The revised NBA TV schedule reflects that the Bulls'
"run of being on national television 19 times a year and
generating monster ratings" is over as Turner Sports and NBC
Sports have "gone largely bi-coastal," according to Steve
Zipay of NEWSDAY. TNT and TBS has the Lakers appearing 12
times, with the Knicks appearing 10 times, while NBC
features the Lakers 11 times, along with nine appearances
each for the Knicks, Jazz and Pacers. Turner Sports Senior
VP Kevin O'Malley: "We had to ... sustain ratings, so we had
to find teams that we think will come together quickly.
With the Bulls, you're talking about a team that
competitively, has changed completely" (NEWSDAY, 1/22). In
Miami, Barry Jackson reports that the Heat will have eight
appearances on NBC. NBC will televise 28 games, "only four
fewer than its pre-lockout schedule" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/22).
In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers notes that the Mavericks,
Warriors, Kings, Raptors, Grizzlies and Clippers were all
"frozen out of national exposure" (ATL. CONSTITUTION, 1/22).
THE LOVE SHAQ! NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol says that
Lakers and C Shaquille O'Neal are "definitely" considered
the biggest TV draw. Ebersol also suggests this season's
ratings "will be pretty close to flat" compared to last
season's (Michael Heistand, USA TODAY, 1/22).
MJ BOOK RECEIVES A VIOLATION? The WALL STREET JOURNAL's
Allen Barra reviews David Halberstam's new book, "Michael
Jordan, Playing for Keeps," and writes that while it "scores
points for flattery" it "shoots an air ball when it tries to
find man behind the brand." Barra: "There's a hole at the
center of the story: Michael Jordan himself. Mr. Jordan
appears so aloof, so removed from events going on in the
world around him, he doesn't seem to represent anything more
than his own fame" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/22).
