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GuyFawkes38
03-17-2009, 10:59 PM
Via the NYtimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/sports/ncaabasketball/17sandomir.html?_r=1):


The N.C.A.A. has a major decision to make within the next 12 months: stick with its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS to carry the men’s basketball tournament through 2013, or exercise an option to get out after next season.

Options like the N.C.A.A.’s exist to permit leagues or other sports organizations to capitalize on better financial markets than existed when a deal was signed.

But the economy is so weak that only the most optimistic forecaster can spot more than vague stirrings of a recovery by March 2010. If the N.C.A.A. opts out, then it will exchange the certainty of CBS’s fees in 2011, 2012 and 2013 — above the annual average $545 million — for the hope of a March Madness free-agent payoff. Tough choice.

A move to ESPN could be bad for teams outside the BCS conferences like X. CBS embraces the Cinderella story lines because they want to appeal to a mainstream audience (such an audience to advertise their summer TV lineup.)

In contrast, ESPN seeks the diehard basketball fan by promoting schools with large alumni bases.

If the NCAA Tourney moves to ESPN, they will have a powerful platform to persuade the NCAA to drop automatic bids for small conferences, shorten the season, place more emphasis on conference affiliation, etc....

Fred Garvin
03-17-2009, 11:35 PM
ESPN and ABC are Disney platforms. It is not like the ESPN ethos would be imprinted on all of Disney's coverage. They would have games on ABC; that's network coverage that stresses "broadcasting" over the "narrowcasting" of cable.

GuyFawkes38
03-18-2009, 01:17 AM
ESPN and ABC are Disney platforms. It is not like the ESPN ethos would be imprinted on all of Disney's coverage. They would have games on ABC; that's network coverage that stresses "broadcasting" over the "narrowcasting" of cable.

The big issue is promotion.

Via my favorite sports blog, awfulannoucning, here is a fox excec commenting on losing the BCS to ESPN earlier this year:


What was your reaction to losing the BCS?

I think it's something that the whole industry should be looking at. At some point, these leagues should be looking at what happens to their ratings when they go to ESPN. The fact that they're promoted on a sports channel that is dedicated to rabid sports fans is ultimately not the best thing, in my opinion, for the leagues. When you have a broadcaster promoting your sport, you're getting exposed to younger people, women. I think that's something that's good for your long-term health.

It could be sour grapes. But I think he has a valid point. I hope the NCAA takes a big picture view on the upcoming decision.

One of the most appealing aspects of March Madness is how the whole country gets swept into it (including women, children, etc...).

Fred Garvin
03-18-2009, 03:32 AM
awfulannouncing. Haven't been there in ages. Who won the Pammies?

BBC 08
03-18-2009, 07:18 AM
The one and only Pam Ward.

coasterville95
03-18-2009, 08:43 AM
Well, i'm glad that ESPN would keep some games on network affiliate ABC. As has been mentioned above, part of the special allure to March Madness is that everybody, even those who don't know a basketball from a football , gets invested in it. Often times quite literally in the form of short term high risk investments :) .

Already at work, I have been getting and dishing smack to people who have never mentioned basketball all season. Who knew a co-worker on my own team has a son at Wisconsin. Okay, now I need us to go to the Sweet 16 through Wisconsin just to stomp the latest that popped up from the Whac-A-Badger machine.

Back to the topic at hand. Yes, we know that ESPN is in love with the Big 6 conferences, yes I could see them trying to pressure the selection committee to come up with "Made for ESPN" games. I'm not so sure they would totally ignore the small time conferences, after all part of the allure of March Madness is no matter how bad your team did in the main season, practically every Div 1 team in the land has the power to be the national champion in their hands the day before conference tournaments start. WIthout that, would they world have ever known about Davidson, George Mason, Western Kentucky and the like.

I think a key is they have to keep the games accessible to all, not just the sports fan with ever sports channel known to man. Keeping some games on ABC is key to this goal, though I can't think of anybody with a halfway decent cable/satellite package that doesn't get at least the main ESPN channel. Keeping at least some games on ABC will keep the tournamnet main stream.

