- The U.S. Olympic Committee has announced that it will delay the launch of a planned U.S. Olympic Network, originally set to debut in 2010. The International Olympic Committee and U.S. Olympic television rightsholder NBC had previously expressed their displeasure that they were not consulted about the new network,
- FOX Business reports that ESPN has signed a 7-year deal to keep the World Series of Poker on the ESPN family of networks through 2018. ESPN first carried the World Series of Poker in 1988; the new deal will ensure that ESPN carries the event for 16 straight years (2002-18). CNBC’s Darren Rovell says that ESPN has confirmed the deal.
- ESPN’s NASCAR Now will originate from the White House on Wednesday, the same day President Obama honors driver Jimmie Johnson. Nicole Manske will host the show, with analysts Brad Daugherty, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, and reporter Marty Smith. This marks the first time in ESPN history that “a regularly-scheduled ESPN program originated, in its entirety, from the White House.”
World Cup group stage a viewership hit for Fox, Telemundo
The first North American World Cup since 1994 met all viewership expectations in the group stage, and then some.
