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A story posted on an ESPN platform back in 2016 attempted to round up information that accurately portrayed the importance of a Spanish-language broadcast as it related to Lakers’ fans in Southern California.
Julio Manteiga, an associate director of media monitoring and Latin America communications for the NBA, said at the time the Hispanic fan attendance for Lakers games was 42 percent; the 2015 U.S. Census showed that the Hispanic population of Los Angeles County was 48.4 percent.
Today, Los Angeles has listed 4.6 million Hispanics and Latinos, or nine percent of the entire U.S. population, and47 percent of the city’s population.
However you want to slice it, the launch of an all-Spanish language sports regional network in 2012 seemed worthy of having. Hispanic outreach has always been important to the team.
Then thing change. Perhaps demographics, habits, desires on where to watch …
You open a restaurant, serve authentic fare, and hope it resonates.
The decision to drop Spectrum Deportes as of Aug. 15, per our story here,  is disappointing on many levels. Some who work there express remorse in not having the channel sufficiently publicized. Viewers had complaints about how difficult it could be to find on the TV menu. As for live events, other than the Lakers and MLS Galaxy, there wasn’t much to look forward to on a nightly basis.
That, and the fact Spectrum is trying to launch a 24/7 English-language all-news service, much like Spectrum News NY1 in New York City, makes Deportes expendable, if you go with the research.
The Lakers have had no comment yet. Team chief operating officer Tim Harris is out of the office and would be best to address it.
Also more on this from our new GameTakes app podcast.

Item 2:

If Alex Faust could become the successor to Bob Miller, would it really jeopardize his career if he pondered some flattering news that Alex Trebek endorses him as possibly the next host of “Jeopardy!” should a retirement decision come into play soon?
To our credit, we did ask that in the form of a question. But we really don’t question it.
To the credit of the 29-year-old Faust, who became the Kings’ TV play-by-play man on Fox Sports West starting with the 2017-18 season after Miller’s retirement, responded on Twitter after a TMZ interview with Trebek became public that he has been impressed with Faust’s work:

And then the Kings responded:

Faust does have a degree from Northeastern University in political science and economics, and was a data analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers,  if that helps on the resume. Continue reading “Media notes version 08.02.18: On Spectrum Deportes’ departure, Alex Faust perhaps jeopardizing his career, Steve Levy at 25, and the ESPN Ocho revival” →

The Spanish word is known as “duende.”
“It’s the moment a piece of art connects to your soul, with emotion or a response,” says S. Preston. “There’s no English word for it. But it’s fun to see it happen.”
His baseball minimalist artwork, available at his Anaheim studio as well as his website — www.sprestondesigns.com — is where things happen.
We have a profile of S. Preston at the Los Angeles Times, and in it, some loyal customers talk about what his art has meant to them.
Here are some others:
Kari Steele, a USC graduate in Phoenix working as local ABC digital sports reporter, said the art “evokes a nostalgic response for baseball fans like myself. … I love his work so much I want to decorate my future kids’ rooms with it.”
Julie Alexandria, a former Fox Sports regional network reporter for the Mets, Nationals and Padres — see the video below — said buying the Angels’ Big A halo piece as a gift for her brother seemed to give him an edge in the girlfriend vetting process.
“He put it up on the wall in his apartment and he said he knew if a girl came over and pointed it out – realizing it was the Big A and not just some red mountain peak – then she was a true fan,” Alexandria said.
In Southern California, pieces focused on Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium are complimented by ones on the L.A. Coliseum and Rose Bowl, which are included in NFL and college football stadium series. He also has an Ebbets Field drawing from his 30 “heritage” ballparks collection.
While S. Preston rarely draws characters, he did so for nearby Fullerton resident Tommy Lasorda, recreating the incident some 30 years ago where the former Dodgers’ manager walloped the Phillie Phanatic mascot in Philadelphia. Lasorda was so impressed to get the original as a gift, he signed 20 copies of it that continue to sell at the gallery.
“I think he appreciated the fact that I drew him pretty thin,” said S. Preston.
A tribute to retired Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully with an old-style microphone on field of blue is also a popular 14×20 print.
His most popular piece lately? He capitalized on the Washington Capitals’ championship, showing a Stanley Cup reflecting in the water off the Washington Monument.
That’s duende.