But think of this: Imagine, if you will, they have access to ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, Disney Channel. That is at least SEVEN channels they can broadcast first and second round games on, they could make darn near every tournament game televised nationally. Play the scheudle right they could still keep the NIT prominantly shown on ESPN networks as well. Move the second round of the NIT to Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue of Weekend 1.

The CBI and CIT need to die a quick painless quiet death.

That said - I think CBS ponies up the moeny to maintain one of the biggest events in sports. If I were CBS though I would make more use of CBS:SPorts for this, (the old CSTV), I mean sure only about 5% of us get it, but thats a whole B channel they could bring us twice as many games!

I do like they offer free online streaming just in case the game YOU want to watch isn't being shown in your viewing market. iPhone users can get the same deal for $4.99, but it only works if you are in a WiFi hotspot, if you are merely trying to watch the game over the 3G network, all they are promising is an audio broadcast.

Speaking of free online streaming, I went out to ncaa.com and got to the March Madness on Demand page but did not see where they were offering VIP passes for a shorter wait?

GoMuskies
03-18-2009, 08:56 AM
The NCAA Tournament is perfect. ESPN isn't going to buy it to screw it up.

XU05and07
03-18-2009, 09:02 AM
Would "One Shining Moment" go away then...CBS owns the rights

StanleyOwnsYou
03-18-2009, 09:23 AM
Coasterville, what is this iPhone deal you speak of? I am an iPhone user and was looking for any way to watch the games during the day on my phone. Any light you could shed on this would be much appreciated!!

coasterville95
03-18-2009, 09:34 AM
Here is the link to the App listng in the iTunes Music Store (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307864832&mt=8?cmpid=BracketSPOE_MMODApp_125x110)

Here is the description from CBS Sports (http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets?refcode=BG09_glb_nav):

Watch all 63 NCAA® March Madness® games LIVE on your iPhone or iPod touch via Wi-Fi. Full brackets, live scoreboards, and game highlights on demand.

As I mentioned above if you aren't on WiFi, you only get an audio stream over 3G or Edge. The App is $4.99 from the App Store on your phone, and is cleverly designed to delete itself on April 7. Which means when 2010 rolls around you will have to rebuy at the then prevailing rate. Clever, eh?

Yes, I am also an iPhone user, and yesterdays presentation was fascinating.

drudy23
03-18-2009, 10:11 AM
Why does everything have to be about corporate greed? I'm so sick of every facets of sweetness in America (baseball, NCAA tournament) has turned into a conversation I would have with the Board of Directors.

Even on talk radio...when do you ever hear just normal baseball skill talk anymore? It's always in the context of "Well, we could bring him here, but it would hurt the salary cap"....or "We should give him deferred money so we can..." or..."the luxury tax hit would be too steep to..."

Sports talk never used to be like this...it used to pure and fun and entertaining. It's a big greed fest now. I'm so sick of all this crap.

My one hope of this economic meltdown is that this country regresses 20-30 years in their thinking. It wasn't this way then.

Sorry for the rant.

XU 87
03-18-2009, 10:22 AM
What makes the NCAA tournament so great are the eary round games where the #14 and 15 seeds from small conferences beat or take to the wire Big 6 teams. I just don't ever see the NCAA doing away with the automatic bids. The tournament would never be the same.

MADXSTER
03-18-2009, 10:31 AM
Over the last several years there have already been fewer and fewer at large bids going to Non-BCS schools. It's already happening.

chico
03-18-2009, 10:55 AM
ESPN was the original network that broadcast the opening round games. They did a fantastic job - much better than CBS does now. They would routinely switch to games with fantastic endings so you could se it live. Their studio show was great. They reveled in the underdog upsets like when St. Joe's beat DePaul. It was where Dick Vitale said he would stand on his head in the studio if Austin Peay beat Illinois, which they did, and Vitale kept his bet.

