Monday Early Afternoon Links

I’m doing some work, but also keep checking the internet for more linkage for you and I’ve found enough to warrant an update.

Let’s go to the Sports Business Journal where we have two NBA-related stories for you. First, in a story that could send plenty of shockwaves to the other sports leagues, John Lombardo and John Ourand tell us that the NBA hopes to stream live games into local markets starting this season. That would be huge as neither the NBA, NFL, NHL or MLB allow local streaming to protect the regional sports networks.

Another story from the SBJ, Don Muret writes that the Memphis Grizzlies are going to give their season ticket holders a one year subscription to NBA League Pass, the pay per view package that allow fans to watch out-of-market games on either cable or satellite.

Our last story from the Sports Business Journal comes from Friend of Fang’s Bites John Ourand. I cannot link to it, but I can give it to you here. Those who have ESPNU, get ready to see Colin Cowherd’s ESPN Radio show simulcast live.

ESPN opts for more radio you can see, will simulcast Cowherd’s show on ESPNU

By JOHN OURAND
Staff writer

Published August 18, 2008 : Page 08

ESPNU plans to begin simulcasting Colin Cowherd’s “The Herd” radio show starting next Monday.

ESPNU will carry the radio show live each weekday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. The network, which is in 21 million homes, will have four cameras, plus a webcast camera, positioned inside the show’s Bristol, Conn., studio.

Previously, ESPNU has filled that time slot with re-airs of games. ESPNU executives said simulcasts of Cowherd’s show fit with the net’s strategy of putting more live programming on its schedule.

Rosalyn Durant, ESPNU’s general manager and vice president, said Cowherd is a natural for the college sports channel since his audience tends to skew younger.

“This is a good chance for us to diversify our programming lineup with more live programming,” Durant said.

“The Herd” becomes the second ESPN Radio show to be telecast nationally on one of ESPN’s channels. Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg have their morning radio show, “Mike and Mike,” simulcast on ESPN2 each morning.

“TV didn’t hurt ‘Mike and Mike,’” Cowherd said. “TV might not help a whole lot, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.”

ESPNU plans to launch its HD feed Aug. 28, three days after Cowherd’s show begins airing. “The Herd,” however, will not be broadcast in high-definition initially.

For his part, Cowherd doesn’t expect that his show will change much with cameras in the studio. He said he hopes to use animation for the TV broadcast, throwing out the idea that they should superimpose a dunce hat on his head when he says something stupid.

“I told the ESPN people to have fun at our expense,” he said. “I just want it to be interesting.”

Some of you may not be happy to see this, but then again, ESPNU is not widely available so it may not affect you.

Thanks to Newsday’s Neil Best through Deadspin, Evan Cohen of ESPN Radio 760 in Palm Beach laments about the end of WFAN’s Mike & the Mad Dog.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell explains the impact of Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang’s quitting his 110 meter hurdles heat in Communist China and for his sponsors. Interesting story and watch the video that accompanies the story. If you missed how everything went down, you can see the video of Liu walking away from the starting blocks right here.

The Sports Media Watch looks at the criticism of NBC’s Cris Collinsworth for asking Kobe Bryant about his patriotism. And the SMW says NBC is already feeling the effects not having Michael Phelps.

The Sports Business Daily/Journal’s Olympics website has NBC’s average ratings of the Olympics through Saturday.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has a preview of what you’ll see on NBC’s Olympics coverage tonight.

Paul Farhi of the Washington Post says without NBC’s huge rights fee payments and exposure f
or the Olympics, the US Olympic Committee would not be able to send out so much money to fund its sports programs.

Saul Hansell of the New York Times talks with executives from CBSSports.com and MLB Advanced Media about how NBC Sports is handing its online Olympics webcasts.

I’ll end the update for now. More stuff later.