The NBA has reportedly set a finals rematch for Christmas Day. In other news, ESPN has acquired additional Olympic highlight rights from NBC, and ESPN and ESPN2 will combine for 28 consecutive hours of fantasy football coverage next week.
NBA Finals Rematch on Christmas Day
- The NBA champion Cavaliers will host the Warriors in a Christmas Day finals rematch, ESPN reported Monday, marking the teams’ second-straight meeting on the holiday. According to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, the game will air at 5 PM, presumably on ABC. In related news, former Thunder F Kevin Durant will return to Oklahoma City for the first time as an opponent on February 11, likely on ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime. The dates can still change before the NBA officially releases its schedule, which is expected to happen in the next week. (ESPN.com, cleveland.com, newsok.com)
ESPN Gets Extra Olympic Highlights in Deal With NBC
- ESPN has reached a deal with NBC allowing the company expanded use of Olympic highlights on ESPN.com, Sports Business Daily reported Sunday. Under the deal, ESPN.com will be able to run ten 45-second Olympic highlights per day, immediately at the conclusion of events, in exchange for providing links on its homepage to NBC’s Olympic live streams. The added highlight rights will not extend to ESPN’s television shows. (SBD)
ESPN, ESPN2 Airing 28-Hour Fantasy Football Marathon
- ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to air a 28-hour fantasy football marathon starting next Monday night, featuring a pair of SportsCenter specials — a five-hour rankings special the first night and four-hour mock draft on the second — and fantasy-themed episodes of ESPN studio shows. ESPN fantasy analyst Matthew Berry, who just reached a contract extension with the network, will appear throughout the 28 hours, as will ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter. (ESPN Media Zone)