That being said, it's a damn shame ESPN is a shell of its former self. However, I'm not so sure that they'd tailor it to the large conferences. Don;t forget that they also show all the minor conference tournaments, so there is incentive for them to get fans cheering for these teams.

D-West & PO-Z
03-18-2009, 10:57 AM
Here is the link to the App listng in the iTunes Music Store (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307864832&mt=8?cmpid=BracketSPOE_MMODApp_125x110)

Here is the description from CBS Sports (http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets?refcode=BG09_glb_nav):

Watch all 63 NCAA® March Madness® games LIVE on your iPhone or iPod touch via Wi-Fi. Full brackets, live scoreboards, and game highlights on demand.

As I mentioned above if you aren't on WiFi, you only get an audio stream over 3G or Edge. The App is $4.99 from the App Store on your phone, and is cleverly designed to delete itself on April 7. Which means when 2010 rolls around you will have to rebuy at the then prevailing rate. Clever, eh?

Yes, I am also an iPhone user, and yesterdays presentation was fascinating.

No way thats amazing! that makes my day. I have an itouch and didnt think i could watch

BBC 08
03-18-2009, 11:00 AM
Over the last several years there have already been fewer and fewer at large bids going to Non-BCS schools. It's already happening.

I think part of that has to do with the fact that Louisville, UC and Marquette are no longer in CUSA. There are atleats 2 non-BCS bids right there.

StanleyOwnsYou
03-18-2009, 12:00 PM
No way thats amazing! that makes my day. I have an itouch and didnt think i could watch


I too was extremly excited to hear this... now tommorow instead of Physiology and Finance class, I'll be watching Butler-LSU and some other great games

:D:D

coasterville95
03-18-2009, 12:14 PM
So whats the battery life of an iPhone/tTouch under the stress of streaming video over its WiFi connection, while having the backlight for the display on the whole time?

Also, how will the servers serving the iPhone community be able to stand up to milions of basketball junkies trying to watch sports all day.

Or perhaps the most important question, how will everybody's firewalls like this use of technology.

How will you contain your excitement over sick slam dunks, three's from the next county over, lead changing plays, and watching your favorite teams crush their opponents, the video feed freezing up while that buzzer beater trey is in the air halfway between shooter and basket?

StanleyOwnsYou
03-18-2009, 12:25 PM
My iPhone will usually last for about 30 hours if I'm using it at my normal rate. However, if Im watching basketball all day (12-4) i will probably have to charge it at some point later in the evening.

Apple and AT&T are usually pretty reliable when it comes to video feed on the web, but this is through an app so im not quite sure what to expect.

As far as "containing" my emotions during class...I probably wont have to worry about it with my 2 teachers. Ones a diehard Muskie fan and the other let us watrch the UC-Depaul game last week for all the UC fans in the class. I don't see her caring to much.

coasterville95
03-18-2009, 12:48 PM
Please tell me you were in that class when all the UC fans got to watch their team get their butts handed to them by DePaul. That HAD to be worth the price of admission.

Kahns Krazy
03-18-2009, 01:41 PM
So whats the battery life of an iPhone/tTouch under the stress of streaming video over its WiFi connection, while having the backlight for the display on the whole time?

Also, how will the servers serving the iPhone community be able to stand up to milions of basketball junkies trying to watch sports all day.

Or perhaps the most important question, how will everybody's firewalls like this use of technology.

How will you contain your excitement over sick slam dunks, three's from the next county over, lead changing plays, and watching your favorite teams crush their opponents, the video feed freezing up while that buzzer beater trey is in the air halfway between shooter and basket?

Waw waaaaaaaaaaawww


http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4174/downermh1.jpg

coasterville95
03-18-2009, 01:45 PM
Nice one Kahns!


Just trying to temper expectations, that is all.

The fun begins in just about 21 hours!

StanleyOwnsYou
03-18-2009, 02:07 PM
Please tell me you were in that class when all the UC fans got to watch their team get their butts handed to them by DePaul. That HAD to be worth the price of admission.

you would think so but true sad (and funny) part Is that they've fallen so far and so hard that it almost seems as if it doesn't bother them..,