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ESPN Platforms To Celebrate Title IX’s 40th Anniversary on June 23

ESPN has begun its three month-long recognition of Title IX. It has already launched a dedicated microsite and begun some programming initiatives.

ESPN’s networks will be all over the 40th anniversary weekend in June with documentaries, espnW features and a whole host of women’s sports. Let’s see what ESPN has planned for June 23.

ESPN Networks to Offer a Variety of Women in Sports Programming Throughout Title IX Anniversary Weekend

ESPN Schedule on June 23 Includes WNBA, USA Softball and Several Studio Shows

ESPN will offer a weekend of events and studio shows June 22-24 featuring women in sports across its networks — ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN Classic – highlighted by a full day of programming Saturday, June 23. The offering is part of the network’s three-month companywide initiative, The Power of IX, recognizing the 40th anniversary of Title IX, signed June 23, 1972.

The June 23 multi-network programming will be tied together, beginning at 11 a.m. ET, through studio coverage from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. ESPN soccer analyst Julie Foudy will host from a Title IX-themed set and welcome special guests who have impacted or been affected by the law throughout the day. ESPN will also report from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J., where more than 30,000 Girl Scouts will be part of the B.I.G. Celebration (Believe in Girls) and the 100th anniversary of the organization.

“I am extremely proud of ESPN for recognizing and focusing on the 40th anniversary of this legislation,” said Carol Stiff, vice president, programming & acquisitions at ESPN. “The hours of programming multiple ESPN networks are dedicating on June 23 show the company’s ongoing commitment to increasing the coverage of women’s sports.”

ABC
SEC Storied: Lolo Jones — One of the brighter stars in the history of the LSU women’s track and field dynasty is Lori “Lolo” Jones. A standout hurdler, she won three NCAA titles and 11 All-American honors. But Jones had to overcome significant obstacles to get there. “Lolo” will explore her inspiring rise from an unstable home life to national stardom that included a spot on the 2008 United States Olympic team. The film will include her stunning disappointment in the 2008 Beijing Games and her journey to make it back to the Olympics this summer. This fourth installment of SEC Storied will run at 4 p.m., and also on ESPNU at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

ESPN Sports Saturday — A weekly look at the biggest stories in sports at 5 p.m., the show will include a discussion of Title IX. The show typically consists of informative debate from ESPN programs such as Pardon the Interruption, First Take, SportsNation, and Mike & Mike In the Morning, as well as game previews and predictions from NFL Live, College Gameday, NBA Countdown, Baseball Tonight and more.

ESPN
ESPN’s coverage will kick off with segments on SportsCenter at 11 a.m., with segments previewing the day’s events and sharing special Title IX vignettes and memories.

Two WNBA games will highlight ESPN’s day — Chicago Sky at Minnesota Lynx at 12:30 p.m. and Los Angeles Sparks at Phoenix Mercury at 9 p.m. The four teams include Olympic Gold Medalists; NCAA National Champions; NCAA Women of the Year; Naismith, John R. Wooden and State Farm Players of the Year; All-Americans; Conference Players of the Year and NCAA record holders.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series – Road America 200 from Elkhart Lake, Wis., at 3:30 p.m.features Danica Patrick, one of the most successful women in the history of American racing. She is the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series and she is the highest female finisher at the Indianapolis 500 (third).

USA Softball will take on the Canadian National Team at 7 p.m. from Oklahoma City in the Title IX 40th Anniversary Celebration Game. The teams include current and former student-athletes who are now playing at an elite level.

ESPN2
Sporting Chance is a Title IX documentary produced by the NCAA in conjunction with Creative Street Entertainment Group.

E:60 Women’s Special will take some of the top profiles, investigations and stories of the series that featured female athletes. The newsmagazine show will run at 1 p.m.

A U.S. Women’s Soccer Special will air at 5 p.m., a 30-minute program showcasing the 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup gold-medal winning team in a feature, followed by a roundtable discussion about the impact of Title IX on the growth and success of women’s soccer in this country. The panel will include soccer and women’s sports notables.

ESPNU
Honda Sports Awards will showcase the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program that annually recognizes the accomplishments of top female athletes in NCAA-member colleges with a variety of prestigious awards. ESPN’s Sage Steele will host the live 60-minute special from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center at 3 p.m.

ESPN3
National Pro Fastpitch will stage a doubleheader between the Florida Pride and Carolina Diamonds, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

ESPN Classic will have more than 50 hours of women’s programming relating to Title IX beginning Friday and running through Sunday.

Additional details will be announced at a later date.

ESPN’s Title IX – June 23 Programming (subject to change)

11 a.m. — SportsCenter, ESPN

11:30 a.m. — Women’s Athletic Programming, ESPN Classic

Noon — Sporting Chance, ESPN

12:30 p.m. — WNBA Game: Chicago Sky at Minnesota Lynx, ESPN

1 p.m. — E:60 Women’s Special, ESPN2
1 p.m. — National Pro Fastpitch: Florida at Carolina (Charlotte), ESPN3

2 p.m. — SEC Storied: Lolo Jones, ESPNU<

3 p.m. — NASCAR Countdown, ESPN
3 p.m. — Honda Sports Awards (ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center), ESPNU

3:30 p.m. — NASCAR Nationwide: Road America 200 (Elkhart Lake, Wis.), ESPN

4 p.m. — SEC Storied: Lolo Jones, ABC
4 p.m. — NCAA Women’s Championships Programming, ESPNU
4 p.m. — National Pro Fastpitch: Florida at Carolina (Charlotte), ESPN3

5 p.m. — Sports Saturday: Week in Review, ABC
5 p.m. — U.S. Women Soccer National Team Documentary, ESPN2

7 p.m. — USA National Softball vs. Canada (Oklahoma City),ESPN
7 p.m. — SEC Storied: Lolo Jones, ESPNU

8 p.m. — Sporting Chance, ESPNU

9 p.m. — WNBA Game: Los Angeles Sparks at Phoenix Mercury, ESPN
9 p.m. — NCAA Women’s Championships Programming, ESPNU
9 p.m. — Women’s Athletic Programming, ESPN Classic

There you have it.

NBC & NBC Sports Network Combine For 11 NHL Games To Close Out 2011-12 Season

This is what puckheads were hoping for when the NHL signed its new contract with the NBC Sports Group last year. There will be wall-to-wall hockey on both NBC and the NBC Sports Network in the last seven days of the regular season. A total of 11 games on the combined networks including a tripleheader next Saturday, April 7 on the very last day before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

NBC will utilize its regular crews of Mike Emrick, Dave Strader, Eddie Olcyzk, Pierre McGuire and Brian Engblom and also employ TSN’s Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro as well as local NHL announcers John Forslund, Rick Peckham and Joe Micheletti for the stretch run.

We have the NBC Sports press release.

11 GAMES IN SEVEN DAYS CONCLUDES NBC SPORTS GROUP’S NHL REGULAR-SEASON COVERAGE

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh Begins Final-Week coverage this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Triple-Header across NBC & NBC Sports Network concludes Regular-Season coverage on Saturday, April 7

NEW YORK – Mar. 29, 2012 – With NHL teams fighting to either make the playoffs or jockeying for crucial playoff positioning, the NBC Sports Group will conclude the 2011-12 NHL regular season with its most comprehensive final week of coverage ever, presenting 11 games over the final seven nights of the season across NBC and the NBC Sports Network.

Final-week coverage begins Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC with the Philadelphia Flyers traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins in the NHL Game of the Week. Later that night, the NBC Sports Network will air primetime coverage of the Rangers taking on the Bruins at 7 p.m. ET in New York.

After six more games are aired on the NBC Sports Network from Monday-Friday, the NBC Sports Group’s regular-season coverage concludes with a tripleheader on Saturday, April 7, beginning with Chicago at Detroit at 1 p.m. ET on NBC. NBC Sports Network will follow with Philadelphia at Pittsburgh at 4 p.m. ET and Washington at New York at 6:30 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports Group Final-Week NHL Schedule (all times ET, subject to change):

Sunday, April 1
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh – 12:30 p.m., NBC
Boston at New York Rangers – 7 p.m., NBCSN

Monday, April 2
Washington at Tampa Bay – 7 p.m., NBCSN

Tuesday, April 3
Pittsburgh at Boston – 7:30 p.m., NBCSN
Anaheim at Vancouver – 10 p.m., NBCSN

Wednesday, April 4
Detroit at St. Louis – 7:30 p.m., NBCS

Thursday, April 5
New York Rangers at Pittsburgh – 7 p.m., NBCSN

Friday, April 6
Phoenix at St. Louis – 7:30 p.m., NBCSN

Saturday, April 7
Chicago at Detroit – 1 p.m., NBC
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh – 4 p.m., NBCSN
Washington at New York Rangers – 6:30 p.m., NBCSN

COMMENTATORS: The team of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside the Glass’ analyst) will call the action for Sunday’s game on NBC, NBC Sports Network’s Wednesday night game and NBC’s Saturday game in Detroit.

Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (‘Inside the Glass’ analyst) will call Sunday’s game in New York. Rick Peckham (play-by-play) and McGuire will serve as announcers for Monday’s primetime coverage, with Strader and Engblom teaming up again for Tuesday’s game in Boston, as well as games in Pittsburgh on both Thursday and Saturday.

John Forslund (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (analyst) will be in St. Louis for Friday’s coverage, and Gord Miller (play-by-play) and Ray Ferraro (‘Inside the Glass’ analyst) will call New York’s last game of the regular season on Saturday night.

Liam McHugh and analyst Mike Milbury will cover all the intermissions for NBC Sports’ coverage. Additionally, McHugh hosts NHL Live and NBC Sports Network’s pre- and post-game studio show, where he is joined by analysts Milbury and Keith Jones.

That will do it.

CBS Airs A Double Dose Of Tennis This Weekend

While CBS is focusing on the Final Four in New Orleans, it also will be airing the women’s and men’s finals of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Miami. There has been some great tennis these last two weeks as we’ve seen some great upsets with Andy Roddick beating Roger Federer and Australian Open champion Vika Azarenka losing her first match of 2012.

Bill Macatee, Mary Carillo and Mary Jo Fernandez will call the matches for CBS. The women’s final featuring Maria Sharapova is at 12:30 p.m. ET today. The men’s final between Aussie Open champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray is scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow.

We have the preview from CBS Sports.

CBS SPORTS SERVES UP SONY ERICSSON OPEN WOMEN’S AND MEN’S FINALS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 31 AND SUNDAY, APRIL 1

CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR broadcasts the women’s and men’s finals of the SONY ERICSSON OPEN live on Saturday, March 31 (12:30-3:00 PM, ET) and Sunday, April 1 (1:00-3:30 PM, ET), respectively, from Crandon Stadium in Miami, Fla.

Saturday’s women’s final will see No. 2-world Maria Sharapova takes on No. 5-world ranked Agnieszka Radwanska. On the men’s side No. 1 Novak Djokovic takes No. 4-world ranked Andy Murray on Sunday.

CBS Sports’ Bill Macatee, Mary Carillo and Mary Joe Fernandez call the action from Miami. CBS Sports’ Bob Mansbach produces and Suzanne Smith directs. Harold Bryant is the Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

That will do it.

CBS/Turner’s Coverage Plans For The 2012 Final Four

The CBS Sports/Turner Sports NCAA Tournament consortium is in New Orleans to air the 2012 Final Four in the Louisiana Superdome. Kentucky-Louisville will be the first game scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET. That will be followed by Ohio State-Kansas at approximately 8:49 p.m.

Jim Nantz will call his 22nd Final Four for CBS and attend his 27th overall for the network. Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr will the courtside analysts. Tracy Wolfson reports.

The studio crew of Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, Charles Barkley, Seth Davis and Kenny “The Jet” Smith will be on a specially built set at the Superdome. And three coaches will join them as guest analysts, Tom Izzo of Michigan State, Brad Stevens of Butler and Buzz Williams of Marquette.

There will be plenty of pregame programming including The Final Four Show at 4 p.m. ET which will have features that will be listed below. And it marks another special appearance by Jim Rome in advance of his CBS Sports Network premiere next Tuesday.

We have the press release for you.

CBS SPORTS AND TURNER SPORTS’ “ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR” MARCHES IN TO NEW ORLEANS FOR CBS SPORTS’ 31ST CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF NCAA^® MEN’S FINAL FOUR ON SATURDAY, MARCH 31

Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, Kansas Vie for College Basketball’s National Championship
Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Butler’s Brad Stevens and Marquette’s Buzz Williams Join THE FINAL FOUR SHOW on Saturday

Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and march in to New Orleans as CBS Sports and Turner Sports provide exclusive coverage of the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and Final Four. For the 31^st consecutive year, CBS Sports broadcasts the national semi-final games live on Saturday, March 31 (6:00-11:00 PM, ET) and the National Championship game on Monday, April 2 (9:00 PM, ET-conclusion) from the Louisiana Superdome.

