Viewers Will Get Their Version of Selection Day

The selection committee will make its decisions Sunday in setting the field for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Then DirecTV subscribers will have a decision to make before the tournament begins in full on Thursday: Pay $59 to watch the games CBS is not televising in their areas, or watch those games free on the Internet, via ncaasports.com/mmod.

Seems as though it’s an easy decision, since something free almost always wins out.

But, no surprise, Eric Shanks, DirecTV’s executive vice president, believes the pay route is the way to go.

“The experience and the quality on the Internet just won’t be the same as DirecTV,” he said.

Also, because of anticipated heavy traffic on the Internet, games might not be readily available. In those cases, viewers will be put in virtual waiting rooms with indicators telling them where they are in line.

Shanks said advance sales of DirecTV’s “Mega March Madness” package didn’t appear to have been affected by the free Internet video streaming, adding, however, that he hoped the free delivery was only a one-year experiment by CBS.

Last year, the Internet package cost $19.95.

Shanks concedes that for just checking out a game while at work, the Internet may be best, but he says Internet viewing is not good for watching a full game.

Also, he points out, DirecTV is pulling out the heavy-duty technology, much as it did with its “NFL Sunday Ticket” pay package last season.

There will be a “Game Mix” channel showing three games at a time for all DirecTV subscribers, who, with new interactive receivers, can call up any of those games without having to go to another channel.

Those subscribers will have scores and statistics available to them and will have their own customized on-screen brackets that will keep them up to date on how they are doing.

“We’re offering enough so that you don’t even have to turn on your computer,” Shanks said.

One other thing: Every game will be broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio.

USC May Move Down the Dial

USC flagship station 1540 had an exclusive negotiating period with the school that ended Feb. 28, which means the Trojans may be changing stations.

Jose Eskenazi, USC associate athlete director, said 1540 is still in the running, but other possibilities are 570, 710 or 1070.

Slightly more than two weeks ago, Paul Allen said his Sporting News Radio network, which includes 1540, was for sale. And 1540 recently laid off update reporters Evan Makovsky and John Jeffries.

Roger Nadel, 1540’s general manager, said he still hoped to get a deal done with USC.

Key Figure Is Missing

Because of the dispute over the rights to his name, John Wooden says he will not attend this year’s presentation of the Los Angeles Athletic Club’s John R. Wooden Award on April 8.

But CBS has decided to televise the presentation anyway, for a fourth consecutive year. Mike Solum, the director of the award, said the telecast was being made possible through a sponsorship deal with TIAA-CREF, a national financial services organization.