Fight over fight footage: ESPN cuts of WUSA when station refuses request for tape.(Washington, DC, TV station WUSA, fight between Washington Redskins football players at practice)(Brief Article)

ESPN cuts off WUSA when station refuses request for tape

ESPN found itself in a bind last week when WUSA(TV) Washington would not grant it rights to air WUSA'S exclusive footage of Washington Redskins wide receiver Michael Westbrook punching running back Stephen Davis on the sidelines during practice.

WUSA was the only station to tape the fight. After it ran the footage on its 6 p.m. news, the CBS affiliate was swamped with requests for the tape. It gave the material to CBS and CNN, with which it has licensing contracts, but not to any other stations, including channels 4, 5 and 7 in Washington.

"We are not releasing the footage to ESPN simply …