Saturday’s Final Four features Kentucky versus Louisville with tip-off scheduled for 6:09 PM, ET. Forty minutes after the game concludes,  Ohio State takes on Kansas to determine the other participant in Monday night’s Championship game. CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg, Turner Sports’ Steve Kerr call the games,  with Tracy Wolfson serving as reporter. Nantz calls his 27^th Final Four and National Championship, Kellogg works his fourth, and Kerr joins Nantz and Kellogg for the second time.

Leading in to the semi-final games on Saturday, March 31 (4:00-6:00 PM, ET), THE FINAL FOUR SHOW on CBS with Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Seth Davis features tournament highlights, analysis of the four participating teams and interviews with coaches and players. Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, Butler Head Coach Brad Stevens and Marquette Head Coach Buzz Williams also will be on set to provide analysis.

The opening tease of CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four on Saturday, March 31 (6:00 PM, ET) features New Orleans rising stars Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, in a two-minute music montage previewing the Kentucky-Louisville game. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined the band in iconic Jackson Square to welcome basketball fans to New Orleans as the band performed their song “Do To Me.”

Jim Rome, host of ROME, debuting Tuesday, April 3 (6:00 PM, ET) on CBS Sports Network, contributes an interview with Kentucky Coach John Calipari and Louisville Coach Rick Pitino.

Included in the broadcast are features on:

* LOUISVILLE’S PEYTON SIVA
Directing the offense for a Top 20 college basketball program is a major responsibility, yet starting at point guard for Louisville pales in comparison to the challenges Peyton Siva has already had to overcome. When Peyton was a youngster growing up in Seattle, his father left home because of various bedeviling addictions. While Peyton’s mother, Yvette, struggled to keep the fractured family going, it was young Peyton Jr., who bravely tracked down his father, confronted him, and then, remarkably convinced him to turn his life around. Mark Burghart produces.

* KENTUCKY’S DARIUS MILLER
Darius Miller grew up in Maysville, KY, just 65 miles northeast of Lexington, and is now living his dream playing for the team he rooted for as a child. If Kentucky wins the championship, Miller would become the first player in state history to win the so-called Commonwealth Triple Crown -– capturing the boys’ high school state championship, Kentucky’s” Mr. Basketball” honors and an NCAA title at UK. As one of two seniors on the Wildcats’ Final Four roster, Miller has taken the team’s freshmen phenoms, such as SEC Player of the Year Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, under his wing. Sarah Rinaldi

* OHIO STATE’S JARED SULLINGER
Growing up as a coach’s son and winning a high school championship in the heart of Buckeye Nation, the expectations for Jared Sullinger were almost as dauntingly large as his current six-nine frame. Despite Ohio State’s surprisingly premature Sweet 16 exit last year, Sullinger resisted the lure of the NBA and assumed a leadership role in trying to fulfill his lifelong dream of bringing an NCAA championship back home to Columbus for the first time in half a century. Alanna Campbell produces.

* KANSAS’ THOMAS ROBINSON
Big 12 Player of the Year Thomas Robinson has special motivation in his quest to help lead Kansas to its fourth NCAA championship. A year ago, within the span of less-than-a-month, Robinson lost two grandparents and his 43-year-old mother, Lisa. Two nights after his mom’s funeral in Washington, D.C., Robinson was back on the court for the Jayhawks, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds in an emotional victory over Kansas State. With the support of his teammates, Robinson has been able to find solace on the court. In a moving interview, he talks about the pain of enduring multiple family losses and the burden of having to help raise his eight-year-old sister, Jayla, while trying to win a national title as a tribute to the loved ones he lost in such sudden and unexpected fashion. Jeff St. Arromand produces.

* JIM ROME WITH KENTUCKY’S JOHN CALIPARI & LOUISVILLE’S RICK PITINO
Jim Rome brings together Kentucky Coach John Calipari and Louisville Coach Rick Pitino on the eve of what is being billed as the “most important sporting event in the history of the Commonwealth.” Not only are the Wildcats and the Cardinals bitter rivals, but their head coaches -– the only two coaches to ever lead three different teams to the Final Four –- have a lifelong up-and-down history together. Charlie Bloom produces.

* Special Features

ONE HEARTBEAT
In Chardon, Ohio and Harrisburg, IL, the end of February and beginning of March were supposed to be all about basketball. In both towns, the high school varsity teams were in the playoffs, with big matchups ahead on the calendar. Instead, for both places – shockingly and unfathomably –- what transpired was a week enveloped in tragedy. On Monday morning, February 27, a troubled teen opened fire in the crowded cafeteria of Chardon High School, killing three students and wounding two more. Two days later in Illinois, a tornado blew through Harrisburg in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday morning; seven residents were killed. Suddenly, two towns in the heart of America were forced to pick up the pieces of devastation. Perhaps improbably, both would find strength, community, and inspiration in the game of basketball. Pete Radovich produces.

Also on Saturday, CBS Sports Spectacular broadcasts THE BIG DANCE IN THE BIG EASY (3:00-3:30 PM, ET) hosted by Greg Gumbel and Clark Kellogg as they look back at the four previous Final Fours that took place in New Orleans. The HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL (3:30-4:00 PM, ET) celebrates the achievements of six former NCAA student-athletes who made a difference off the field Billy Mills, Cody Hodges, Jason Taylor, Chris Duhon, Angela Ruggiero and Amber Tollefson.

Sunday, April 1 (3:30-4:30 PM, ET), CBS Sports’ Seth Davis hosts KINGS OF THE COURT, which looks at some of the top college basketball coaches in America including Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Kansas’ Bill Self. The one-hour special examines the blueprint to success through exclusive interviews and footage of these leaders and their respective programs. THE HIGH SCHOOL SLAM DUNK & 3-POINT CHAMPIONSHIPS (4:30-6:00 PM, ET) highlights the nation’s elite high school players as they compete in New Orleans over Final Four weekend in a Slam Dunk contest and the Boy’s and Girl’s 3-Point Championships.

PRELUDE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP with Gumbel, Anthony, Barkley, Smith and Davis precedes Monday evening’s National Championship game (9:00 PM, ET).

Bob Dekas, coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ NCAA basketball coverage, produces the 2012 Final Four and Bob Fishman directs. Eric Mann produces the preview and halftime programs, and Bob Matina directs.Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

CBS SPORTS AND TURNER SPORTS 2012 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 31
CBS: 4:00-6:00 PM — THE FINAL FOUR SHOW
CBS: 6:00-11:00 PM — NCAA MEN’S FINAL FOUR, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
truTV: 11:30 PM-12:30 AM — Inside March Madness

Monday, April 2
CBS: 9:00-11:30 PM — MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
truTV: 12:00-1:00 AM — Inside March Madness

That’s it.

Ron Burgundy on The Dan Patrick Show

It’s only been eight years since we last saw Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 Evening News team. Well, on Wednesday, Ron showed up on TBS’ Conan to announce that indeed, a sequel to Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy will be produced. Let me say that it’s about time. Anchorman was one of the first comedy classics in the 21st Century and remains revered by fans today.

Ron’s appearance on Conan has been embedded all over the place, but since I haven’t been able to update the site as much as I’d like this week, let’s post it here as well.

Truly a very funny appearance. And to top it off, Burgundy called in to the Dan Patrick Show and we have that appearance thanks to Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Ron tells us that he was originally against a sequel, but thanks to a lot of money, he was all in.

That’s it.

Attempting A Friday Megalink Post

This week has been hellish for me and I apologize for not being able to post as much as I would like. I’ve been away from my computer for most of the day and by the time I get home, I’m tired and don’t want to update the blog.

Well, with me already done my errands for today, I’ll give you some linkage that has been seriously lacking this week.

Of course, there’s the Weekend Viewing Picks which you can peruse.

National

Michael Hiestand of USA Today says Jim Rome is hoping to make a splash as he prepares to launch his new daily show on CBS Sports Network.

Reid Cherner of USA Today’s Game On! blog says perpetually angry ESPN college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb is throwing his hat into the Kansas State coaching ring.

The Associated Press was on hand to witness Root Sports Northwest’s production of the Seattle Mariners-Oakland A’s regular season openers in Japan without actually traveling to the Far East.

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim has more thoughts on the numerous conflicts of interest in tennis broadcasting.

Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand has Fox Sports’ statement on its carriage dispute with Time Warner Cable over Fox Sports San Diego.

John profiles legendary sports television producer Don Ohlmeyer.

Around the Rings has the press release regarding the European Broadcasting Union obtaining the rights to the World Cups in 2018 and 2022.

ESPN Ombudsman Jason Fry of the Poynter Institute says college basketball analyst Bob Knight should not be allowed to live by his own rules when he’s on TV.

Scott Soshnick and Steven Church of Bloomberg Businessweek says the Los Angeles Dodgers sale was sparked by media rights.

Alex Ben Block of the Hollywood Reporter says former Sony Pictures head Peter Gruber who’s part of the new Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group could bring a new attitude towards marketing the team.

Jon Lafayette of Broadcasting & Cable has Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott calling rights fees for college football are undervalued.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says NESN National is being launched in Indianapolis.

Tim Nudd at Adweek says Chrysler is unveiling four new follow ups to its “Halftime in America” Super Bowl spots during various events this weekend including the NCAA Final Four and Mad Men.

Adweek’s Mike Shields writes ESPN.com is partaking in Facebook’s Open Graph, but with some restrictions.

Jason Del Ray at Advertising Age notes that CBS/Turner brought in its highest sales revenue ever for March Madness Live.

Ronnie Ramos at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says March Madness has been enhanced by social media and the digital experience.

The Brothers Yoder at Awful Announcing cast the upcoming Anchorman sequel using ESPN’ers. This is good.

Ben Koo at AA is not a huge fan of the overhead shots employed by CBS/Turner for the NCAA Tournament.

Dan Fogarty at SportsGrid says the Los Angeles Times feels there’s one person who could spoil the new ownership for the Dodgers.

Ahmed Yussuf at EPL Talk gives a first-hand account of following the English Premier League from Australia.

Sports Media Watch says last weekend’s rain-shortened NASCAR on Fox event did not do well in the ratings.

Joe Favorito asks if ‘The Hunger Games” could give archery a boost in time for this summer’s Olympics.

Jason McIntyre at The Big Lead reports that Joe Posnanski is leaving Sports Illustrated.

Ty Duffy at The Big Lead says the potential Fox cable sports network may not knock down ESPN, but could give it a run for its money.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell talks about two rival Hollywood agencies representing Tim Tebow simultaneously.

Bob’s Blitz says WFAN’s Craig Carton browbeat former Tiger Woods swing coach Hank Haney to the point where he hung up.

Brandon Costa of Sports Video Group says CBS returns to New Orleans where it began its Final Four journey 30 years ago.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe says ESPN MLB analyst Curt Schilling is facing hypocrisy calls after he criticized his former Red Sox team this week.

Chad adds some thoughts on Schilling and on NESN’s Jenny Dell that didn’t make his column.

Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch writes in SB Nation that a Tiger Woods in contention is good for The Masters^® and its TV partners.

Bob Tedeschi of the New York Times reviews this year’s edition of the MLB At-Bat app.

Richard Sandomir from the Times examines the Dodgers sale.

Anthony Riemer of Newsday looks at Jeremy Lin’s lunch with the sacked ESPN.com editor who unwittingly made a racial slur last month.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post feels Fox Sports’ Jimmy Johnson should not be advocating violence. I don’t think he did, Phil, but continue to hate everything, ok?

Justin Terranova of the Post has five questions for former Tennessee and current Sirius XM analyst Bruce Pearl on the Final Four.

The Albany Times Union’s Pete Dougherty has the ESPN MAC football schedule.

Pete has CBS excited about this year’s Final Four.

Jane Kwiatkowski of the Buffalo News says this is a tough time for the local TV sportscast.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call looks at a local PBS documentary on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Laura Nachman says Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia is ready for Phillies baseball.

Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog says the Fox sitcom “Raising Hope” gave another of many Capitals references.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner talks with MLB Network’s Mitch “Wildi Thing” Williams.

South

David Barron from the Houston Chronicle writes that the Houston Open should be helped by a lot of interesting storylines.

David says Jim Rome is getting ready for his CBS Sports Network closeup.

David writes that Texans running back Arian Foster is taking his show to the team’s radio flagship station.

In The Oklahoman, Mel Bracht has ESPN’s MLB analysts predicting the upcoming season.

Mel says there will be plenty of baseball available in the Oklahoma City market.

Mel reports a local radio station has flipped to being a full-time ESPN Radio affiliate.

Mel writes that a local radio sports director has been laid off thanks to Clear Channel.

Midwest

Elton Alexander of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer says New Orleans has provided CBS with plenty of Final Four excitement.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says a local TV station plans to ride the Kentucky train for as long as possible.

John says a couple of long-time local radio veterans got the ax due to Clear Channel cost cutting.

John writes that a radio documentary on late Cincinnati Reds voice Waite Hoyt airs this weekend.

The Indianapolis Star says Butler coach Brad Stevens will be a guest analyst for CBS on the Final Four.

Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes the Brewers have extended their radio rights deal with their long-time flagship station.

Bob says a local sportscaster is back to work after a long illness.

