Sports Media News

Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases

Archives for January 2012

Lawrence Taylor Joins The Cast Tonight on INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME

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NFL HALL OF FAMER LAWRENCE TAYLOR TO JOIN THE CAST ON THIS WEEK’S EPSIODE OF

INSIDE THE NFL ON SHOWTIME®

New Episode Tonight/Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (Jan. 25, 2012) – The New York Giants NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and two-time Super Bowl Champion Lawrence Taylor will join James Brown, Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth and Warren Sapp on this week’s edition of INSIDE THE NFL.  Taylor, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest defensive players in league history, will be on set to discuss the New York Giants’ and New England Patriots’ respective roads to the Super Bowl.

This week’s episode of INSIDE THE NFL premieres Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

INSIDE THE NFL is produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films. The executive producers are CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus and NFL Films President Steve Sabol.  Pete Radovich Jr., the Emmy Award-winning Creative Director for CBS Sports, serves as coordinating producer.

Seventh Annual National Signing Day on ESPNU Doubles College Campus Presence

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10-hours of Continuous Coverage on ESPNU and ESPN3 will include ESPN Reporters at 13 College Campuses and Four Players No.1 at their Position Announcing Commitment Live

ESPNU will televise the most comprehensive coverage of National Signing Day to date on Wednesday, Feb. 1 beginning at 9 a.m. ET with 10-hours of live multiplatform coverage. The seventh annual ESPNU National Signing Day Special will once again originate from the ESPNU Charlotte, N.C. studios, be simulcast on ESPN3 and include live look-ins on SportsCenter throughout the day.

Hosted by Rece Davis and Dari Nowkhah the ESPNU National Signing Day Special will feature comprehensive ESPN analysis from an assembled team of experienced and knowledgeable experts in scouting, recruiting, playing and coaching college football. Senior national recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill and recruiting analyst Craig Haubert will be joined in-studio by former head coaches Mike Bellotti, Randy Shannon and Butch Davis, college football analysts Rod Gilmore and David Pollack, regional coordinators Corey Long, Jamie Newberg and ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach.

ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Lou Holtz will also provide commentary throughout the day in addition to the unique perspective of ESPN NFL analyst Trent Dilfer.

 

2012 ESPNU National Signing Day Special highlights:

  • Around the nation coverage from ESPN reporters at 13 college campuses – eight of which are in Schlabach’s Top 10 early rankings on ESPN.com – including 2012 BCS National Champions Alabama and BCS participants LSU, Michigan and Clemson, as well as Florida State, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Penn State, USC, Oregon and Notre Dame.
  • 10 different players are expected to make their college commitment decision on the show, four of which are ranked No. 1 at their position on the ESPNU 150:
    • No. 3 Dorial Green-Beckham (Springfield, Mo.; No. 1 wide receiver)
    • No. 9 Andrus Peat (Tempe, Ariz.)
    • No. 10  Eddie Goldman (Washington, DC; No.1 defensive tackle)
    • No. 17 Josh Harvey-Clemons (Valdosta, Ga.; No. 1 outside linebacker)                            
    • No. 18 Tracy Howard (Miramar, Fla.; No. 1 cornerback)
    • No. 29 Kwon Alexander (Oxford, Ala.)
    • No. 33 Thomas Johnson (Dallas)
    • No. 47 Nelson Agholor  (Tampa, Fla.)
    • No. 61 Avery Young (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
    • Trea Elston (Oxford, Ala.)
  • Additional appearances by  No. 1 Mario Edwards (Denton, Texas; No. 1 defensive end), No. 25 Noor Davis (Leesburg, Fla.), No. 51 Ifeadi Odenigbo (Centerville, Ohio) and No. 14 Jameis Winston (Hueytown, Ala.; No.1 quarterback) discussing the role being a MLB prospect plays in his college plans.
  • 2012 Indiana University commit Kevin Davis will report from Super Bowl media day on behalf of ESPNU, interviewing NY Giants and New England Patriots players on their own signing day.
  • In conjunction to live player announcements, ESPNU will report on the 24 players currently uncommitted in the ESPNU 150 and conduct interviews with more than 30 coaches from the country’s top teams throughout the day.
  • Several features will air throughout the day including Outside The Lines’ look at southern states’ ability to attract top recruits and a dissection of high-profile family ties such as Ken Griffey Jr, Deion Sanders and P.Diddy’s sons, all members of the 2012 class.
  • Interact with @ESPNU on twitter via #signingday, join the conversation on ESPNU’s Facebook page or ESPN.com’s day-long chat.

