TV Schedule, Sunday April 3

AHL Hockey: Manitoba @ Toronto 2:30pm on NHL Network

ATP Tennis: Sony Ericsson Open (Men's Final 12pm on CBS)

Auto Racing:

MotoGP Racing: Spanish Grand Prix 7am on Speed Channel
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 11:30am on Fox
NHRA Drag Racing: SummittRacing.com Nationals 3:30pm on ESPN2

Bowling: PBA Tour 12pm on ESPN

Bull Riding: PBR Tour 7pm on VERSUS

College Baseball:

Kentucky @ South Carolina 12:30pm on Fox College Sports Atlantic
Northwestern @ Ohio St. 1pm on Big 10 Network

College Basketball, Women's National Semi-Finals:

Texas A&M vs Stanford 6pm on ESPN
Notre Dame vs UCONN 8pm on ESPN

College Football: Texas Spring Game 2pm on ESPN

College Lacrosse:

Johns Hopkins vs North Carolina 3pm on ESPNU
Duke vs Syracuse 5:30pm on ESPNU

College Softball:

Iowa @ Purdue 11am on Big 10 Network
Liberty @ Winthrop 1pm on ESPNU

Cycling: Tour of Flanders 3pm on VERSUS (same day tape)

Golf:

European PGA Tour 8am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open (Final Round) 12pm on Golf Channel & 2pm on NBC
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship (Final Round) 3:30pm on Golf Channel
Champions Tour: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic (Final Round) 8pm on Golf Channel (same day tape)

High School Basketball: NeXt All-American Classic 2pm on CBS College Sports

MLB Baseball:

Chicago White Sox @ Cleveland 12pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Milwaukee @ Cincinnati 12pm on FS Wisconsin
Minnesota @ Toronto 12pm on FS North
Boston @ Texas 1pm on TBS
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Kansas City 1pm on FS Kansas City/FS Midwest*
Pittsburgh @ Chicago Cubs 1pm on WGN
San Diego @ St. Louis 1pm on FS Midwest
San Francisco @ LA Dodgers 7pm on ESPN2

*Mediacom & Dish Network should check their on-screen guide for channel number

NBA Basketball:

Phoenix @ San Antonio 12pm on ABC
Denver @ LA Lakers 2:30pm on ABC
Indiana @ New Orleans 6pm on NBATV

NHL Hockey:

NY Rangers @ Philadelphia 11:30am on NBC
Minnesota @ Detroit 4pm on FS North & Mediacom Channel 22
St. Louis @ Columbus 4pm on FS Midwest
Tampa Bay @ Chicago 6pm on NHL Network

Soccer:

Italian Serie A: Catania vs Palemo 8am on Fox Soccer Channel
English Premier League: Manchester City vs Sunderland 10am on Fox Soccer Channel
Italian Serie A: Roma vs Juventus 1:30pm on Fox Soccer Channel

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional MLB & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Sunday MLB on TBS returns tomorrow

Fresh off a successful run with televising the NCAA Basketball Tournament, TBS opens their Sunday Afternoon Game of the Week tomorrow with Texas hosting Boston with Ernie Johnson & Dennis Eckersley in the broadcast booth.

Every Sunday throughout the season, TBS will showcase some of the games best teams and when October rolls around, TBS will once again have exclusive coverage of the division series' as well as the NLCS.

For more information about Sunday MLB on TBS as well as a partial schedule, please click here: http://sportsmedianews.com/03/sunday-mlb-on-tbs-returns-with-a-showdown-between-the-defending-al-champion-rangers-and-red-sox/

TV Schedule, Saturday April 2

ATP Tennis: Sony Ericsson Open (Women's Final) 11:30am on CBS

Auto Racing:

Camping World Series: Kroger 250 Qualifying 9:30am on Speed Channel
Sprint Cup Series: Gordy's 500 Qualifying 11am on Speed Channel
Camping World Series: Kroger 250 1pm on Speed Channel
NHRA Drag Racing: SummitRacing.com Nationals 6pm on ESPN2

Bull Riding: PBR Tour 7pm on VERSUS

College Basketball:

Men's National Semi-Finals:

Virgina Commonwealth vs Butler 5pm on CBS
Kentucky vs UCONN 7:30pm on CBS

Women's NIT Championship: Teams TBA 2pm on CBS College Sports

College Baseball:

Oklahoma St. @ Nebraska 2pm on NET (Nebraska Public TV)*
Liberty @ Coastal Carolina 3pm on ESPNU
Texas A&M @ Kansas St. 4pm on FS Midwest
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma 7pm on ESPNU

