The U.S. Open men's final has been pushed from Sunday to Monday for the fourth consecutive year, and in N.Y., Ken Belson notes "finishing on the weekend is critical" to CBS, which broadcasts the top matches from Flushing Meadows. Because many ads are "sold based on how many viewers are watching, advertisers are often compensated when matches are pushed to other times." The "most common way to reimburse them is to show their ads at times when similar viewers are watching." Horizon Media Senior VP & Dir of Research Brad Adgate said, "There’s an impetus from a dollar perspective to get these matches played on schedule. I don’t think anyone is happy with extending it out to next week. It’s a lose-lose situation" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/9).
BACK IN THE RING: Top Rank Chair Bob Arum said that a deal "had been agreed to between his company and HBO PPV to produce and distribute" Miguel Cotto's junior middleweight title bout against Antonio Margarito on Dec. 3 at MSG. Top Rank President Todd duBoef said that he "still had a few minor points to go over" with HBO Senior VP/Sports Operations & PPV Mark Taffet. But duBoef said completion of the agreement was "imminent." ESPN.com's Dan Rafael reported Top Rank also was "weighing an offer from Showtime, HBO's archrival, for the fight" (ESPN.com, 9/8).
HURRICANE WATCH: The Hurricanes on Thursday announced that FS Carolinas will air 67 games during the '11-12 NHL season, and "all games will be in high definition." The RSN's coverage "will include 37 of the team's 41 road games." John Forslund "again will handle the play-by-play while Tripp Tracy will provide analysis." Starting in January, 37 of the Hurricanes' "final 42 regular-season games will be televised, including all 22 of the team's road games in that span" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 9/9).
