Comcast Sportsnet

A new era in Philadelphia sports television began last night when the Comcast SportsNet went on. There was a glitch or two and a hint of nervousness, but the new 24-hour regional sports cable network started to define itself right away as the TV place to look for area sports. The mission for the network was made clear immediately in a half-hour documentary, The Making of Comcast SportsNet. The show also gave a peek at the on-camera talent, as well as those who work on the other side of the camera.

It could have been a real disaster at Comcast SportsNet last Thursday night. Hurricane Georges had washed out the centerpiece of the prime-time lineup - Curt Schilling's start against the Florida Marlins and a shot at 300 strikeouts for the season. Then, halfway through the 6:30 p.m. "SportsNite" newscast, a power surge blew out all the electricity on the studio set, leaving anchors Leslie Gudel and Neil Hartman completely in the dark. But no one freaked out on the SportsNet staff, and the gods of calm blessed them.

The 76ers on tape delay? No Penn-Princeton? Whatever happened to Big 5 games on TV? There are more questions in the post-PRISM/SportsChannel era in Philadelphia sports television than there are ex-Channel 3 employees working at Comcast SportsNet. What is CN8? Why don't we get that? Why isn't this on SportsNet, too? And now, the Phillies are bracing to be bumped off local television for a game or two. Or more? It is a dilemma waiting to happen in May if the 76ers make the NBA playoffs and the Flyers' ship somehow stays the course and crashes into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Comcast SportsNet shows "Countdown to Kickoff" segments daily from Eagles training camp, beginning on " Daily News Live" at 5 p.m. Reports, including player interviews and practice highlights, also air during "SportsNite" at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. On Sunday, CSN will begin a six-part series called "Meet the Eagles. " The show will air at 10:30 p.m. Quarterback Kevin Kolb will be featured on the first show. In addition to training camp coverage, CSN will replay three Eagles' preseason games: Sunday, Aug. 15 vs. Jacksonville (7 p.m.)

Jon Litner, who yesterday was named president of Comcast SportsNet, a collection of eight regional sports networks, claims loyalty to no particular team. And that is probably a wise diplomatic move for a guy who grew up in Boston, most recently ran SportsNet New York, the regional network of the New York Mets that is part of the Comcast SportsNet empire, and will soon move to Phillies, Sixers and Flyers country. Comcast SportsNet carries those games locally. "I'm a sports fan, so I have tremendous respect and admiration for what professional athletes can do on the big stage," Litner said.

With the Eagles on "Monday Night Football" and the Phillies still in the playoff hunt, Comcast SportsNet will have a busy night, beginning with an hourlong edition of "Daily News Live" at 5 p.m. Here is the rundown: 5 p.m. "Daily News Live," hosted by Neil Hartman, with panelists Dana Pennett O'Neil and John Smallwood. 6 p.m. "SportsNite" with Leslie Gudel and Phil Andrews 6:30 p.m. "Monday Night Live" with Michael Barkann and Ike Reese 7 p.m. "Pre-Game Live," with Neil Hartman and reports from Derrick Gunn at Lincoln Financial Field 8 p.m. Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals 10:45 p.m. "Phillies Post Game Live" with Ron Burke and Mitch Williams (show begins immediately after the Phillies game)

Comcast SportsNet's "Daily News Live" is hitting the road for the AT & T National. Beginning tomorrow and through Friday, the show will air from Aronimink Golf Course in Newtown Square at 5 p.m. daily, with host Michael Barkann, Daily News golf writer Mike Kern and members of the DN sports staff and special guests. Tomorrow, "DNL" will kick off several golf-related programs. Following "SportsNite" at 6 p.m., "TeeTime at the AT & T National" airs at 6:30 with host Neil Hartman.

The regional-news Emmys were handed out at the Philadelphia Marriott on Saturday night with far less fanfare than last night's prime-time Emmys in Hollywood. Star Jones wasn't waiting on the red carpet. In fact, the ceremony wasn't even televised locally. But Comcast SportsNet (with 10 awards) and CBS3 (with eight) were the night's big winners. NBC10 and WHTM in Harrisburg each took home six. Comcast SportsNet received recognition for its coverage of the Wing Bowl and of the shuttering of Veterans Stadium.

Philadelphia has a sports winner. Comcast SportsNet, the city's answer to ESPN, has moved to the top of the leaders' board in only its second full season. The 24-hour regional cable network, which reaches 2.7 million subscribers, has seen its ratings improve by 125 percent in the last year, based on a review of the February 1998 and February 1999 Nielsen ratings books. In February 1998, SportsNet had a rating of 0.8 during its Monday-through-Sunday prime-time programming.