*Available across most of Western Iowa

College Gymnastics: Big 10 Individual Championships 7pm on Big 10 Network

College Lacrosse:

Maryland @ Virgina 11am on ESPNU
Duke @ Northwestern (women's) 12pm on Big 10 Network

College Softball: Auburn @ Tennessee 1pm on ESPNU

Golf:

European PGA Tour 10am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open (Third Round) 12pm on Golf Channel & 2pm on NBC
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship (Third Round) 3:30pm on Golf Channel
Champions Tour: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic (Second Round) 8pm on Golf Channel (Same day tape)

High School Basketball:

Rise National Invitational: Teams TBA 11am on ESPN2 & 1pm on ESPN

Major League Baseball:

Chicago White Sox @ Cleveland 12pm on WGN
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Kansas City 12pm on FS Kansas City/FS Midwest*
Minnesota @ Toronto 12pm on FS North
Pittsburgh @ Chicago Cubs 12pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
San Diego @ St. Louis 3pm on Fox (Omaha & Rochester/Mason City markets will have Detroit @ NY Yankees)
Milwaukee @ Cincinnati 6pm on FS Wisconsin (check on-screen guide for channel number)
Boston @ Texas or Arizona @ Colorado 7pm on MLB Network

*Dish Network & Mediacom Subscribers should check their on-screen guide for channel number

NBA Basketball:

Minnesota @ Memphis 7pm on FS North
Toronto @ Chicago 7pm on WGN
Oklahoma City @ LA Clippers 9:30pm on NBATV

NBA D-League: Maine @ Erie 10pm on VERSUS (same day tape)

NHL Hockey: Buffalo @ Washington 6pm on NHL Network

Soccer:

English Premier League: West Ham United vs Manchester United 6:30am on ESPN2
English Premier League: Stoke City vs Chelsea 9am on Fox Soccer Channel
English Premier League: Aresnal vs Blackburn 11:30am on Fox Soccer Channel
Italian Serie A: AC Milan vs Inter Milan 1:30pm on Fox Soccer Channel
Women's Soccer: England vs United States 2pm on ESPN2

Disclaimer: All times are Central and outside of Iowa, blackouts are likely for regional MLB & NBA telecasts outside of Iowa.

ESPN kicks off it's coverage spring football

Not only does spring bring about the start of the Major League Baseball season and The Masters, Spring also means college football and spring games.

ESPN recently announced it's schedule of spring games and fourteen will be televised across the ESPN family of networks with the first game being the Texas Spring Game this Sunday.

In addition to televised spring games, ESPN's daily college football news show, College Football Live, returns on Monday, April 4.

A complete schedule of televised spring games can be found here: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/03/31/espn-kicks-off-spring-football-with-games-return-of-daily-college-football-live/

TV Schedule, Friday April 1

ATP Tennis: Sony Ericsson Open 12pm & 6pm on ESPN2

Arena Football: Jacksonville @ Tampa Bay 7pm on NFL Network

Boxing: Friday Night Fights 8pm on ESPN2

Boys High School Basketball:

Rise Invitational: Teams TBA 2:30pm on ESPN2
Rise Invitational: Teams TBA 4:30pm on ESPN2

Girls High School Basketball:

Rise Invitational: Teams TBA 10am on ESPNU
Rise Invitational: Teams TBA 12pm on ESPNU

College Gymnastics: Big 10 Championships 7pm on Big 10 Network

College Lacrosse: Maryland-Baltimore County @ Stony Brook 6pm on CBS College Sports

College Softball:

Bowling Green @ Michigan 1pm on Big 10 Network
Auburn @ Tennessee 7pm on ESPNU
Hawaii @ Fresno St. 9pm on ESPNU

Golf:

European PGA Tour 10am on Golf Channel
LPGA Tour: Kraft Nabisco Championship (Second Round) 11am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open (Second Round) 2pm on Golf Channel
Champions Tour: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic (First Round) 11:30pm on Golf Channel (same day tape)

MLB Baseball:

Houston @ Philadelphia 12pm on ESPN
Pittsburgh @ Chicago Cubs 1pm on WGN
Chicago White Sox @ Cleveland 2pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Boston @ Texas 3pm on ESPN
Minnesota @ Toronto 6pm on FS North
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Kansas City 7pm on FS Kansas City/FS Midwest*
Seattle @ Oakland or San Francisco @ LA Dodgers 9pm on MLB Network

*Mediacom & Dish Network subscribers should check their on-screen guide for channel number.

