| The French Open is getting pushed a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will now start play on May 30, according to the French Tennis Federation. The Grand Slam event was postponed by four months last year and will now conclude on June 13, two weeks before Wimbledon is supposed to begin.
“These remain extremely challenging times for communities around the world, and, while there is optimism for the future, it is clear that this pandemic is very much still with us,” said Ugo Valensi, Executive Director of the Grand Slam Board. “These remain extremely challenging times for communities around the world, and, while there is optimism for the future, it is clear that this pandemic is very much still with us. The Grand Slams represent the most significant spotlights for our sport and so we will do everything possible to ensure they can be staged successfully. Further to consultation, the decision by the FFT to postpone Roland-Garros by a week in order to enhance the likelihood of the tournament taking place successfully is therefore fully supported by the Grand Slam Board.”
PROGRAMMING
Baylor’s win in the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball tournament drew an average of 16.9 million viewers to CBS on Monday, according to Nielsen, with the mostly lopsided game off-pace by 14% from 2019 numbers among television viewers. Final Four matches saw an average of 14.9 million viewer tune in for the Gonzaga/UCLA game while Baylor’s win over Houston drew 8.1 million viewers.
In other ratings news, Univision’s telecast of the first leg of the Real Madrid vs. Liverpool Quarter-Final matchup averaged 961K viewers and 465K Adults 18-49 on Tuesday to mark the third and sixth top-rated performance among Total Viewers and in the demo 2for the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final round ever in the U.S
NBC Sports’ coverage of amateur competitions and professional tours this past weekend saw NBC and GOLF Channel notch the most-watched Valero Texas Open on record with a four-round average of 1.4 million viewers, up 7% over 2019. NBC’s weekend coverage was up 16%, while GOLF’s early round and lead-in coverage was up 45% vs. 2019. Season-to-date in 2021, 10 of 15 comparable events on GOLF Channel/NBC have registered year-over-year viewership growth vs. comparable coverage of the same event. On the LPGA Tour, NBC Sports’ coverage of the ANA Inspiration delivered a 32% increase over 2019. Through five LPGA Tour events in 2021, GOLF/NBC is up 23% from the same point in 2020.
Speaking of golf, for the second time in the last three years, GOLF Channel will televise the Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf men’s golf tournament from the Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. Bob Papa, Curt Byrum. Steve Burkowski and Billy Ray Brown will on microphone duties each day starting April 12 at 7p.
Tennis Channel announcer Steve Weissman signed on to stay with the network through 2025 as the result of a five-year contract extension. Weissman, who also hosts lead-in and post-match shows in addition to his play-by-play responsibilities, will remain the primary host of Tennis Channel Live, appearing in 90 percent of the conversational show’s annual editions.
The clock is ticking! AEG became the latest sports stalwart to sign on for the Cynopsis Sports & Esports Newfront presentations on April 21-22, joining the Pac-12, AEG, Twitch, the PFL and more as some of today’s hottest properties reveal some of the unique opportunities to brands and agencies to partner for this year and beyond. Brands and media buyers are invited to attend this is a can’t miss event to engage with their elusive demos! Request an exclusive invite to the Cynopsis Sports & Esports Newfront now.
The American 7s Football League and FITE announced that two A7FL Sunday “Games of the Week” will be presented live exclusively on the platform starting April 11. Each Sunday during the league’s regular season and national playoffs, FITE will present the A7FL’s no-helmets, no-pads, full-contact tackle football on Pay-Per-View with two top matchups along with look-ins from games being played around the country. As an added bonus, FITE is making the first two weeks of the upcoming season completely free.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Vettori vs. Holland on Saturday sees live coverage of the prelims starting at 11:30a on ESPN+ and noon on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Main card starts at 3p on ESPN+ and ABC to mark the second time UFC will run live on the broadcast channel.
NBA TV carries the two-part special Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft on Sunday at 8p, paying tribute to “one of the deepest and most impactful Draft classes in NBA history.” The new basketball Stories retrospective will run in back-to-back hour-long episodes, and showcase picks that included Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Kobe.
Wasserman is releasing of The Rookie Experience, a digital NFL Draft series co-developed with Playmaker. The series is available on Snapchat Discover beginning April 12 and features Levi Onwuzurike, Elijah Molden, Demetric Felton and D’Wayne Eskridge through an in-depth look at what it takes to get drafted into the NFL. The series features a total of 20 episodes to be available across Snapchat and YouTube.
