Sports Media Watch

UNC-Duke, MSU-Michigan, fuel final weekend of men's regular season A pair of high-profile college basketball rivalry games, UNC-Duke and Michigan-Michigan State, delivered for ESPN and CBS over the weekend.

Duke-UNC, MSU-Michigan, deliver for ESPN, CBS, on final weekend of men's regular season: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/unc-...

I suspect this will be the first night a Wizards highlight leads SportsCenter since Game 7 of the 2017 second round. (I would joke and say the first time since Jordan left, but remember, the Wizards were actually good for a few minutes there in the 2010s.)

News: Versant, NFL Network, Lauren Shehadi and more Versant discusses potential additions to its sports portfolio; Shehadi reportedly joins Netflix MLB broadcasts; and more sports media news.

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Versant Media CFO/COO Anand Kini discusses sports portfolio; Lauren Shehadi reportedly broadcasting MLB games on Netflix; and more sports media news.

www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/vers...

Maybe no more deserving play-by-play voice in the NBA for that moment than Eric Reid, who is as identified with the Heat as any player in franchise history.

Along with the late Stuart Scott, Steve Levy anchored SportsCenter the night Kobe scored 81. (Levy won't be there tonight of course, he's in Minnesota tonight working Mammoth-Wild NHL for ESPN+.)

Adebayo doing this against the Wizards should result in some quality "PTI" discussion tomorrow.

Baseball momentum continues with strong start to WBC Coming off of a dramatic World Series with global appeal, baseball has kept the good times going into the World Baseball Classic.

World Baseball Classic starts strong on FOX; first two U.S. pool play games would rank among last year's top MLB regular season audiences (alongside Yankees-Red Sox, Yankees-Dodgers): www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/worl...

Baseball momentum continues with strong start to WBC Coming off of a dramatic World Series with global appeal, baseball has kept the good times going into the World Baseball Classic.

World Baseball Classic starts strong on FOX; first two U.S. pool play games would rank among last year's top MLB regular season audiences (alongside Yankees-Red Sox, Yankees-Dodgers): www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/worl...

UFC opens CBS era with stronger audience UFC debuted on CBS with one of its better viewership figures in recent years, as nearly 2.5 million watched a two-hour window that included main event coverage.

UFC sees stronger audience in CBS debut: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/ufc-...

Matt Vasgersian expected to call Netflix MLB Opening Night Game MLB Network host and play-by-play voice Matt Vasgersian is expected to call the MLB Opening Night Game airing later this month on Netflix.

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Matt Vasgersian is expected to call the @mlb.com Opening Night game on @netflix.com later this month, barring any last-minute change of plans, Sports Media Watch has learned.

www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/matt...

Angels announce they will own and continue "FanDuel Sports Network" RSN The "FanDuel Sports Network" era will continue in at least one market, as the Angels have bought their existing RSN.

The "FanDuel Sports Network" era will continue in at least one market, as the Angels announced Monday that they have assumed ownership of their existing RSN: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/ange...

ESPN latest to pick up ex-Washington Post reporters ESPN was able to use the collapse of The Washington Post sports department to beef up its own oft-scrutinized journalism efforts.

ESPN is the latest sports media company to pick up ex-Washington Post reporters: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/espn...

NFL media rights timeline, NBC's NBA throwback, and Bruins voice Judd Sirott joins the pod Podcast Episode · Sports Media Watch Podcast · March 8 · 1h

New SMW Podcast:
-- NFL's accelerating media rights timeline and what it means for its partners
-- NBC's NBA "throwback" review
-- Bruins voice Judd Sirott joins the pod for a conversation
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Celtics and Thunder have not played yet this season -- first meeting is Thursday on Prime Video. The second (3/25) is not yet set for national TV. (ESPN currently has Hawks-Pistons scheduled instead.)

NHL's Bettman cautious about NFL, optimistic about Paramount-WBD NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is aware of the impact the NFL's early negotiations could have on his league's own media rights talks.

Bettman cautious about NFL, optimistic about Paramount-WBD deal, as NHL prepares for new media rights talks: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nhl-...

I would think it's feasible to have fully exclusive windows for both ABC (1/3:30) and NBC (would have to be 8:30) and all the other games on at 6:00. We're only talking maybe 2 or 3 Sundays a year (in regular season) when both networks have games.