When you have guests come from out of town and they ask about going to Venice Beach, or walk up and down Hollywood Blvd., or hang out the Santa Monica pier … that’s all nice and (sometimes) good. But a true SoCal experience happens this weekend. The second half of the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing finishes at the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, all week long, with the finals on Sunday. Sure, there could be a little rowdiness, but … don’t be turned off by the few knuckleheads out there. They extend the whole party with skateboarding and BMX bike competition. The World Surf League’s best are there. The Surfing Walk of Fame induction happens Thursday. More info:  vansusopenofsurfing.com
If the OC is too far away, stick to the South Bay. The International Surf Festival returns Wednesday through Sunday on the beaches of Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo and Torrance, with classic events like the Charlie Saikley 6-man/6-woman volleyball tournament, the international bodysurfing championships, the two-mile beach run, the pier-to-pier swim and paddleboard championships, the dory races and more lifeguard race events. More info: www.surffestival.org

############ Continue reading “07.30.18: Five things you should plan for the week ahead based on unscientific evidence of guaranteed importance” →

The Los Angeles Times has our Q&A with Bob Costas heading into the Baseball Hall of Fame to pick up the Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting resume on the sport for TV.
Brian Kenny, Greg Amsinger, Fran Charles, Sean Casey, Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons are the main brigade for the MLB Network covering the induction ceremonies Sunday, with a pregame show at 8 a.m. and the ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m.
The 8 a.m. show will include Costas’ acceptance speech, as well as the words from the J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Sheldon Ocker, who has covered the Cleveland Indians for 33 seasons for the Akron Beacon-Journal until 2013.
If the MLB Net wanted to, it could include Angels broadcasters Mark Gubicza and Jose Mota in its telecast — they’ve made the trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., to support the induction of former Angel Vlad Guerrero. As a result, Sunday’s Fox Sports West coverage of the Angels-Mariners game from Angel Stadium will have Victor Rojas joined by Dontrelle Willis, who is usually on the MLB on Fox studio show, in the booth. Former Angels infielder Adam Kennedy will be with Patrick O’Neal on-set for the pre- and post-game shows.

Item 2:

In the TV media world, one coach leaving to do what he feels he does best can open a door for another coach who feels he needs to keep his brand alive.
That, in essence, is the Chip Kelly-for-Jim Mora deal with UCLA and ESPN.
Mora, fired by the Bruins on his 56th birthday right after their loss to USC last November, left him with about $12 million in a buyout.
About a week later, UCLA hired Kelly, 53, to a five-year deal worth more than $23 million. To take it, Kelly had to leave his way-station job as a studio analyst at ESPN. He hadn’t coached since 2016, and that was a couple stops in the NFL after he left Oregon.
Why it then took ESPN nearly eight months before nailing down Mora as the replacement for Kelly isn’t clear – Mora apparently couldn’t find another suitable coaching job right away – but the announcement this week that Mora has landed on the Bristol, Conn., studio seems rather symmetrically suitable for all involved. Continue reading “Media notes version 07.26.18: On Costas in Cooperstown, more Mora on TV, an AVP delay, LeBron’s HBO clips … we’ve been having fun all summer long” →

This post was updated at 11 AM, July 23:

Yes, the NFL is back this week.
The Rams and Chargers open their training camps — the Rams on Thursday at UC Irvine, and the Chargers on Saturday in Costa Mesa.
They don’t play their first exhibition games until April.
Now let’s move on …
In this exercise, we will pass over this summer ritual. Too many other things that are worth reminding you about, including … Continue reading “07.23.18: Five things you should plan for the week ahead based on unscientific evidence of guaranteed importance” →