Bob tells us that Marquette coach Buzz Williams will also be a guest analyst on CBS this weekend.

Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin writes that CBS loves New Orleans at Final Four time.

Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says 20 Cardinals games won’t be seen by AT&T U-Verse subscribers this season.

Dan writes that the defending champions Cardinals will be in the national spotlight quite a few times this season.

West

Jay Posner at the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Fox Sports San Diego is not optimistic of getting a deal with two cable providers in time for Padres opening day.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star has ESPN’s MLB analysts praising Magic Johnson’s presence with the Dodgers.

Jim was surprised that Kentucky-Louisville wasn’t the nightcap for the Final Four.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says Lakers fans are enjoying having guest analysts on radio broadcasts this season.

Tom talks with Jim Rome about his CBS Sports Network show.

Tom has more on Rome in his blog.

Canada

The usually uninformed Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says CBC Sports appears to be rudderless as it heads into a new NHL negotiation.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog has the viewership numbers for Canadian sports television from last week.

And that will conclude the megalinks.

Weekend Viewing Picks

Saturday, March 31

College Baseball
Duke at Georgia Tech — Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/Fox Sports Arizona/Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports South, 1 p.m.
Miami at Clemson — ESPNU, 4 p.m.
Kentucky at Georgia — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports South, 4 p.m.
Washington at Oregon State — Root Sports Northwest, 4 p.m.
UNLV at TCU — the mtn., 5 p.m.
Arkansas at LSU — ESPNU, 8 p.m.

College Basketball Viewing Picks

College Lacrosse
Virginia at Maryland — ESPNU, 7 noon

College Softball
Baylor at Missouri — Fox Sports Net (national), 4:30 p.m.

English Premier League
Manchester City vs. Sunderland — ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.
Queens Park Rangers vs. Arsenal — Fox Soccer Plus, 9:55 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Chelsea — Fox Soccer, 10 a.m.
Fulham vs. Norwich City — Fox Soccer Plus, 2:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Wigan Athletic vs. Stoke City — Fox Soccer Plus, 4:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Everton vs. West Bromwich — Fox Soccer, 5 p.m. (same day coverage)
Wolverhampton vs. Bolton — Fox Soccer Plus, 6:30 p.m. (same day coverage)

Figure Skating
World Figure Skating Championships, Nice, France
Men’s Free Skate — Universal Sports, 9 a.m.
Ladies Free Skate — Universal Sports, 2:30 p.m.

Golf
European Tour: Sicilian Open, 3rd Round — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship, 3rd Round — Golf Channel, 4:30 p.m.
PGA Tour: Houston Open, 3rd Round — Golf Channel, 1 p.m./NBC, 3 p.m.

MLB
Boston vs. Tampa Bay — MLB Network/Sun Sports, 1 p.m.
Detroit vs. Atlanta — Fox Sports Detroit/SportSouth, 1 p.m.
Toronto vs. Philadelphia –WPHL, 1 p.m.
Milwaukee vs. San Diego — Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports San Diego, 3 p.m.
Anaheim Angels vs. Chicago Cubs — MLB Network/Fox Sports Prime Ticket/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 4 p.m.
Cincinnati vs. San Francisco — KNTV, 6 p.m./MLB Network, 9 p.m.

30 Clubs in 30 Days: Pittsburgh Pirates — MLB Network, 7 p.m.
Basebal Tonight — ESPN, 9:30 p.m.

MLS
Toronto vs. Columbus — TSN/RDS/Fox Sports Ohio, 2 p.m.
New York vs. Montreal — TSN/RDS/MSG Network, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia vs. Vancouver — WPVI/Rogers Sportsnet Pacific, 4 p.m.
Seattle vs. San Jose — KONG/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.
Portland vs. Real Salt Lake — Root Sports Northwest/KTVS, 10 p.m.
LA Galaxy vs. New England — NBC Sports Network, 11 p.m.

NBA
New Orleans at Los Angeles Lakers — NBA TV, 3;30 p.m.
Cleveland at New York — NBA TV, 7:30 p.m.
New Jersey at Sacramento — NBA TV, 10 p.m.

NHL
Ottawa at Philadelphia — CBC/RDS2/NHL Network (US)/Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Boston at New York Islanders — NESN/MSG Plus, 1 p.m.
Buffalo at Toronto — CBC/NHL Network (US)/MSG Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Montreal at Washington — CBC/RDS/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg at Tampa Bay — CBC/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Carolina — MSG Plus/Fox Sports Carolinas, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Nashville — WGN/Fox Sports Tennessee, 8 p.m.
Columbus at St. Louis — Fox Sports Ohio/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles at Minnesota — Fox Sports West/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
Anaheim at Phoenix — KDOC/Fox Sports Arizona, 9 p.m.
Calgary at Vancouver — CBC, 10 p.m.
Dallas at San Jose — Fox Sports Southwest/Comcast SportsNet California, 10:30 p.m.

Hockey Tonight — NHL Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.

Soccer
CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying
Semifinals
El Salvador vs. Honduras — NBC Sports Network, 9 p.m.
Mexico vs. Canada — Universals Sports, midnight

Swimming
USA Swimming Grand Prix, Indianapolis, IN — Universal Sports, 6 p.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open, Crandon Park Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Women’s Final — CBS, 12:30 p.m.

Entertainment
Giada at Home: Spring Lunch — Food Network, 11:30 a.m.
Kelsey’s Essentials: My Trip to France — Cooking Channel, 2:30 p.m.
Kids’ Choice Awards 2012 — Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.
Bridesmaids — HBO, 8 p.m.
Renovation Realities — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
20/20: My Extreme Affliction — ABC, 9 p.m.
Being Human — BBC America, 9 p.m.
The Supersizers Go: Regency — Cooking Channel, 10 p.m.
Scorned: Love Kills: A Fatal Affair — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
The Graham Norton Show — BBC America, 10:15 p.m.
Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show — BBC America, 11 p.m.
That Metal Show — VH1 Classic, 11 p.m.
Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show — BBC America, 11:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 1

College Baseball
Army at Navy — CBS Sports Network, noon
Southern Mississippi at Rice — Fox Sports Net (national), 2 p.m.
UNLV at TCU — the mtn., 2 p.m.

College Basketball Viewing Picks

College Lacrosse
Big City Classic, East Rutherford, NJ
Duke vs. Syracuse — ESPNU, 4 p.m.
Johns Hopkins vs. North Carolina — ESPNU, 7 p.m.

College Softball
Nebraska at Minnesota — Big Ten Network, 1 p.m.
Florida at Georgia — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports South, 1 p.m.
Northwestern at Wisconsin — Big Ten Network, 3 p.m.

English Premier League
Newcastle United vs. Liverpool — Fox Soccer Plus, 8:30 a.m.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Swansea City — Fox Soccer, 11 a.m.

Golf
European Tour: Sicilian Open, Final Round — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship, Final Round — Golf Channel, 3 p.m.
PGA Tour: Houston Open, Final Round — Golf Channel, 1 p.m./NBC, 3 p.m.

IndyCar
Indy Grand Prix of Alabama — NBC Sports Network, 2 p.m.

MLB
Detroit vs. New York Mets — WPIX, 1 p.m.
New York Yankees vs. Miami — YES/Fox Sports Florida, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia vs. Atlanta –CSS, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh vs. Toronto — Rogers Sportsnet, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore — MASN, 1 p.m.
Minnesota vs. Boston — NESN, 1:30 p.m.
Chicago Cubs vs. Anaheim Angels — Fox Sports West, 4 p.m.
Chicago White Sox vs. Cincinnati — Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 4 p.m.
Kansas City vs. Seattle — Root Sports Northwest, 4 p.m.
San Diego vs. Texas — KTXA, 4 p.m.

Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 12:30 p.m.
30 Clubs in 30 Days: Tampa Bay Rays — MLB Network, 9 p.m.

MLS
Colorado vs. Chicago — Galavision/Altitude 2, 7 p.m.
Chivas USA vs. Sporting KC — KDOC/KSMO, 9 p.m.

NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series: Goody’s Fast Relief 500 — Fox, 12:30 p.m.

NBA
Chicago at Oklahoma City — ABC, 1 p.m.
Miami at Boston — ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Denver at Orlando — NBA TV, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Portland — NBA TV, 9 p.m.

NHL
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh — NBC, 12:30 p.m.
Ottawa at New York Islanders — Rogers Sportsnet East/TVA/MSG Plus, 3 p.m.
Florida at Detroit — NHL Network (US)/Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports Detroit, 4 p.m.
Boston at New York Rangers — NBC Sports Network/TSN2, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago — Fox Sports North/WGN, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Anaheim — Rogers Sportsnet West/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 8 p.m.

NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Overtime — NBC Sports Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.

Soccer
Women’s
Japan vs. United States at Sendai, Japan — ESPN2, 6:30 a.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open, Crandon Park Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Men’s Final — CBS, 1 p.m.

Entertainment
CBS News Sunday Morning — CBS, 9 a.m.
10 Dollar Dinners with Melissa D’Arabian: Saving Coing With Catfish — Food Network, 10 a.m.
Sandwich King: Springtime Sandwich Party — Food Network, 11 a.m.
60 Minutes — CBS, 7 p.m.
Once Up A Time — ABC, 8 p.m.
Reinventing the Meal — Cooking Channel, 8 p.m.
The Killing (season premiere) — AMC, 8 p.m.
Frozen Planet — Discovery, 8 p.m.
Snapped: Sarah Jo Pender — Oxygen, 9 p.m.
Game of Thrones (season premiere) — HBO, 9 p.m.
Shameless — Showtime, 9 p.m.
House of Lies — Showtime, 10 p.m.
Saving The Titanic — PBS, 10 p.m.
Mad Men — AMC, 10 p.m.
Iron Chef America: Simon vs. Yagishashi — Food Network, 10 p.m.
Full Metal Jousting — History Channel, 10 p.m.
Californication — Showtime, 10:30 p.m.

College Basketball Viewing Picks For 03/31 & 04/01/12, All Times Eastern

Saturday, March 31

Men’s

College GameDay live from New Orleans — ESPN, noon
Bracket Breakdown — CBS Sports Network, 1 p.m.
The Big Dance in the Big Easy — CBS, 3 p.m.
Human Highlight Reel — CBS, 3:30 p.m.
The Final Four Show — CBS, 4 p.m.

College All-Star Game — truTV, 1 p.m.

NCAA Tournament
National Semifinals
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Announcers: CBS/Turner — Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg/Steve Kerr/Tracy Wolfson (sidelines); Dial Global Radio — Kevin Kugler/Bill Raftery/John Thompson/Jim Gray (sidelines)/John Tautges & Bill Walton (studio)
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Louisville — CBS, 6:09 p.m.
#2 Ohio State vs. #2 Kansas — CBS, 8:49 p.m.

Inside March Madness — truTV, 11:30 p.m.
Bracket Breakdown — CBS Sports Network, 11 p.m.
Bracket Breakdown — CBS Sports Network, 11:30 p.m.

Women’s
Women’s National Invitation Tournament
Championship
James Madison at Oklahoma State — CBS Sports Network, 3 p.m.

Sunday, April 1

Men’s
Kings of the Court — CBS, 3:30 p.m.
Bracket Breakdown — CBS Sports Network, 4 p.m.

Women’s

NCAA Women’s Final Four Special — ESPN, 6 p.m.

NCAA Women’s Tournament
National Semifinals
Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Announcers: ESPN — Dave O’Brien/Doris Burke/Holly Rowe (sidelines)/Rebecca Lobo (sidelines); Dial Global Radio — Dave Ryan/Debbie Antonelli/Krista Blunk (sidelines)
#1 UConn vs. #1 Notre Dame — ESPN, 6:30 p.m.
#1 Baylor vs. #1 Stanford — ESPN, 9 p.m.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

Arena Football
San Jose SaberCats at Spokane Shock — NFL Network, 8 p.m.

College Baseball
UNLV at TCU — the mtn., 7:30 p.m.

College Basketball
Men’s
College Basketball Invitational
Championship Series
Game 3: Washington State at Pittsburgh — HDNet, 7 p.m. (series tied 1-1)

College Lacrosse
Lehigh at Navy — CBS Sports Network, 7 p.m.

College Softball
Florida at Georgia — ESPNU, 8 p.m.
Hawaii at New Mexico State — ESPNU, 10 p.m.

Figure Skating
World Figure Skating Championships, Nice, France
Men’s Short Program — Universal Sports, 8 a.m.
Pairs Free Skate — Universal Sports, 3 p.m.

Golf
European Tour: Sicilian Open, 2nd Round — Golf Channel, 8:30 a.m.
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship, 2nd Round — Golf Channel, noon & 6 p.m.
PGA Tour: Houston Open, 2nd Round — Golf Channel, 3 p.m.

Mixed Martial Arts
Bellator Fighting Championships 63 — MTV2, 8 p.m.
The Ultimate Fighter Live — FX, 10 p.m.

