Fútbol de Primera Radio and Univision Radio locked in a multi-year broadcasting agreement in markets such as New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Diego and Austin to bring coverage of major soccer events, including Copa America Centenario, the Mexican National Team in World Cup qualifying and its annual US tour and more with broadcasts running on the liked of WXNY 96.3 FM New York; WPPN 106.7 FM in Chicago, IL; KLNO 94.1 FM in Dallas, TX; KLNV 106.5 FM in San Diego, CA; and KLQB 104.3 FM in Austin, TX.
Broadcasters have their lineups for the first round of the NBA Playoffs, which tip off on ABC and ESPN this weekend with the first five games of the postseason. Mike Breen, analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and reporter Lisa Salters open things up with Game 1 of the Rockets/ Warriors on Saturday at 3:30p on ABC. Breen and team then fly to call the Pistons/Cavaliers on Sunday at 3p on ABC. Saturday will also see ESPN offer a triple-header Saturday beginning at 12:30p with the Pacers/ Raptors, followed later at 7p with Hawks/Celtics and at 9:30p with Thunder/Mavericks. The NBA Countdown crew hosts a special NBA Playoffs Preview show tonight at 9p.
On TNT, which will offer more than 40 NBA Playoff games overall, the action starts with a tripleheader on Sunday beginning with Hornets/Heat at 5:30p, followed by Grizzlies/Spurs at 8p and Trail Blazers/Clippers at 10:30p. The network plans several state-of-the-art technological elements during the playoffs including super-slow-motion cameras that will offer viewers with replays at key moments of the games as well as the continued use of player mics to bring fans the sounds of the game from the floor and the use of robotic cameras placed above each backboard. First round commentator teams include: Marv Albert/Chris Webber; Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller; Brian Anderson/Steve Smith/Kevin McHale; and Ian Eagle/Brent Barry.
NBA TV’s playoff lineup will serve up nine first round games beginning Monday with the Pacers/Raptors at 7p. Kevin Calabro, Grant Hill, Kevin Ray will handle microphone duties. Next up will be the Hornets/Heat on April 20 at 7p, featuring Spero Dedes, Mike Fratello, and Rebecca Haarlow on the call.
The NFL released its 2016 broadcast schedule yesterday after deadline. We’ll tackle that in Monday’s issue.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s coverage of Golden State’s record-setting win on Wednesday delivered a 2.7 overnight Nielsen rating to the channel, marking its highest-rated regular season game since 2014, not counting Christmas Day. Around the dial, Kobe Bryant’s final game scored a 2.6 I the overnights for ESPN2 to rank as the channel’s highest-rated NBA regular season game of all-time.
With New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signing the bill to legalize and regulate professional MMA, UFC announced that it will host a major PPV event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 12. The promotion will also be adding another live event in Upstate New York before the end of the year, having previously pledged four events per year in the state for the first three years after passage of the bill.
The National Women’s Soccer League is going for round two with FOX Sports, announcing a one-year deal to telecast six NWSL games for the second consecutive season. FS1 will air three regular-season matches as well as all three games of the NWSL Playoffs, which includes the semifinals and final, with all six games streaming live on FOX Soccer 2Go, FOX Sports GO and FOXSportsGO.com. The first on-air matchup will pit FC Kansas City/Chicago Red Stars on Sept. 7. “We are very pleased to once again partner with FOX Sports, who continue to demonstrate their outstanding support of our league and women’s soccer,” NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush said. “It is extremely important for the development of the league for our fans to have access to games on national television, especially our playoffs and championship match.”
CBS Sports will debut the Smartcart SVX for the first time during this weekend’s coverage of the RBS Heritage, with telecasts set from 3-6p on both Saturday and Sunday. The 72-inch mobile screen is attached to a custom fitted golf cart for broadcast applications to analyze and telestrate a myriad of data including golf swings and shots, difficulty of holes and scorecards. This weekend’s coverage will see the technology positioned on the practice range next to the 10th tee.
ESPN delivered its talent lineup for the NFL Draft, which begins April 28, at 8p. Chris Berman hosts Round 1 with Mel Kiper Jr., Jon Gruden, and Louis Riddick while Adam Schefter provides reports and Suzy Kolber interviews draftees. ESPN bureau reporters Josina Anderson, Bob Holtzman, Britt McHenry, Sal Paolantonio, Shelley Smith and Ed Werder will contribute to the telecast reporting from team sites.On Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, Trey Wingo will host Rounds 2-7 with Kiper, Riddick, Schefter and NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay.
A big shout-out to this year’s presenters at the Cynopsis Sports Awards next week, including Gus Johnson, Harold Reynolds, Alexi Lalas, Renie Anderson, Jon Crispin, Seth Everett, Carolyn Manno, and Paul Rabil. See you On April 21! Until then, get your tickets here.
Showtime premieres The Drew on April 29 at 8p, a film directed and produced by Baron Davis that explores the history of a pro-am basketball league in South Central Los Angeles. The pic is narrated by Xzibit.
ESPN2’s prime-time coverage of Invictus Games Orlando 2016 will see Chris Fowler, Tim Rinaldi, Jeremy Schaap and Marysol Castro lend their voices to the event. In addition, ABC News’ Bob Woodruff will offer his own perspective to the coverage. Coverage begins May 8 at 8p.
CSN Bay Area set all-time regular season records on Wednesday as the Warriors clinched the wins record. The channel’s telecast generated a 23.22 HH rating, which is higher than any RSN delivered NBA game on record. The matchup averaged approximately 577,025 households in the San Francisco DMA and posted a 28.57 peak rating during the 9:45p quarter hour.
To the south, Time Warner Cable SportsNet drummed up a 5.68 average household rating and averaged 514,495 Total Viewers for Kobe Bryant’s final Lakers game, marking the highest average household rating on the TWC SportsNet since December 8, 2013. In addition, TWC SportsNet established a ratings record for its Access SportsNet: Lakers postgame show, snagging a 3.58 average household rating.
Source: Cynopsis Sports
