Sports Media Digest- November 20, 2012

http://sportsmediajournal.com/ NFL Does Not Flex Games for Week 13- The NFL announced today that the week 13 schedule as originally devised will remain in tact. NBC will keep its game between the Eagles and Cowboys and CBS and Fox will not change the starting times of game that weekend. Monday Night Football Wins the Night for ESPN- ESPN reports that the rating for last night’s Monday Night Football telecast between the Bears and 49ers came in at 9.2 with 12.4 million viewers, winning the night for the network. Through 11 weeks ESPN is averaging a 9.5 rating and 13 million viewers, downs slightly from 2011. Notre Dame Brand, On-Field Success Gives NBC Viewership Boost- NBC Sports announced today that its viewership for #1 Notre Dame football this season was the highest in some time. In the seven games on the network this season, and average of 4.4 million viewers tuned in, with an average rating of 2.8, up 69% and 67%, respectively, versus last year. The audience is the best since 2005 while the rating is the best since 2006. College Football on ABC Most-Viewed Programs On Saturday- ESPN and ABC have reported that Saturday’s college football on ABC have resulted in the top two watched programs for that day. The prime time Stanford/Oregon tilt gave ABC a rating of 5.1 and an audience of 8.3 million viewers, coming in at number one. Regional action at 3:30p.m. ET featuring either Ohio State at Wisconsin or NC State at Clemson averaged 4,867,000 viewers and a 3.1 rating. NFL Network Replays for the Week- The NFL Network (NFLN) has announced its schedule of game replays for today and tomorrow. Tonight at 8:00p.m. ET NFLN will replay the overtime thriller between the Jaguars and Texans. At 9:30p.m. ET tonight NFLN will re-air the Browns/Cowboys overtime tilt. At 9:00p.m. ET tomorrow NFLN will replay Sunday’s Chargers/Broncos tilt. College Football this Weekend on NBC- NBC Sports will air a pair of college football games this weekend. The Bayou Classic between Southern University and Grambling State will begin at 2:30p.m. ET on NBC. Paul Burmeister, Rod Woodson and Lewis Johnson have the call. At 3:30p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network Fresno State hosts Air Force. Todd Harris will call the game alongside analyst Anthony Herron. News Corporation Acquires Minority Stake in YES Network- News Corporation and Yankee Global Enterprises today announced an agreement that calls for News Corporation to acquire a 49 percent equity stake in the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES). The deal is subject to approval by Major League Baseball. It is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Goldman Sachs and other investors will reduce their ownership in the YES Network with this transaction. After three years, News Corporation may acquire an additional stake in the YES Network that could bring its ownership to 80 percent, at which time Yankee Global Enterprises would retain a significant minority stake in the network. YES Network also announced it has extended its deal to telecast Yankees baseball through the year 2042. First Match-up Between Knicks and Nets will Air on TNT- TNT has announced that it will telecast the first Intra-City Showdown between the Knicks and the Nets when the two teams meet this Monday in Brooklyn. Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Craig Sager have the call Monday beginning at 7:00p.m. ET. ESPN3 Now Available to Optimum Online Customers- ESPN announced today that it has reached an agreement with Cablevision Systems to provide ESPN3 for customers of Optimum Online. Optimum Online subscribers can watch and follow multiple events simultaneously on WatchESPN.com on their personal computer at no additional cost. NASCAR’s Stewart to host “Stewies” on Sirius XM Radio- NASCAR Champion driver Tony Stewart will once again be the host of “The Stewies”, an entertaining look at the best, boldest and funniest moments from the 2012 NASCAR season. The sixth annual “Stewies” will air on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90 on Sirius and XM Premier November 29th at 10:00p.m, ET.