NASCAR:

Sprint Cup Series: Goody's 500 Practice 11:30am on Speed Channel
Camping World Series: Kroger 250 Final Practice 1pm on Speed Channel
Sprint Cup Series: Goody's 500 Final Practice 2:30pm on Speed Channel

NBA Basketball:

Chicago @ Detroit 6:30pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago+
Boston @ Atlanta 7pm on ESPN
LA Lakers @ Utah 9:30pm on ESPN

NHL Hockey:

Calgary @ St. Louis 7pm on FS Midwest
Chicago @ Columbus 6pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago

Soccer: FC Dallas @ Columbus 6:30pm on Fox Soccer Channel

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional MLB, NBA, & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

CBS Sports & Turner Sports announce their Final Four coverage

Not to be outdone by ESPN, CBS Sports & Turner Sports have announced their Final Four coverage. While CBS Sports coverage is not as intense of ESPN, it's still interesting to see what CBS Sports has planned, and here are the details of the Saturday coverage, which is courtesy of a press release from Turner Sports:

On Saturday, April 2 (2:00-3:00 PM, CT) “Infiniti NCAA Tip-Off” starts the day’s coverage on truTV. Leading in to the semi-final games, THE FINAL FOUR SHOW (3:00-5:00 PM, CT) on CBS with Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Seth Davis features tournament highlights, analysis of the four participating teams and interviews with coaches and players.

In addition to the basketball coverage, with full details can be found at the link below, what would a big sports event be by attempting to attract the casual or "non-fan" by trying to mix Hollywood Entertainment & sports and the Final Four is no exemption:

David Letterman Breaks down the Bracket with Bill Raftery -As anyone who filled out a bracket this tournament knows, there probably weren’t too many people who successfully chose the Final Four teams. David Letterman puts his unique spin on March Madness.

For a complete preview of Final Four coverage on CBS Sports & Turner Sports, I encourage you to visit this webpage: http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?instance_code=turner&article_id=5632

ESPN to feature an increase in Masters coverage

Today is MLB Opening Day, the Final Four is this weekend, and The Masters is right around corner with opening round play a week from today. Good news for Golf fans is that ESPN's coverage of The Masters is increasing across all of it's platforms (TV, radio, mobile, etc.)

According to a press release, ESPN will be increase it's Thursday & Friday coverage of The Masters by one hour each day with live coverage from 2-6:30pm (CT) with an encore presentation airing each night in prime time.

ESPN on Wednesday will also have coverage of The Masters Par 3 Contest and live reports on Sportscenter will begin from Augusta on Monday, April 4.

For more information on ESPN's coverage of The Masters, click here: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/03/31/espn%E2%80%99s-masters-coverage-expands-across-multimedia-platforms/

ESPN family of networks to provide extensive coverage of the Final Four

The ESPN family of networks recently released their broadcast schedule for the Final Four and as one would expect, ESPN has the big event covered like a blanket.

According to a press release, some of the highlights include:

• Daily SportsCenter and ESPNEWS reports Friday, April 1, to Monday, April 4, two day of game editions of College GameDay Driven by State Farm and a three-hour College Basketball SportsCenter Special;
• Extensive analysis, several special shows and a marathon of memorable regular-season games;
• Extensive content on ESPN.com, including commentary and analysis, live chats and ESPN.com’s SportsNation polls, plus content via ESPN Mobile Properties.
• Extensive daylong analysis, previews and interviews Saturday and Monday on ESPN Radio.

In addition, ESPNU will give fans an all-access pass with coverage of press conferences, as well as several ESPN analysts taking fans behind the scenes and show how coaches break down game film and how coaches develop game plan's and strategy.

For more information on all of the ESPN coverage of the Final Four, click here:  http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/03/30/finalfourhouston/ 

TV Schedule, Thursday March 31

ATP Tennis:  Sony Ericsson Open 12pm (live) & 10pm (same day tape) on ESPN2


College Basketball:   

NIT Championship:  Wichita St. vs Alabama 6pm on ESPN2
State Farm Insurance 3-point & dunk contest 8pm on ESPN2
CBI Championship:  Creighton @ Oregon 9pm (if necessary) on HDNET

Golf:

European PGA Tour 10am on Golf Channel
LPGA Tour:  Kraft Nabisco Championship (First Round) 11am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour:  Shell Houston Open (First Round) 2pm on Golf Channel

High School Basketball:

Rise Invitational:  John Carroll (MD) vs Montrose Christian (MD) 1pm on ESPNU
Rise Invitational:  Dwyer (FL) vs Findlay Prep (NV) 3pm on ESPNU
Rise Invitational:  Boys & Girls (NY) vs Winter Park (FL) 5pm on ESPNU
Rise Invitational:  Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs United Faith (NC) 7pm on ESPNU

MLB Baseball:


Detroit @ NY Yankees 12pm on ESPN
Milwaukee @ Cincinnati 1pm on FS Wisconsin
Los Angeles Angels of Aanaheim @ Kansas City 3pm on FS Kansas City/FS Midwest*
San Diego @ St. Louis 3pm on FS Midwest & ESPN (subject to blackout across Iowa on ESPN)
San Francisco @ LA Dodgers 7pm on ESPN

 *Mediacom subscribers should check on-screen guide for channel number.

NBA Basketball: 

Boston @ San Antonio 7pm on TNT
Dallas @ LA Lakers 9:30pm on TNT

NHL Hockey:

Columbus @ Washington 6pm on VERSUS
Edmonton @ Minnesota 7pm on FS North & Mediacom Channel 22

Disclaimer:  All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional MLB & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Mediacom to air 140 Royals games across Iowa

In what came as a surprise to this Royals Fan, Fox Sports Midwest today announced that all 140 games that will be televised by FS Kansas City will be seen across Iowa on Mediacom & Dish Network (Royals games are already available across Iowa on DirecTV).  In previous years, only between 40-50 Royals games were shown on Mediacom cable, Iowa's biggest cable provider.

According to a press release from FS Midwest, on Mediacom Cable, 26 Royals games will be televised on FS Midwest with the remaining schedule to be seen on alternate channels, including the Mediacom Connections Channel. Dish Network will televise the 140 game package on various alternate channels that vary from day to day and on DirecTV, all Royals games will be shown on channel 672.

Fox Sports Kansas City, a subchannel of Fox Sports Midwest, is scheduled to televise 140 games in 2011 with the majority of weekday and weekend games in September not being televised.

More information, including game telecast schedule can be found here:  http://www.foxsportskansascity.com/common/medialib/294/royals_iowa_schedule_03-30-11_web_version.pdf

Kansas City Royals radio information for Iowa

With less than 48 hours to go until opening day, the Royals have posted their 2011 Royals Radio Network affiliates on their website.  The following is a listing of Iowa radio stations that will carry the Royals in 2011 as well as out of state radio stations with signals that reach into Iowa:

KIFG-FM (95.3) Iowa Falls
KMA-AM (960) Sheandoah
KQWC-AM/FM (1570/95.7) Webster City
KFEQ-AM (680) St. Joe, MO
KCSP-AM (610) Kansas City
KNCY-AM/FM (1600/103.1/) Nebraska City, NE

Each game broadcast on the radio stations listed above are subject to local preemption due to coverage of local high school sports or other sports coverage. Due to FCC regulations, many AM radio stations have to reduce their power at sunset and because of this, radio coverage of the Royals on AM radio stations could be effected.

TV Schedule, Wednesday March 30

ATP Tennis:  Sony Ericsson Open 12pm & 6pm on ESPN2

High School Basketball:  

McDonald's Girl's All-American Game 6:30pm on ESPNU
McDonald's Boy's All-American Game 9pm on ESPN

College Basketball:

Women's NIT Semi-final:  Teams TBA 7pm on CBS College Sports

CBI Championship Series:  Creighton @ Oregon 9pm on HDNET


College Softball:  South Florida @ Florida 5pm on Fox College Sports Atlanticc

MLB Spring Training Baseball:

Florida @ NY Mets 11am on MLB Network
Minnesota @ Atlanta 11am on FS North
Boston @ Houston 7pm on MLB Network

NBA Basketball:

New Jersey @ New York 6:30pm on ESPN
Chicago @ Minnesota 7pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FS North, & Mediacom Channel 22


NHL Hockey:

NY Rangers @ Buffalo 6pm on VERSUS
St. Louis @ Detroit 6:30pm on FS Midwest

Disclaimer:  All times are Central and outside of Iowa, blackouts are likely for regional MLB, NBA, & NHL telecasts.

NCAA Tournament ratings update

The ratings are in and the ratings continue to be huge for CBS Sports and Turner Sports coverage of the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

According to a press release, since the start of the tournament two weeks ago tonight, nearly 100 million viewers have tuned in to watch all or part of the NCAA tournament, the highest number since the 2005 tournament and the total viewership is up 11% over last year.