MLB
Arizona vs. Anaheim Angels — MLB Network/Fox Sports West, 4 p.m.
Milwaukee vs. Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 4 p.m.
Miami vs. Washington –MASN, 6 p.m.
Philadelphia vs. New York Yankees — MLB Network/YES, 7 p.m.
Chicago vs. Kansas City — Fox Sports Kansas City, 9 p.m.
San Francisco vs. San Diego — Fox Sports San Diego, 10 p.m.
Texas vs. Colorado — KTXA, 10 p.m.

Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
MLB Tonight Live — MLB Network, 10 p.m.
30 Clubs in 30 Days: Philadephia Phillies — MLB Network, 11 p.m.

MLS
DC United vs. Dallas — NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.

NBA
Dallas at Orlando — ESPN, 8 p.m.
Portland at Los Angeles Clippers — ESPN, 10:30 p.m.

NHL
Florida at Columbus — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg at Carolina — TSN-Jets/Fox Sports Carolina, 7 p.m.
Montreal at New York Rangers — TSN/RDS/NHL Network (US)/MSG Plus, 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at Detroit — Fox Sports Tennessee/Fox Sports Detroit Plus, 7:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Buffalo — Root Sports Pittsburgh/MSG Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado at Calgary — Altitude/Rogers Sportsnet Calgary, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles at Edmonton — Fox Sports West/Rogers Sportsnet West, 9:30 p.m.
Dallas at Vancouver — NBC Sports Network/TSN/Fox Sports Southwest, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10:30 p.m.

Sports Talk
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network/Fox Sports Net, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network/DanPatrick.com, noon
The Scott Van Pelt Show — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 5 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
NBC SportsTalk — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.
CNBC Sports Biz: Game On! — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.

Swimming
USA Swimming Grand Prix, Indianapolis, IN — Universal Sports, 6 p.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open, Crandon Park Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Men’s Semifinals — ESPN2, 3 p.m. & 9 p.m.

Entertainment
Undercover Boss: Yankee Candle — CBS, 8 p.m.
Nikita — The CW, 8 p.m.
Living Abroad: Tokyo, Japan — HGTV, 9 p.m.
Man Caves — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
America’s Most Wanted — Lifetime (The Network That Hates Men), 9 p.m.
Primetime: What Would You Do? — ABC, 9:01 p.m.
Living Abroad: Dubai — HGTV, 9:30 p.m.
20/20 — ABC, 10 p.m.
Dateline NBC — NBC, 10 p.m.
On Death Row: Hank Skinner — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Spartacus: Vengeance — Starz, 10 p.m.
In Plain Sight — USA Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters International: North Stradbroke Island, Australia — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
The Girl’s Guide to Depravity: The Magic P***y Rule — Cinemax, 11 p.m.
Late Night with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.

MLB on Fox Games & Announcing Assignments For April 7, 2012

All times are Eastern.

3:30 p.m.
Fox Saturday Baseball Pregame Show

4 p.m.
Boston at Detroit — Joe Buck/Tim McCarver
St. Louis at Milwaukee — Thom Brennaman/Eric Karros
San Francisco at Arizona — Daron Sutton/Eric Byrnes
Kansas City at Anaheim Angels — Kenny Albert/Mark Gubicza

You probably notice that Fox has tapped its regional Fox Sports Net affiliates to fill the announcing roster for next Saturday. Fox will average 3 games per week, but what we’re seeing for its opening Saturday is what will happen during Primetime when it has as many as six games scheduled.

That’s all.

Masters Live Returns to CBSSports.com & Masters.com Next Week

The streaming webcast, Masters Live returns next week as The Masters^® comes back onto the sports scene.

For the first time, “Masters on the Range” will be seen both online and on CBS Sports Network. This will be seen on the days leading up the First Round.

When play begins, web “patrons” will be able to see the action on Amen Corner, Holes 11, 12 and 13 plus Holes 15 & 16 and the featured group in the both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Some of the announcers working for Masters Live will include Andrew Catalon, Grant Boone, Jennifer Mills, Billy Kratzert, Matt Gogel, Peter Oosterhuis and Jerry Foltz. This marks the first year that we won’t see the late Jim Huber on the coverage and the great sports essayist will be missed on this event.

We have the details plus the online schedule for each day at The Masters^®.

MARCH 29, 2012:CBSSports.com, in conjunction with Masters.com, CBS Sports and the Masters Tournament, today announced that Masters Live, live video coverage from the Augusta National Golf Club, will return for the 2012 Masters Tournament. Now with four live channels of golf action, Masters Live will be presented throughout the week of the 2012 Masters, April 2-8, providing more than 90 hours of live video from Augusta National. The 2012 Masters Live suite of video productions features a line-up of four channels of live golf action from the Masters, including:

• Masters On The Range: A live show originating from the Tournament Practice Range at Augusta National, Masters On The Range will be available for the first time in 2012 on CBSSports.com and CBS Sports Network. Presented on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Masters week, Masters On The Range will feature interviews with players and analysis of the field leading up to the start of the 2012 Masters. Jennifer Mills, Billy Kratzert and Peter Oosterhuis will provide commentary and analysis for Masters On The Range.
• Amen Corner: Live streaming video of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes from the Augusta National Golf Club. Grant Boone and Matt Gogel will provide commentary and analysis for Amen Corner.
• 15 & 16: Live streaming video of the 15th and 16th holes from the Augusta National Golf Club. Jerry Foltz and Billy Ray Brown will serve as the announcers for 15 & 16.
• Featured Group: Live streaming video of selected pairings as they play Hole Nos. 10-18 from Augusta National Golf Club. Andrew Catalon and Kratzert will be providing commentary and analysis of the Featured Groupings.

Immediately following the conclusion of CBS Sports’ television coverage on Saturday and Sunday, CBSSports.com will present a Masters Live Recap Show. Hosted by Boone and Gogel, the Masters Live Recap Show will review all of Saturday’s and Sunday’s action and be available live and on demand.

In addition to the four channels of live golf action and the Masters Live Recap Show, CBSSports.com will present the following video highlights from the 2012 Masters Tournament:

• Highlights from Par 3 Contest: First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become a beloved Wednesday tradition at the Masters. The 2012 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 4. CBSSports.com will provide video highlights of the action.
• Press Room: Video highlights of player interviews conducted in the Interview Room from Augusta National.
• Tournament Highlights: Video highlights of play from each day of the 2012 Masters Tournament.
• Historical Highlights on Demand: On demand video of memorable highlights and classic moments from past Masters Tournaments.
• Augusta National Aerials: On demand video fly-overs of the Augusta National Golf Club, allowing fans to enjoy the beauty of one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

All elements of Masters Live will be available free of charge at CBSSports.com and Masters.com.

The Masters, the most renowned tournament in golf, will be broadcast on CBS Sports for the 57th consecutive year, a record for the longest-running sporting event broadcast on one network. This year marks the 76th Masters Tournament, one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events of the year.

Schedule for Masters Live Video on CBSSports.com and Masters.com in 2012

Masters on the Range (Also airs on CBS Sports Network)

• Monday, April 2: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
• Tuesday, April 3: 9:00 – 11:00 AM
• Wednesday, April 4: 9:00 – 11:00 AM

Featured Group*

• Thursday, April 5: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Friday, April 6: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Saturday, April 7: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play
• Sunday, April 8: 12:00 Noon – Completion of play

Amen Corner*

• Thursday, April 5: 10:45 AM – 5:45 PM
• Friday, April 6: 10:45 AM – 5:45 PM
• Saturday, April 7: 12:00 Noon – 5:45 PM
• Sunday, April 8: 11:45 AM – 5:45 PM

15 & 16*

• Thursday, April 5: 11:45 AM – 6:45 PM
• Friday, April 6: 11:45 AM – 6:45 PM
• Saturday, April 7: 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM
• Sunday, April 8: 12:45 PM – 6:30 PM

* Start and end times are estimates and subject to change. All times eastern daylight.

That will conclude this post.

The Masters on ESPN

Starting next Wednesday, the annual rite of Spring, The Masters^® takes place at the scenic Augusta National Country Club in Augusta, GA. For five days starting with the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 4 through to the Final Round on Sunday, April 8, we’ll hear the familiar “Augusta” theme that has accompanied CBS’ as well as USA Network’s and now ESPN’s coverage of The Masters^®.

This year mark’s the fifth consecutive year that ESPN will air the Par 3 as well as the first two rounds of the tournament.

Instead of “fans”, we’ll hear about “Patrons.” Instead of the “rough,” announcers will describe the “second cut.” And instead of Gary McCord, we have nobody.

Anyway, ESPN will have extensive coverage of the PGA Tour’s first major of the year starting with the annual Par 3 contest on Wednesday, April 4 where the golfers will be able to “let down their hair” so to speak and have fun on the golf course.

Then ESPN will get its coverage going in earnest on Thursday, April 5 with the 1st round airing live at 3 p.m. ESPN 3D which about 17 people across the country can watch will have three hours of daily coverage from Thursday through Sunday.

Other ESPN platforms covering The Masters include ESPN Radio, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews and ESPN International. To say ESPN has The Masters^® is a huge understatement.

ESPN’s Live Masters Coverage Returns for Fifth Year

Live Play on WatchESPN; ESPN 3D Coverage Expands; SportsCenter Reports Start Monday

In its fifth year of live coverage of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, ESPN will air 4.5 hours of live Tournament play daily from the first two rounds, the traditional Par 3 Contest the day preceding the Tournament and 14 total hours of action on the ESPN 3D Network. Expansive news, information and analysis will appear on a variety of ESPN platforms in the U.S. and around the world, including television, radio, online and mobile devices.

ESPN and ESPN HD will air 4.5 hours of live first and second round action on Thursday, April 5, and Friday, April 6, from 3-7:30 p.m. ET with an edited encore presentation in prime time each night from 8-11 p.m. ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language U.S. sports network, also will televise the first and second rounds live from 3-7:30 p.m. and the ESPN 3D Network will air three hours of live play from the first two rounds each day starting at 4:30 p.m. as well as live play from the Saturday and Sunday rounds and the Par 3 Contest.

Prior to the live television windows Thursday and Friday, ESPN’s flagship news and information program SportsCenter will air updates every 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. daily.

Mike Tirico will serve as host of ESPN’s Thursday and Friday telecasts and will conduct player interviews from Augusta National’s Butler Cabin with analyst Curtis Strange. CBS will again produce the telecasts with CBS’ golf announce crew also contributing to the coverage. Paco Aleman and analyst Silvia Bertolaccini will present on ESPN Deportes with John Sutcliffe serving as the on-course reporter.

SportsCenter at the Masters
Live reports on SportsCenter from Augusta National Golf Club begin Monday, April 2, in the afternoon and continue through Sunday. Media Day is Tuesday, April 3, and SportsCenter will air the news conferences of Tiger Woods (1 p.m.) and Phil Mickelson (2:30 p.m.). Tirico and Scott Van Pelt will host SportsCenter reports from the Masters and will be joined by analysts Andy North, Paul Azinger and Strange, and reporter Tom Rinaldi. Van Pelt, North and Rinaldi also will present a special one-hour preview SportsCenter at the Masters on Wednesday, April 4, at 5 p.m. following the Par 3 Contest telecast. ESPN the Magazine’s Rick Reilly will provide essays for SportsCenter Wednesday through Sunday.

The Masters on ESPN 3D
ESPN’s television coverage will include 14 hours of programming in 3D on the ESPN 3D network, an additional 2.5 hours from last year’s coverage. Included will be three hours daily from all four rounds of Tournament action plus two hours of Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest. Thursday and Friday’s telecasts begin at 4:30 p.m. while the weekend telecasts begin at 4 p.m. The Par 3 Contest airs at 3 p.m. In 2010, the Masters became the first major sporting event produced and broadcast live in 3D internationally on television and the Internet. Gannon will host ESPN 3D’s telecasts with analyst Azinger Wednesday through Friday, while Tirico, Azinger and Strange will have the call Saturday and Sunday.

Masters Par 3 Contest
The Masters Par 3 Contest will air live Wednesday, April 4, from 3-5 p.m. on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN 3D and ESPN3. The Par 3 Contest, which began in 1960, was first televised by ESPN in 2008. On ESPN, Tirico, North and Strange will be joined by Rinaldi, who will conduct interviews on the putting green, and on-ground reporter Peter Kostis. Host Terry Gannon and analyst Azinger will be the announcers on ESPN 3D.

The Masters on ESPN Digital Platforms

WatchESPN
All Masters programming on ESPN also is available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app, which are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.

ESPN.com 

• News, blogs and columns from ESPN.com national columnist Gene Wojciechowski and golf writers Farrell Evans and Bob Harig.
• “CoverItLive” application moderated by Michael Collins.
• “Championship Central” on the ESPN.com/Golf index page focusing on the majors and the Ryder Cup.
• The ESPN Golf Cast application, which offers an easy-to-use interface with scoring, “CoverItLive,” video and social media elements.
• “Road to The Masters” series tracking the latest news and historical look backs of the year’s first major. Included are 50+ Masters Moments video highlights.
• ESPNRadio.com with highlighted player interviews, course analysis and up-to-the minute updates of the Masters
• Video clips from ESPN golf analysts Andy North, Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger.
• Photo Galleries
• Live scoring from Masters.com
• ESPNDeportes.com editorial coverage of the Masters in Spanish will include comprehensive daily print and video content, with analysis from on-air talent Aleman, Bertolaccini and Sutcliffe.

