You know those weekend movie blocks, which usually feature a couple of comedians promoting their latest crappy movie? Well FX has come up with the ingenious idea to have the FOX team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver host one of their very own! The duo will be hosting a set of movies that will air on the FOX network before the All Star Game on Sunday, July 12th. From the WSJ via Sportress of Blogitude....

Fox Sports spokesman Lou D'Ermilio confirmed network executives will head to Milwaukee next week to strategize with Commissioner Bud Selig about reversing the downward trends. "The purpose of the meeting is to find a way to boost the ratings for the All-Star Game and the World Series," he said. Plans include showing baseball movies on Sunday afternoons on Fox's sister channel FX, and promotional ads with broadcasters Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Fox says it is less concerned with the shrinking Saturday audience, since the regular season games represent about 10% of the value of the $255 million annual rights fee the network pays.

I guess it's as good an idea as any when it comes to promoting the dreadful All-Star Game, but I'm for one going to be tuning that one out. Actually I take that back....with a lineup like Mr. 3000, Fever Pitch and The Benchwarmers....I'm 100% in!!!

Baseball Mired in a Mysterious Ratings Slump (Wall Street Journal)
Who Are The Ad Wizards Who Came Up With This One? Buck And McCarver To Host A Movie Marathon On FX (Sportress of Blogitude)
Buck and McCarver to host All-Star movie marathon (Sports Media Watch)

I honestly hate when days turn into an all ESPN free-for-all, but the "Leader" is breaking some really big news today. In addition to the Comcast item, ESPN also released the details surrounding their long rumored Sports Nation show, and lucky for all of us, Colin Cowherd is going to be the host! Joining Shrutebag will be ESPN 1050 anchor, Michelle Beadle, and the show will premier on Monday, July 6, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Via ESPN PR....

The show will include discussion of the smaller stories that generate buzz on the Internet but often aren’t seen on television.

“SportsNation will focus on topics that dominate fans’ email exchanges and blogs,” added Horowitz. “The show will be a conversation between people who love sports but don’t take every story so seriously. The funny Web stories everyone forwards to their friends will find a home on SportsNation.”

Feeding off the producers’ theory that if two heads are better than one, 100,000 heads are better than two, SportsNation will engage hundreds of thousands of sports fans across the country via ESPN.com’s SportsNation. Fans will be able to interact with the hosts before, during and after the show by e-mail, text, Twitter or just making a phone call.

“SportsNation will really have three hosts – Colin, Michelle and the fans,” Horowitz said. “We are counting on the fans’ commentary and feedback to make the show unique. I’d like to rely on Colin, but he doesn’t listen to anything we tell him.”

Said Cowherd, “I’m stunned management let me do a TV show. I know what the producers and I find interesting and funny – and it leads me to conclude that we probably won’t be on the air very long.”

I feel like ESPN has tried this before, but for some reason, I can't remember the show's name. In any case, it's a risky idea and Colin Cowherd is either going to be hit or miss on television. Just like on the radio, people are going to love him or hate his guts. I also find it interesting that ESPN is breaking this news right after Versus announced their plans for a similar show.

In addition to this news, there is also a small shakeup at ESPN Radio. The SN show will actually premier after the new ESPN2 simulcast of the Scott Van Pelt show. Mike Tirico is going to work strictly on TV, and SVP will be joined by Ryen Russillo for a two hour show starting at 2pm (only the last hour will be simulcast).

"Mini-mercials" are the latest craze to hit television, and ESPN will begin airing them this May. You probably have noticed the little spots during PTI breaks to keep you glued to the ads, but these will be different. Instead of the hosts jumping back on randomly, digital billboards will appear for certain companies before segments. Via the New York Times....

Beginning May 15, Coors will begin a two-month campaign of the new 10-second billboards, called mini-mercials, that will run during evening “SportsCenter” segments on ESPN. Miller Lite will begin its campaign in mid-July.

MillerCoors will be the most extensive user of mini-mercials, but will not be the first. Asics, the manufacturer of sports shoes and sports apparel, began a short flight on last Friday evening’s “SportsCenter” that will run through the end of this month.

TV ad buying for both MillerCoors and Asics is handled by the media agency Initiative, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. MC Media is a dedicated agency for MillerCoors that was created last fall and is a partnership between creative agency Draft FCB and Initiative.

The goal of the mini-mercial on ESPN is to bring more action to the traditional TV billboard that leads into “SportsCenter” segments. Typically, billboards leading into a program simply show the logo of the sponsor of that segment.

