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SportsPipe

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 This is our daily e-letter (Mon.-Thurs.) providing breaking news and information on the business of distributing sports programming and information through various electronic conduits or 'pipes', e.g. TV broadcasts, cable, Internet, broadband, satellite, interactive TV, HDTV, and sports content to wireless devices.

ESPN USING 'PLAYER MICROPHONE' ON 'SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL' TELECASTS

ESPN has placed a microphone on a player during a regular season baseball games four times this season during its "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Nextel" telecasts. The network, which first used "Player Mic" on Oakland catcher Ramon Hernandez during its April 7 Oakland at Seattle telecast, also used the technology during three other games.

For the April 7 game, ESPN also used taped audio segments as part of its "Sunday Night Sounds" to bring viewers closer to the action.

On April 28, for the first time, live audio from a microphone worn by a player was used during a regular season game, from the time the ball was pitched until it reached the catcher's glove or made contact with the bat.

Los Angeles centerfielder Dave Roberts and Seattle shortstop Carlos Guillen also have worn "Player Mic" during games and their comments were featured in taped segments.

ESPN's "Player Mic," approximately one-inch by one-inch, weights less than one ounce and is velcroed to the player's uniform or catcher's chest protector. A thin one-inch wire serves as the antenna, with no battery pack with audio cables required.

ESPN worked in conjunction with Major League Baseball, the Players Association and CP Communications and Quantum5x the R&D company which invented the technology, to secure the use of "Player Microphone."

Since the start of the 2002 season, ESPN has miked one player during batting practice prior to its "Sunday Night Baseball" telecasts. Taped audio has been used during the Sunday at 7 p.m. "Baseball Tonight." Cleveland's Matt Lawton, Seattle's Mike Cameron and San Diego's Ryan Klesko have participated.

ESPN continues to use the Emmy Award-winning "K Zone," Dead Center and many other innovations it has pioneered since 1990 for its "Sunday Night Baseball" franchise.