ESPN3
ESPN’s multi-screen, live event sports network will simulcast ESPN’s telecast of the Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 4, from 3-5 p.m.

Additional coverage of the Masters on ESPN platforms:

ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio will present updates from Augusta National Golf Club throughout the Masters Tournament Wednesday-Sunday, April 4-8. Reporter Dan Davis will have live hourly updates (4:40-9:40 p.m.) during the first two rounds and twice-an-hour reports at 20 and 40 minutes past the hour (1:20-8:40 p.m.) throughout the weekend’s SportsCenter Saturday and SportsCenter Sunday programs as well as during ESPN Radio’s NBA and MLB studio shows. Reports will also run on weekday’s SportsCenter AM (5-6 a.m.) and in SportsCenter Tonight (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) throughout the week.

ESPN the Magazine
The April 2 issue of ESPN the Magazine contains a multi-page Masters preview by Scott Miller. The Masters scorecards of three of this year’s favorites, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, are analyzed and Miller says the most crucial holes for each man lie back-to-back-to-back at Augusta (McIlroy – 10, Woods – 11, Mickelson – 12). Miller breaks down why the holes have made a difference to the three superstars in the Masters.

ESPN InternationalThis year 95 countries will see the Masters on ESPN platforms. Fans in these countries can follow the Masters on ESPN television, online, mobile and broadband platforms. The Masters is available in:

• Asia (17.5 hours to 22 countries and 174 million households via ESS), plus  two hours of Par 3 Contest coverage.
• Latin America and the Caribbean (all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest coverage to 51 Countries and more than 36 million households).
• In Canada, TSN and TSN-HD will air the first two rounds of the Masters and the Par 3 Contest live with same day re-airs in primetime of the final rounds. TSN’s networks reach approximately 15 million households.
• In Northern Africa and the Middle East, all four rounds and the Par 3 Contest will be televised to 21 countries.
• The Par 3 Contest, all four rounds of the Masters and exclusive broadband coverage of “Amen Corner,” a featured group and holes 15 and 16 will be live on ESPN Play in Spanish-speaking Latin America and on ESPN 360 in Brazil. Additionally, for the first time, a mobile/tablet version of ESPN Play will be available in Chile.

ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS will offer all the latest Masters news beginning Monday, April 2, with interviews, pre- and post-round news conferences and analysis from Scott Van Pelt, Andy North and Mike Tirico.

ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic will televise a 43-hour Masters Tribute featuring Official Masters Films beginning Tuesday, April 3, at 8 p.m. The tribute will include highlights from every year of the Masters from 1960 through 2011, with programming continuing all day Wednesday and through 3 p.m. on Thursday when first round coverage begins.

The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA

Day/Date	Program	Start	End	Networks
Wednesday, April 4	Masters Par 3 Contest	3 p.m.	5 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN3D
Wednesday, April 4	SportsCenter at the Masters	5 p.m.	6 p.m.	ESPN
Thursday, April 5	First Round	3 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Thursday, April 5	First Round	4:30 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Thursday, April 5	First Round (encore)	8 p.m.	11 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, April 6	Second Round	3 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Friday, April 6	Second Round	4:30 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Friday, April 6	Second Round (encore)	8 p.m.	11 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, April 7	Third Round	4 p.m.	7 p.m.	ESPN 3D
Sunday, April 8	Final Round	4 p.m.	7 p.m.	ESPN 3D

That is it for this post.

“Rome” Not Built in A Day; But Premieres on CBS Sports Network on April 3

Jim Rome’s new show on the CBS Sports Network gets its series premiere on Tuesday, April 3, the day after the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The show will originate from Southern California and be co-produced by dick clark productions.

“Rome” will get a 6 p.m. ET timeslot and will air daily for a half-hour, just like his ESPN/ESPN2 show “Rome is Burning.” Among his regular contributors will be the polarizing Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports.com, Will Carroll of SI.com and Gregg Doyel from CBSSports.com.

There won’t be too much reinvention of the wheel. From what I’ve heard, the show will have a similar format to “Burning” with a few tweaks here and there.

We have the press release from CBS Sports.

“ROME” PREMIERES TUESDAY, APRIL 3 ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

CBS Sports Network premieres ROME, a new weekday show hosted by veteran sports personality Jim Rome, on Tuesday, April 3 (6:00-6:30 PM, ET). ROME will feature news and opinion on the day’s hottest sports stories with rants and debates, delve into the daily headlines and social media buzz and include guest appearances by some of the biggest names in sports.

ROME will also include a roster of regular contributors including Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com, Will Carroll of SI.com and Jason Whitlock and Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com. The contributors will join Rome to break down the day’s major news stories with perspective and analysis.

ROME originates from Orange County, Calif. and is produced by Generate Entertainment in association with dick clark productions, inc.

CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers on Verizon FiOS Channel 94 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 643 (1643 in HD) and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

That’s all.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Basketball
Men’s
National Invitation Tournament
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Stanford vs. Minnesota — ESPN, 7 p.m.

Slam Dunk & 3 Point Shootout — ESPN, 9 p.m.

Figure Skating
World Figure Skating Championships, Nice, France
Ladies Short Program — Universal Sports, 8 a.m.
Dance Free Skate — Universal Sports, 2:30 p.m.

Golf
European Tour: Sicilian Open, 1st Round — Golf Channel, 8:30 a.m.
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship, 1st Round — Golf Channel, noon & 6 p.m.
PGA Tour: Houston Open, 1st Round — Golf Channel, 3 p.m.

MLB
Regular Season
Oakland vs. Seattle –MLB Network, 5 a.m.

Spring Training
Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia — ESPN/The Comcast Network, 1 p.m.
Kansas City vs. Anaheim Angels — MLB Network/Fox Sports West, 4 p.m.
Chicago White Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers — Comcast SportsNet Chicago/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 4 p.m.
Houston vs. New York Mets — SNY, 6 p.m.
Washington vs. Detroit — Fox Sports Detroit, 6 p.m.
Baltimore vs. New York Yankees — YES, 7 p.m.
San Francisco vs. Texas — KTXA, 9 p.m.

Clubhouse Confidential — MLB Network, 7:30 p.m.
30 Clubs in 30 Days: Toronto Blue Jays — MLB Network, 8 p.m.
MLB Tonight Live — MLB Network, 9 p.m.

Mixed Martial Arts
MMA Uncensored — Spike, 11 p.m.
MMA Live — ESPN2, 11:30 p.m.

NBA
Dallas at Miami — TNT, 8 p.m.
Oklahoma at Los Angeles Lakers — TNT, 10:30 p.m.

NBA Tip-Off — TNT, 7 p.m.
Inside the NBA — TNT, 1 a.m. (Friday)

NHL
Washington at Boston — NHL Network/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/NESN, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Toronto — TSN/Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at New York Islanders — Root Sports Pittsburgh/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at New Jersey — Sun Sports/MSG Network, 7 p.m.
Florida at Minnesota — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago — Fox Sports Midwest/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
San Jose at Phoenix — NHL Network (Canada)/Comcast SportsNet California/Fox Sports Arizona, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.

Sports Talk
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/Fox Sports Net, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/DanPatrick.com, noon
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
NBC SportsTalk — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open
Cardon Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Men’s Quarterfinal/Women’s Semifinal — ESPN2, 1 p.m.
Men’s Quarterfinal — ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Women’s Semifinal — Tennis Channel, 9 p.m.

Entertainment
The Big Bang Theory — CBS, 8 p.m.
Hook, Line & Dinner: Brooklyn — Cooking Channel, 8 p.m.
Missing — ABC, 8 p.m.
The Decrypters: The Last Mohican — National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
Person of Interest — CBS, 9 p.m.
Touch — Fox, 9 p.m.
Behind the Music: T-Pain — VH1, 9 p.m.
Imagine: John Lennon — VH1 Classic, 9 p.m.
Sins & Secrets: Mio — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
House Hunters International: Rota, Spain — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
Monster’s Ball — IFC, 10:50 p.m.
Inside Comedy: Robin Williams/Jonathan Winters — Showtime, 11 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
Girls of Sunset Place — Showtime, 11:30 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Report: Fox Plans To Start Cable Sports Network To Challenge ESPN

Bloomberg’s Andy Fixmer and Alex Sherman are reporting that News Corp., the parent company of Fox plans to launch an all-sports cable network to challenge ESPN. Now News Corp. tried this once before in the 1990′s through its Fox Sports Net affiliates, but after a brief, but failed rivalry, Fox decided to shift the focus of FSN from national to local even though some national programming is distributed on the FSN affiliates.

According to the story, Fox hopes to launch the new channel later this year by possibly converting its existing Fuel channel which focuses mostly on action sports and just began to air UFC programming this year, to the new sports network.

Fox has been accumulating inventory with the acquisition of the rights to Pac-12 basketball and football and reportedly is close to expanding its Big 12 rights. In addition, Fox won the rights for the World Cup starting in 2015 plus with the Fox Sports Net channels, could add more sports properties if it expands its current contracts with MLB and NASCAR.

While NBC has been the most visible as a potential competitor to ESPN with its relaunch of NBC Sports Network from Versus this year, the news of the Fox Sports cable network has come as a surprise.

Certainly News Corp. has the money and power to muster a challenge, but as we saw in the 1990′s, ESPN was able to win over Fox. However, with Fox Sports El Jefe del Mundo David Hill leading the new channel, one can never count him nor News Corp. out of any competition.

This will bear some watching.

ESPN’s Plans For MLB Opening Week

We have ESPN’s press release on its coverage for the first week of Major League Baseball’s 2012 season. Not only will it have the Opening Night game between the defending World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals opening up the new Miami Marlins ballpark, but it will also air five games in the first three days of the season. In that span, the Sunday Night Baseball crew of Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser and new analyst Terry Francona will call three games in three different time zones.

In addition, ESPN will have Baseball Tonight air live from Marlins Park in Miami next Wednesday, get ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike to broadcast live from the MLB Fan Cave in New York the following day, and give Colin Cowherd the opportunity to spew venom and vile at Angels Stadium next Friday.

Here’s the ESPN press release.

ESPN’s Multiplatform Coverage of MLB’s Opening Week

Baseball Tonight in Miami & Anaheim, Mike & Mike from MLB Fan Cave

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of Major League Baseball’s Opening Week will begin with a full slate of MLB-focused programming on Wednesday, April 4, leading into ESPN’s exclusive national telecast of Opening Night – defending Champion Cardinals at new-look Marlins – at 7 p.m. ET. In total, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise five games in three days Opening Week. Programming on April 4th will include:

Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight will be live in Miami at 6 p.m. leading into MLB Opening Night. The set will be located just outside the new Marlins Park to capture fan atmosphere surrounding the grand opening of the new stadium. Host Karl Ravech will be joined by analysts John Kruk and recently elected Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. The Baseball Tonight crew will then travel to Anaheim for Albert Pujols’ debut with the Los Angeles Angels as they host the Kansas City Royals on Friday, April 6, at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.

Mike and Mike in the Morning at the MLB Fan Cave
Mike & Mike will emanate from the MLB Fan Cave in New York on Wednesday, April 4, and Thursday, April 5, from 6-10 a.m. Guests will be announced in the coming days. Mike & Mike is available nationally on ESPN Radio and via simulcast on ESPN2.

Additional Programming Highlights
ESPN programming will feature daylong MLB season-opening discussion, debate and content on April 4, including live SportsCenter updates from Marlins Park; First Take (10 a.m./ESPN2); Numbers Never Lie (4 p.m./ESPN2); and SportsNation (5 p.m./ESPN2). ESPN will also televise a special edition of Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable on location at Marlins Park (4:30 p.m./ESPN2). In addition, ESPN will be airing Game 162 — an MLB-produced special on the final day of 2011’s regular season – on Monday, April 2, at 8 p.m. and again on April 4, at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

New Sunday Night Baseball Team to Call Four Games in Five Days
ESPN’s new Sunday Night Baseball team – Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Terry Francona and Buster Olney — will call four games in five days to open the season, beginning with Cardinals/Marlins on Opening Night.

ESPN’s season-opening coverage continues:

Thursday, April 5

• Mike & Mike at the MLB Fan Cave (6-10 a.m.);
• First Take to feature debate and discussion on a variety of topics relating to MLB Opening Week (10 a.m. – noon);
• Two editions of Baseball Tonight – 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. – to provide news, highlights and analysis on top season-opening storylines;
• Red Sox at Tigers at 1 p.m.; Marlins at Reds at 4 p.m. (ESPN2).

Friday, April 6

• The Herd with Colin Cowherd onsite at Angels Stadium from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Herd is available on ESPN Radio and via simulcast on ESPNEWS;
• Baseball Tonight onsite at Angels Stadium (6 p.m.);
• Giants at Diamondbacks at 7 p.m.; Royals at Angels at 10 p.m. (ESPN2).