I think I saw the one they were referring to that aired yesterday, and needless to say, it's pretty awkward. All of a sudden an anchor appears after an ad, and they're right into the next highlight. I really didn't think there was a way to fit in more advertising and distractions to Sports Center, but I guess I was wrong.

MillerCoors and Asics Bring Action to Ads on ESPN (New York Times)

I guess when you have 40-some teams in your league, most people wouldn't want to broadcast the eighteen play-in games. Actually it's only technically four play-in games, as the Tourney will allow every team in the conference into the Tournament, but I still find it odd that not a single network wants to broadcast the first round of the Big East Tournament. Not even the conference's own network is interested in airing the early round action.

Well lucky for you Big East fans, especially those who attend DePaul or Rutgers, there is an option. Fire up that laptop, and prepare to watch your first round action online. Via MSNBC....

With the 2009 BIG EAST Women's and Men's Basketball Championships including more games and more teams than in any previous year, the conference is announcing unprecedented online coverage of the tournaments on www.BIGEAST.org, powered by JumpTV (TSX: JTV).

The BIG EAST, in conjunction with its Digital Media Partner, JumpTV, will offer exclusive free live video streams of the four first-round games of both the women's championship on Friday, March 6 and the men's championship on Tuesday, March 10 through the conference's official streaming video platform, BIGEAST.tv.

Well that's better than nothing, right? I mean, I myself don't want to watch a conference winless Depaul take on Cincinnati, but someone does. Interesting decision to not televise that open set of four games.

JumpTV Announces Exclusive Streaming Plans for First Rounds of 2009 BIG EAST Basketball Championships (MSNBC)

And here we.....go! The Brett Favre sweepstakes is underway, and on the heels of the news that Emmitt Smith isn't coming back, ESPN is the front-runner. In fact, Norby Williamson has even stated that they hope to sit down with the retired (?) QB, next month. Via USA Today....

Signing the supposedly retired Brett Favre would bring in a star. Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, says ESPN hopes to meet with Favre next month: "He's a funny, dynamic guy and would add to anybody's coverage."

Unlike networks with far fewer NFL on-air slots, ESPN can let analysts show their moves on ESPN's many studio, news and radio shows and work their way up the depth chart. Fired NFL coach Herm Edwards, who's signed for SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPNews, is in position to move up. So is Trent Dilfer, after his solid ESPN rookie season last year. Matt Millen, who returned to TV in NBC's Super Bowl's coverage, has talked to ESPN. Says ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys: "Before each season, we look at the full roster and then make assignments."

I still don't see the need to fill Emmitt's roster spot, especially when you considering that ESPN has a million people in that role, but I guess for the press that comes with Favre you'd make an exception. No matter how good or bad he is, people are going to tune in to see what he has to see. In fact, it's the same model ESPN used when hiring the man whom Favre would replace.

Emmitt was hired by the network on the heels of his "Dancing With the Stars" popularity, and while he didn't pan out, ESPN still got that initial push from the buzz. The only difference in this case is that people weren't sick to death of Smith, in fact most of the country was in love with him. If Favre ends up under performing like Smith, the network would probably get even more flak for his hiring than the Smith one.

It's a dangerous path to take when hiring retired athletes and coaches, and while there are some who succeed (see: Jaworski, Aikman, Tom Jackson), the majority end up lasting only a short time.

With Emmitt Smith out, could ESPN get Brett Favre? (USA Today)

Michael Strahan has been all over the place as of late. Since Strahan announced his retirement and joined up with FOX, the former DE has been a correspondent for various programs and was even a guest star on the NBC show Chuck. Well according to the NY Daily News via The Big Picture, Strahan could be getting his own sitcom....

Michael Strahan will be on the tube, too. We hear the 6-foot-5 ex-Giant is in negotiations to star in a Fox sitcom, having gotten a taste of the laugh track on “Chuck.”

Hmmm, not sure how I feel about that one. Sure, Strahan is entertaining and occasionally funny, but the star of his own sitcom? That might be a bit of a stretch. Here's his performance on Chuck....you be the judge....



Meanwhile, back at the raunch (NY Daily News)
Michael Strahan to star in FOX sitcom? (The Big Picture)

I guess the wrong word to use is hype, but ESPN is using the "excitement" surrounding Barack Obama's Inauguration, and airing something that they are calling "Breaking Barriers". Not only that, but they also plan on airing Obama's swearing in as President, live on Sports Center. Via ESPN....