In anticipation of February 1, ESPNU will televise a preview special on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 4-6:30 p.m. in addition to the following Nation Signing Day coverage from ESPN.com, ESPNHS.com, ESPNW, ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio:

 

  • ESPN.com:
    • RecruitingNation will provide coverage of more than 20 player announcements across the country, including six of the nation’s top 20 players.  It will also host a 10-hour live chat featuring guests and analysts nationwide.
    • Throughout National Signing Day, RecruitingNation will have updated class rankings every hour and in-depth team grades for the top programs in the nation.  The first player rankings for the Class of 2013 will be unveiled, as well as a look at some of the top players set to star in the Class of 2014.
    • In addition to national focus, RecruitingNation’s eight school sites – DawgNationESPN.com, GatorNationESPN.com, GeauxTigerNationESPN.com, HornsNationESPN.com, SoonerNationESPN.com, TideNationESPN.com, WeAreSC.com and WolverineNationESPN.com – will provide in-depth analysis and up-to-the-minute news from Signing Day.

 

  • ESPNHS.com:Takes an in-depth look at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Woodland Hills (Pittsburgh) – high schools with the most players in the NFL – and the reasons why some schools are able to produce so many players and recruits. The high school-centric site will also profile three top underclassmen in conjunction with the first 2013 rankings and 2014 players to watch release.
  • espnW: Contributor Adena Andrews writes about Landon Collins, the nation’s top-rated safety, and his mother’s desire for him to attend LSU instead of Alabama, in “Momma Knows Best.”
  • ESPN The Magazine: The annual “Recruiting Issue” hits newsstands Friday, Jan. 27 and includes a full color look at some of this year’s top recruits, a recruiting map of where the best players come from and which schools really win the recruiting battles, plus a feature on Rushel Shell and the story of recruitment as a soon-to-be teenage father.
  • ESPN Radio: Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio’s The Herd (10 a.m.-1 p.m. M-F), noted college football enthusiast and a self-confessed “recruiting geek,” will discuss the nation’s top prospects and their possible destinations during his traditional Recruiting Day visit with Luginbill.

 

ESPNU
The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually and offers over 600 original studio shows. ESPNU has seen a steady increase since its inception on March 4, 2005 and is now in over 73 million households. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNUHD, now in over 20 million homes. The network has long-term carriage agreements with all 10 of the top multichannel TV providers – Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV (Channel 208), DISH Network (Channel 141), Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV and AT&T U-verse.

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SiriusXM To Present Comprehensive Coverage of 2012 Senior Bowl

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SiriusXM’s Tim Ryan, Pat Kirwan, Jason Horowitz and Jim Miller to call game from Mobile, Alabama, Jan. 28 on SiriusXM NFL Radio, channel 88

SiriusXM NFL Radio channel to broadcast live shows from Mobile throughout the week leading up to game day

 Listeners will hear interviews with many NFL decision-makers in attendance

 

NEW YORK – January 20, 2012 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) will offer listeners nationwide the exclusive live national radio broadcast of the 2012 Senior Bowl, showcasing the nation’s best senior collegiate football stars and top NFL Draft prospects, on SiriusXM NFL Radio, channel 88 on Sirius and XM Premier (formerly known as “The Best of Sirius”).

The 63rd Senior Bowl kicks off at 4:00 pm ET/3:00 pm CT on Saturday, January 28, from Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.  SiriusXM’s broadcast team will feature Jason Horowitz as the play-by-play voice alongside game analysts Tim Ryan, the former Chicago Bears defensive lineman and two-time USC All-American, and Pat Kirwan, a former NFL scout, coach and front office executive.  Former NFL quarterback Jim Miller, who played in the 1990 Senior Bowl while at Michigan State, will serve as the sideline reporter.  Ryan and Kirwan will host the pre-game show starting at 3:30 pm ET/2:30 pm CT.

The Senior Bowl is one of the year’s premier pre-NFL Draft events, gathering many of the country’s best NFL prospects on teams representing the North and South which are coached by two NFL coaching staffs.  For this year’s game, the South team will be coached by Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan and his staff, and the North team will be coached by Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier and his staff.

During the week leading up to the game, practices are attended by general managers, coaches, scouts and other front office personnel from the 32 National Football League teams, making Senior Bowl Week a gathering of a “Who’s Who” of NFL decision makers.

