Columnist Tim Graham: Fox aces ESPN on Angels, Ducks

TIM GRAHAMis a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter. His media column appears Wednesdays. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]

Anyone who attended an Anaheim Angels game at Edison Field this season couldn't help but see it.

An announcement loomed on the scoreboard. It lauded what was to come. ESPN West was on the horizon, coming this fall to a television near you.

The sign was taken down on Monday, and the idea of ESPN West was laid to rest.

The network was officially aborted when the Angels and Anaheim Mighty Ducks signed 10-year agreements with ESPN's regional rivals, Fox Sports West and Fox Sports West 2, respectively.

Considering ESPN, the Angels and the Ducks are sister entities under the Disney umbrella, the deals were a major victory for Fox Sports, which stood to lose both teams. ESPN West was supposed to nab the Angels in September and the Ducks a month later.

Fox Sports stared down Disney's barrel only to find the gun wasn't loaded.

"We view this announcement as a great day for Fox Sports West and Fox Sports West 2," spokesman Steve Webster said. "It solidifies two already strong networks. It completes the circle for our perfect world of covering Southern California sports."

According to an industry source, ESPN West fell through because of an unwillingness from cable operators to add the channel in light of ESPN's rate hike. ESPN is charging more to make up for its $4.8 billion NFL deal.

"We had some agreements with (digital satellite systems) and we were making good progress with traditional cable operators," ESPN spokesman Dave Nagle said. "But channel space is at a premium, and keeping the Angels and Ducks on Fox was better for a more immediate widespread distribution."

Based on these developments, Fox Sports officials are confident a deal can be reached with Prime Cable to add Fox Sports West 2 to its menu.

"There is a definite need for Fox Sports West 2 in Vegas," Webster said. "A lot of fans will love it. It has a ton of programming Vegas fans will want."

Webster noted the pending majority sale of Prime Cable to Cox Communications will cause a delay, but "once the sale is final we want to get a deal done quickly, so we can get Fox Sports West 2 on the system."

In addition to the Ducks, Fox Sports West 2 carries the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Clippers and UCLA and Southern Cal football and basketball.

Fox Sports West -- already seen on Prime Cable -- offers the Angels, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings.

"We feel now that Fox Sports West 2 is at least as strong as, if not stronger than, Fox Sports West," Webster said.

"There are seven pro teams in Southern California, and to have three networks for all of them would have been too confusing. Now all seven teams are on two channels.

"We're excited because this is what's best for the fans."

Seat the Greek

The Wild Wild West (formerly King 8) casino opened its sports book on Monday, and Seat Williams placed the first wager. The program director for KBAD 920-AM and KENO 1460-AM was given $100 from his bosses for the promotion, and he lost it all.

Williams put it all on the Houston Astros to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at minus-140. Arizona won 5-3.

Static

The Home Run Derby portion of ESPN's all-star baseball coverage scored a 7.7 rating, the second-highest non-NFL rating in the network's 19-year history. The 1985 Georgetown vs. St. John's basketball game recorded an 8.0 rating. ... Fox Sports wasted no time in announcing its 1999 NHL schedule. The Sunday afternoon slate starts Jan. 24 with the all-star game and runs for the last 11 weeks of the season. ... He refuses to discuss it, but UNLV assistant sports information director Andy Grossman briefly played shortstop for the California Angels' rookie-league team in Mesa, Ariz. ... The Western Athletic Conference already is cutting back in preparation for its dismantling after the next school year. The WAC is not expected to provide the media with coaches conference calls as it has always done before.

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