ESPN will commemorate and cover Barack Obama’s inauguration Tuesday, January 20, with a 10-hour marathon, Breaking Barriers, starting at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN Classic that will feature ground-breaking African-American athletes such as Arthur Ashe, Jack Johnson and Eddie Robinson. ESPN Classic will also present seven hours of Breaking Barriers on Monday, January 19, Martin Luther King Day, with programs devoted to Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron and other ground-breaking black athletes.

In addition, SportsCenter will present live coverage of President-elect Obama’s swearing-in ceremony starting at 11:30 a.m. with Jeremy Schaap reporting from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. Schaap will also provide reaction from athletes in attendance.

ESPN’s inauguration coverage will include “Realizing The Dream” vignettes on Tuesday, January 20, in which sports figures talk about what Barack Obama and his election means to them. The vignettes will air within ESPN studio programming – including SportsCenter – and across platforms (ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile Properties, etc.). Sports figures participating in the vignettes include Magic Johnson, Tom Jackson, Paul Pierce and Craig Robinson, the Oregon State head basketball coach and brother-in-law of Obama.

The ESPN Classic stuff seems like a good enough idea, but I really don't see what the point in airing the ceremony is. It's definitely a momentous occasion, but not one that needs to be covered by the "Worldwide Leader in Sports". Here's the schedule of shows in case you want to check them out....

Breaking Barriers Schedule on ESPN Classic, Tuesday, Jan. 20

1975 Wimbledon Finals: Arthur Ashe vs. Jimmy Connors (1-3pm)
Jack Johnson documentary (3-4pm)
SportsCentury: Bill Russell (4-5pm)
National Championship: Texas Western vs. Kentucky (5-6pm)
Third and a Mile: History of the Black Quarterback (6-7pm)
Eddie Robinson's 400th Victory (7-9:30pm)
SportsCentury: Ernie Davis (9:30-10:30pm)
10:30-11 p.m. SportsCentury: Willie Jeffries

I figured since most of you wouldn't be staying up until almost midnight, checking out Dickie V's trip to the NBA, that I would pull some of the more entertaining clips for you. Here is your Heat-Nugs/Dickie V game in just 5 minutes and 30 seconds!

While I thought the swap was cheesy on the surface, both teams did a pretty solid job. The simple fact that the crews had to prepare more than they normally would showed, and Dick Vitale actually had something to talk about other than Duke and UNC (I kid....well, not really). I still don't see what the point of a College announcer heading to the Pros would be, but the NBA guys could gain some knowledge by doing both contests. Just look at the job Dan Shulman is doing calling both. Plus, neither Mark Jackson or Jeff Van Gundy had ever been to Cameron Indoor! How is that even possible, as much as they've been around the Sport?

All in all, it was a fun thing to do for a night, but I wouldn't make a habit of it. For Dickie V to call an a game in the league he first broke into broadcasting, before he retires, isn't a bad thing at all. And that retirement could be coming sooner than we all think.

Everybody seems to love this Dickie V to the NBA idea, especially ESPN, so let's take a little look back at a more subdued Dickie V calling a Celtics-Bucks playoff game in 1984....



I still contend that this is a bad idea, but if it gets people to watch the NBA, you can't really fault ESPN for the stunt. I'm personally more interested in the NBA team of Breen, Jackson and JVG calling the NCAA game tonight, but I'll be checking out both and commenting on them tomorrow.

Versus, like any company these days, is trying everything they can do to get press and notierity on the cheap. They've recently started a marketing campaign for the network that has people sending in photos with their best use of the letter "V" for their logo. Basically various folks flashing the peace sign.

So what's wrong with that you ask? Well just the fact that they are calling it "Show Me Your V". Puck Daddy has some of the more interesting reactions...

Puck Daddy reader Tim: "In case you missed it, they have a new promotion that calls for its viewers to send in 'extreme' pictures of themselves. The promotion is called 'Show Me Your V'. The idea is for the people to be showing acts of vengeance, versatility... whatever ... while flashing the hippie-gang-sign. With the roughnecks that watch that station, there will be some interesting and literal interpretations of 'Show Me Your V'. Honestly, that's the most hilariously flawed promotional name I've come across. Leave it to the national broadcaster of the NHL."

Puck Daddy reader James: "Ripe for abuse, begging to be eaten up....... wow my head is spinning."

Oh, c'mon, it's not that bad ... is it?

On the one hand ... "Show Me Your V?" Maybe our minds are so far in the gutter that we've got rats scurrying across them, but even Roger Moore's James Bond would believe this double entendre is a tad too telegraphed.