Lax United Marketing and Pacific League Marketing, a joint venture of the Pacific League’s six teams of the Nippon Professional Baseball league, agreed to a multi-year deal to distribute all home Pacific League games on digital and cable platforms in the United States with For The Fans carrying broadcasts throughout the season.
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CYNOPSIS 2021 RESOURCE CENTER
An online asset for media execs looking for the latest in tech, streaming, network offerings, and tools.
You can find the following companies’ assets available now: a4 Advertising, Discovery, FETV, Gamut Total, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, New York Interconnect, TiVo, Tubi and more to come!
www.cynopsis.com/resource-center |
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| SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
Nike revealed celebration jerseys for the WNBA’s 25th season, unveiling new looks for each of the 12 teams and each squad unveiling three different jerseys that will be worn for the upcoming season. The three jerseys that each team will wear include the Heroine Edition, Explorer Edition and Rebel Edition, with each one telling a different story for each team.
Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. & Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. announced a multi-year marketing partnership with The Clorox Company, naming one of the global leaders in public health and disinfection the Official Cleaning & Disinfection Products Partner of the Knicks, Rangers and Madison Square Garden Arena. As part of the marketing partnership, Clorox will receive brand integration including courtside and baseline LED signage at Knicks games and dasherboard signage at Rangers games. Through this collaboration, Clorox will provide disinfecting products, including Clorox Total 360 System electrostatic sprayers.
Supersapiens locked in a deal to become the 2021 and 2022 title sponsor for the IRONMAN World Championship, held annually in Kona, Hawaii. The deal also includes four European races, IRONMAN UK, IRONMAN Hamburg, IRONMAN France, and IRONMAN Emilia Romagna. “As athletes, we understand the challenge, struggle, and commitment of training for endurance events like IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3,” says Supersapiens Founder and CEO Phil Southerland. “We are truly excited to work with IRONMAN athletes to take the gambling out of race day. These superhumans put so much time and energy into training for one or two target events each year. There is too much on the line for them to take a chance on fueling during those races. We look forward to seeing the personal satisfaction of goals achieved by IRONMAN athletes around the
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
NBC Sports EDGE launched its new app, featuring in-depth coverage of the 2021 MLB season, NHL and NBA analysis as the playoffs approach, as well as prospect notes heading in the 2021 NFL Draft. NBC Sports EDGE+ premium products include four available subscription tiers with an array of Draft, Season-long Fantasy, DFS, and Betting-focused tools. The plans, which are include: EDGE+ ROTO; EDGE+ PRO; EDGE+ MAX; and EDGE+ BET.
Electronic Arts unveiled EA SPORTS PGA TOUR: Road to the Masters as the exclusive home of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. “We’re honored to partner with Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, to feature the course and its traditions exclusively in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR,” said Cam Weber, EVP and GM, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS is committed to growing the love of sports for everyone, and through our partnerships with the PGA TOUR, Augusta National and the other majors, we will bring new and longtime fans closer to the biggest events in golf than ever before.”
Swimming and triathlon equipment brand Aquasphere is beefing up its digital play via “A Lens For Every Condition,” a guide designed to educate swimmers on their ideal lens options. The new guide also features tips from Aquasphere’s roster of global athlete ambassadors, including Tim O’Donnell and Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae. The comprehensive guide, available in five languages on the Aquasphere website.
The National Basketball Retired Players Association announced that veteran NBA columnist, Peter Vecsey and his Hoop du Jour content will be expanding to podcast format on April 13. The podcast will join the Hoop du Jour weekly blog as featured content for Legends Media & Entertainment. With the first episode featuring special guest Julius “Dr. J” Erving, the Hoop du Jour podcast will stream new episodes bi-monthly.
Peyton and Eli Manning are taking on the NFT space with an eight-piece digital art line called The Manning Legacy Collection. The collection will go live exclusively on MakersPlace on April 16. “For our collection, we wanted to curate one-of-a-kind fine artwork for the NFT community,” said Peyton. “Collaborating with JK5, Micah Johnson and their teams gave us the opportunity to handcraft each individual piece so that they are truly unique to us and elevate the creative for the growing collectors base.”
ESPORTS
H4X, a lifestyle fashion brand worn by a number of professional esports athletes and gaming personalities, announced an exclusive collection with Nick Kolcheff, aka, Nickmercs. The capsule collection consists of a t-shirt, hoodie, and hat packed in a custom frosted poly bag with a personalized note from Nick and shipped in custom MFAM branded boxes. The apparel will be available on Saturday, at1p at MFAM.gg.
