NHL commissioner Bettman seeks better timeslot for next Olympic men's hockey final, which will take place in same time zone as this year's game: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nhl-...

Ratings still show no sign of "Jordan effect" in NASCAR as Reddick's Atlanta win dips: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nasc...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Warner Bros. Discovery board says revised Paramount offer "could reasonably be expected to lead to a 'company superior proposal'"; YouTube reportedly negotiating for a four-game NFL package; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/para...

Rare Michigan-Duke clash latest college basketball game to draw big audience: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/mich...

United States-Canada Olympic men's hockey gold medal game delivers largest hockey audience since 2010 gold medal game between same two teams: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/olym...

Braves officially announce that the will control production, distribution of own games through new "BravesVision" platform: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/brav...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Paramount reportedly raises Warner Bros. Discovery offer; the Atlanta Braves are reportedly in talks with distributors ahead of @mlb.com regular season; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/para...

With the 2026 Games officially over, what’s next for the Olympic stars and how to watch: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/what...

On "Monday musings," a look at NBC's Mike Tirico and why sports TV's most celebrated broadcaster may be the last of his kind. Also: Final thoughts on the Milan Olympics; plus the resurgence of NBC Sports, and a return to bad habits for "Inside the NBA." www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/mond...

On "Monday musings," a look at NBC's Mike Tirico and why sports TV's most celebrated broadcaster may be the last of his kind. Also: Final thoughts on the Milan Olympics; plus the resurgence of NBC Sports, and a return to bad habits for "Inside the NBA." www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/mond...

This was uploaded 9 days ago and has 51 views. *Easily* the best attempt at recreating the old NBA on NBC open that I've ever seen. I mean ... it's better than the one NBC is actually using. www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSlQ...

Shaq wearing pants that were leftover from "Kazaam."

He really is a 76er now.

Given the uniform design ... this might be as close as you're going to get to seeing the New York Rangers win another championship.

Timeslot isn't ideal for men's hockey gold medal game, but I don't think it's a big deal. Yes, will impact viewership. But I don't really think Olympic viewership translates into much of a long-term bump, as a general rule -- so not a missed opportunity for hockey/NHL to me.

News: -- Angels owner Moreno says team still undecided about where games will air this season -- WNBA, players, no closer to agreement on revenue split as "11th hour" approaches -- NASCAR president open to schedule changes, mentions midweek races and more www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/ange...

News: -- Angels owner Moreno says team still undecided about where games will air this season -- WNBA, players, no closer to agreement on revenue split as "11th hour" approaches -- NASCAR president open to schedule changes, mentions midweek races and more www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/ange...

New SMW podcast: -- A look at the annual NBA Festivus that is All-Star weekend -- Social media reaction to the ratings -- Why the annual complaints are starting to fall on deaf ears -- Why NBC's coverage was better than TNT's podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

SATURDAY PODCAST: Our thoughts on the coverage of the Winter Olympics — and people on social media lose their minds about women’s sports @austinkarp.bsky.social and @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social are the guests. TO LISTEN: swap.fm/l/4apy5A6Fma...

Like the game itself, NBA All-Star Saturday festivities also benefit from broadcast TV exposure and Olympics lead-in. Multi-year high across NBC/Telemundo/Peacock (Nielsen + Adobe): www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

NBCU skates to strong Olympics audience on gold medal day for U.S. women: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/olym...

Daytona 500 audience rebounds with less weather disruption, holds its own against Olympics/NBA on NBC: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/dayt...

They're doing a sports quote contest on the Cavs' videoboard (not there, watching on League Pass). Presented with "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," one of the players guessed "Lightning McQueen."

No change to NBC's NBA All-Star Game audience, per the network -- still 8.8M viewers across Nielsen + Adobe Analytics. Nielsen-only NBC-only figure was 6.7M. 8.8M is Nielsen+Adobe and NBC+Telemundo+Peacock. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

Super Bowl audience revised upward for second time in four years. No major change to overall takeaways. Issue was due to a "Big Data provider" improperly collecting its data on Super Bowl Sunday, per Nielsen. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/supe...