ESPN Audio

ESPN’s Opening Week radio games will feature defending the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals at the new home of the Miami Marlins on April 4 (6 p.m.); San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks on April 6 (6:30 p.m.); Kansas City Royals at the Los Angeles Angels on April 7 (3 p.m.) and the Chicago White Sox at the Texas Rangers on April 8 (7:00 p.m.). Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton will describe the action for all four games as ESPN Audio kicks off its season-long national MLB coverage that will once again includehe Playoffs and World Series.

ESPN.com

• World Series predictions from ESPN MLB experts;
• Launch of new-look Baseball Tonight page;
• WatchESPN/GameCast of all five MLB Opening Week games on ESPN;
• Curt Schilling’s predictions for 2012 MVP and Cy Young winners;
• Breaking news, essays, video/photo galleries from Opening Week.

Facebook & Twitter

• Twitter activity throughout MLB Opening Week from @ESPN_BBTN and @ESPN_MLB accounts;
• Baseball Tonight’s Facebook page will be updated with Opening Day photo/video galleries and fan questions.

ESPN Mobile

Starting Monday, April 2, fans can sign up for Close Game Alerts to be alerted when an MLB game is close in the 7th inning or later.

ESPN Deportes: Beisbol Esta Noche

Beisbol Esta Noche will be on site for a special pregame show from Marlins Park at 6:30 p.m. Commentators will include Carolina Guillen and Candy Maldonado.

ESPN International

ESPN International will present MLB Opening Week games across Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean), Africa, Middle East and the Pacific Rim (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands).

ESPN Opening Week Schedule and Commentators

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Commentators	Networks
Wed., April 4	7 p.m.	St. Louis Cardinals at Miami Marlins *	Dan Shulman,Orel Hershiser,Terry Francona, Buster Olney	ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
Thurs., April 5	1 p.m.	Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers	Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Terry Francona, Buster Olney	ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
	4 p.m.	Miami Marlins at Cincinnati Reds	Sean McDonough, Aaron Boone, Rick Sutcliffe,Tim Kurkjian	ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
Fri., April 6	7 p.m.	San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks *	Dave O’Brien, Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Mulder, Pedro Gomez	ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
	10 p.m.	Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels *	Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Terry Francona, Buster Olney	ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN

*ESPN Radio will present national broadcasts of these games with Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton calling the action.

And that will conclude this post.

MLB Network Reverses Decision; It Will Air A’s-Mariners Live From Japan on Thursday Morning

This morning, MLB Network aired the 2012 regular season opener from Japan on tape delay, this after viewers in the Pacific Northwest and certain areas around the country could see it live through Root Sports Northwest. Fans hoping to wake up to see the Seattle Mariners’ 3-1 win over the Oakland A’s in 11 innings had to wait until 9 a.m. East, three hours after it began in Tokyo to see the game.

Fang’s Bites sent an e-mail to MLB Network this morning asking the reason behind the tape delay and a spokesperson said it wanted to “maximize audience reach across the country, including in the A’s home TV territory, at 9am ET/6am PT and 10pm ET/7pm PT.” This sounds strikingly familiar to NBC’s reasoning for tape delaying the Olympics and Wimbledon.

After receiving criticism from blogs and social networks, MLB Network has heard the complaints from fans and decided to air Thursday’s second game from the Tokyo Dome between the M’s and A’s live at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT.

It should not have come down to receiving complaints, MLB Network should have aired the game live today in the first place, but I give the network credit for reversing its decision for tomorrow.

MLB Network will have a replay of Thursday’s game immediately following its conclusion and then again at 10 p.m. ET.

As it did today, MLB Network will take the Root Sports Northwest feed. While the MLB Network simulcast will be blacked out in the Pacific Northwest, it will be available in the Bay Area as Comcast SportsNet California did not send a crew nor is it airing the games from Tokyo.

Golf Channel Announces Extension To Air LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship

The first major tournament on the LPGA calendar, the Kraft Nabisco is this week and Golf Channel has announced a three year extension to air the Championship beginning in 2013.

Golf Channel took over the rights to the Kraft Nabisco, formerly known as the Dinah Shore Invitational from ESPN2/CBS in 2011. Before last year, three rounds aired on ESPN2 and the final round on CBS. Since then, Golf Channel has given the major four round coverage and increased viewership in each of the two years it has aired the tournament.

It also marks the first of two major LPGA tournaments on Golf Channel, the LPGA Championship being the other.

We have the announcement regarding the rights extension.

GOLF CHANNEL ANNOUNCES THREE-YEAR TV RIGHTS EXTENSION TO KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

LPGA Tour’s First Major of the Year Exclusively on Golf Channel
Golf Channel to Air 35 Hours of Coverage Beginning with Wednesday’s LPGA Majors Golf Central Special

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 27, 2012) – Golf Channel and the LPGA Tour have agreed to an exclusive three- year extension of the network’s exclusive rights to the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the season’s first major championship. The joint announcement was made this week by LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan and Golf Channel President Mike McCarley.

“Based on the strong promotional advertising, the incredible tournament coverage and ‘storytelling,’ and the record-high viewership results that occurred in 2011, we’re excited to partner with Golf Channel and continue showcasing the LPGA’s first major,” Whan said.

Golf Channel viewership for its inaugural coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2011 kicked off with the tournament’s highest-rated and most-watched first round in 18 years, which was followed by a second round that was the highest in 17 years. Golf Channel also aired 280 percent more hours of coverage than the previous year when the event aired on CBS and ESPN2 (34 hours in 2011 versus 9 hours in 2010). Average viewers for the entire tournament increased 29 percent from 2010 (511,000 on Golf Channel versus 395,000 on CBS/ESPN2).

Overall ratings for the LPGA Tour on Golf Channel in 2011 were up 30 percent over the previous year, helping fuel Golf Channel to its most-watched year in its 17-year history.

“Extending our exclusive partnership with the LPGA Tour and the Kraft Nabisco Championship is great for fans of the game and the excitement that the season’s first major championship brings,” McCarley said. “We’re looking forward to showcasing these compelling stories for our viewers and providing a home for the tournament for years to come.”

The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of two LPGA Tour major championships airing exclusively on Golf Channel in 2012, also including the LPGA Championship (June 7-10). This week’s event will host an elite field, headlined by defending champion Stacy Lewis and current World No. 1 Yani Tseng, who already has won three times in 2012 and is seeking her sixth major title. Golf Channel will begin its coverage with a one-hour Golf Central Special Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on the eve of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, kicking off the LPGA Majors season.

Golf Channel will air six hours of daily, live coverage Thursday and Friday from Noon-3 p.m. ET and 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET. Weekend coverage will air live from 4:30-8:30 p.m. ET. Kelly Tilghman will serve as Golf Channel host of each day’s telecast, while also conducting one-on-one interviews with players. Terry Gannon will handle play-by-play, joined by lead analyst and LPGA Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin. Tom Abbott will call the action from a tower position on the golf course, with Jane Crafter, Phil Parkin and Jerry Foltz reporting from the ground. Scott Walker will conduct post-round interviews and report for Golf Central throughout the week. Golf Central also will precede all four rounds of the Kraft Nabisco Championship with half-hour preview shows featuring highlights, interviews and analysis.

Kraft Nabisco Championship Live Airtimes (all times Eastern)

Wednesday
Golf Central Special — 10-11 p.m. Live

Thursday and Friday
Golf Central Pre Game — 1:30 a.m.-Noon Live
Rounds 1/2 — Noon-3 p.m. Live
Golf Central — 6-6:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 1/2 — 6:30-9:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 1/2 — 1:30-4:30 a.m. Replay

Saturday and Sunday
Golf Central Pre Game — 4-4:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 3/4 — 4:30-8:30 p.m. Live
Rounds 3/4 – Midnight-4 a.m. Replay

That will do it.

MLB Network Opens 2012 Season With 30 Games & 30 Teams in 30 Days

To kick off the 2012 MLB regular season, the Major League Baseball Network will go all in by airing 30 games in the first month involving all 30 teams over a span of 30 days. Now MLB Network will not air games every day. The games will usually air on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, but in the first full week of the season, MLB Network will stretch its schedule from Monday through Saturday which will be a treat for fans.

Five of the 30 games will be produced by MLB Network, two of which will be called by Bob Costas and Jim Kaat. Matt Vasgersian will call the other three and be joined by either Katt or John Smoltz.

Also announced, Lauren Shehadi, formerly of CBS Sports Network, will be the co-host of The Rundown with Matt Yallof. Lauren replaces Hazel Mae who left after the 2011 season to return to Canada’s Rogers Sportsnet.

We have the MLB Network press release and its game schedule after a jump break.

MLB NETWORK ANNOUNCES FIRST LIVE GAME SCHEDULE FOR 2012 MLB REGULAR SEASON

30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days Begins Thursday, April 5 with the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres
MLB Network Showcase, A Series of MLB Network-Produced Live Games, Begins with Bob Costas & Jim Kaat Calling the Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies on April 12
Opening Day Studio Coverage to Include More Than 10 Live Hours Starting at 10:00 a.m. ET on April 5

Secaucus, N.J., March 27, 2012 – With Opening Day less than two weeks away, MLB Network today announced its live game schedule for the 2012 regular season through Friday, May 4. The schedule features the return of 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days, a package of 30 live games featuring all 30 Clubs, beginning with the only prime time matchup scheduled for Opening Day on Thursday, April 5, as 2011 N.L. Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw takes the ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Diego Padres in the Padres’ home opener at 7:00 p.m. ET. The 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days schedule features eight home openers, including the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals hosting their division rival Chicago Cubs on Friday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Nine matinee games and two Tuesday night doubleheaders will be featured, including the 2011 A.L. Champion Texas Rangers taking on the Boston Red Sox on April 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by the 2011 N.L. East Champion Philadelphia Phillies matching up against the San Francisco Giants.

The game schedule also includes the debut of MLB Network Showcase, a series of MLB Network-produced games, that starts with an N.L. East matchup between the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network’s Bob Costas and Jim Kaat, who were each nominated for a 2011 Sports Emmy Award, will call the game live from Citizens Bank Park. To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Fenway Park, MLB Network Showcase will feature the Boston Red Sox hosting their division rival New York Yankees on Friday, April 20 at 3:00 p.m. ET with MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz calling the game. Pregame coverage will start with a special live edition of Intentional Talk, hosted by Chris Rose and Kevin Millar, at 1:00 p.m. ET from Fenway Park.

As part of Opening Week on MLB Network, Opening Day, Thursday, April 5, will include more than 10 hours of live studio coverage beginning with Intentional Talk with Rose and Millar at 10:00 a.m. ET, followed by the season debut of The Rundown with Matt Yallof and Lauren Shehadi at 11:00 a.m. ET. MLB Tonight will come on at 1:00 p.m. ET, leading up to a special edition of Intentional Talk at 5:00 p.m. ET live from the MLB Fan Cave in New York City. Following the Dodgers at Padres game, MLB Network’s regular season highlight show of record Quick Pitch will recap the day’s action. A preview of MLB Network’s Opening Day coverage can be viewed here. MLB Tonight will continue to air live seven days a week this season, including extended coverage on Sunday’s beginning on April 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

“FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL Pregame Show,” a co-production between MLB Network and FOX Sports, premieres Saturday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET. For the season opener, host Matt Vasgersian will be joined by analysts Kevin Millar and Harold Reynolds. Week 1 coverage on FOX Sports features the Boston Red Sox at the Detroit Tigers, the St. Louis Cardinals at the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Francisco Giants at the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Anaheim Angels at the Kansas City Royals.

To preview the season, MLB Network will air a special live MLB Tonight: 2012 Predictions show on Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by Greg Amsinger, the show will feature MLB Network analysts Peter Gammons, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams breaking down each division and making their Postseason picks. MLB Network’s panel of analysts will also serve as mock general managers in My Team Right Now: The Reality Draft on Sunday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by Matt Vasgersian, the show will feature Eric Byrnes, John Hart, Al Leiter, Kevin Millar, Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams each constructing the lineup they think would have the best chance to win a World Championship, using the position rankings from MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now episodes from this past offseason. The champion will be determined by simulating a regular season and Postseason using Major League Baseball 2K12.

MLB Network’s complete game schedule through May 4 is available below. Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory unless otherwise announced. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.

And after the jump break, the entire 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days schedule.

(continue reading…)

Bloomberg’s Sportfolio Examines Baseball Analytics

Darren Rovell’s “CNBC SportsBiz: Game On!” may get more publicity as it’s aired through the NBC Sports Network, but did you know that Bloomberg has a sports business show of its own? Sportfolio is very good and is hosted by Rick Horrow. The show airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

This week, the show will focus on baseball analytics and Rick will speak with several MLB executives including Chicago Cubs GM Theo Epstein, Anaheim Angels GM Jerry DiPoto and many who subscribe to the effectiveness of using the numbers.

We have this press release from Bloomberg previewing today’s show.