The ratings for the tournament have been off the chart, with the higher ratings, in my opinion being that there have been more games than ever on TV.  Now for the big question, will the lack of marquee names in the first game of the national semi-finals Saturday (VCU vs Butler) keep fans away, or will the matchup between the two little guys keep the ratings uptick alive?

More information about the ratings to date can be found here:  http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?instance_code=turner&article_id=5629

ComcastSports Net Chicago gears up for Opening Week

Both the Chicago Cubs & White Sox open the 2011 MLB season this Friday and Comcast SportsNet Chicago ("CSN Chicago") will have wall-to-wall coverage.

According to a press release from CSN Chicago, the RSN will have all day coverage on Friday of the White Sox season opener, including a special one hour pre-game show at 1pm (CT) followed by first pitch.

This Saturday, CSN Chicago kicks off their broadcast schedule of Cubs baseball with a special one hour pre-game show beginning at 11am (CT) followed by first pitch.

More information can be found here: http://www.csnchicago.com/03/28/11/CSN--CSNChicagocom-to-deliver-comprehens/landing.html?blockID=492447&feedID=4321

TV Schedule, Tuesday March 29

ATP Tennis: Sony Ericson Open (Quarterfinals) 10am & 6pm on Tennis Channel

College Basketball:

NIT Semi-Finals:

Wichita St. vs Washington St. 6pm on ESPN2
Alabama vs Colorado 8pm on ESPN2

Women's NCAA Tournament:

UCONN vs Duke 6pm on ESPN
Baylor vs Texas A&M 8pm on ESPN

College Baseball:

Tennessee Tech @ Kentucky 3pm on Fox College Sports Atlantic
Florida @ Florida St. 6pm on Fox College Sports Atlantic

MLB Spring Training Baseball:

Detroit @ NY Yankees 12pm on ESPN
Minnesota @ Atlanta 6pm on MLB Network (subject to blackout across Iowa)
Seattle @ Colorado 10pm on MLB Network (same day tape)

NBA Basketball: Miami @ Cleveland 6pm on NBATV

NHL Hockey:

Chicago @ Boston 6:30pm on VERSUS
Minnesota @ St. Louis 7pm on FS Midwest & FS North

Soccer:
Ecuador vs Peru 11am on Fox Soccer Channel
Germany vs Australia 1:40pm on ESPN2
England vs Ghana 2pm on Fox Soccer Channel
United States vs Paraguay 7pm on Fox Soccer Channel

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NHl telecasts outside of Iowa.

Cable Channel FX is back in the college football business

FX is expected to announce later today that the basic cable network is getting back into the business of televising college football. According to published reports, look for a Saturday primetime package of games from Conference-USA, Big 12, and Pac 12 conferences.

As of right now, the Big 12's TV contract with Fox Sports doesn't allow for Big 12 games to be televised on FX, however, Fox Sports and the Big 12 is currently in talks for a new TV deal and the Big 12 is expected to allow for it's conference games to be televised on FX.

FX has been out of the sports business since 2006 after losing the Nationwide Series to ESPN.

TV Schedule, Monday March 28

ATP Tennis: Sony Ericsson Open 10am & 6pm on Tennis Channel

High School Basketball: Powerade Jamfest 6:30pm on ESPN2

College Basketball:

CBI Championship Series: Oregon @ Creighton 7pm on HDNET

Women's NCAA Tournament Regional Finals:

Notre Dame vs Tennessee 6pm on ESPN
Gonzaga vs Stanford 8pm on ESPN

MLB Spring Training Baseball:

Pittsburgh @ Minnesota 12pm on FS North & MLB Network (subject to blackout on MLB Network across Iowa)
Cincinnati @ Chicago White Sox 3pm on Comcast SportsNet Chciago & MLB Network (subject to blackout across Iowa on MLB Network)
Milwaukee @ Kansas City 3pm on FS Kansas City
Oakland @ San Francisco 9:30pm on MLB Network

NBA Basketball: Philadelphia @ Chicago 7pm on NBATV

NHL Hockey: Chicago @ Detroit 6:30pm on VERSUS

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional MLB telecasts outside of Iowa.

NCAA Tournament Ratings - Friday, March 25

No big surprise here, but the NCAA Tournament continued to put up big ratings for the regional semi-final games that were played on Friday, March 25.

According to a press release from Turner Sports, CBS Sports & Turner Sports coverage of the final day of regional semi-final play was viewed by over 11 million viewers, up 13% from the same round of play in 2010.

Overall, this is the most watched NCAA Tournament since 1994.

More information can be found here: http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=5621