Turner Sports’ ELEAGUE serves up the fourth of five EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Global Series events at noon on Saturday and Sunday. The fourth round of the ELEAGUE FIFA 21 North America (NA) Regional Online Cup qualifiers will stream on Twitch and YouTube while B/R Gaming and B/R Football channels will spotlight the best action from the weekend on socials. Best moments from the ELEAGUE NA Regional Online Cup tournaments through weekly episodes premiering on TBS in Summer 2021.
The LCS named Turtle Beach’s peripherals brand ROCCAT to become its first official mouse and keyboard partner with the company delivering the equipment for the LCS Arena. ROCCAT‘s participation begins with the 2021 Mid-Season Showdown Finals Weekend broadcast on April 10-11, 2021, and then continues into the summer split in June 2021. “We are excited to welcome ROCCAT to the LCS family,” said Matt Archambault, Head of Partnerships for NA & OCE Esports at Riot Games. “Being able to work with a brand that exhibits the same level of passion and focus toward their customers as we do with our players and fans is something special. We’ve seen firsthand the quality of ROCCAT’s lineup and know their products are designed for serious PC gamers. We can’t wait to get started creating and delivering rich experiences together for years to come.”
BLAST Premier agreed a long-term partnership with L33T Gaming to become Official Chair Partner of the Counter-Strike tournament series. As part of the deal, L33T will provide players and talent with high-end gaming chairs across the season with the partnership also set to include product giveaways, collaborative content opportunities and branding across the global CS:GO tournament’s digital and physical assets.
CheckpointXP is teaming with Blaze Fire Games to launch the #MyHBCUGotEsportsGameTour. The educational and competitive college esports experience features 25 participating Historically Black Colleges and Universities and will officially launch this year via two-day virtual events, including an esports panel discussion, a student-hosted show with guest appearances from student and professional athletes, and esports competitions. One hundred Esports curriculum scholarships will be awarded to each of the 25 participating schools.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
The National Women’s Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association formally started negotiations to secure a “mutually beneficial, long-term Collective Bargaining Agreement between the two parties.” “The collaboration between the league, our clubs and the NWSL players has been absolutely critical to our collective success this past year,” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. “Building on that trust and partnership, we’re all eager to better define the relationship between the league and the extraordinary women that take the pitch each week, and I’m grateful to the NWSLPA’s leadership for so thoughtfully engaging in this process.”
Nielsen Sports named Rob Balsom as Head of Canada. Balsom will help Canadian rights holders, teams, brands and other entities take full advantage of Nielsen Sports market research as well as media and social valuation in order to optimize and grow their businesses.
SPORTS BROADCAST JOURNAL w/David J. Halberstam
In a lengthy interview, Pete Bevacqua answers many questions covering NBC Sports’ rights to the NFL, Olympics and other sporting events. He says NBC would like to hold on to a chunk of the NHL rights and that the network helped build the league’s coverage in recent years with wall-to-wall presentations across many platforms. NBC still has exclusive rights to the NHL this season after which the contract ends. ESPN already purchased roughly half the rights going forward.
NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua hopeful about NHL; Addresses NFL, Olympics, pandemic and ratings
The great, good and the not so good of CBS’ coverage of the title game.
The NCAA Finals on CBS: Grant Hill was assertive, taking a lead role at times; Nantz and Raftery solid
Kevin O’Malley, a longtime network TV executive, was instrumental helping CBS pluck the NCAA rights from NBC 40 years ago. He tells us how it happened, step by step. Quite a story. It ended the best 3-man basketball crew ever, Dick Enberg, Al McGuire and Billy Packer. By the time, the current CBS/Turner contract ends in 2032, CBS will have run the tourney 50 years!
How CBS snared the NCAA Tourney rights from NBC 40 years ago – in a competitive world of 3 networks
We put a cap on the NCAA Tourney, share broadcast rumblings and other nuggets.
Halby’s Morsels: Top all-time Final Four announce teams; Remote broadcast that went wrong
Happy Birthdays:
Olivia Harlan-Dekker 4/8, ESPN
Peter Gammons 4/9, MLB Network
Kathryn Tappen 4/9, NBC Sports
Ken Squier 4/10, retired NASCAR Broadcasts
John Madden 4/10, retired NFL analyst
Ron Thulin 4/10, ex-Turner, NBA
Steve Tasker 4/10, ex-CBS, NFL
Jon Sciambi 4/11, Cubs, ESPN
Sara Walsh 4/12, FOX Sports
Mike Pereira 4/13, FOX Sports
Drew Goodman 4/13, Colorado Rockies
Sports Broadcast Journal
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Sports Media’s MVPs are Here
[ Virtual event on Wednesday, April 21 at 3:00 PM ]
The scores are in and the list of finalists are here! This year’s competition was stacked, don’t miss out on seeing who’s bringing home the gold: secure your complimentary pass now.
