Dick Ebersol has been president of NBC Sports for nearly a year. The change that makes him most proud is "NBC Sports Update."
"Update" is an attempt to cover sports like the news, focusing on the breaking stories each weekend."I think `Update' has really changed the scope of the game," Ebersol said. "I think it's a step ahead."
For now, NBC Sports has taken bits of money from other budgets to put together the show, which starts and ends the sports division's airtime on Saturdays and Sundays.
"We are looking for an advertiser, an AT&T or whatever, who will sponsor this," Ebersol said.
So far, the show has rotating hosts from the NBC Sports stable.
Right now, NBC is pushing its "Saturday Sports Showcase," which debuts April 7. The loss of major league baseball has left such a big hole in NBC Sports' spring schedule that 11 sports are needed to fill the gap.
The "Wide World of Sports"-type show will have boxing and basketball, diving and skating, and even some beach volleyball.
"What looked like big holes for NBC Sports a year ago all have been filled," Ebersol said.
There even will be a little baseball, too. On May 19, NBC will show the "Masters Baseball Classic" from Las Vegas, featuring players who retired since 1975. Why 1975?
"So we don't have a lot of broken-down bums," Ebersol said.
Included in the lineup will be Steve Carlton, Mark Fidrych, Rod Carew and Steve Garvey.
Ebersol said he believes the Saturday package will fall just short of baseball in the ratings. Last year, the "Game of the Week" got low 4's and high 3's. He also claimed the schedule is projected to make money.
On April 7, the schedule debuts with Jorge Paez defending his International Boxing Federation lightweight championship against Louis Espinoza. It's up against the Masters on CBS and horse racing from Santa Anita on ABC.
A week later, NBC will show the PGA Seniors Championship, with Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.
"I have a lot of faith in Nicklaus, Trevino and Palmer to carry the day," Ebersol said.
Then, on April 21, NBC will show for the first time on network TV the 1974 heavyweight championship between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, the fight from Zaire.
There will be PGA golf the following week and the "World Figure Skating Tour of Champions" the next, opposite the NBA on CBS and the Kentucky Derby on ABC.
On May 12, NBC will show the "Thrilla in Manila," the third and final fight between Ali and Joe Frazier.
In May comes tennis, with the French Open, which will be Jimmy Connors' debut as an NBC commentator. Chris Evert makes her debut in April and will team with Connors at the French and at Wimbledon in June and July.
Later in the summer there will be United States-Cuba baseball from Havana (with Bob Costas and Tony Kubek) and U.S.-Soviet basketball from Charlotte, N.C. Depending on the Goodwill Games, that could be the first meeting between the teams since the Soviets beat the U.S. team in the 1988 Olympics.
And for junk-sport aficionados, NBC will show the U.S. Beach Volleyball Championships on Sept. 1. It's not exactly the pennant race, but there will be people sliding head first.