SiriusXM NFL Radio will broadcast live from Mobile, AL, throughout the week, with Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan hosting their daily show, Movin’ The Chains, each weekday (3:00-7:00 pm ET/2:00-6:00 pm CT) and Alex Marvez and Jim Miller hosting Late Hits on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (8:00-11:00 pm ET/7:00-10:00 pm CT).  The hosts will provide analysis on the myriad of NFL prospects in Mobile for the game and interview many of the NFL coaches, GMs and front office executives in attendance, giving fans an early look at the offseason needs of their favorite NFL teams.

For more information, please visit www.siriusxm.com/nfl or www.seniorbowl.com.

 

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ESPN Announces Executive Structure under New President John Skipper

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ESPN Announces Executive Structure under New President John Skipper

ESPN’s executive structure was unveiled today by President John Skipper, who assumed his current role on January 1. The structure emphasizes leadership continuity while fostering future growth, and includes a combination of expanded responsibilities for some individuals and new roles for others.

The new structure:

  • The following ESPN executives will remain in their current roles and will report to Skipper: Sean Bratches (EVP Sales and Marketing), Christine Driessen (EVP and CFO), Ed Durso (EVP Administration), Chuck Pagano (EVP Technology and CTO), Paul Richardson (SVP Human Resources), John Walsh (EVP and Executive Editor) and Russell Wolff (EVP and Managing Director International).
  • ESPN Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital and Print Media, John Kosner has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Digital and Print Media. He will continue to oversee the company’s digital strategy and products, an important area for present and future growth, and will continue to report to Skipper.
  • Two long-time ESPN leaders – Executive Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, John Wildhack and Executive Vice President, Production, Norby Williamson will switch roles. Each will assume the other’s responsibilities in leading an important ESPN content area going forward. They will continue to work closely together and will collaborate to effect a smooth transition.  They will continue to report to Skipper.
  • Marie Donoghue, who has been ESPN Senior Vice President, Business Affairs and Business Development, will take on the new role of Senior Vice President, Global Strategy, Business Development and Business Affairs. She will be responsible for working across all business units worldwide to evaluate new opportunities, new lines of business and more.  She will continue to report to Skipper.

“I’m honored to lead this company surrounded by such a talented team,” Skipper said. “Their collective vision and passion for what we do will keep us focused on continued growth for our business and our people.”

As previously announced, in his role as ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, Skipper has a dual report to Disney Company President and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger and ESPN Executive Chairman George Bodenheimer.

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CBS Sports’ Presents College Football’s National Signing Day

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CBS SPORTS NETWORK, CBSSPORTS.COM AND MAXPREPS.COM PRESENT
COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Wall-to-Wall Content Spread Across Television and Digital Properties Featuring Recruiting Expert Tom Lemming

Rick Neuheisel and Ron Zook In Studio to Offer Insight and Analysis


JAN. 25, 2012: CBS SPORTS NETWORK, CBSSPORTS.COM, MAXPREPS.COM and the CBSSPORTS.COM COLLEGE NETWORK are providing fans the most extensive multi-media coverage of college football’s annual National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1 with in-depth content across all platforms. Both CBS Sports Network and CBSSports.com will offer eight hours of live programming. CBS Sports Network’s coverage features recruiting expert Tom Lemming and guest analysts, former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel and former Illinois coach Ron Zook, while CBSSports.com’s coverage is highlighted by college football insider Bruce Feldman and recruiting expert Bryan Fischer. In addition, CBS Sports Network’s coverage includes the 2012 International Bowl, which features the United States Under-19 national team against the IFAF (International Federation of American Football) World Team.

CBS SPORTS NATIONAL SIGNING DAY presented by American Family Insurance kicks-off on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, Jan. 31 (6:30 PM, ET) with a special edition of LEMMING REPORT, the weekly high school football recruiting show. Recognized as the country’s leading expert on college football recruiting and high school talent, Lemming logs approximately 55,000 miles each year visiting the top recruits in the country. He is also a regular contributor to CBSSports.com and MaxPreps.com.

Coverage continues on Wednesday with a five-hour program (1:00 PM-6:00 PM, ET), anchored by Adam Zucker and Molly Qerim, who are joined in studio by Lemming, Neuheisel, Zook, MaxPreps.com National Football Editor Steve Spiewak. Aaron Taylor reports from the University of Arizona where he will have a behind-the-scenes look at signing day with Wildcats’ new head coach Rich Rodriguez. Brian Jones reports from the International Bowl in Austin, Texas, where he will interview many of the nation’s elite prep players.