ABC's NBA games this afternoon are fully exclusive -- no other games taking place. NBC's Sunday Night Basketball will overlap with seven other games, including another NBCU-produced game on Peacock (Hornets-Suns).

Will be interesting to see if the league adjusts next season.

NHL's Bettman cautious about NFL, optimistic about Paramount-WBD NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is aware of the impact the NFL's early negotiations could have on his league's own media rights talks.

Bettman cautious about NFL, optimistic about Paramount-WBD deal, as NHL prepares for new media rights talks: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nhl-...

Sports Ratings Tracker A one-stop page for sports TV ratings news as it arrives, covering all sports and networks for which information is available.

A few viewership items from last weekend: PGA Tour Cognizant (Honda) Classic, IndyCar season opener and NASCAR at COTA: www.sportsmediawatch.com/sports-ratin...

NHL sees early bump for post-Olympic slate It is still too early to tell whether the NHL will draft off of the momentum from the Olympic Games, but the early returns were promising.

NHL sees increase in viewership for first few national TV games post-Olympics: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nhl-...

NEW PODCAST @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social and @austinkarp.bsky.social join the podcast for a roundtable discussion on CBS's longterm NFL desires, Jason Benetti joining NBC Sports and CAA talent agents in sports.

swap.fm/l/4apy5A6Fma...

NHL sees early bump for post-Olympic slate It is still too early to tell whether the NHL will draft off of the momentum from the Olympic Games, but the early returns were promising.

NHL sees increase in viewership for first few national TV games post-Olympics: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nhl-...

NFL reportedly wants new rights deals in place by start of next season The timeline is accelerating for the NFL's expedited media rights talks, with the league now said to want deals done by the start of the season.

NFL wants new rights deals in place by start of next season, according to John Ourand of Puck. League is expected to negotiate the new deals one-by-one (starting with Paramount), with all going into effect immediately: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nfl-...

NFL reportedly wants new rights deals in place by start of next season The timeline is accelerating for the NFL's expedited media rights talks, with the league now said to want deals done by the start of the season.

NFL wants new rights deals in place by start of next season, according to John Ourand of Puck. League is expected to negotiate the new deals one-by-one (starting with Paramount), with all going into effect immediately: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nfl-...

News: Netflix, Paramount, FIFA and more No sign of change in Netflix sports approach; Paramount's Ellison discusses NFL "ongoing negotiation" on CNBC; and more sports media news.

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: No signs of change in @netflix.com sports strategy; Paramount anticipates continuing NFL relationship; and more sports media news.

www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/netf...

TNT Sports picks up FIBA basketball TNT Sports is still open for business, for however long that might be, picking up rights to FIBA Basketball in a multi-year deal.

TNT Sports picks up FIBA Basketball in return of 5-on-5 professional hoops -- and its first rights deal since Paramount-WBD agreement was announced last week. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/tnt-...

TNT Sports picks up FIBA basketball TNT Sports is still open for business, for however long that might be, picking up rights to FIBA Basketball in a multi-year deal.

TNT Sports picks up FIBA Basketball in return of 5-on-5 professional hoops -- and its first rights deal since Paramount-WBD agreement was announced last week. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/tnt-...

Hummel promotion, Webber return, lead CBS/TNT tournament changes In a year of multiple transitions for CBS and TNT Sports, the networks' joint NCAA Tournament broadcast teams feature some notable changes.

Hummel promotion, Webber return, lead CBS/TNT NCAA Tournament changes: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/robb...

Lakers-Warriors rivalry fading as a TV draw amid injuries Not too long ago the marquee attraction in the NBA, Lakers-Warriors was the least-watched of the four NBA games on broadcast TV last weekend.

Lakers-Warriors fading as TV draw amidst injuries; Saturday's game was the least-watched of the four NBA games on broadcast television last weekend: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/lake...

Lakers-Warriors rivalry fading as a TV draw amid injuries Not too long ago the marquee attraction in the NBA, Lakers-Warriors was the least-watched of the four NBA games on broadcast TV last weekend.

Lakers-Warriors fading as TV draw amidst injuries; Saturday's game was the least-watched of the four NBA games on broadcast television last weekend: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/lake...