATINGS AND ANALYSTS: Ratings for Saturday's WNBA
Championship Series Game Two on NBC between the Comets and
Mercury "were down nationally and in Houston," from last
year's title game. Nationally, the overnight of 2.2/5 was
down 22% from last year's 2.8/8. In Houston, the game drew
an 11.8/24, down from a 14.2/30 last year. In Phoenix, Game
Two earned a 6.1/15 (David Barron, HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
9/1)....In Boston, Howard Manly writes that Lifetime's WNBA
coverage features an "underrated pair of dueling analysts"
in Fran Harris and Mary Murphy, whose recent disagreements
have been "civil but strong" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/1).
NOTES: Currently, the Reds do not have an over-the-air
TV package for next season and Reds Managing Exec John Allen
"is not optimistic" that the team will get one. Allen: "The
pre-emptive fees ... are so high, that it's too expensive
for stations to do it. I don't think we're going to get a
deal. It's unfortunate" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/31).
...Today's CHICAGO SUN-TIMES features Part III of its series
of excerpts from Ronald Lazenby's chronicle of the Bulls'
season, "Blood on the Horns." Today's focus is on the
relationship between Bulls VP/GM Jerry Krause and Bulls F
Scottie Pippen (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/1).