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On this Day
1941: The PGA creates the Golf Hall of Fame.
IN THE KNOW
In which state would you find the International Tennis Hall of Fame? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
How many times has Jack Nicklaus won the Green Jacket at the Masters? Answer: Six. Kudos: John Ferlazzo/London; John Lappas-Playfly Home Team Sports/NY; Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NY; Denis Barry-CBS/NY; Willy Gibson-WTG Sports/Columbus; Roger Furman-Sports Marketing Communications/Greentown; Mike May-R2 Innovative Technologies/Wellington; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton; Bill Robertson-WCHA/Bloomington; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Larry Hutchings/San Luis Obispo; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank
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SALES ASSISTANT – NATIONAL
UPtv
NYC, NY
Provide full support to all accounts for the Ad Sales team, assist Account Executives, Sales Planner and Pricing Inventory in managing day-to-day Ad sales responsibilities. Communicate daily with Traffic Department and create and maintain quarterly flighting grid. B.A. in Communication or equivalent from a four-year college; prior experience a plus. Full info HERE (4/22)
MANAGER, BRAND MARKETING >>
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS/LA, CA: Responsible for development and management of consumer marketing initiatives including paid advertising, email marketing, and other priorities that create awareness and engagement in support of our key business objectives. 3-5 years of consumer marketing experience within the entertainment industry with prior television experience preferred. Full info HERE (4/21)
DIRECTOR, BRAND MARKETING >>
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS/LA, CA: Strategy, development and management of consumer marketing initiatives including paid advertising efforts, email marketing, and other projects that create awareness and engagement in support of our key business priorities. 7-10 years of consumer marketing experience within the entertainment industry with prior television experience preferred. Full info HERE (4/21)
SUPERVISOR, CUSTOMER SERVICE >>
SPECTRUM/VANCOUVER, WA: Actively and consistently support all efforts to simplify and enhance the customer and employee experience. Effectively lead a team of representatives utilizing supervisory skills including and monitor individual and team performance. 5-7 Customer service/call center experience required. Full info HERE (4/20)
PR ASST/COOR >>
BABYGRANDE PR/VENICE CA: Support president at boutique PR firm. Work daily with TV/entertainment/corp. clients and media. Looking for detail-oriented, motivated multi-tasker for high-paced, fun environment. Full info HERE (4/20)
VP, CONTENT ACQUISITIONS >>
INSP LLC/CHARLOTTE, NC: Leads on high level negotiations with studios and independent content providers. Initiates and establishes strategic relationships and heads a research team to track and evaluate potential content opportunities. Minimum 5-7 years of cable TV network experience in acquisitions required. Full info HERE (4/20)
MANAGER, INTREGRATED MEDIA >>
FOX SPORTS/Los Angeles: Manage multiple aspects of paid campaigns, assist in monitoring and reporting on paid Digital, Programmatic, Search, and Social performance and provide an active voice communicating optimization opportunities and challenges. 5+ years of work experience in integrated and/or digital media planning/buying required. Full info HERE (4/17)
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR >>
COINDESK INC/NYC/NY: Develop a unique, authoritative voice for CoinDesk products; write and edit quickly, cleanly and succinctly, and they must be a master of shaping copy and social-native content to match the voice of different social networks. 3-5 years of experience managing social media for a media company or comparable organization. Full info HERE (4/17)
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT >>
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION/NYC/NY: Act as liaison between Executives and a wide array of internal and external contacts, screen and direct phone calls, draft and distribute correspondence as needed, and schedule meetings. Arrange travel schedule and organize travel arrangements and manage office supply closet and kitchen. 2-4 years of experience as an Executive Assistant, required. Full info HERE (4/17)
FREELANCE MANAGER, MULTI-PLATFOMR ANALYTICS >>
ViacomCBS – MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC, NY: Apply linear and digital Analytics across the MTV Entertainment Group portfolio to optimize content strategy across platforms and brands. Synthesize insights from every available data source in order to provide expert guidance on where content will best find its intended target. 3-5 years of related experience with Nielsen competence required. Full info HERE (4/16)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE >>
FUTURE TODAY INC/NYC/CHICAGO: Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships. Well-versed in CTV; direct & programmatic. Kids space knowledge preferred. The company is growing and looking for motivated people with experience selling across one or more of these categories: CTV, OTT, OLV, Linear TV. Full info HERE (4/16)
