THE MEDIA : NFL OWNERS READY TO CASH IN; NETWORKS JOCKEY FOR NEW CONTRACT POSITION.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

There's a phenomenon that takes place in the National Football League every four years. And it has nothing to do with a franchise leaving the L.A. skyline in its rear-view mirror.

It's no wonder all the NFL owners have this Jack Nicholson smirk on their faces. It's about that time for the networks to show them the money.

TV's lease option on the league runs out after this season, so the networks have been working with the refinance officers to see if they can ``make something happen'' before another buyer immune to sticker shock comes in.

Between now and December, there will be more stories quoting ``sources close to both parties'' on the rights-fee negotiations than on Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford's marital negotiations.

In 1993, Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN and TNT kicked in more than $4.4 billion, which helped the league's destitute teams meet those darn salary-cap demands - and allowed Al Davis to finally pay cash for a new sequined jumpsuit.

Expect to see dollar figures tossed around this time that sound like someone trying to pay off the national debt.

The TV players need no introduction here, only introspection. How much are they willing to invest this time in televising a sport that, if it were a Wall Street commodity, would be best compared to Microsoft? There are 30 wannabes just waiting to find out not if they'll make a profit but how much it'll be this time, 'cause they're thinking of building a new stadium and need to know how much they'll have to spend on lobbying the local politicians.

Four years ago, when Fox broadsided the NFL TV committee and sent CBS flying through the windshield, it marked the death of the status quo. Rupert Murdoch showed up with his credit card and one form of ID - a monogrammed straight jacket - and had Paul Tagliabue scan the NFC in the check-out line before anyone could ask him ``paper or plastic?'' Murdoch must have chuckled as he bagged it himself.

If Murdoch seems preoccupied with finishing off the deal to add the Dodgers to his portfolio, he shows no clues of relinquishing the NFC rights to anyone.

NBC? There's a better chance of them adding O.J. Simpson's series, ``Frogman,'' to the fall lineup.

ABC? Monday nights are all its interested in, it says.

CBS? Now there's the $64 billion question.

The network's sports division is now run by Jim McKay's kid, Sean McManus, so a new mask won't hurt CBS' chances at crashing the party. Network execs, no more clued in than the chimp that co-starred with Kurt Russell in ``The Barefoot Executive,'' contend CBS may get a Thursday night package. But commissioner Tagliabue says he plans no rebuilding for this money-making machine that Pete Rozelle built.

The stunner of all stunners would be if CBS knocked Fox back out on the street.

``Hey, nothing was more surprising than when CBS lost football - no one saw that coming,'' said John Madden, who built his broadcasting career at CBS then came to Fox during the network close-out sale. ``Now, looking at this four years later, we know if someone doesn't step up, someone else will be ready to take it.''

But Fox isn't that crazy. Ask Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long, who've got more to lose if Fox drops out of the NFL.

``We'll definitely keep football,'' said Bradshaw, who sponged a weekday Fox talk show called ``Home Team'' that debuts Sept. 8 out of his NFL popularity.

Added Long, Bradshaw's pregame partner who has parlayed his Fox exposure into a movie career: ``I find it hard to believe Rupert Murdoch would allow the NFL to become a nonentity with Fox in some shape or form. If anything, he might expand.''

Hmmmm.

Meaning, would Fox buy both the NFC and AFC packages and freeze out everyone on NFL Sundays? Then wrestle ``Monday Night Football'' away from ABC?

Let's not get too nuts. Think more in terms of cable, where ESPN and TNT share the current Sunday night cable package. ESPN is controlled by Disney's Michael Eisner and TNT is run by Time Warner's Ted Turner. Why wouldn't Murdoch want to rattle their cages, even if they turn on him come time to approve the Dodgers' sale.

Maybe we should just quit speculating like everyone else, sit back, and watch the fireworks show begin.

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH . . .

One-on-One Sports, the syndicated radio talk shows piped into XTRA-AM (690) on overnights, has its own L.A. outlet and begins full-service Pablum. The group launches KXMG-AM (1540) in L.A. (formerly KZLA-AM) as well as WXLX-AM in New York both on Monday morning. It means One-on-One shows like those hosted by Papa Joe Chevalier (3 to 7 p.m.) and Arnie Spanier (7 to 11 p.m.) return as they once did when KWNK-AM (670) carried them. . . .

UCLA has happily approved Billy Ray Smith, the former San Diego Chargers linebacker, as its radio analyst for football. They also added Matt Stevens (UCLA quarterback from '83 to '86) as a sideline reporter and Mike Martinez (a Bruins' defensive lineman in the mid-'70s) on the pregame show. . . .

What station are the Bruins on? Depends on what 1150-AM calls itself these days. The former KIIS-AM that was billed as the XTRA sports L.A. (as opposed to XTRA sports 690 in San Diego) goes officially by KRTA now. The Jacob-owned station was also recently approved to increase the wattage to 50,000 by day (47,000 watts by night), and will piggyback on KTNQ's tower near Hacienda Heights. That'll not only strengthen Valley reception but up and down the coast as well for San Diego listeners who heard the Bruins on 690 the last few seasons. . . .

Fox dispatches Thom Brenneman and Dodgers hater Bob Brenly to cover Saturday's 1 p.m. sold-out Dodgers-Mariners game from Dodger Stadium. . . .

SOUND BYTES

WHAT SMOKES

Frank Gifford's no-kiss, no-tell policy. ABC set up a conference call with a group of TV writers Tuesday to allow questions to be lobbed at the ``Monday Night Football'' crew. The second question goes to Rudy Martzke of USA Today: ``Frank, so whazzup with you and the ex-stewardess?'' Hmmm, tough question, but it had to be asked, right? Gif replied with a sharp no comment. About 15 minutes later, we tried our Firestone-esque approach and got this response: ``I wish I could say (all the tabloid stories about his videotaped extra-marital affair) rolls off my back, but the way I've been putting up with it is by not getting questions about it. I really don't want to discuss that. The game, and my professional life is totally different from my personal life and I intend to keep it that way.'' Thank you, Mr. Gifford.

ESPN has picked former Indianapolis Colts LB Trev Alberts as college football analyst this season. We understand, however, that the move was immediately questioned by ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who called the choice ``terrible,'' citing the network's primary need for a reporter rather than another washed-up jock. An ESPN official reportedly responded: ``Who the hell is Mel Kiper Jr. anyway?''

WHAT CHOKES

Pat O'Brien, who put the hip in hypocrisy at CBS Sports, appears to be on the outs as a network sports guy. That may please some, but definitely not us. He's is going over to ``Access Hollywood'' to co-host with Giselle Fernandez starting Sept. 8, just as soon as his stint on late-night CBS coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament ends. We'll miss him most on the NCAA Tournament. Even on the late-night show during the '98 Winter Olympics from Japan. But O'Brien rolls on . . .

NFL plus NBC divided by DNA has become a winning formula for Marv Albert. He'll work three network games before taking some R&R to answer his S&M charges. The trial is set for Sept. 22, but Albert will prep for it by doing the San Diego-New England game Sunday, followed by New York Jets-Buffalo on Sept. 7 and New York Giants-Baltimore on Sept. 17. It's tough to give up doing something you love, and we understand Albert's affection for the NFL probably goes back to when players wore leather helmets.

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