10/22/15: Universal Sports going dark; ESPN begins layoffs; NCAA benches daily fantasy



CYNOPSISSPORTS
10.22.15

Good morning. It’s Thursday October 22, 2015, and this is your first early morning Sports briefing. 

The Universal Sports brand is fading to black and will shut down next month with minority partner NBC Sports picking up the network’s portfolio of rights which include events such as the Boston Marathon and the Tour de France. SBJ broke the news that the channel will fold on Nov. 16, as majority owners InterMedia Partners announced the news at a meeting in LA after shopping the channel in recent months. The platform’s operations and production center in Colorado is, however, expected to remain open for the near future, according to sources, at least through next Summer’s Olympics.

ON THE AIR

Meanwhile, the hammer finally fell at ESPN as well, which is cutting around 300 jobs from its departments, amounting to about 4% of its overall staff. The company released a letter from ESPN topper John Skipper discussing the moves and noting that employees would receive a minimum of 60 days’ notice, along with severance packages and job search assistance. “Our 36 years of continuous growth and success has been driven by our consistent willingness to reimagine our future, to embrace change and make the right choices for our business, including hard decisions that affect people who have been integral parts of our efforts,” the statement read. Beginning today, we will be enacting a number of organizational changes at ESPN to better support our future goals  a process that will include the elimination of a number of positions, impacting friends and colleagues across the organization.”

Game 3 of the Mets/Cubs matchup in the 2015 National League Championship Series on TBS averaged 9.2 million total viewers and a 5.8 household rating to deliver the network’s most-viewed LCS Game 3 ever and its most-watched NLCS game of all time, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. Subsequently, TBS won the night across all of cable television in prime time, based on metered market delivery, up 92% in total viewers and 87% in U.S. HH rating over the network’s comparable NLCS coverage in with increases of 53% among total viewers and U.S. HH rating over last year’s ALCS Game 3.

The IOC announced that CBC/Radio-Canada locked in Canadian broadcast rights for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and the 2024 Olympic Games, making them Canada’s Olympic Network and Official Broadcaster for the next five Olympic Games. CBC/Radio-Canada will also become a broadcast partner from 2016 until at least 2023 for the IOC’s new global digital Olympic Channel, offering Canadian sports content to support the channel’s focus on the Olympic Movement between Games. As lead broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada will be working again with its primary Olympic broadcast partner, Bell Media along with Rogers Media.

IMG renewed its international media rights deal with MMA promotion World Series of Fighting. Since its initial alliance in 2013, IMG has effectively placed the company in over 70 countries and territories around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Peru and Russia. In June, combat sports television channel, Fight Network, signed on to distribute World Series of Fighting events in Canada as well as in over 30 countries in Europe, Africa and The Middle East.

Editor’s Note: Please join the Cynopsis team and your industry peers for the half-day Programmatic TV Summit on Nov. 5. Register now.

Ahead of Major League Soccer’s #DecisionDay, FS1 and FOX Deportes announced its selection to run nationally on Sunday, the final day of the MLS regular season. The channels will turn east for a matchup between the Columbus Crew SC and D.C. United, currently the second- and third-place teams in the East, at 5p. Coverage plans include constant look-ins to the other matches that kickoff simultaneously during their window, FOX Sports also offers a dedicated “Coach Cam” to capture all the action of both teams.


A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE


CYNOPSIS is accepting entries for the Social Good Awards

We know the Cynopsis community is a vibrant group of engaged professionals who work hard, committed to evolving the media industry to be first and best at serving the consumer. But this is not all you and your organization are dedicated to. You’re also a collection of civic-minded citizens who want to give back to the public through their profession.

WITH THAT IN MIND, CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES AND START YOUR ENTRY TODAY!


SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION

The NCAA is blocking daily fantasy operators DraftKings and FanDuel from advertising during championship events, according to ESPN, notifying the companies that the wall will include television broadcasts In a letter, addressed to DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and FanDuel executives Christian Genetski and Matt King and dated Oct. 20, the organization also asked the daily fantasy companies to notify the NCAA if any referees or officials have participated in fantasy sports contests. A source within the daily fantasy industry told ESPN that both FanDuel nor DraftKings will continue offering contests on college athletics.

Monster Energy is coming to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, singing on to sponsor Kurt Busch at Stewart-Haas Racing in a multi-year deal. The brand will co-sponsor him and the No. 41 Chevrolet SS with Haas Automation. Busch will debut this new sponsorship during the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 Sprint Cup race weekend at Martinsville Speedway with the car becoming a fixture beginning with the 2016 season, slated to become whereupon Monster Energy will be the alpha sponsor (hood) for 17 races and the bravo sponsor (quarter panel) for 18 races with one full primary race sponsorship. “Kurt Busch has been a member of the Monster Energy team since 2012 and we’re very happy to take his involvement with us to a whole new level,” said Mitch Covington, vice president of sports marketing, Monster Energy. “The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the premiere form of stock-car racing in North America and it’s exactly where we want to be. Kurt and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing are racers. They walk the walk, just like Monster Energy.”

