|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Ebersol: XFL 'not promising' Ratings freefall may cause NBC to pull plug
Updated: Tuesday March 27, 2001 12:27 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- NBC Sports president Dick Ebersol is considering pulling the plug on the XFL if ratings don't improve during the new football league's playoffs games next month, The Washington Post reported. "We all want to see it work," Ebersol said Sunday at The Players Championship golf tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., for the interview published in Monday's editions. "The evidence through 75 percent of the regular season is not promising," Ebersol said. "We have a two-year commitment ... but it's going to have to show a marked swing in the ratings in the postseason for it to have a real shot beyond this year, just from an advertising standpoint." Overnight ratings from Saturday night's Las Vegas-Los Angeles XFL game on NBC drew a 2.1 rating, the same overnight as a week ago. The national number, released last Thursday, was a 1.6, the lowest-rated show in prime-time history. This week's national number also is expected to drop from the overnight rating. "A decision on whether to go or not go would be made no later than the end of April," Ebersol said. The XFL, an offshoot of the World Wrestling Federation, has a two-year agreement with NBC that also included the broadcast company spending $100 million during the first two seasons. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is the lead analyst for the broadcasts.
| ||||||||||||||||