“Sportfolio” on Bloomberg TV Takes A Look At “Baseball By The Numbers” This Wednesday Night

Special edition examines the business of baseball from the analytic side…includes sit-downs with The Cubs’ Theo Epstein and Tom Ricketts, Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall, Angels GM Jerry DiPoto, Brewers GM Doug Melvin, SABR President Vince Gennaro and others

(March 27, 2012)- Sportfolio, the weekly sports business show hosted by Rick Horrow on Bloomberg Television, spent several days in and around the first ever Society For American Baseball Research (SABR) Convention two weeks ago in Mesa, Arizona, and will present a special “Baseball By The Numbers”  show this week, as MLB comes closer to this weekend’s opening day.

The show will premiere Wednesday, March 28 at 9 PM and Midnight ET on Bloomberg TV (DirecTV 353, check your local cable systems for the channel near you).  It will repeat at 9 AM ET on Saturday 3/31 and Sunday 4/1. It will be online after Thursday 3/29 at bloomberg.com/sportfolio

Included in the show will be some of the biggest and most expansive thinkers in baseball who are spending this spring around The Cactus League. They include:

• Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and President Theo Epstein
• Arizona Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim GM Jerry DiPoto
• Los Angeles Dodgers trainer/injury guru Stan Conte
• Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin
• SABR President Vince Gennaro

All sit down with Bloomberg to talk about the effect of analytics on the game today and look ahead to what is coming in the business of baseball for the 2012 season.

Interesting stuff. I’m not an analytics person, but if you’re into SABRmetics, then tonight’s show will be for you.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Basketball
Men’s
College Basketball Invitational
Championship Series
Game 2: Washington State at Pittsburgh — HDNet, 7 p.m. (Washington State leads series 1-0)

Collegeinsider.com Tournament
Championship
Mercer at Utah State — Fox College Sports, 9 p.m.

CONCACAF Champions League
Semifinals, 1st Leg
Toronto vs. Santos Laguna — Fox Soccer, 8 p.m.
Monterrey vs. Pumas — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.

Golf
LPGA Major Championships — Golf Channel, 10 p.m.

High School Basketball
McDonald’s High School All-America Game (Girls) — ESPNU, 7 p.m.
McDonald’s High School All-America Game (Boys) — ESPN, 9:30 p.m.

MLB
Regular Season
Tokyo, Japan
Seattle vs. Oakland — Root Sports Northwest, 6 a.m. (live)/MLB Network, 9 a.m. (same day coverage)

Spring Training
New York Yankees vs. Atlanta — ESPN, 1 p.m.
Washington vs. New York Mets — SNY, 1 p.m./MLB Network, 4 p.m.
Texas vs. Kansas City — KTXA, 9 p.m.

Clubhouse Confidential — MLB Network, 7:30 p.m.
30 Clubs in 30 Days: Houston Astros — MLB Network, 8 p.m.
MLB Tonight Live — MLB Network, 9 p.m.

NBA
Orlando at New York — ESPN, 7 p.m.
San Antonio at Sacramento — NBA TV, 10 p.m.

NHL
New York Rangers at Winnipeg — TSN/RDSI/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Columbus — NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.
Dallas at Edmonton — Fox Sports Southwest/Rogers Sportsnet Edmonton, 9:30 p.m.
Los Angeles at Calgary — Fox Sports West/Rogers Sportsnet West, 9:30 p.m.
Colorado at Vancouver — Altitude/Rogers Sportsnet Pacific, 10 p.m.
San Jose at Anaheim — NBC Sports Network/Comcast SportsNet California/KDOC, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.

Sports Talk
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/Fox Sports Net, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/DanPatrick.com, noon
The Scott Van Pelt Show — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 5 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
NBC SportsTalk — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open
Cardon Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals — ESPN2, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.

UEFA Champions League
Quarterfinals, 1st Leg
Milan vs. Barcelona — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.
Marseille vs. Bayern Munich — Fox Soccer Plus/Fox Sports Net, 2:30 p.m./Fox Soccer, 5 p.m.

UEFA Champions League Pregame — Fox Soccer/Fox Soccer Plus/Fox Sports Net, 2 p.m.
UEFA Champions League Highlights — Fox Soccer, midnight

Entertainment
Survivor: One World — CBS, 8 p.m.
Die Hard — AMC, 8 p.m.
Hall Pass — Cinemax, 8:15 p.m.
Nova: Cracking Your Genetic Code — PBS, 9 p.m.
Amazing Eats: Spectacular Sandwiches — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Nothing Personal: Turnabout is Fair Play — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Rock Center with Brian Williams — NBC, 10 p.m.
Whitechapel (season premiere) — BBC America, 10 p.m.
Restaurant Stakeout: The Son and the Father — Food Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters International: Nassau, Bahamas — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
The Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers Sold For $2 Billion

This story continues to develop. The Los Angeles Dodgers currently owned by Frank McCourt, has entered into agreement to sell the team to a group that includes former Lakers star Magic Johnson. While Magic has the biggest name in the ownership group and he’ll be the face of the franchise, the real owner will be Mark R. Walter who will be the majority partner.

The team will go for an amazing pricetag of $2 billion making it a record sale price for a U.S. professional sports franchise. The previous record was $1.1 billion for the sale of the Miami Dolphins.

McCourt will continue to own the parking lots and surrounding property of Dodger Stadium.

The next phase for the team besides gaining approval from Major League Baseball and its owners, will be settling the media rights. There are three possible options for the Dodgers. Remain with the status quo and keep getting paid by Fox Sports which wants to keep the Dodgers as a major property on its Prime Ticket channel. The second option would be to join the Lakers and the Galaxy on Time Warner Cable’s new regional sports network which will launch later this year.

Or the third option would be to form a totally new regional sports network. Many observers think the Dodgers may go for this route.

We have the press release from the Dodgers.

Dodgers and Frank McCourt announce agreement with Guggenheim Baseball Management

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2012 – The Los Angeles Dodgers and Frank McCourt today announced an agreement under which Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC (“GBM”) will acquire the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion upon completion of the closing process.  The purchasing group includes Mark R. Walter as its controlling partner, as well as Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Peter Guber, Stan Kasten, Bobby Patton and Todd Boehly.  Mr. McCourt and certain affiliates of the purchasers will also be forming a joint venture, which will acquire the Chavez Ravine property for an additional $150 million.

The Los Angeles Dodgers stated, “This transaction underscores the Debtors’ objective to maximize the value of their estate and to emerge from Chapter 11 under a successful Plan of Reorganization, under which all creditors are paid in full.”

Frank McCourt stated, “This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community.  We are delighted that this group will continue the important work we have started in the community, fulfilling our commitment to building 50 Dream Fields and helping with the effort to cure cancer.”

Earvin “Magic” Johnson stated, “I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section in our wonderful community of Los Angeles.”

We’ll continue to follow the Dodgers sale through to the bidding for the media rights. All this is set to fall into place for the team rather soon.

NFL Unveils New Logos

The NFL continues to evolve in the 21st Century. It changed its iconic shield back in 2008, reducing the number of stars in its original logo from 25 to 8.

And starting in April during the draft, the NFL will unveil all new logos for NFL Network, NFL.com, NFL Mobile, NFL Films and NFL RedZone. The NFL shield will be featured in all of the new logos and they will all have the same font. Under their old logos, NFL Network and NFL RedZone had a different variation of the NFL shield, having the familiar red lettering surrounded by a football.

The new logos will streamline the look across all NFL platforms. But I’d rather have the old NFL Films logo than the one that will be used after April 26.

We have the official announcement from the National Football League.

NFL SHIELD FEATURED IN NEW LOGOS FOR NFL NETWORK, NFL FILMS & NFL.COM

The NFL will unveil new logos on April 26 for all of its media properties, it was announced today by Steve Bornstein, Executive Vice President of NFL Media.

The new logo system for the league’s media properties – which includes NFL Network, NFL Films, NFL.com, NFL RedZone and NFL Mobile – prominently features the NFL shield, uniform typography and design and provides for a more streamlined look across all platforms.

The new logos will debut on Day 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft (April 26), which kicks off at 8:00 PM ET with live pick-by-pick coverage on NFL Network and NFL.com.

And that will do it.

Dana Jacobsen Leaves ESPN

This is developing this evening. First, The Big Lead and SportsbyBrooks both learned that long-time ESPN’er Dana Jacobsen is leaving the network. Dana first joined ESPNews in 2002 then in 2005 became a co-host of ESPN2′s morning show, called Cold Pizza produced in New York, then First Take produced out of Bristol, CT.

At the end of last year, Dana announced that she was leaving First Take to pursue different opportunities at ESPN which included co-anchoring SportsCenter and subbing on the daily edition of Outside the Lines.

Breaking News:I’m leaving @ESPN_FirstTake! Last day, Friday.Ready 2 get back 2 intvws/breakin news.SportsCenter/other shows here I come! : )

— Dana Jacobson (@djacobsonespn) December 26, 2011

But today, it was learned that Jacobsen has left ESPN and it’s speculated that she could be joining NFL Network as a host.

ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys put out this 23 word tweet confirming that Dana has left the Alleged Worldwide Leader.

ESPN offered Dana Jacobson an extension and she decided to pursue new opportunities. Thanks for 10 years and we wish her the best.

— Mike Soltys (@espnmikes) March 28, 2012

Jacobsen becomes the first of this year’s free agent crop to leave ESPN. The network still has to sign Scott Van Pelt, Erin Andrews and Michelle Beadle.

Some thoughts on this will come later tonight.

The “Bear & The Gang” Needs To Become A Real TV Series

With this week’s announcement that the Boston Bruins have launched a new social media portal putting their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ along with video all in one place, fans who download the team’s mobile app for iPhones, Androids and Blackberries get to see an exclusive web series, “The Bear & the Gang” which is a Boston Bruins Production.

This is absolutely hilarious. It features B’s TV voice Jack Edwards, beloved Bruins national anthem singer Rene Rancourt, Brad Marchand, various other members of the Bruins and of course, “The Bear” who has appeared in various ads.

I love these opening credits and already, the first episode of the series is on the Bruins mobile app.

This needs to come to television. Now.

Whomever thought of this idea needs to be given a bonus.

NBC is Perfectly Giddy About Cowpokes at G-Men To Start 2012 NFL Season

As mentioned in the previous post, the defending Super Bowl Champs New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, September 5 to start the 2012 regular season. This means that Cowboys-Giants ended the 2011 regular season on NBC and Cowboys-Giants will kick off the 2012 regular season on NBC. And it marks the third straight Dallas-NYG game on the Peacock. If you remember, Sunday Night Football had both NFC East Division rivalry games in a span of one month between Weeks 14 and 17. Plus the Week 17 contest gave NBC some monster ratings.

NBC’s coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. Eastern with the pregame show co-produced with NFL Network and then the actual game as called by Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya an hour later.

We have the NBC Sports press release for you.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS HOST DALLAS COWBOYS ON “NFL KICKOFF 2012,” WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 AT 8:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

Rematch of 2011 Regular Season Finale that was Most-Watched Primetime Game Ever on NBC and Most-Watched on Any Network in 15 Years
Sunday Night Football is Currently Ranked as the Most-Watched and Highest-Rated Show of the 2011-2012 Primetime Television Season

NEW YORK – March 27, 2012 – The Super Bowl champion New York Giants host NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys in NFL Kickoff 2012, the opening game of the 2012 NFL season, it was announced today by the NFL. NFL Kickoff 2012 will be played on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on NBC beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Football with the Giants defeating the Cowboys, 31-14, to capture the NFC East title. That game averaged 27.6 million viewers, the most ever for a Sunday Night Football game (Thursday openers included), and the most-watched regular-season primetime game on any network in 15 years (Packers-Cowboys, 31.5 million, Nov. 18, 1996 on ABC).

MOST WATCHED NFL REGULAR-SEASON PRIMETIME GAMES ON NBC:

1. 27.6 million, Cowboys-Giants, 1/1/12 (2011 SNF Week 17)
2. 27.5 million, Vikings-Saints, 9/9/10 (2010 Thursday Night Opener)
3. 27.2 million, Saints-Packers, 9/8/11 (2011 Thursday Night Opener)
4. 25.8 million, Cowboys-Jets, 9/11/11 (2011 SNF Week 1)
5. 25.73 million, Eagles-Cowboys, 12/12/10 (2010 SNF Week 14)
6. 25.68 million, Vikings-Packers, 10/24/10, (Favre Return to Lambeau II)
7. 25.3 million, Cowboys-Redskins, 9/12/10 (2010 SNF: Week 1)
8. 24.8 million, Giants-Cowboys, 9/20/09 (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)
9. 24.5 million, Giants-Cowboys, 12/11/11 (2011 SNF Week 14)
10. 24.2 million, Packers-Patriots, 12/19/10 (2010 SNF Week 15)

For the primetime television season (September 19-March 25), *Sunday Night Football ranks as the most-watched (persons 2+) and highest-rated show, and the No. 1 program across the key demographics of Adults 18-49, 18-34, 25-54 as well as Men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54, based on Nielsen live + same day data. Additionally, SNF is the No. 3 show among Women 18-34 and the No. 4 show among Women 18-49.