That's not a bad assessment, but "Show Me Your V" is almost so bad and obvious, that it's even more funny. I mean the pictures are completely lame, and no aspiring model has taken it to the next level as of yet, so maybe they're trying to be serious with this whole thing.

Show Me Your "V" (Versus)
Versus asks to see your 'V', doesn't offer to buy dinner first (Puck Daddy)

I mean, how could you, right? There's no way you would forget that Dickie V is calling the Heat-Nuggets game this Wednesday night, but if you did, here's a reminder from some NBA personalities what it's going to sound like....

Man, that was just downright terrible, Dirk. I still don't quite understand this move, but at least everyone is having fun with it. Can't wait!

S2N broke the news to you in the post below, but I just wanted to delve a little deeper into this very interesting Monday in the Sports Blog World. Jay Mariotti has said for months, following his departure from print media, that he was looking to start up a blog. I think a lot of people thought that he was being snarky and sarcastic, but apparently that wasn't the case. Jay Mariotti is your newest writer at Fanhouse. Seriously.

He already has his first column up, titled "Sunnier Times in New Mainstream Media" (See what he did there? So clever!), so let's take a look at some of the highlights, shall we?

Expect me to zealously comment on national issues while spanning the country and world to cover events. Sometimes, my pieces will appear via video, so you get to know me even better than the guy who schools Woody Paige every day on ESPN. The difference is, the column won't go through the 20th-century, ink-and-newsprint monkey grind where you hope the truck driver doesn't stop at Dunkin' Donuts and the delivery boy doesn't hit your dog on the ass. The column simply will go from my computer to an editor to you.

I'm working for a company, AOL, that attracted 54 million unique visitors to its programming content sites in November and ranks fourth in traffic among Internet news sites. As established writers keep moving Web-ward, it will cause consternation among a few members of the sports blogosphere, some of whom think they own the Internet when, as everyone knows, Bill Kurtis owns the Internet. I've never bought into this "mainstream media vs. bloggers" blood war because, in my mind, we're all writers. The best young writers provide compelling takes on sports. The losers wake up each day and attack (choose your ESPN target), an approach that can't attract much audience beyond a few neurotic souls in sports media. Now hear this: I'm a bit too busy to hate bloggers or, really, anyone but terrorists and certain Illinois politicians. I just think they should be writing about Steve Smith, not Stephen A. Smith.

Well then. I'm not one to tell a company like AOL, who has been through the ringer numerous times and has always come out on the other side, how to run their business. AND, I'm not one to use the phrase "jump the shark", because it has "jumped the shark". BUUUUUT....I do wish you good luck with your recent hire.

Why? Well because they've gone out and hired one of the most despised men on the Internet, are attempting to take one of the sole reasons bloggers became popular, and turn him into one its stars. It's so mind blowing that I can barely even think right now. This is beyond meta. Hell, Jay Mariotti is one of the reasons that this blog has done so well in its under three year existence.

Sure, on the surface it looks like I wake up every morning, try and find something to make fun of ESPN about, and then watch as the hits roll in. But it's much deeper than that. People like Mariotti, and throughout print media, started to get lazy and make the World of Sports about them and not the players or the game. Blogs were started by intelligent young writers looking to provide a better outlet, "Watchdogs" for the "Watchdogs" were formed to come up with a new checks and balances system, and then people like Mariotti cringed, fought back and groaned.

Now he's "one of us", and that my friends is the very definition of irony.

Sunnier Times In New Mainstream Media (Fanhouse)

Ball Don't Lie's Nick Friedell spoke in passing with reigning MVP, Kobe Bryant recently, and mentioned to the Laker that Dick Vitale would be calling an NBA game in early January. Kobe seemed to think it was a great idea, and when asked if he would like Vitale to call one of his games, he had this to say....

As you may have heard already, Vitale, and his partner Dan Shulman, will be covering the Heat-Nuggets game on January 7th while regular NBA announcers Mike Tirico, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will be covering the Davidson-Duke game on the same night.

When I told the reigning MVP about this, and asked him if he would enjoy having Vitale announce one of his games, his eyes perked up. "I would love it," Kobe told me.

"Would it even make a difference?" I said.

A big smile started to spread across his face before he could answer the question. "Well yeah," Kobe said. "It'd be awesome, BABY!"

I still think that having Dickie V call an NBA is a terrible idea, but if the players would enjoy it, what else can you say? The guy does draw attention wherever he goes, and even though it seems like an obvious gimmick, it might actually bring viewers.

