News & Notes: Costas sidelined; Francesca Show Moves

• Bob Costas will sit out Tuesday's prime time coverage of the Winter Games.  Costas has been going through persistent discomfort due to pink since Saturday.  The noticeable ailment forced the host to wear glasses to start the games as his left eye looked red and swollen.  Yesterday the right eye begin experiencing discomfort, forcing NBC's Olympic producer Jim Bell to go with Today Show host Matt Lauer. Costas is expected back for tomorrow's broadcast, but they are prepared to go with Lauer for two nights.
  
• The musical chairs of syndicated radio continues, with Newsday's Neil Best reporting WFAN's Mike Francesca Show will move to FOX Sports 1.  No official announcement or time has been announced, but it is anticipated the show will debut on FS1 during March's NCAA Tournament.   Francesca's radio show was fixture on the YES Network, up until this year when ESPN Radio host and New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay took over the spot earlier this month.
  
• Comcast Philadelphia have announced that former Phillies Matt Stairs and Jaime Moyer have joined thier broadcast for the 2014 season.  Both will replace Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews who were let go by Comcast earlier this year.  The new analysts will join play by play man Tom McCarthy who will be returning for his 7th season.
  
• NBCSN announced they will launch NASCAR America starting Monday, February 24.  NASCAR Amrerica will be the networks daily 30 minute programs in anticipation to NBC's increasing coverage of auto racing in the next two years.  NBC and NBCSN take over Formula 1 racing for 2014 and will co-host NASCAR coverage with FOX Sports.  Rick Allen will host NBC's studio in Bristol, Ct, while Turner's Marty Snider and Kelly Stavist will host from Charlotte, NC.  It will debut the day after FOX's coverage of the Daytona 500.

Auto Racing Shake Up: F1 to NBC; FOX & NASCAR Extend

A pair of racing news that developed over the weekend.  Sports Business Daily broke the news Friday, that NBC Universal were to acquire rights of Formula One racing from FOX's Speed Network.  And sure enough NBC sent a release today announcing a new four year deal with a 20 race schedule. There will be 16 races are to air on NBC Sports Network with four nationally on NBC, including the final three of the season.

Not withstanding, FOX announced they have extended their rights to NASCAR coverage.  With two years left on their contract, FOX and NASCAR agreed to continue their partnership for an additional 8 years of the first half of the Sprint Cup season, including coverage of the Daytona 500.  Additionally FOX will be able to live stream races online and acquired digital rights.  The deal is worth 300 million for 8 years starting 2015.   It has been speculated that F1 moved to NBC after being low balled, with FOX overbidding for more extensive NASCAR coverage leaving little room for a competitive bid.

The loss of F1 racing all but assures the expected demise of Speed, as it appears it will eventually become News Corp's FOX Sports One network.  With FOX renewing rights with Major League Baseball, as well as their continued partnership with the NFL and expanded College Football coverage and now NASCAR, the network may get a leg up with programming from each with their goal to directly compete with ESPN.