The Austin American-Statesman writes that Nike locked in the richest deal in the sector in college athletics with the University of Texas in a 15-year agreement. The deal will reportedly top the brand’s deal with Michigan for an estimated $169 million.

Mary Wittenberg, Global CEO of Virgin Sport, will become the first recipient of the AKTIV Against Cancer Award. The honor will be presented at a ceremony on October 27 at The Blue Water Grill in New York City as part of the Foundation’s first-ever North American fundraising luncheon. The award was created to honor the legacy of nine-time New York City Marathon Champion and Norwegian running superstar Grete Waitz.

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation is turning to the likes of sports figures Joe Girardi, Alex Rodriguez and Garry Gilliam. The top will take part in the launch of a public service campaign “Just Say Hi”  aimed at addressing the hesitation people often feel around those with disabilities. Other celebrities will include William H. Macy, Alex Rodriguez, Gayle King, Mario Batali, Satya Nadella, Rosanna Scotto and other notable public figures.

Topps, the official baseball card of Major League Baseball, is launching “Pride & Perseverance,” a special insert set in 2015 Topps Baseball Update Series that celebrates players who have triumphed in spite of disabilities. The set will be released on Wednesday, October 21 and feature current and former Major Leaguers, including: Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who are both cancer survivors; San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy, who is legally blind without his corrective lenses; Houston Astros outfielder George Springer, who has overcome stuttering and New York Mets reliever Buddy Carlyle, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009.

DIGITAL & STREAMING

247Sports.com reports that the site set a new record in September by capturing 7% of the US internet audience, pushing it into the top 10 list of the most popular sports sites in the country. The site registered 18.129 million unique users in September, besting its previous high of 14.399 million.

US Club Soccer unveiled Fit for 90, a player-monitoring platform delivering sports science to soccer coaches, players and teams, as its “Official Player Monitoring System.” Fit for 90 also joins as a partner of the recently launched Players First initiative. Fit for 90 serve up info based on player feedback to help coaches better understand each athlete’s readiness and stress to decrease risk of injury and increase player development and performance.

THE MAIN EVENT

Seahawks/49ers on CBS/NFL Network at 8p.


A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE


ANNOUNCING
THE CYNOPSIS SPORTS ENGAGEMENT SUMMIT

From the e-sports explosion to the take-no-prisoners evolution of social media and more, Cynopsis Sports will reveal the tech and trends that are keeping fans tuned in. Join us for this one-day conference on December 2nd and get the lowdown that will keep your business growing.



ON THIS DAY in 2001: ESPN debuts Pardon the Interruption.

In The Know: Which Big Ten school is famous for its fans’ tendency to ‘Jump Around’? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city.)

Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question: Who was the number one pick in the 2004 MLS soccer draft at the age of 14? Answer: Freddy Adu. Kudos: Derek Gamble-Major League Soccer/NY; Tim DeLaney-Showtime Networks/NY; Andreas Droste-NBC Sports Group/NY; Phyllis Starsia-Tangible Media/NY; G. David Brown-FOX Sports/Charlotte; Michael G. Hawkins-FrancIs Marion University/Florence; Liz Eng-NBC Sports Group/Stamford; Farrah Segaloff-Comcast Spotlight/Quincy; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Chris Hartweg-Wunderman/Chicago; Lance Phegley-Texas Runner and Triathlete magazine/Houston; David Hauptman/Denver; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Jack Simmons-Fox Sports/LA; Adam Deverell-Cox Reps/LA; Willie Price-American Forces Network/Riverside.

Later — Chris
Chris Pursell for Cynopsis | Sports @VegasandVine
10.22.15

Roberta Caploe: Associate Publisher @robertacaploe
Diane K Schwartz: Senior Vice President, Media Communications Group

Cynopsis Ad Sales: Mike Farina | VP, Sales | 203-218-6480
Cynopsis Job Listings Sales: Trish Pihonak | Director of Operations | 203-899-8459

Cynopsis Media: a division of Access Intelligence, LLC * 10 Norden Place * Norwalk, CT * 06855 * USA