Comcast-Spectacor announced a new regional network yesterday that will become the sole supplier of cable television sports in the Philadelphia area. Comcast-Spectacor, the sports-and-entertainment cable giant, made deals with Fox Sports Net and Prism/SportsChannel-Philadelphia to clear the way for the new network, Comcast SportsNet. Prism and SportsChannel-Philadelphia will go off the air on Sept. 30, and the 24-hour network will debut Oct. 1. The new network, which will feature Phillies, 76ers and Flyers games, will be available on standard cable.

The Phillies are back, with high hopes and a couple big question marks named Utley and Howard. The Flyers have made it into the National Hockey League playoffs, and the Sixers are fighting to secure a postseason slot. Another Philadelphia April is halfway gone. If you're a sports fan and a cable subscriber, you could have caught much of this winter and spring's action on Comcast SportsNet, which carries a majority of this city's baseball, hockey and basketball games. But you still can't watch most of your local teams' games on Dish Network or DirecTV — unlike almost everywhere else in the country.

It was called Philadelphia Regional In-Home Sports & Movies, and it was ahead of its time. The Phillies started televising their games on Prism in 1977, long before regional cable sports networks funded massive spending sprees in baseball - as in this postseason. The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have spent lavishly on free agents because of TV contracts that total approximately $4.6 billion. In Philadelphia, the Phillies have made good money dating back to Prism, the original joint-venture operation with Comcast SportsNet, and subsequent rights deal.

It was called Philadelphia Regional In-Home Sports & Movies, and it was ahead of its time. The Phillies started televising their games on Prism in 1977, long before regional cable sports networks funded massive spending sprees in baseball - as in this postseason. The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have spent lavishly on free agents because of TV contracts that total approximately $4.6 billion. In Philadelphia, the Phillies have made good money dating back to Prism, the original joint-venture operation with Comcast SportsNet, and subsequent rights deal.

Evan Turner was named Wednesday to play in the Rising Stars Challenge game, which replaces the old rookies-vs.-sophomores game during all-star weekend later this month in Orlando, Fla. Turner did not play in last year's game even though he was the No. 2 pick in the draft. He is playing much better in his second season, making it much easier for the assistant coaches who select the 18 players to add the Sixer to the game. "The format will be fun. I just want to make sure that we win," Turner said.

PHILLIES GENERAL manager Ruben Amaro Jr. denied he ever had a deal in place with closer Ryan Madson, calling numerous reports of a 4-year, $44 million deal awaiting president David Montgomery's OK "unequivocally false" in a sit-down interview with official broadcast partner Comcast SportsNet yesterday. While he did not rule out moving beyond the club's 3-year maximum guideline, Amaro echoed what the team's website said on Wednesday, saying the Phillies are continuing to consider multiple options to fill a void at the back of the bullpen.

The Phillies had the best local television ratings in Major League Baseball this season, according to Sports Business Journal. Their 9.1 rating on Comcast SportsNet bested the St. Louis Cardinals' numbers (9.0) on Fox Sports Midwest. The Phillies' ratings rose 11 percent, the ninth consecutive year that they have increased. Over that time period, ratings have jumped 176 percent. An average of 276,000 homes watched each Phillies game, second only to the Yankees (319,000)

AS SPORTS TEAMS GO, the Eagles are known to reporters as being the organization that complains the most about coverage and threatens to block access, or otherwise intimidate press outlets. The newest example of this could be the team's most brazen and apparently sucessful campaign of intimidation thus far. Sources say that the Eagles front office approached Comcast SportsNet and said that the team didn't want John Gonzalez covering the team in any fashion. Gonzalez, who left the Inquirer for CSNPhilly.com over the summer, hasn't said a word about the team on the website, or posted about the Eagles on Twitter, where his musings have included football games such as Temple/Penn State coverage.

What: International club friendly Who: Everton FC vs. Union When: Tonight, 7:30 Where: PPL Park, Chester TV: Comcast SportsNet For kicks: U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, also Everton's No. 1, will not be in attendance; it's expected that backup Jan Mucha will be his replacement . . . Everton has been training at the Eagles' NovaCare complex this week and held an open practice session at PPL Park yesterday ....

Who: Phillies (19-13) vs. Houston (11-22) When: 1:05 p.m. Where: Bright House Field, Clearwater, Fla. TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet On the mound: Phillies' RHP Nate Bump vs. Astros' RHP Bud Norris Note: Final exhibition game in Clearwater. The Phillies will play two exhibition games against the Pirates in Philadelphia.

Who: Sixers (34-33) at Los Angeles Clippers (26-42) When: 10:30 Where: Staples Center TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet/WIP (610-AM)