*NOTE: The primetime television season began on Monday, Sept. 19 and does not include the first three NBC primetime games of the 2011 season (Thursday night NFL Kickoff Opener and first two SNF games).

That will do it.

NFL Announces Cowboys-Giants To Open 2012 Season

This just announced by the National Football League, the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants will open the season against their traditional NFC East Division rival, the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, September 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Earlier this year, the NFL moved the season opener back one day to accommodate President Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention the following night.

We have the announcement from the National Football League direct from the League meetings where this latest development was released.

It’s the second time the Giants will open the season at home following a Super Bowl, both wins coming against the New England Patriots and both wins celebrated across America from coast-to-coast.

This marks the third straight Giants-Cowboys matchup on NBC as Sunday Night Football aired both meetings last season including the regular season finale of 2011-12 which gave the NFC East Division crown to the G-Men.

GIANTS & COWBOYS KICK OFF SEASON ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

The Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys at New Meadowlands Stadium in the 2012 season-opening NFL Kickoff game on Wednesday, September 5 (NBC, 8:30 PM ET), the NFL announced today.

NBC will televise the game at 8:30 PM ET and NFL Kickoff 2012 at 7:30 PM ET.

Continuing a tradition that started in 2004, the previous year’s Super Bowl winner hosts the NFL Kickoff game to open the following season.

DATE	SITE	RESULT (HOME TEAM IN CAPS)	RECAP
Sept. 9, 2004	Gillette Stadium	NEW ENGLAND 27, Indianapolis 24	New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Colts.
Sept. 8, 2005	Gillette Stadium	NEW ENGLAND 30, Oakland 20	New England quarterback Tom Brady leads the offense by throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns while running back Corey Dillon adds two scores for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Sept. 7, 2006	Heinz Field	PITTSBURGH 28, Miami 17	Pittsburgh quarterback Charlie Batch passes for three touchdowns and running back Willie Parker adds 115 yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Miami.
Sept. 6, 2007	RCA Dome	INDIANAPOLIS 41, New Orleans 10	The Super Bowl champion Colts rack up 452 yards of offense as quarterback Peyton Manning passes for 288 yards and three TDs.
Sept. 4, 2008	Giants Stadium	NY GIANTS 16, Washington 7	Quarterback Eli Manning scores a touchdown and the Giants’ defense allows just 209 total yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat division-rival Washington.
Sept. 10, 2009	Heinz Field	PITTSBURGH 13, Tennessee 10 (OT)	Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed kicks a 33-yard game-winning field goal in overtime as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Tennessee.
Sept. 9, 2010	Louisiana Superdome	NEW ORLEANS 14, Minnesota 9	New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees throws for 237 yards and a touchdown to lead the Saints past the Vikings in a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game.
Sept. 8, 2011	Lambeau Field	GREEN BAY 42, New Orleans 34	Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers’ defense makes a goal-line stand on the game’s final play as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Saints.

 

# # #

That’s it.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Basketball
Men’s
National Invitation Tournament
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Semifinals
UMass vs. Stanford — ESPN, 7 p.m.
Washington vs. Minnesota — ESPN, 9:30 p.m.

Women’s
NCAA Tournament
Elite 8
Kingston Region
Ryan Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Announcers: ESPN — Dave O’Brien/Doris Burke/Holly Rowe (sidelines); Dial Global Radio — Dave Ryan/Ann Schatz
#1 UConn vs. #2 Kentucky — ESPN, 7 p.m.

Raleigh Region
PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
Announcers: ESPN — Pam Ward/Rebecca Lobo/Allison Williams (sidelines); Dial Global Radio — Craig Way/Ann Meyers-Drysdale
#1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Maryland — ESPN, 9 p.m.

College Softball
Alabama at Auburn — ESPNU, 8 p.m.

FA Cup
6th Round
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bolton — Fox Soccer Plus, 2:25 p.m.

6th Round Replay
Sunderland vs. Everton — Fox Soccer Plus, 4:30 p.m. (same day coverage)

MLB
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia — MLB Network/The Comcast Network, 1 p.m.
Atlanta vs. New York Mets — SNY, 1 p.m.
Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
Colorado vs. Arizona — Root Sports Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Arizona, 4 p.m./MLB Network, 11 p.m.
Toronto vs. New York Yankees — MLB Network/YES, 7 p.m.

Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
Clubhouse Confidential — MLB Network, 5:30 p.m.
MLB Tonight Live — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
30 Clubs in 30 Days: Washington Nationals — MLB Network, 10 p.m.

NBA
Cleveland at Philadelphia — NBA TV, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles at Golden State — NBA TV, 10:30 p.m.

NHL
Buffalo at Washington — MSG Buffalo/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Carolina at Toronto — Fox Sports Carolinas/Rogers Sportsnet Ontario, 7 p.m.
Chicago at New Jersey — Comcast SportsNet Chicago/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.
New York Islanders at Pittsburgh — MSG Plus 2/Root Sports Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Boston — NBC Sports Network/TSN2, 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Montreal — TSN/RDS/Fox Sports Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at St. Louis — Fox Sports Tennessee/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
New York Rangers at Minnesota — MSG Network/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Overtime — NBC Sports Network, 11:30 p.m.

Sports Talk
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/Fox Sports Net, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/DanPatrick.com, noon
The Scott Van Pelt Show — ESPNews/ESPN Radio, 1 p.m.
Numbers Never Lie — ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
NBC SportsTalk — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.

Tennis
Sony Ericsson Open
Crandon Park Tennis Center, Miami, FL
Men’s Round of 16/Women’s Quarterfinals — Tennis Channel, 11 a.m.

UEFA Champions League
Quarterfinals
1st Leg
Benfica vs. Chelsea — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.
Apoel vs. Real Madrid – Fox Sports Net, 2:30 p.m./Fox Soccer, 5 p.m.

UEFA Champions League Pregame — Fox Soccer/Fox Sports Net, 2 p.m.
UEFA Champions League Highlights — Fox Soccer, 11 p.m.

Entertainment
NCIS — CBS, 8 p.m.
The Usual Suspects — HBO2, 8 p.m.
American Reunion: First Look — HBO, 8:15 p.m.
Eat St.: Cordon Bleu, Street Style — Cooking Channel, 8:30 p.m.
New Girl — Fox, 9 p.m.
NCIS: Los Angeles — CBS, 9 p.m.
Ringer — The CW, 9 p.m.
Top Gear — History Channel, 9 p.m.
Doomsday Preppers: It’s Gonna Get Worse — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Frontline: Murdoch’s Scandal — PBS, 10 p.m.
Justified — FX, 10 p.m.
Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan — G4, 10 p.m.
Body of Proof — ABC, 10:01 p.m.
House Hunters International: San Salvador, El Salvador — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 P.M.

Late Monday Night Links

As promised earlier today, I’m giving you more links. I was out earlier today and I’ll be out again tomorrow so it’s going to be a bit crazy for me. So let’s get to the linkage right now.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch looks at the media circus that was the Tim Tebow press conference at the New York Jets practice facility on Monday.

Speaking of Richard, he and CNBC’s Darren Rovell were locked in Round 2 of their Twitter feud. This was fun while it lasted as Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing recaps.

Matt notes that Al Trautwig of MSG Network had a slip of the tongue.

And Matt is gleeful that ESPN’s Jonathan Coachman also had a similar slip.

Christina Settimi of Forbes looks at baseball’s biggest local cable TV rights deals.

George Winslow of Broadcasting & Cable says ESPN has promoted an executive to handle its international digital media efforts.

Sam Laird of Mashable notes that the Boston Bruins have launched their own social media portal, believed to the first in pro sports.

Todd Cunningham at The Wrap says with Tiger Woods win this past weekend, CBS now looks forward to having masterful ratings for The Masters^® in two weeks.

Dale Buss of Brand Channel writes that Jockey brand underwear welcomed Tim Tebow to New York as only it could.

Kevin Kaduk of Yahoo’s Big League Stew has one of the funniest on-screen graphics pulled by Fox Sports Midwest during a St. Louis Cardinals exhibition game.

Jesse Sawyer of the Avon (CT) Patch says ESPN’s Kenny Mayne has sold his Connecticut home over half a year after he moved his family to Washington State.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post hates everybody.

Breaking the Bob Raissman ban to note that the New York Daily News curmudgeon feels Tim Tebow is already a pro at handling the Big Apple media circus.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that the ratings for the NCAA Tournament this past weekend took a huge hit thanks to Tiger Woods.

Greg Connors of the Buffalo News writes about ESPN’s three month-long initiative to celebrate Title IX.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call talks about the departure of local native Meredith Marakovits for the bright lights of New York.

Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog tells us that he’s going to have a partner on the blog.

And Sarah Kogod introduces herself to DC Sports Bog readers in her first post.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner talks with Tennis Channel’s Mary Carillo.

Tom Jones from the Tampa Bay Times reviews the weekend in sports television.

Mel Bracht of The Oklahoman notes that the Oklahoma City Thunder set a new ratings record.

John Kiesewetter at the Cincinnati Enquirer says a nationally syndicated radio morning show will be in town for Reds Opening Day.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Wisconsin-Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 did well in the local ratings.

Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Tribune says BYU basketball coach Dave Rose has a future in TV if he so chooses.

Joe Flint of the Los Angeles Times says an investment bank helped to broker the Pac-12 media rights contract with ESPN and Fox plus other huge sports and entertainment megadeals.

Joe reports that DirecTV and Tribune are in a dispute over the company’s TV stations and this could include WGN America which carries a bunch of sports programming.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail has yet another amazingly uninformed column not realizing that CBS and Turner share the NCAA Tournament and CBS no longer regionalizes games. Many Canadian college basketball fans are aware of this, yet Bruce is not.

Sports Media Watch looks at the lower ratings generated by the NCAA Tournament over the weekend.

SMW has the viewership for the first primetime effort by ESPN2′s First Take.

To Macgasm where we learn that ESPN is teaming with Apple to make sports scores available on the Siri voice platform on the iPhone 4S.

Joe Favorito asks does UFC really needs New York to be successful?

Jim Connelly at USCHO.com wonders if ESPN is doing more to hurt the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament than help promote it.

Maury Brown at the Biz of Baseball wonders when MLB Network will hit Canada.

And we’ll end it there. Good night.

Quick Monday Linkage

Don’t have much time today. I’ll do a few links for you here while I can.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand has CBS/Turner’s Clark Kellogg saying he wouldn’t be surprised if Kentucky lost in the Final Four this weekend.

Mr. College Football, Tony Barnhart of CBS Sports, remembers his former colleague at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Furman Bisher.

Tim Wood at the Bleacher Report announces some new hirings. BR has been on a hiring binge lately.

ESPN2 aired the Jets/Tim Tebow press conference today with a twist. Can you believe showing Skippy Bayless on his laptop, live tweeting the event? Yes indeed. Very bad television.

Eric Goldschein of SportsGrid notes that a SiriusXM Radio host decided to use his satellite radio show to criticize the Miami Heat for the famous picture of the entire team wearing hoodies in support of Trayvon Martin.

Doug Farrar at Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner says Fox Sports is considering using suspended New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton as an analyst this season.

To Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk who says don’t expect the NFL to give the public a partial 2012 regular season schedule release this week.

Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal catches up with CBS Sports Network/Dial Global Radio announcer Dave Ryan who’s calling the NCAA Women’s Tournament on radio this week.

Ken Kerschbaumer at Sports Video Group notes that Longhorn Network uses fiber optics rather than satellite trucks to transmit game action from University of Texas campus back to its broadcast facility.

Toni Fitzgerald at Media Life says a NCAA Tournament overrun helped CBS win the Sunday night primetime ratings.

Rich Thomaselli of Advertising Age says the NFL and Nike are hyping their new partnership which both companies say will revolutionize the league’s apparel.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell says Tiger Woods’ win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this weekend might have helped his popularity.

Yesterday, we learned that legendary boxing writer and historian Bert Sugar died at the age of 75. Sugar was one of the most popular figures covering the sweet science. But in addition to covering boxing, Sugar wrote about baseball and was good at it. When I hosted a one-hour radio sports show in Groton, CT, Bert gave me one of the best interviews I ever had. He was witty, funny, brilliant and put everything into its proper perspective. And he sent me a book that he had written about boxing. One of the nicest men in the sports media you’ll ever have the chance to meet. And unfortunately, he’s gone.

Tim Smith of the New York Daily News says Sugar had been suffering from lung cancer, but typical of Bert, he kept it quiet from most of his friends.

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com says Bert will be missed.

Michael Woods of ESPN New York has an appreciation of Sugar.

Bob Velin of USA Today also has an obituary for Sugar.

Gary Mihoces of USA Today says Sugar was definitely a colorful character.

Lem Satterfield of The Ring, the digital home of Ring Magazine where Sugar once worked, has reaction to his death.

Promoter Jackie Kallen in Boxing Insider bids farewell to her friend.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun has a couple of memories of Bert Sugar.

I’ll do some more linkage tonight.