FYI- The best take I've heard on this yet come from KSK's Unsilent Majority....

"WHO'S THIS JR SMITH GUY? I DONT' REMEMBER HIM FROM COLLEGE! MAYBE IF HE WENT TO COLLEGE HE WOULDN'T HAVE ALL THOSE TATTOOS AND MAYBE HE WOULDN'T PLAY WITH A SCOWL!"

It's funny cause it's (going to be) true.

Kobe thinks Dickie V's NBA presence is 'awesome, baby!' (Ball Don't Lie)

I have no idea why they're doing this, but ESPN is going to flip-flop announcing crews for their pair of January 7th Basketball games. The team of Mike Tirico, Mark Jackson and Jeff Gundy will be moved to the Duke-Davidson game at 7pm and then Dan Shulman and Dick Vitale will be on the Nuggets Heat game at 9pm. Via USA Today....

NBA announcers Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Mike Tirico will call Duke-Davidson, followed by Dick Vitale — who called ESPN NBA games in the early 1980s — and Dan Shulman on a Denver Nuggets-Miami Heat NBA game. ESPN executive Norby Williamson says it's "a natural progression to make connections between college and the NBA. We try to cultivate basketball fans." So, can we expect more on-air swaps? "We never say no to anything," he says.

I guess in theory it's a good idea, but it just seems a bit hokey to me. NBA announcers could benefit from hanging around the College game a bit, and checking out potential draft picks, but I really don't see what the point of Vitale calling an NBA game.

ESPN Announcers Will Trade Places (USA Today)

Well I was thinking for a few moments that this 3-D thing was just a fad, but after glowing reviews from the Thursday Night Football game last week, it appears networks are going all-in on the technology. So much so that Turner Sports is planning on providing the NBA All Star Game in 3-D to approximately 35 states, 80 theaters in those states, and on 160 screens, this February. Via Turner PR....

Turner Sports, The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. today announced that they will team up to broadcast TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night in Live 3D to 80 digitally-equipped theaters across the United States. The announcement represents the first-ever fully marketed deal to deliver an NBA sporting event to the public in Live 3D. The Live 3D HD event will be shown on a nationwide basis and continues to expand the league’s groundbreaking efforts in 3D HD.

Overall, the live 3D HD event will be shown on up to 160 screens in Carmike Cinemas, Celebration Cinemas, Cinema West, Emagine, Galaxy Theatres, Marquee Cinemas, MJR, NCG, Rave Motion Pictures, Showcase and UltraStar Cinema locations, and will serve fans in 35 states across the country

The 24th annual NBA All-Star Saturday Night broadcast, expected to be one of the year’s most watched sporting events, is scheduled to air on Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at 8 pm ET on TNT. NBA All-Star Saturday Night on TNT last year was the most watched in the event’s 23 year history, enjoying increases in households and significant growth in all key demographics.

The first I heard about the technology was following an extremely limited screening at last year's ASG, and the reviews then were tremendous as well. Something on this scale though could end up blowing up in Turner's collective face. I think the idea on a whole is a good one, but with not many people knowing about 3-D Sports (or where the heck a Cinedigm Digital Cinema is), there could be a good bit of empty seats come February 14th.

I always wondered what seeing a college band in 3-D would be like, and thanks to FOX will have that opportunity! FOX will be airing the BCS Bowl Games this year in 3-D at various movie theaters throughout the country. Via USA Today....

Via technology that's rattled around since the Eisenhower era, next month college football is coming to theaters. Fox will announce today plans to show 3-D coverage of the Bowl Championship Series live in theaters.

And Fox Sports Chairman David Hill says Fox hopes to let theatergoers use 3-D glasses to watch February's NASCAR Daytona 500.

Hill says sports in 3-D is "fabulous," and high-def TV "has just been a steppingstone" to get to 3-D. But even though TV sets already being sold are 3-D-ready, he says don't expect TV networks to lead the way.

Oooooh! The Daytona 500 too!? While I think the possibilities with the technology are through the roof, I have a feeling that the first run of 3-D events will be like how playing a computer game used to be on a Commodore 64. Hopefully I'm wrong though, and maybe I can sneak into one of these theaters to check it out. Anyone know someone who works at a Magic Johnson Theater?

BCS on Fox going 3-D in theaters (USA Today)

NBC is going "green" yet again this year and shows like "Lipstick Jungle", "Kath & Kim", "My Own Worst Enemy", "Knight Rider" and "Law & Order" will all feature "green" plot lines during the week of November 16th. The whole event kicks off with the Sunday Night Football broadcast and I wanted to share some of what NBC plans for the pregame and halftime shows, as well as the game itself (DAL-WAS). Via NBC PR....

