In Salt Lake City, Scott Pierce wrote the Mountain West Conference and BYU "have some decisions to make about TV contracts." Pierce: "Do they continue to sign deals with national TV outlets or go it on their own?" In the upcoming school year, MWC schools will make about $1.75M each from ESPN, CBS Sports Network and Root Sports' RSNs, with "additional 'bonuses' (weighted to favor Boise State) ranging from nothing" to about $2M. MWC execs "at least are beginning to wonder if late starts and midweek games would be worth" making a bigger deal with ESPN (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/5).
CLICK FACTORY JOB? In L.A., David Wharton writes if anyone doubts the race between L.A. and Paris for the '24 Games is "heating up, just look at this week’s dispute over Facebook fans." It "began when the LA 2024 contingent announced Monday it had reached 1 million likes on the social media platform." The next day, published reports out of Europe "cast doubt on the achievement, noting the numbers had risen dramatically in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Egypt, India and Afghanistan" (L.A. TIMES, 4/6).
ON AN ISLAND: In Honolulu, Ferd Lewis wrote for the ninth consecutive season Hawaii baseball fans "find themselves prisoners to the arcane MLB blackout policy." Lewis: "Never mind that Hawaii is 2,500 miles from the nearest MLB stadiums, our state has been chosen as a 'home territory' by five teams: A’s, Angels, Dodgers, Giants and Padres." Oceanic Cable has been "unwilling to ante up for the Giants, A’s, Angels, Padres etc. so the blackout is on." Oceanic, because it was owned by Charter, "gets the Dodgers" (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 4/5).