The show also features interviews with college coaches including Al Golden (Miami), Urban Meyer (Ohio State), Greg Schiano (Rutgers), Mack Brown (Texas), Steve Spurrier (South Carolina), Brady Hoke (Michigan), Jim Mora Jr. (UCLA), Chris Petersen (Boise State) and Larry Fedora (North Carolina), as well as comprehensive video footage and in-depth analysis of elite recruits and recruiting classes, live cut-ins to player commitment press conferences, conference breakdowns and a special look at the top high school juniors. Live coverage of the International Bowl follows at 6:00 PM, ET. Studio coverage of National Signing Day returns at 12:30 AM, ET to wrap up the day with news and analysis.

Located at cbssports.com/collegefootball/recruiting, the CBSSports.com 2012 Signing Day site offers continuous multi-media coverage leading up to and throughout Signing Day. Featuring breaking news, video, and in-depth analysis by Lemming, Spiewak, Fischer, Feldman and a host of other experts, CBSSports.com will track the commitments and signings of all players heading to NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs, with a focus on the CBS Sports Top 100 list.

The centerpiece of signing day coverage on CBSSports.com is “Signing Day Central,” eight straight hours (9 AM-5 PM, ET) of live news and in-depth analysis on the latest commitments, class rankings, and the day’s winners and losers. Hosted by Feldman and Fischer, Signing Day Central will feature interviews with coaches, players and a number of CBS Sports experts while also allowing viewers to interact directly with the show and ask questions about their favorite school or player. The first half of Signing Day Central will focus on commitments from the CBS Sports Top 100 list while the second half will turn to analysis of how the recent signings will affect Lemming’s Top 25 classes and which kids could make an impact during their freshman year.

CBSSports.com will also rank the top college recruiting classes, provide a state-by-state breakdown of all signed players, track major players who remain unsigned and provide a match-up tool allowing users to do a head-to-head comparison of any of the 2,500 players in the MaxPreps.com database. CBSSports.com also features a comprehensive player commitment database with a dedicated page to every Division I recruit as well as a page listing the signings for each of the 120 FBS programs.

In addition, the over 160 official athletic school sites produced by the CBSSports.com College Network, will offer live streaming press conferences and exclusive on-demand video content, with various in-depth features and individual recruit highlight packages when available. The CBSSports.com College Network produces the official athletic site for 50 of the 66 (76%) BCS eligible schools from the big six conferences, and finished the 2011 college football season in a dominant position with 18 schools in the AP Top 25, including the National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide (rolltide.com).

The CBSSports.com College Network includes top programs such as Michigan (MGoBlue.com), Florida State (seminoles.com), Notre Dame (und.com), Oklahoma (soonersports.com), North Carolina (tarheelblue.com), Ohio State (ohiostatebuckeyes.com), Southern California (usctrojans.com), and Wisconsin (UWBadgers.com). The National Signing Day online content can be accessed through each individual school’s All-Access broadband product.

* Tom Lemming, Stephen Spiewak, Bryan Fischer, and Bruce Feldman are available for recruiting interviews. If interested, please contact Dan Sabreen, Alex Riethmiller or Mariel Brady.

Follow CBS Sports on Twitter: twitter.com/CBSSports

Follow CBS Sports on Facebook: facebook.com/cbssports

NBC Sports Network Showcases Hockey’s Top Talent With 10 Hours Of NHL All-Star Weekend Coverage

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NHL Viewership on NBC and NBC Sports Network up from Last Year

NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft on Jan. 26 (8 p.m. ET); 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 28 (7 p.m. ET); and 2012 NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 29 (4 p.m. ET)

Fantasy Draft Pre-Show on Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET and NHL Overtime from Ottawa on Jan. 27 at 10 p.m. ET

NEW YORK, N.Y. (January 24, 2012) – NBC Sports Network will air an all-encompassing 10 hours of coverage of the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend, beginning with the NHL Fantasy Draft Pre-Show on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft at 8 p.m. ET. The network will then air the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, showcasing the league’s top stars as they demonstrate their skating, puck-handling and shooting skills. The weekend will culminate with coverage with the 59th NHL All-Star Game on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, live from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa.

The NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft will once again show the two captains, Daniel Alfredsson of the All-Star Weekend host Ottawa Senators and Zdeno Chara of the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, and their alternate captains (New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul, respectively) hand-pick their All-Star teams live on Thur., Jan. 26, on NBC Sports Network at 8 p.m. ET. Each All-Star team will be comprised of three goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards.

