- ESPN is trying to draw big numbers from other network’s reality shows. The third season of The Contender will begin on September 4; the boxing-related reality show, formerly of NBC, gave ESPN its “top-rated boxing broadcast in nine years” last season. Meanwhile, ESPN is taking Two-A-Days from MTV; the high school football reality show, which resulted in some controversy for the school involved, has a new name (Varsity Inc.) and a new school profiled.
- Two Champ Car World Series races have been cancelled, including one in the U.S. The Champ Car season finale at Phoenix was cancelled “due to a lack of sponsor support“, which does not bode well for the series. Another race “tentatively scheduled in China has been postponed until 2008.”
- The 2007 U.S. Open is setting attendance records. Thanks in part to good weather, 60,619 fans showed up to Flushing Meadows on Tuesday, including 36,886 for the day session. The night sessions on both Monday and Tuesday were sold out as well. Whether that success at the gate will translate into success on television remains to be seen.