Green week officially launches on NBC's "Football Night in America during the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins game. Commentators, including Bob Costas, Chris Collinsworth, Dan Patrick, Jerome Bettis, and Tiki Barber, will discuss how they each personally green their own routines.

On November 22, NBC will air a carbon neutral Notre Dame and Syracuse game, but the competition won't just be on the field. For the entire month of November, both campuses will participate in the NBC Universal Green Your Routine challenge, hosted on Carbonrally.com. Students, alumni, faculty, and fans will have the opportunity to take eco-challenges and help reduce carbon emissions and save energy. NBC Universal will donate $10,000 to the winning school, which will be designated to their campus sustainability efforts.

In addition, NBC Sports will host an online video contest, in which students from Notre Dame and Syracuse will produce short commercials promoting sustainable practices. The best submissions will be displayed on the NBC Sports website, www.NBCSports.com.

I poked fun at NBC last year when they went "green" because all they essential did was turn off the lights but leave the graphics and screens running.I'm not an expert on energy, but I think about five HD screens and random scrolling signs might actually use MORE electricity than studio lights.....but I could be wrong. While it might just be a publicity stunt, it ultimately doesn't hurt anything, and it's pretty fun to watch Keith Olbermann try to do highlights in the dark.

So Did You Turn Off Any Lights Last Night When Bob Costas Told You To? (Awful Announcing)

While there aren't many stellar matchups during week twelve of the College Football season, you'd think ESPN could come up with a better game to send the Gameday crew to than Hampton at Florida A&M. For some reason though, that's their choice for this coming Saturday's slate of games, and it obviously marks the first time the pregame show has gone to visit the Rattlers in Tallahassee. Via the Daily Press....

HAMPTON - ESPN will telecast its College GameDay pregame show at Florida A&M on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m., before the Rattlers' 3:15 p.m. game against Hampton. FAMU becomes the first historically black college campus to host the program.

The game marks the first between schools since Joe Taylor left Hampton in late-December to become FAMU's coach. Taylor coached the previous 16 seasons at Hampton, where his teams were 136-48-1 and won eight conference titles.

"That's going to be a real big game," Hampton coach Jerry Holmes said. "He's part of my foundation of coaching. When I finished playing in the NFL, he was the first guy to give me an opportunity to coach some.

"I'm looking forward to motivating the guys and going down to Florida and playing against him."

Now I would understand the move if either team was undefeated, or one of the team's players was about to set a record. But to pick two schools, with a 5-4 record and 7-3 respectively, is a pretty odd decision. At least last year's random trip to Massachusetts for the Williams-Amherst game had some history behind it. I think saying that choice was random would be the understatement of the decade.

GameDay to be at HU game (Daily Press)

I really have no idea how well the recent trend of media companies creating themed stores will work out, but plan on seeing them all over airports when you're traveling this fall. Sports Illustrated is even getting into the game with and will have a store in the new 3,000 foot long, North Terminal project at Detroit's Metro Airport. Via Sports Business Journal's Terry Leffon....

The 831-square-foot shop "will sell a variety of licensed merchandise bearing logos of local Michigan pro and college teams, as well as SI-branded publishing-oriented licensed goods, such as calendars, books and posters." The store is being launched "under a multiyear commitment with Delaware North Cos. and could serve as the prototype for similar locations, as new airport terminals open in [L.A.] and other markets during the next year." SI CMO Andrew Judelson said, "We invest the brand, they invest the capital." SI also gets "royalties on store sales." Judelson: "We've been approached to do SI restaurants, but that didn't fit our DNA. This seemed more appropriate"

Different companies like CNBC, USA Today, CNN and the New York Times are looking for spots at various airports as well, but it looks like the Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the furthest along. In addition to the SI store, the new terminal will feature a Brookstone, Books-A-Million, Caribou Coffee, as well as a USA Today shop.

It certainly seems like a bold move for both the airport, and media companies like SI, considering the current economic climate and how little people are traveling these days, but it might be worth a shot. I've got random Sports t-shirts that I've picked up at various airports and truckstops throughout the years, and I'd certainly stop by if I was in Detroit.

SI Prepares To Launch First Retail Store In Detroit Airport (Sports Business Journal - $)
New Detroit airport terminal gleams amid industry gloom (M Live)