Heading into the All-Star break, viewership for NHL games on both NBC and NBC Sports Network has grown compared to last season. NHL games on NBC (excluding the Winter Classic) are averaging 1.36 million viewers, up nine percent from the same number of games last year. On NBC Sports Network, NHL telecasts overall are averaging 330,000 viewers, up 13 percent from the same number of weeks last year, while exclusive time-period games (Wednesday and Sunday nights) are averaging 467,000 viewers, up 17 percent from last year’s exclusive coverage. NBC Sports Network recorded its most-watched regular-season game ever with this season’s opening night match-up between Philadelphia and Boston on Oct. 6 (874,000 viewers), and has already set records for highest local household ratings in several markets, such as Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Tampa.

Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Eddie Olczyk (analyst) will serve as the in-booth announce team for the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sat., Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. ET. They will be joined by Pierre McGuire and Jeremy Roenick on the ice for player interviews after each competition, as well as Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones from the studio at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa.

Mike “Doc” Emrick (play-by-play) and Olczyk (analyst) will anchor NBC Sports Network’s All-Star Game coverage, with McGuire stationed “inside-the-glass” and Roenick conducting player interviews. The studio show will feature host McHugh, with Milbury and Jones live from Ottawa.

Additional All-Star Weekend Programming – NBC Sports Network will offer viewers live reports from Ottawa during each of the network’s nightly shows, beginning with a special 90-minute NBC SportsTalk on Thur., Jan. 26, at 6 p.m. ET. Additionally, a special NHL Overtime will air from Ottawa on Fri., Jan. 27, at 10 p.m. ET. NHL Overtime will examine the biggest stories, surprises and disappointments of the NHL season thus far, as well as a look towards the second half of the season and playoffs.

Digital/Social Media – This week at Facebook.com/NHLonNBCSports, NHL fans will have the chance to flex their fantasy muscles in this year’s NHL on NBC Sports All-Star Fantasy Draft Master challenge. Beginning Wed., Jan. 25, through Facebook, fans will be challenged to choose the order that they think each starting position and player will be drafted in during the All-Star Fantasy Draft. This year’s Draft Master who most closely predicts the draft order will be announced during the NHL Skills Challenge on the NBC Sports Network on Jan. 28, and featured on the NHL on NBC Sports Facebook page.

–NHL All-Star Weekend–

NHL Network To Bring Fans Inside 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend

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NHL NETWORK TO BRING FANS INSIDE 2012 NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND
Unprecedented On-Site Coverage from Ottawa Begins Thursday

Free Preview of NHL Network Available Across Canada Through Participating TV Service Providers

NEW YORK (January 24, 2012) — Live on-site coverage from NHL Network of all the festivities surrounding the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend in Ottawa begins on Thursday, Jan. 26, delivering 16.5 hours of live coverage.

The NHL Network team in Ottawa includes NHL Tonight hosts Kathryn Tappen and Brian Duff, analysts Barry Melrose, Kevin Weekes, Mike Johnson and EJ Hradek and reporter Heidi Androl. Joining the NHL Network team as special guest is the online sensation Joey The Junior Reporter of Blackhawks TV. The 6-year old Illinois native will bring his sharp interviewing skills to Ottawa, where he will ask the “hard-hitting” questions of the NHL’s biggest stars. For a look at Joey in action interviewing members of the Chicago Blackhawks, click here.

NHL Network will broadcast live from the Scotiabank NHL Fan Fair™ at the Ottawa Convention Centre on Thursday, Jan. 26, and Friday, Jan. 27, with roving talent filing remote reports from the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft™and the NHL All-Star Media Day Presented By Allstate Insurance. The NHL Network set moves to Scotiabank Place arena on Saturday, Jan. 28, and Sunday, Jan. 29.

A free preview of NHL Network will be available on participating television services providers throughout Canada, including Bell TV, Rogers, Shaw and Shaw Direct, through Feb. 3. (Not available in all areas.)

NHL Network content also will be available to stream through NHL.com, keeping fans apprised of all the activity in Ottawa around 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend on the platform of their choice. For the latest NHL All-Star news, visit NHL.com and its dedicated microsite for the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend, NHL.com/allstar.

