ESPN L.A.'s Arash Markazi noted CBS "abruptly left" Sunday's Raiders-Bills game with 27 seconds left to "show several commercials followed by Jim Nantz and Phil Simms previewing the upcoming Chargers-Patriots game, which had yet to kick off." NFL Dir of Corporate Communications Dan Masonson said, "Los Angeles is a secondary market for the Chargers. All secondary markets must carry in their entirety all road games of their local team." Masonson added, "When situations like this arise in the future, we will take a look at them. We always review our policies and seek ways to improve them. But keep in mind that we have to balance many different factors and conflicting audience desires" (ESPNLA.com, 9/20). ESPN Radio's John Ireland recalled his thoughts when the game was switched, saying, "I'm thinking to myself, 'I live in Los Angeles, where the Raiders played for 10 years, and you're leaving the game to go to three minutes of commercials'" ("Mason & Ireland," ESPN Radio 710 L.A., 9/19).
GETTING THEIR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT: In Toronto, Kevin Connor notes the NHL season opens on Oct. 6 -- the "same date Ontario voters go to the polls to pick the provincial government." But CBC viewers "will have Don Cherry and Ron MacLean on their screens that Thursday night instead of political commentators." CBC Head of Media Relations Jeff Keay said, "We will have regular election updates during the Toronto-Montreal game, after the game and during the subsequent Pittsburgh-Vancouver game. We'll also have an information crawl at the bottom of the screen as required" (TORONTO SUN, 9/21).
FINAL CALL: In Cleveland, Paul Hoynes notes Indians broadcaster Mike Hegan "will be stepping aside from his broadcast duties with the team at the end of the season." Hegan has spent 23 seasons with the Indians as an announcer, the past 14 in the radio booth. Hegan's new role "has yet to be fully defined, but he will serve as an alumni ambassador for the team." This season, Hegan "cut back his schedule because of health concerns." He called home games on WTAM-AM with Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenahus, but "limited his travel to Detroit and Chicago" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/21).