Ernie Johnson reducing NCAA Tournament role to Final Four and National Championship only, with Nate Burleson replacing him as host through the Regional Finals: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nate...

ESPN sets WNBA, NWSL, for summer Sunday nights: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/espn...

Daytona 500 audience rebounds with less weather disruption, holds its own against Olympics/NBA on NBC: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/dayt...

ESPN sets WNBA, NWSL, for summer Sunday nights: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/espn...

Ernie Johnson reducing NCAA Tournament role to Final Four and National Championship only, with Nate Burleson replacing him as host through the Regional Finals: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nate...

NBCU's combined Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics audience remains well above Beijing four years ago: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/olym...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: @netflix.com co-CEO Ted Sarandos discussed company's interest in NFL rights in @cnbc.com interview; Jalen Rose will appear on @espn.com Friday in TNT Sports-produced NBA studio programming; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/netf...

Jalen Rose, who ESPN laid off three years ago, will be back on ESPN Friday night as part of the TNT-produced NBA studio coverage (filling in for Shaq).

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Main Street Sports Group sends warn notices to employees; Warner Bros. Discovery able to have talks with Paramount through seven-day waiver provided by @netflix.com; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/main...

NBA All-Star Game hits high in return to NBC, which says nearly 9 million tuned in (per preliminary Nielsen data + Adobe Analytics). Last year's game had fewer than 5 million on TNT Sports: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly "considering reopening" talks with Paramount about a sale; changes to @mlb.com broadcasts with introduction of ABS; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/warn...

Between last week's "135 million" halftime show number and the NBA All-Star reaction I've seen on social media, I'd say we've reached the point where any ratings conversation that breaks containment into the broader social media universe will be the dumbest possible waste of time.

NBA All-Star Game hits high in return to NBC, which says nearly 9 million tuned in (per preliminary Nielsen data + Adobe Analytics). Last year's game had fewer than 5 million on TNT Sports: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

I believe that tonight marked the first time John Tesh actually physically appeared on the "NBA on NBC" -- but not the first time he has been part of an NBA broadcast. (Remember, he was a sportscaster.)

NBA viewership remains up at All-Star break, led by linear partners NBC and ESPN/ABC. Prime Video is down overall, but up in the key young adult demos, in keeping with the trend of sports on streaming (smaller, but younger-skewing, audiences in year one): www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

NBA viewership remains up at All-Star break, led by linear partners NBC and ESPN/ABC. Prime Video is down overall, but up in the key young adult demos, in keeping with the trend of sports on streaming (smaller, but younger-skewing, audiences in year one): www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

Of all the criticisms of All-Star Weekend, the weakest by far is the complaint about the start time. 5 PM ET is a better start time on a Sunday than 8 PM -- frankly closer to 9 PM -- and the All-Star games everyone romanticizes were on during the afternoon or early evening hours.

NBC replacing TNT at All-Star Weekend in more ways than one. Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh gets a Zaslav-esque shoutout on the air during NBA All-Star Saturday.

NEW PODCAST: @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social and Ben Strauss on ESPN's all-year promotion for its upcoming Super Bowl; the NBA All Star Game as a media play; The Washington Post sports section and whether another publication be a sports player in DC. TO LISTEN: swap.fm/l/4apy5A6Fma...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: A look at how @mlb.com TV viewing is changing in 2026. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/smw-...

New SMW Podcast: -- Super Bowl breakdown: the ratings, the broadcasters and more podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

NBA could create package of local rights in time for next season, already discussing with streamers, per John Ourand of Puck. 13 NBA teams with FanDuel Sports Network will likely be available after this season. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nba-...

New on @sportsmediawatch.bsky.social: @netflix.com reportedly "pursuing" Barry Bonds and "trying to sign" CC Sabathia as it begins @mlb.com rights deal; @espn.com spinoff reportedly not discussed by Disney board to CEO candidates; and more sports media news. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/mlb-...

NFL eyeing Wednesday start to next season -- its first since 2012 -- either in Melbourne (International Series) or in Seattle (Kickoff Game), according to John Ourand of Puck. www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/nfl-...

Duke-UNC thriller is rivals' top meeting since Coach K's farewell tour: www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/02/duke...