NHL Network broadcast coverage in Ottawa is as follows (all times Eastern):
Thursday, January 26
5-7 p.m.        Cisco NHL Live at NHL All-Star Weekend featuring NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman         during the second hour live from Scotiabank Fan Fair™
7-8 p.m.        2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft Pre-Show
9:30-11 p.m.        NHL Tonight (2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft Edition)
Midnight        2012 NHL Player All-Star Fantasy Draft (re-air)

Friday, January 27
3-6 p.m.        NHL All-Star Media Day Presented By Allstate Insurance
6-7 p.m.        NHL Tonight (NHL All-Star Media Day Recap)
7-8:30 p.m.        2012 NHL Player All-Star Fantasy Draft (re-air)
8:30-10 p.m.        2012 NHL Player All-Star Fantasy Draft (re-air)

Saturday, January 28
4-7 p.m.        2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition Pre-Show
9-10 p.m.        NHL Tonight (2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition Recap)
11p.m. – 1a.m.  2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition (re-air in U.S. only)

Sunday, January 29
10a.m.-12p.m.  2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition  (re-air in U.S. only)
1-4 p.m.        2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game Pre-Game Show
7-8 p.m.        NHL Tonight (2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game Edition)
11p.m.-1a.m.  2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game  (re-air in U.S. only)

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Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint – Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Cleveland Cavaliers (85) @ Miami Heat (92)

Voting is open on NBA.com, NBA Facebook Page and Yahoo.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on Jan. 31

Fans can select between the following games:

Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers
New Jersey Nets @ Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks
Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies
Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors

**** **** **** ****

Fan Night presented by Sprint
Ernie Johnson, Chris Webber and Greg Anthony

Webber on how the Miami Heat will play without Dwyane Wade: “However (the Heat) play, good or bad, it doesn’t matter because the result is everyone else is going to get better. (Chris) Bosh is playing much better and the other guys have to step up.”

Anthony on the Heat’s team chemistry: “When you have guys that can dominate the game like those three (Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade) can it doesn’t allow other players to get into the flow of the game. It’s important that they figure out balance.”

Anthony on the Cleveland Cavalier’s rookie point guard Kyrie Irving and his offensive skills: “(Irving) is showing people why he was the No. 1 overall pick (in the 2011 NBA Draft). He has the complete package in terms of an offensive repertoire in the point guard position. He has great vision on the basketball court and he brings a lot to the table with his skill set, but, he is still learning how to become a basketball player.”

Anthony on Cavalier’s head coach Byron Scott’s analysis of Irving’s defensive play: “First and foremost it’s effort. When Byron looks at him, he understands he has a young man with the ability to be a decent defensive player.”

Webber on the Heat’s success: “They are so good and they will continue to be good. That’s why I picked them to win the championship. Because when they get below the box, they are just so hard to stop.”

Anthony on the importance of ‘glue guys’ on every team: “You need more than one glue guy. You have to have one in your starting line-up and a few on your team. They make your starters work. They will force them to get better. All great teams have glue guys.”

Anthony on who the glue guys are on the Cavaliers and the Heat: “For the Cavaliers, Anderson Varejao is an obvious glue guy. He makes winning plays. For the Heat, they have three starter glue guys. The one that sticks out the most is Shane Battier. He is a guy who combines the will with tremendous skill.”

Webber on the Washington Wizards firing head coach Flip Saunders: “The coach is responsible. The team is the problem. It’s the make-up. It’s a tough situation and you hope for the best in that situation.”

***** ***** *****
Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Webber and Anthony

Anthony on the Heat’s mentality: “When you watch Miami, they play with arrogance. They feel like they can turn it on and off like a light switch and win a game whenever they want. That lack of intensity and sense of urgency to start the games is one of the reasons why, at times, they struggle.”

Anthony on the Indiana Pacers: “They are a good basketball team. I don’t look at them as a team that can win a championship right now, but they are the type of team that is going to give you a lot of problems in the postseason.”

***** ***** *****
NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai

Rick Kamla and Steve Smith

Smith on the Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving: “He only saw 11 games in college and the jury is still out, but guess what? I am stamping it. He’s the first pick, and he is well deserving of it.”

Smith on how Heat forward Chris Bosh is playing without injured teammate Dwyane Wade: “The Heat have two options right now (with Wade out) which are LeBron (James) and Bosh. When LeBron is not having a good night, you go to Bosh. Right now he (Bosh) feels comfortable. It was interesting to watch him against the (Atlanta) Hawks when there was no Dwyane Wade, no LeBron James; it was a (former team) Toronto (version of) Chris Bosh.”

Smith on Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love and his possible contract extension: “Looking towards the future, this team could inch up to be like Memphis or Oklahoma City. If I am Minnesota, the ownership, fans, everybody, you max out (the new deal for) Kevin Love.”

