In Columbus, Aaron Portzline reports FS Ohio will air 79 of the Blue Jackets’ 82 games this season, the “most they’ve aired in the franchise’s 11 NHL seasons.” All games will be broadcast in HD. Two games are slated to appear on NBC Sports Network, leaving the team's only untelevised game this season “against Colorado on Oct. 12” (DISPATCH.com, 8/31).
MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO: The Dodgers have announced that their “entire eight-man broadcast team will return for next season.” Charley Steiner and Rick Monday will return to the radio booth, while TV analyst Steve Lyons and play-by-play man Eric Collins “return for their eighth and fourth seasons, respectively.” Fernando Valenzuela and Pepe Yniguez also “return behind the mic" for Spanish-language broadcasts. It was announced over the weekend that TV announcer Vin Scully and Spanish-language announcer Jamie Jarrin are coming back for the '12 season (MLB.com, 8/30).
THAT BALL'S HIT A MILE HIGH: California-based in-flight entertainment company Row 44 is partnering with MLBAM to deliver live streaming video and audio broadcasts to smartphones, laptop computers and other Wi-Fi enabled devices on airlines. The deal includes live streaming of over 2,400 MLB games annually. Row 44 is partnering with several airlines globally, including Southwest Airlines (Row 44). The deal makes MLB the "first sports league to offer in-flight live streaming video of its games" (LATIMES.com, 8/30).
SPANISH FLAIR: Telemundo and the NFL have extended their TV rights deal through the '13 season, making the network the exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster of "Sunday Night Football." The network will work in conjunction with fellow NBCUniversal property NBC Sports on the telecasts, which include simulcasts of three "SNF" games. Telemundo also gains rights to three TV specials: the "2011 NFL Kickoff" on Sept. 10, an NFL Playoff special on Jan. 7 and a one-hour Super Bowl special on Feb. 4 (NBCUniversal).
