A review of the articles on this website from March 9 to March 15.
Monday
- Overnight ratings: the NBA on ABC (Suns/Spurs, 2.0 overnight) and NASCAR on FOX (Kobalt Tools 500, 4.7 overnight) both sink to season lows.
- Meanwhile, Duke/North Carolina draws a 3.4 overnight, the highest overnight rating for a college hoops game on CBS in four years.
- As a result of the ongoing dispute between Comcast and the NFL, the NFL Network could be dropped from Comcast systems at the end of next month.
Tuesday
- Sports television ratings in Atlanta are substantially higher than the national average.
- A San Diego television affiliate has axed its sports department.
- NBC is apparently the most likely of the NFL rightsholders to air the Dallas Cowboys’ first game at their new stadium.
Wednesday
- The MLS Cup is just the latest championship sporting event to move from broadcast to cable.
- In New York, one of the lowest rated NASCAR markets in the country, the Kobalt Tools 500 outdrew the Rangers’ home game on NBC.
Thursday
- Final ratings: Suns/Spurs draws a 1.6, the lowest rating of the season for an NBA game on ABC, and the Kobalt Tools 500 draws a 5.5, the lowest rating of the season for a NASCAR race on FOX.
- According to an ESPN press release, ABC will air its lone MLS telecast of the season in prime time on a Saturday night.
- CNBC reports that the NCAA can opt out of its NCAA Tournament television deal with CBS as soon as next year.
- Ratings are up for the World Baseball Classic.
- Big names: CBS Sports’ longtime Creative Director Doug Towey passes away, swimmer Michael Phelps sits down with Matt Lauer, and Turner Sports’ Dennis Eckersley heads to the booth for select TBS Sunday afternoon telecasts.
Friday
- Duke/North Carolina draws a 2.9 on CBS, up 163% from the comparable CBS game in ’08, but the lowest rating for the Tobacco Road rivalry on broadcast since 2002.
Saturday
- The six overtime Syracuse/Connecticut game helps boost ESPN’s Championship Week numbers.
- Another big drop for a PGA Tour event on broadcast.
- The NFL and Comcast have exchanged offers to avoid having the NFL Network dropped by the cable provider.
- Random items: The NFL re-signs with Westwood One, Versus signs on to air the UFL, and ESPN2 adds a Knick game to its schedule.
- In the parallel universe where Florida State defeated Duke, most readers would have preferred either “Blue Devils Have No Alibi” or “FSU Throws the Kitchen at Duke” as the headline.
- Weekend predictions for a college basketball heavy weekend.
Sunday
- Bob Costas will be at the mic for the New York Yankees’ first game at their new stadium.
- The NBA unveils its new ad campaign for the 2009 NBA Playoffs.