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Costas, Michaels, Collinsworth, Dungy & Harrison Weigh In On Giants-Patriots

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“Brady meets Manning in Indianapolis, but its Eli, not Peyton.” – Costas

“It’s a great chess match with two elite quarterbacks and two teams with great traditions and great histories.” — Michaels

“I expect greatness from the game.” – Collinsworth

“The pass rushers are going to tell the story.” – Dungy

“They might deny it, but it’s a factor. It matters.” – Harrison on the rematch

 

NEW YORK – January 22, 2012 – The New York Giants and New England Patriots will meet in Super Bowl XLVI on NBC on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. NBC Sports’ coverage begins at Noon ET that day with the Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Show. The game will mark the 17th Super Bowl broadcast by NBC, equaling CBS for the most Super Bowls broadcast by any network.

The Sunday Night Football production team of Fred Gaudelli (producer) and Drew Esocoff (director) will produce Super Bowl XLVI. Sunday Night Football, this year’s most-watched primetime television program, has won the Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Series in each of the last three seasons. Gaudelli and Esocoff led NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLIII from Tampa, Fla., which was honored with the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Special.

Following are comments by Sunday Night Football analysts Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, and Football Night in America commentators Bob Costas, Tony Dungy, and Rodney Harrison about the New York Giants-New England Patriots matchup in Super Bowl XLVI:

COSTAS

ON GIANTS-PATRIOTS: “No matter how they got there, this would be a bold-faced matchup: Patriots-Giants, a rematch of one of the most memorable Super Bowls ever with the key principals still in place – the coaches and the quarterbacks. When you think of how they got here and how good the games were today with the Patriots almost going to overtime and the Giants in fact going to overtime.

“The Giants trip to the Super Bowl closely mirrors what happened last time. The Patriots are not the juggernaut they were then, but the Giants had to go on the road and beat the Packers and beat San Francisco. It certainly feels like what happened four years ago. And there’s an irony that I am sure will be repeated a thousand times between now and two weeks from now that Brady meets Manning in Indianapolis, but its Eli, not Peyton.”

MICHAELS

MICHAELS ON GIANTS: “Much as it was the case four years ago, the Giants were almost given up for dead in early December, and stayed alive with a tremendous comeback on that Sunday night in Dallas, which set them up for this post-season run.”

MICHAELS ON QUARTERBACKS AND COACHES: “Despite that fact that Tom Brady was very critical of himself after today’s game, he is one of the greatest of all time, obviously. And Eli is an elite quarterback as well, there’s no doubt about that. So you have two great quarterbacks and two really outstanding coaches. Bill Belichick is clearly one of the best of all time and I think Tom Coughlin will finally get some of the respect that I felt he has deserved for a long, long time.”

MICHAELS ON THE MATCHUP: “An extremely attractive matchup. The Patriots offense against the Giants defense that is playing a heck of a lot better than it was playing earlier in the season. The Patriots defense of late has played better, too. So it’s a great chess match with two elite quarterbacks and two teams with great traditions and great histories. It should be a terrific matchup.”

COLLINSWORTH

ON GIANTS SEASON: “It reminds me so much of what happed in 2007, the lowest of expectations going into the playoffs, and were they going to even make the playoffs. It’s really a credit to the resiliency of Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. Somehow this team just finds a way in the most unlikely of circumstances to come together and to play great football. What Eli has done with his come-from-behind wins this year has been remarkable.”

ON GIANTS VS. 49ERS: “The beating that Eli took in the game tonight…San Francisco’s defense was just so good. He just kept getting hit and kept making plays and he’s brought his team to the Super Bowl. It’s only fitting with the way he’s played in the fourth quarter all year.”

ON PATRIOTS DEFENSE: “The story for the Patriots, a defense that did not put up good statistics all season long, came together and played their best football in the playoffs. Based on Brady’s comments at the end of the game, he wasn’t too happy with his game and yet the defense was good enough, with a little help from a missed field goal at the end of the game, to carry them through.”

ON TOM BRADY’S POST-GAME COMMENTS: “It’s not often that Tom Brady needs help from anybody to make his way to the Super Bowl, but you know that he is going to be inspired in a way that he hasn’t been, maybe ever. Hearing his post-game self-critique, you know that he has a little chip on his shoulder going into the Super Bowl.”

ON SUPER BOWL REMATCH: “This is a rematch of a game that probably bothers the New England Patriots the most. They had the chance to stake their claim to be the greatest team of all time and the Giants beat them in major underdog fashion. The conditions are going to be perfect for both teams in this one, and I expect greatness from the game.”

