Prime Moves Keep Gretzky and Kings on Cable Systems

Even though the Kings have Wayne Gretzky, the hockey team still won’t be on commercial television next season. They’ll remain on cable television’s Prime Ticket.

There are, basically, two reasons for this.

One is that, anticipating the trade, Prime Ticket earlier reached an agreement with the Kings to televise 60 regular-season games, 23 more than last season.

The other is that Bill Daniels, who now owns 85% of Prime Ticket, and Jerry Buss, who owns the other 15%, have agreed to help King owner Bruce McNall pay the $15 million he owes the Edmonton Oilers for Gretzky. They will do this by paying a higher rights fee.

Tony Acone, president of Prime Ticket, was quoted by the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman as saying: “We absolutely had a hand in contributing financially. That’s accurate, but I can’t tell you how much.”

Acone has since said: “We did not put up any money, but we have made serious commitments to support the action, at the request of the owner.”

One thing for sure. The arrival of Gretzky increases the value of Prime Ticket.

The Kings haven’t been on commercial television since the 1984-85 season, when Channel 9 carried selected road games. And although Channel 9 General Manager Chuck Velona would love to have them back, that’s not going to happen.

On the Prime Ticket schedule next season will be 27 home games and 33 road games. Eight of the televised games will be against Gretzky’s former team.

Other National Hockey League games may also appear on Prime Ticket. SportsChannel America, by outbidding ESPN in June, acquired the league’s national package.

Which outlet will carry the SportsChannel package in Los Angeles has yet to be determined. The package will include about 50 regular-season games plus playoff games.

Besides Prime Ticket, Z Channel is also a logical outlet for the package, but Sports- Channel has not presented a proposal to either.

Who broke the Gretzky story? On the Channel 5 news Monday night, Keith Olbermann reported that the deal was done and an announcement was forthcoming within the week, and it turned out he was right on.

However, a little earlier, a wire service report, citing a story in a Montreal paper, had the same information.

“That story did not come across my wire until 2 a.m.,” Olbermann said. “I had my own sources for the story.”

Channel 2’s Gil Stratton said he broke the story Friday night, and Bob Stevens, a reporter-producer for KFI radio, said the story broke on his station’s new sports-talk show Monday night at 7.

Actually, rumors of a possible Gretzky trade to Los Angeles started coming out of Canada early last week.

The rumors were not confirmed until this past Tuesday morning. But Olbermann felt confident enough of his sources to go with the story Monday night.

ABC is televising the final two rounds of the PGA Championship this weekend. The good news: If there is a playoff, it will be sudden death.

When ABC televised the U.S. Open in June, the British Open in July and the U.S. Senior Open last weekend, each had an 18-hole playoff on the Monday after regulation play.

Channel 7 carried the U.S. Open playoff live but, saying to heck with golf fans, showed the playoff coverage of the British Open and the Senior Open after midnight.

How far is Channel 7 out of step? Consider: Only 6 of 206 ABC stations did not show the British Open playoff at the prescribed time, and only 10 of 171 didn’t show the Senior Open at the prescribed time.

Then there is the ABC affiliate in Macon, Ga. It was the only ABC station of 216 that didn’t carry the U.S. Open playoff live.

Add golf: ESPN will show the second round of the PGA today in two 2-hour segments, beginning at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. PDT. And ABC offers a half-hour highlight show tonight at 11:30.

ABC’s weekend coverage will run four hours both Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. And it will be live.

Jim McKay, who usually anchors ABC’s major golf tournaments, is cutting back and won’t work the PGA. So, Jack Whitaker will be the anchorman this weekend, with Dave Marr providing commentary.

It’s the first major golf tournament Whitaker has anchored for ABC. He switched from CBS to ABC in 1982.

ABC’s on-course reporters at the PGA will be Bob Rosburg, Ed Sneed, Jerry Pate and Judy Rankin. Also, if possible, Jack Nicklaus will appear on the telecast.

ABC has announced the format for its college football scoreboard shows this fall, and, as expected, Jim Hill, a co-host last season, will not be involved. Al Trautwig will be the sole host. Also, there will be no more pregame scoreboard shows.

About reports that he is unhappy with his treatment by ABC, Hill said: “I can’t complain too much. In this business, we’re all lucky just to have the jobs we do.”

TV-Radio Notes

At least the first four Monday night pro football games this season on ABC will start at 5 p.m., PDT, instead of 6. That may be a break for viewers in the East but not for those in the West. One of the games that will start earlier will be the Raiders at Denver Sept. 26. . . . Another early start: USC’s football opener at Boston College on Thursday, Sept. 1, will be televised by ESPN at 4:30 p.m.

The Raiders’ exhibition game against Dallas at the Coliseum Saturday afternoon will be televised that night at 11:30 on Channel 7 and repeated Sunday night at 11:35. . . . Highlights of the Rams’ Saturday night game against San Diego will be shown on Channel 2 at 11:30. However, the Rams’ exhibition rematch with the Chargers Aug. 26 at San Diego will be televised live and in its entirety at 8 p.m. . . . A one-hour Ram special, “Promise and the Challenge,” will be on Channel 2 Sunday at 1 p.m.

CBS will televise the Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears live from Goteborg, Sweden, Sunday at 10 a.m., with Verne Lundquist and Terry Bradshaw reporting. . . . CBS will televise the Raiders and Washington Redskins from the Coliseum a week from Saturday night at 7, with Lundquist and John Madden, but it probably will be blacked out locally.

A new show, “Pro Football Sportsbar,” makes its debut on Channel 56 Saturday night at 8:30. Channel 56 newcomer Mike Radford is the host, with Brittney Ryan doing features and interviews and George Allen offering predictions and insights. . . . Mike Tyson’s trainer, Kevin Rooney, has been hired as a boxing commentator by the Madison Square Garden network. . . . Pat O’Brien takes a unique look at sports in Australia on the 3:30 “CBS Sports Saturday” show this weekend.

Magic Johnson has agreed to serve as a presenter at the Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheater Sept. 7. . . . Reader Richard Bergman of Camarillo offers his favorite Skip Caray line. Writes Bergman: “After announcing Magic had a triple double, Skip said, ‘I could sure go for a triple double right now.’ ”

The women’s portion of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials was shown on same-day delay last weekend by ABC, but coverage of the men’s portion won’t be shown until Aug. 20.