The GUARDIAN’s Mark Sweney reported the BBC has struck a US$281M deal to secure EPL highlights for a three more years, "ensuring that Match of the Day passes 50 years on TV.” The BBC submitted the bid to “secure the UK free-to-air highlights rights” for the ’13-16 seasons. This represents a 4.5% increase on the US$268.8M the BBC paid for its existing three-year deal. Under the terms of the deal Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2 “will be available to view via the BBC's iPlayer online TV service from midnight on Mondays” (GUARDIAN.co.uk, 5/25).
SAPP SACKED: In Miami, Barry Jackson wrote Showtime “has decided to drop” former NFLer Warren Sapp from “Inside the NFL,” though the other cast members -- James Brown, Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth -- are expected back.” NFL Network “hasn't said whether it will renew Sapp's contract this summer.” Jackson noted Sapp “drew criticism for accusing” free agent TE Jeremy Shockey of telling the league about the Saints' bounty program, a claim that Shockey and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell have denied (MIAMIHERALD.com, 5/24).
STAYING IN PLACE: SI.com’s Richard Deitsch noted ESPN has re-signed anchor John Buccigross. The move “was low radar, but ESPN made a nice call retaining one of its professional voices with a multi-year deal.” He will co-host the 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter,” and “adds NCAA Frozen Four play-by-play work.” Buccigross will “also continue to write his popular hockey column on ESPN.com.” Meanwhile, anchor Scott Van Pelt is staying with the net after being “romanced by NBC Sports." ESPN is a "better fit for him given its many platforms and Van Pelt's connection with that audience.” College football is where Van Pelt “plans to branch out as part of his new deal” (SI.com, 5/29).
OUT IN THE COLD: In DC, David Sherfinski noted the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit this month upheld an order from the FCC allowing Time Warner Cable to leave MASN and MASN2 “off its basic cable package in North Carolina.” The FCC justified its order in part by saying that the Orioles and Nationals have been “so bad so often recently that it was ‘not surprising’ baseball fans in North Carolina would prefer to watch another club’s games.” Sherfinski added the region, “whose fans identify more with Atlanta than the District or Baltimore, is nevertheless considered by baseball officials to fall within the Washington/Baltimore market” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/28).
