Sports Media Digest- January 3, 2013

http://sportsmediajournal.com/ Fox Declares NFL Ratings Victory- Fox Sports today announced that its coverage of the NFL this season had an average rating of 14.8 and an audience of 24.8 million viewers, out-pacing Sunday Night Football on NBC by 16% and CBS’ national coverage by at least 5%. The numbers have resulted in 2012 being the third highest-rated NFL season on Fox in its history. ESPN Sees Improved Ratings for Sugar Bowl- ESPN reported today that the overnight ratings for last night’s Sugar Bowl was 6.4, up 2% over 2012. Through the first three BCS games ESPN is averaging a 7.5 rating, a 9% increase over a year ago. NBC Provides More on Ratings for Sunday Night Football- NBC Sports reported today that this past week’s Sunday Night Football finale between the Cowboys and Redskins was the most watched primetime NFL regular season game in the history of the network, garnering 30.3 million viewers. NBC also reported that Sunday Night Football was the number one rated program of the fall television season for the second year in a row. Average audience over the season was 21.4 million viewers, down less than 1% from last year’s 21.5 million viewer audience average. MLB Network to Provide Exclusive Coverage of Hall of Fame Election Results- It is one of the most anticipated baseball Hall of Fame announcements in some time and the MLB Network will have the exclusive rights as to who will be the next class inducted into Cooperstown. The announcement of the inductees will take place at 2:00p.m. ETnext Wednesday, January 9th. MLB Network will begin its coverage at noon ET with co-hosts Greg Amsinger, Brian Kenny and Heidi Watney. They’ll be joined by Bob Costas, Al Leiter, Kevin Millar, Harold Reynolds, Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci. Dan Patrick Show Wrap-Up to Begin Airing on NBC Sports Network- NBC announced today that The Box Score, The Dan Patrick Show’s daily wrap-up program, will debut on NBC Sports Network this Monday at noon ET. The program features the radio production team, “The Danettes”, looking back at the highlights of that day’s radio program. NBC also announced that its morning highlight show The Lights, will expand to a two hour format beginning Monday at 7:00a.m. ET, just prior to The Dan Patrick Show simulcast at 9:00a.m. ET. PBR Begins its 2013 Season This Weekend on CBS SPorts Network- Professional Bull Riders (PBR) will begin its 2013 campaign with coverage this weekend on the CBS Sports Network. The Monster Energy Invitational at New York’s Madison Square Garden will air Saturday at 10:00p.m. ET and Sunday at 8:00p.m. ET. Sam Gore and Ty Murray announce, with Leah Garcia reporting.