CYNOPSISJOBSFor More jobs, visit Cynopsis.com


JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/AMC & Sundance TV/NYC: Generate/analyze/comm proposals for sales org to present to ad agencies. Min 3yrs exp at ad agency or media req’d. BA deg comm or mktg. Knwlg media math. Strong math & comm skills a must. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: SALES ASSISTANT/High Times/NYC: Assist ad sales director w/support duties w/high vol sales. Previous exp as sales admin req’d. Highly organized and attention to detail critical. Strong comm skills & ability to resolve issues. Email Resume HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR BUSINESS STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT/E!/LA, CA: Manage business development and strategy for E! Online digital platforms. Min. 5 years digital media exp required. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: MANAGING EDITOR/E!/LA, CA: Supervise the day to day editorial news operations for E! Online and News. 5 years similar experience required. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: WRITER/PRODUCER On Air Promos/E!/LA, CA: Conceive, develop and produce creative promos, advertisements and promotional content for E! Min. 3 years on-air promo exp. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: PROJECT MGR/WO Network/NYC: Consult w/clients & oversee complex implementation projects. Ability to understand client’s bus. & goals for the project & quickly grasp bus. workflow & processes. Cable ntwrk exp pref’d. Req Id6802. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: DEPT HEAD, CINEMA & TV/Drexel University/PHL: Sprvs strategic, financial & academic mngmnt of Cinema & TV dept; represent dept w/in university & larger cinema & TV comm. Dynamic blend of media ind & academic & 5 yrs exp leadership role a must. Full info/apply HERE (10/29)

JOB OPENING: SALES ASSISTANT/REELZ/NYC: Daily maint of accounts. Booking orders, pulling reports & brand allocations. Work closely with traffic dept, planners & AEs in all areas scheduling & inv management. Sintec exp. a plus.Full info/apply HERE (10/28)

JOB OPENING: ON-AIR WRITER PRODUCER/MSG Networks/NY: Write, produce and edit promos for live Knicks, Rangers, Islanders & Devils telecasts & related programming. Min 4+ yrs exp in on-air promotion. Editing skills a must. Full info/apply HERE (10/28)

JOB OPENING: SR MANAGER BRAND RESEARCH INSIGHTS/A+E Networks/NY: Focus on brand research and support of the marketing departments, including program research and social media support. Full Info/Apply HERE (10/28)

JOB OPENING: PUBLICITY ASSISTANT/A+E Networks/NYC: Non staff position. Assist VP, Publicity, HISTORY & handle any other tasks for HISTORY Publicity dept. Excellent verbal and written comm skills, proofreading, computer. BA Deg pref’d. Full info/apply HERE (10/28)

JOB OPENING: MGR, INTEGRATED MARKETING SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY/Viacom/NYC: Conceputlize/implement digital, social & video dist strategies for sponsor programsBA deg. 5yrs mktg exp w/in media/ent ind, promotions/advrtsng agency or branded ent/prod co. Full info/apply HERE (10/24)

JOB OPENING: VP CREATIVE DIRECTOR/MTV/NYC: Lead/oversee creative dvlpmnt of cobranded content for MTV channel & all screens, incl on air, digital and mobile. 8+ yrs hold creative positions, namely Creative Dir & above at Top Ad Agencies, Prod or Media co. Full info/apply HERE (10/23) 

JOB OPENING: PUBLICIST/IFC/NYC: responsible for the development and implementation of effective publicity campaigns and execution resulting in media. 3 yrs hands on comm & media relations work exp. Full info/apply HERE (10/23) 

JOB OPENING: DIR, AFFILIATE SALES/Music Choice/NYC: Oversee sales, affiliate relations & local promo efforts. Min 5-7 yrs exp strategic sales & mktg cable/dist or related ind. Knwlg contractual language & negotiation of complex carriage agreements. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL ACCT EXEC/ABC 7/Chicago: Driven self-starter looking to overachieve in 3rd largest TV mkt to identify/dvlp new client relationships. 3-5 yrs digital &/or media exp. Has est’d, high level local agency/client contacts. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL/SOCIAL STRATEGIST-PLANNER/LA: 3-5 yrs exp Dig/Soc Strat. Resp bringing fresh ideas on leveraging soc media to achieve valued outcomes. Play active role as dig expert to dev perspectives on trends & use of emerging dig media in mktplc. Resume HERE (10/23) 

JOB OPENING: PROJECT MANAGER, LBE/Fox/LA: Manage Projects from concept to opening related to Location Based Entertainment through working with developer/clients, designers, masterplanners and the LBE/Creative teams. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE ROOM PRODUCER/FOX SPORTS Overnight Shift (8-5am)/CLT, NC: Mng nightly vid & audio mastering across mult bays, ensure promos have approp tags, proper duration, accurate metadata. Det oriented & able to prioritize workflow a must. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: VP MULTICULTURAL AD SALES/Fuse Media/NY: Lead national multicultural sales & sales strategy, Strong negotiation & presentation skills. Extensive client and agency relationships and knowledge of the multicultural market. BS req & min 10 yrs exp. Full info/apply HERE (10/23) 