DUNGY

ON SUPER BOWL XLII REMATCH: “These teams do know each other. There are some of the same players and coaches, but the way both teams play is significantly different. The Patriots don’t have the deep passing game that Randy Moss gave them. Now they utilize the two tight ends. The Giants were a running team, but now it’s Eli.”

ON WHAT TO WATCH FOR: “The pass rushers are going to tell the story. Both quarterbacks and receiving corps are operating at a high level. I expect the secondaries to have a tough time, which is why I think the team that can generate the most quarterback pressure will have an advantage. The Giants have obviously been hot at pressuring the quarterback the latter part of the season, but the Patriots have gotten hot the last two games.”

ON THE MATCHUP: “It’s going to be a great matchup. You have veteran coaches on both sides and many of the key players competed in Super Bowl XLII. The stadium is a wash. It favors the passing game, but it also favors pass rushers. It will make for a better game for the fans.”

HARRISON

ON SUPER BOWL XLII REMATCH: “I definitely think it’s a factor. The Patriots still have Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk, Wes Welker and others players who still have bitter tastes in their mouths. They might deny it, but it’s a factor. It matters.”

ON GIANTS: During the regular season, the Giants were very inconsistent. Right now, they are the most complete team in the playoffs. You really don’t want to face a team that can get after the ball like they can. They are a very scary team for the Patriots to face.

“The Giants are resilient. They believe right now, no matter what the situation. They went to Green Bay and beat the No. 1 offense. They go to San Francisco and beat the No. 1 defense. What can’t they do? They are not afraid and they are a scary team right now.”

ON PATRIOTS: “If you’re the Patriots, you have to be excited about how your defense is playing. They are really showing a mental toughness that wasn’t there in the regular season. They aren’t perfect, but they are playing a lot better. I think what Bill Belichick has done is to tell the unit that the regular season is over and now they have an opportunity to prove themselves based on what they’ve done in the playoffs. They are playing loose and having fun.”

–Super Bowl XLVI–

57.9 Million Watch NFC Championship Overtime Thriller on FOX

By

Sunday’s Giants/49ers Battle Ties 2010’s Vikings/Saints

As Highest-Rated Conference Title Game Since 1996

NFL on FOX Regular & Postseason Combine for Network’s Most-Watched Ever

New York – Yesterday’s epic 2012 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on FOX between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers delivered an extraordinary 30.6/44 fast-national rating/share according to figures released by Nielsen Media Research. The overtime battle scored an average audience of 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched Conference Championship Game ever, after the 1982 Cowboys-49ers NFC Championship Game (68.7 million viewers on CBS) and 2010’s overtime Vikings-Saints NFC Championship (57.9 million viewers on FOX).

The rating for Sunday’s battle for the NFC crown ties with 2010’s game (Vikings/Saints – 30.6/45) as the highest-rated NFC Championship Game since 1996 (Packers/Cowboys – 33.3/58).

 

Last night’s fast-national rating of 30.6/44 is a +9% gain over last year’s 28.1/50 for Packers/Bears in the early window and +8% better than last year’s 28.3/43 for Jets/Steelers in the late window on CBS. Ratings climbed to extraordinary levels as the game progressed toward overtime, peaking at an astounding 36.9/52 rating and 69.0 million viewers from 10:00 – 10:30 PM ET.

The 2012 NFC Playoffs on FOX averaged a 23.9/43 (42.6 million viewers) making it the network’s most-watched NFL Playoffs ever. The average for FOX Sports’ coverage of the NFC’s Wild Card, Divisional and Conference Championship rounds is up +11% over last year’s 21.6/39 (38.7 million) and is FOX’s highest-rated NFL Playoffs since 1996’s 25.1/48 (37.2 million). The complete 2011-12 NFL season on FOX averaged over 23.2 million viewers for the regular season and playoffs combined, making it FOX’s most-watched NFL season ever, excluding Super Bowls.

San Francisco posted a 47.4/77, the second highest-rated NFL on FOX postseason game ever in the City by the Bay. New York notched a 41.8/58, FOX’s best NFL rating ever in the Big Apple for a non-Super Bowl game. After the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl XLVI earlier in the evening, Boston tuned-in to find out who New England’s opponent would be, posting a 35.1/49, Boston’s highest-rating NFL on FOX non- Super Bowl playoff game. Other metered markets of note include Los Angeles (28.4/49) and Detroit (30.2/42).