Abc Lets Pins Drop: Bowling, Schenkel Make Final Appearance
The TV listing looks plain enough: the PBA St. Clair Classic from Fairview Heights, Ill.
Just another stop on the Professional Bowlers Tour? Hardly. Saturday’s match will be the final one on ABC after 36 years, and also may bring to a close the sportscasting career of one of the quiet giants of the industry, Chris Schenkel.
“I’m sorry it’s going off the air because we had so many highlights,” said Schenkel during a conference call this week in which he could be heard choking back his emotions.
ABC fought the good fight with bowling for many years but could no longer go to battle with bowling’s aging demographics, which made it a tough sell with advertisers.
Schenkel, 73, who has called more than 600 college and pro football games, including the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants, may be the unintended victim of this decision.
Schenkel’s workload for ABC had been reduced to just bowling, and with its elimination from the network’s schedule, his presence there would seem to be superfluous.
There are industry rumors that CBS has expressed an interest in picking up bowling on a time-buy basis. Considering the ABC roots of both CBS Sports president Sean McManus and his NBC counterpart Dick Ebersol, Schenkel, who said he has no interest in retiring, said he would call both men to gauge their interest in having him aboard.
ABC plans a tribute to both its bowling coverage and Schenkel during the 90-minute telecast.
Olbermann leaving ESPN
Keith Olbermann’s days are numbered at ESPN.
The anchor, who last month was temporarily ordered off the “SportsCenter” show, is leaving the cable network for good at the end of the month, mainly because he wants to live in New York City.
Olbermann, 38, who brought a witty and sarcastic edge to the “SportsCenter” during his 5-1/2-year stay with the network, will make his final appearance June 29, his agent and ESPN officials said Wednesday.
His departure, which will come six months before his contract expires, was described by both sides as regrettable but amicable.
One of the key issues that could not be resolved after months of negotiations was Olbermann’s desire to live in New York, which is a good 2-hour drive from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol.
“We talked about several ways to get Keith to New York,” said Jean Sage, his agent. “We tried to work out something that would be on a part-time basis so he could stay (at ESPN). We were not able to put together that deal.”
ESPN officials said they understand Olbermann’s desire to live in a larger metropolitan area, considering he is single and does not drive.
Fox Sports and Court TV are among those said to be interested in hiring Olbermann.
Fox Sports acknowledged Wednesday it had talked with Olbermann, but his desire to live in New York cannot be met, since the station does not have studios in the city.
“We’re out of it,” said Fox spokesman Vince Wladika.
Sage did not rule out Court TV, noting Olbermann is a good friend of network producer, Eric Sorenson.