SR DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER >>
AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP/ST PAUL, NYC, LA, REMOTE: Manage production and development of new podcasts, creating and commissioning sustainable, high quality shows. Pitch new show ideas, angles on stories, and create plans for how a new show or season will sound and be structured. 5-7 years of media production and/or content development, ideally in audio required. Full info HERE (4/16)
COORDINATOR, BRAND MARKETING >>
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS/LA, CA: Responsible for supporting the implementation of advertising campaigns, marketing partnerships, promotions, sweepstakes, experiential events, creative development & email marketing initiatives. Min 1yr of marketing exp within the entertainment industry. Full info HERE (4/15)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER APM STUDIOS >>
AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP/ ST PAUL, NYC, LA, REMOTE: Lead production of APM Studios’ existing tentpole franchises, create and manage budgets and lead recruitment and development of senior staff, including hosts when applicable. 10 years’ relevant experience in content development and audio production, including 3-5 years at management/supervisory level required. Full info HERE (4/15)
FREELANCE ANALYST, CONTENT & BRAND INSIGHTS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Implementation and analysis of owned & syndicated research strategy for Scripted, Comedic & Original Movie content. Monitor, interpret and compile findings from various research sources and disseminate it to key partners. Experience with qualitative and quantitative research techniques required. Full info HERE (4/14)
FREELANCE MANAGER, CONSUMER INSIGHTS ANALYTICS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Analyze marketing efforts, determining promotional planning effectiveness, and providing insights to inform future marketing campaigns. Set up, track, pull and analyze data on multi-platform marketing and promotional planning campaigns and initiatives. 3-5 years of related experience (TV ratings and Nielsen measurement currency) required. Full info HERE (4/14)
DIRECTOR, CONTENT INSIGHTS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Conceptualize and conduct proprietary quantitative and qualitative studies focused on targeted audience needs as well as more general cultural trends. Improve multi-platform performance of key franchises; 7+ years of related research experience, including Marketing, Creative and Content Research required. Full info HERE (4/14)
CURATOR >>
THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA/NYC/NY: Develop events, series, festivals, exhibits that are topical, culturally relevant, impactful and inclusive. In depth knowledge of history and current trends to conduct research and generate weekly reports. 8+ years managerial experience of a content collection in a research library, archive, museum, or related setting. Full info HERE (4/13)
DIGITAL MEDIA PLANNER >>
BLUE PLATE MEDIA SERVICES/ SUMMIT NJ: Day-to-day planning, executing and management of Digital and Social Media campaigns. Evaluate digital media, social platforms and advertising products and manage the RFP process. Strong ability to use and interpret analytical data and arrive at sound conclusions. 5+ years Digital and Social Media marketing experience required. Full info HERE (4/13)
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & PARTNER INSIGHTS >>
ViacomCBS/NY, NY: Partner and liaise with senior sales management on brand strategy and positioning. Measure the efficiency of traditional and non-traditional advertising campaigns and author and present consumer-focused research on brands, generations, trend and categories. 10+ years’ experience in media or consumer research required. Full info HERE (4/13)
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SCHEDULING >>
PBS DISTRIBUTION/ARLINGTON VA: Lead PBSd’s digital scheduling function to support our growing distribution business across VOD, streaming and educational platforms by ensuring accurate, on-time content launches. Direct day-to-day activities of the scheduling team and execute on content release plans. 7-10 years’ experience in Content Scheduling/Programming required. Full info HERE (4/10)
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, MEDIA & LABOR ECONOMICS >>
SAG-AFTRA/NY or LA: Conduct financial statement and operating analyses of publicly-held companies. Research, analyze and identify the implications for internal clients. Comprehensive understanding of micro- and macro-economics principles and have an understanding and awareness of worker rights impacting SAG-AFTRA members. Full info HERE (4/10)
PROJECT MANAGER, CREATIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS >>
ViacomCBS/NY/CA/REMOTE: Lead and track multiple creative projects and timelines simultaneously, work with agencies and marketing teams to assess initial requests for information, project parameters and priority scheduling. Significant experience working in production management/digital marketing/creative agency and/or professional services/consulting required. Full in HERE (4/10)
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