(Consolation: You already tore it up yesterday anyway)

In the past week I’ve learned from a CBS source that the NCAA has privately informed its current March Madness television partner that 96 teams “will happen.” The change will likely take effect beginning next season. 2012 at the latest.

CBS is in the eighth year of an 11-year, $6 billion contract to broadcast the tournament, but, as SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports, the NCAA can opt out of the deal this year if it does so before August 31.

The NCAA basketball tournament’s “unofficial czar“, senior VP of basketball and business strategies Greg Shaheen, said on March 9:

Contrary to what you’ve read on various blogs and the like, there’s nothing that’s a done deal or decided at this point in time. We’re full steam ahead with our agreement with CBS through 2013.

On the same day, CBS Sports President Sean McManus said:

Our plan is to carry the NCAA Tournament on CBS as long as we can. We’re focused right now on this year and not on next year. As far as expansion of the tournament is concerned, that’s something that Greg Shaheen would address. We really are focused on this year’s tournament. I don’t like to think about anything but this year’s tournament right now.

I think we have a history at CBS of keeping the events that we want to keep on our network. We’ve always done a good job of renewing the rights, and I would like to think that would follow through to the NCAA Tournament.

When we have an event that we like on CBS Sports, I think the track record’s pretty good about figuring out a way - whether it’s the NFL, or SEC football, or the Masters, or the PGA Championship, or U.S. Open Tennis. We’ve been pretty successful at keeping those marquee events where I think they belong, which is on CBS.

McManus didn’t sound as confident about a future arrangement between the parties as the NCAA’s Shaheen did. Though McManus didn’t want talk about tournament field expansion to overshadow his network’s 2010 coverage of March Madness. Especially considering that the expanded tournament might not involve CBS.

If the NCAA does exercise its escape clause with CBS, other networks will try to acquire the rights. (I’ve been told the NCAA has already had detailed discussions with ESPN about it.) Though my CBS source said the network is determined not to lose its flagship sports property. The measure of that determination will be counted in millions in increased rights fees.

While everyone knows money is behind 96, some may be unaware of just exactly who is driving the change. (more…)

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(Farokhmanesh: Best thing to happen to Iran since Assyria)

The Panthers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Rick Majerus shopped off the rack and Farokhmanesh has what it takes to sell real estate. (5:28)

(more…)

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This happens:

Followed by this:

Congrats to the Panthers.

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(More like the “Oh-No” Zone)

These sorts of moments is why March Madness is so popular. Yeah, gambling is ultimately what fuels the most interest in the tournament, but massive upsets is at least a distant second on that list. (Third: Bob Huggins eternally engineering wardrobe ensembles failing to entail tucking of shirt tail.)

So like many of you, the St. Mary’s win made my day. Unlike many of you, it wasn’t because I had the Gaels in the last of 37 brackets I filled out while ditching work in an El Pollo Loco parking lot last Tuesday.

No, the O-Zone blog of Gaels player Omar Samhan, which is duly noted and linked on the school’s official website, is the source of my delight.

(more…)

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(As it stands, live TV coverage of Tiger comeback won’t include first holes)

Last year, Woods teed off for the first round at 1:52p ET in the second-to-last threesome. The final group went off at 2:03p ET:

When I inquired to ESPN if the network was lobbying Masters officials to allow live coverage of all of Woods’ first two rounds, I was provided this well-crafted piece of diplomacy: “We have the telecast windows and have presented SportsCenter cut-ins in past and plan to this year.”

As an aside, The Masters, for no good reason in particular, is the only major tournament that still doesn’t allow its network broadcast partner to air the entire first two rounds. (Masters President Billy Payne apparently consulted with the ghosts of Walter O’Malley and Bill Wirtz on the policy.)

Don’t blame ESPN if millions around the world aren’t allowed to see Tiger’s comeback live. That said, if ESPN isn’t pushing The Masters to allow the extra coverage, it absolutely should be. If nothing else to produce an absurd claim from Augusta National on why it prevented the change.

Though my gut tells me that ESPN has broached the subject already and will do all in its power to capture potentially the biggest live shot in sports television history. Though there still is a possible, accessible outlet for live video coverage of Woods not seen on broadcast television. (more…)

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Nothing will change here with our FoxSports.com page updated multiple times every day. Also happy to now be working with the Fox Sports editorial team in L.A. along with our longtime partners Yardbarker.com.

Couldn’t be more excited about the arrangement. Already confirmed I can keep my Joe Buck screensaver.

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Of course, nothing could be further from the truth, and I’m happy to report that Benson is back to his old ways, using the goodwill of the Super Bowl victory as cover to blow out 1,200 longtime Saints season seat holders in favor of luxury suites. Oh yeah, and he’s also raising ticket prices. Again.
(more…)

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Gasol, who lives in Redondo Beach, told officers he saw the men following him before he got into his car. They tailed him with such tenacity that he was unsure if he was being stalked or if they were photographers, Redondo Beach police Sgt. Phil Keenan said.

Officers spotted the black sedan and pulled it over on Diamond Street near Catalina Avenue, just west of the police station. The occupants turned out to be credentialed paparazzi with a Spanish news agency and were allowed to leave, Keenan said.

Police escorted Gasol home.

(Pau’s girlfriend: Shy she ain’t)

Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. TIMES:

“They had laid in wait for him for a while and then when they didn’t take any pictures of him when they had the chance and followed him after that, he thought there was something nefarious on their mind,” said Redondo Sgt. Phil Keenan.

They didn’t take any pictures of him when they had the chance? The Spanish paparazzi has never tailed Gasol in Los Angeles until now. So what changed?

(more…)

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Bellotti’s first broadcast assignment will be on ESPNU-TV as an analyst for the Auburn spring game on April 17. He will officially cease his duties as Oregon AD on April 5.

During his presser to make the announcement today, Bellotti said he had been talking to ESPN for months about a role at the network and he was offered a contract on Monday.  He said he would’ve preferred to stay on as Oregon AD and do a limited number of ESPN games, but the network thought that would present a conflict of interest.

With that in mind, it’s clear just how much Bellotti wanted to get into television.

Perhaps the Oregon football team’s off-field issues the past four months, including the year-long suspension of starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, also pushed Bellotti to speed up his departure from the school. (more…)

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