In Indianapolis, Michael Pointer reported the Pacers have missed an "opportunity for more national attention" after President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird declined NBA TV's offer for the team to be featured on "The Association." Pacers C Roy Hibbert said of the show, "Some of us wanted it. Some of us didn't want it. L.B. made the decision." Bird: "I don’t think this year we need many distractions." Pointer noted the Nets were featured on the show last season. The league has yet to announce what team will be followed this year (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/28).
ONE MORE GO-ROUND: In S.F., Bruce Jenkins noted Warriors TV analyst Jim Barnett is exiting the booth after this season, his 29th with the team. His contract will expire next spring, and he said there was "mutual agreement" he join fellow announcer Bob Fitzgerald on CSN Bay Area telecasts for one more season and then move into an ambassador's role with the club. This development "has nothing to do with the quality of Barnett's work," but he will "turn 70 next July, forcing both parties to take a hard look down the road" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/29).
LOW-RISK PROPOSITION: In Boston, Callum Borchers cited analysts as saying that WBZ-FM's deal to air Celtics games "amounts to a low-risk gamble on a team that appears unlikely to contend for a championship." CBS Radio, which owns the station, "declined to disclose terms of the Celtics contract, saying only that it is a 'multiyear' deal." NorthEast Radio Watch Editor Scott Fybush said that it "would be unusual for a broadcaster to commit to more than three years with a franchise that could struggle on the court." He added that because WEEI-FM, which formerly aired Celtics games, was "already out of the bidding," WBZ-FM "likely got the Celtics broadcast rights for a relatively low price" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/28).
MARKING THEIR TERRITORY: SportSouth on Friday announced that it will air 73 Grizzlies games this season. The broadcasts will be in HD with "expanded coverage that includes Missouri and southern Illinois." Fox Sports also is "increasing its Griz coverage in Little Rock" (COMMERCIALAPPEAL.com, 9/27).
