The cable industry is "assessing the economic damage"
of the six-month NBA lockout, according to R. Thomas Umstead
of MULTICHANNEL NEWS. TNT's replacement programming, which
consisted of movies and specials, averaged a 1.6 cable
rating, down 6% from last season's NBA games. Replacement
programming for TBS received a 1.7 average cable rating, up
6% from last year's 1.6 for NBA programming. But "cable
research sources" note both TNT and TBS suffered a 35-45%
drop in "the coveted" 18-34 male demo. TNT reportedly still
has 75% of its NBA ad inventory available. DirecTV
President Eddy Hartenstein, whose company offers an NBA out-
of-market package, has suggested that the NBA work with
DirecTV "to offer incentives to help win back" fans.
Hartenstein "declined to say" if this might include offering
the '99 NBA League Pass package for free. One "anonymous"
PPV exec suggested the NBA could "work with cable operators
to create a similar out-of-market package for cable"
(MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 1/11 issue). BROADCASTING & CABLE's Dan
Trigoboff reports that local station directors believe "that
individual losses from the NBA games so far was significant
-- but not catastrophic" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 1/11 issue).
A SOFT MARKET? TN Media's John Lazarus told
BROADCASTING & CABLE's Steve McClellan that the NBA network
partners are "catching a marketplace that's really in their
favor." Lazarus noted that NBC is "almost sold out in prime
time in the first quarter" (B&C, 1/11 issue). MEDIAWEEK's
Cooper, Consoli & Larson report that a 30-second spot on NBA
regular-season games averaged $100,000 last year. Analysts
say that price "would need to be adjusted downward" by 10%
"to account for an anticipated loss of audience," and
"another" 15% if Michael Jordan retires (MEDIAWEEK, 1/11).
NBC DENIES REPORT: NBC Sports VP/Sports Information Ed
Markey denied a Toronto Star report that NBC had asked the
NBA for a doubleheader on Super Bowl Sunday to go against
the Fox NFL broadcast. Markey: "It's complete fiction. We
did not ask for that and will not ask for that" (THE DAILY).