JOB OPENING: VP, COUNSEL, KIDS’ COMPLIANCE/Viacom/NYC: Work to support Viacom’s Kids & Family businesses by providing advice & counsel across a broad range of compliance areas. 7-10 yrs of relevant in-house or law firm. JD w/ NY or CA bar membership req’d. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: VP, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS/VIACOM/NYC: J.D. w/NY or CA bar membership. 7+ yrs exp @ ent law firm &/or media ent co. Work w/scripted, reality, doc & animation dvlpmnt & prod matters for the MTV2, mtvU, Logo & BET ntwrks. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER/Dish Network/CHICAGO: Support the Nat’l Ad Sales team, Pricing & Inventory, Traffic, Rsarch & Mktg team. Min 2 yrs Advertising Sales or media buying experience req’d. Exc written and oral communication Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, CONTENT & EDITORIAL SERVICES/NYC: Excellent writer/editor w/video prod exp to create digital content, corp materials & mng editorial calendars. Collaborative, creative approach. Music, news or entertainment exp necessary. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: SR ANALYST/Benenson Strategy Group/Santa Monica: Support new business initiatives, focusing on media/ent ind. 3+ yrs exp comm, consulting, mkt-rsrch, etc. 1+ yrs exp ent rsrch on behalf of movie studios, TV ntwrks & streaming svcs pref’d. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

JOB OPENING: PRODUCTION MANAGER/IFC/LA: SCRIPTED experience is a must! Supervise production on IFC fully scripted originals. 5+ years in production supr/mmgt at ntwk or studio lvl. Apply Here (10/23)

JOB OPENING: WRITER PRODUCER/Crown Media Family Networks/LA: Write, produce and execute promo spots for Hallmark Channel & Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Includes promos, episodics, campaigns, etc. Min 5 yrs exp. Full info/apply HERE (10/23)

CASTING CALL: Companies can showcase their casting notices/casting calls here. For information on rates and specs for posting a casting notice, please email Trish at [email protected]

EXPERT SERVICES ADS: These ads are for companies or people who offer an expertise in the field of media by way of production, voice over artistry, writing, set development, etc. For information on rates and specs for posting an Expertise Service ad email Trish at [email protected]

INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. These ads are always posted for free, and students work for school credit only. For more information on the specs for posting an Internship ad, email Trish at [email protected].

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED… There is no charge for placing your Situation Wanted ad… for more information contact Trish Pihonak at [email protected]

E-mail [email protected] or call Trish Pihonak at 203-899-8459 for rates and specs for Job Openings.

To subscribe to any Cynopsis edition(s) click here.
%%PLUGIN_Unsubscribe: 2193667-unsub-generic%%

Copyright Cynopsis 2015

All outgoing e-mails are scanned and sent out virus free. Copyright Cynopsis 2015

Related Stories

Cynopsis 12/09/24: Time’s running out for TikTok

Time's running out for TikTok

Monday December 9, 2024    IN THE NEWS A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the sell-or-ban law that calls for TikTok to shed its Chinese ownership. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” wrote Judge Douglas Ginsburg for the court. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom […]

12/08/24: Cynopsis Jobs

jobs1

Sunday December 8, 2024 COUNSEL, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >> MLB NETWORK/SECAUCUS, NJ: Responsible for a variety of matters, including services agreements, production related agreements, talent agreements, software and other technology related agreements, licensing and programming agreements, third party rights clearances, distribution agreements, contract summaries, confidentiality, and general contract matters. Full info

Cynopsis 12/05/24: “The Agency” breaks Showtime record

"The Agency" breaks Showtime record

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM HALLMARK CHANNEL Hallmark Channel Simply Having a #1 Christmastime #1 Most Watched Network Thanksgiving Week with W18-34, A18-49, W18-49, A25-54, W25-54, W18+, P18+, P2+ & HHs Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story #1 Most Watched Cable Movie of the Year 4M Unduplicated Viewers Often Imitated. Never Duplicated. Click

12/04/24: Cynopsis Jobs

hand shake

Wednesday December 4, 2024 COUNSEL, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >> MLB NETWORK/SECAUCUS, NJ: Responsible for a variety of matters, including services agreements, production related agreements, talent agreements, software and other technology related agreements, licensing and programming agreements, third party rights clearances, distribution agreements, contract summaries, confidentiality, and general contract matters. Full info

CynCity

Cynsiders