9:30 pm is TOO LATE

[Bama fan]

ESPN is at it again. They figure UConn can win the ratings, plus adding in the top West coast team Stanford.

The fact of the matter is if you are 60+ its too late.

If you are 60+ it's too late? Too late for what? You must be more specific. There are just so many things that it could be!

 

[Atleast5char]

Yes, I'm a little on the other side of 60 and am a night owl. What I think is that 9:30 PM is possibly too late for the players.

I just realized it will be 8:30 for them, not that bad.

You must not know any college students. On weekends none of them are in bed before 3 AM.

Are they playing in national semi-final games?

 

[Atleast5char]

It will probably be the same time for both teams though.

True, and good point.

 

[ucbart]

Edited: South Carolina is the #1 seed so they get the earlier time, just like UConn played the early games in the early rounds.

Not everyone is against UConn Can we please stop looking for conspiracies?

Not only that, but it'll be 8:30 in the time zone they'll be playing in.

 

[Waquoit]

Please, I'm 60+ and regularly start my night at 10 PM. Don't generalize.

Exactly. It's always wrong to generalize.

 

[CMC'72]

ESPN is at it again. They figure UConn can win the ratings, plus adding in the top West coast team Stanford.

The fact of the matter is if you are 60+ its too late.

And CT is too cold.
If you are 70+. like me, move to California, like me, and see the game at 6:30.
Works for all years.

 

[cullaville]

I don't like the late starts because I don't think they have been very kind to us. Geno has said something about the team having to sit around extra longer than normal.

Doesn't the opponent have to wait around also?

 

[cullaville]

It does matter. Why was Liv missing layup after layup last year's semi-final, and Edwards too even though she had a great tournament up to that point? It's not because they can't make layups. It's because they were taking those shots at around 11:00 pm when their natural body clocks were telling them it was time to go to sleep. Do you think they miss all those shots at 4:00 in the afternoon?

Look, I'm not trying to turn this into a "we're doomed" thread. I just wish that they would be consistent in giving the overall number one seed the early game each and every year. And consider moving the semi-final games to earlier time shots, even though it would negatively affect the ratings to some degree.

Doesn't the opponent paly at the same time?

 

[cullaville]

It does matter. Geno has said so himself. The staff tries to mitigate this by shifting the players' days by having them go to bed and wake up a little later, have meals a little later, basically just shifting their entire day a couple of hours later. Not sure how effective that all is, but at least the staff tries to do something about it. Geno says he doesn't like having the team sit around all day and evening waiting to go. I get the feeling if the team had its way they'd have an afternoon start, like a 2 or 3 PM tip.

Ask Geno if the opponent is playing at a different time

 

[Waquoit]

And CT is too cold.
If you are 70+. like me, move to California, like me, and see the game at 6:30.
Works for all years.

I remember liking Monday Night Football being on during Happy Hour when I was out there.

 

[eebmg]

Stanford fans should be allowed to see their team lose.

 

[psconn]

ESPN is at it again. They figure UConn can win the ratings, plus adding in the top West coast team Stanford.

The fact of the matter is if you are 60+ its too late.

Hey ESPN... GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

 

[HCCForever]

I remember liking Monday Night Football being on during Happy Hour when I was out there.

Back in the 90s, I visited my UConn roommate who served in the Air Force at March AFB. We went on a bus trip with another UConn dormmate to see the Rams play the Giants in Annaheim which was a 1PM start out there. It was nice watching the early games which must have begun around 10AM there while tailgating. That was enjoyable.

Naturally, the Giants fans started some fights with the LA Fans. The Giants fans had their weight lifting gloves on and were ready to rumble. The LA fans retort was get a sun tan.

 

[eebmg]

ESPN is at it again. They figure UConn can win the ratings, plus adding in the top West coast team Stanford.

The fact of the matter is if you are 60+ its too late.

Don't tell Geno.

 

[eebmg]

If you're 60+, record the game. Then, watch it at 3:00 a.m when that midterm insomnia makes its regular appearance. It's great to be able to zip through the commercials and watch an entire game in about an hour. Then, enjoy a glass of Metamucil and go back to sleep for a few hours.

Seriously, I hate that networks schedule college basketball games in 2 hour blocks. The second game almost never starts on time, much less a tournament game. In fact, we'll be lucky if the game against Stanford starts before 9:45.

You can also plan a nap during SC / LOUISVILLE. Game will be defense dominated. I predict both teams below 60

 

[ConnMotors]

Get a bottle of wine put in a frozen pizza and enjoy the game.

 

[OldSchooler]

I'm an East Coaster, but I don't think the whole country revolves around our TV viewers. The doubleheader on Friday will be at 6 and 8:30 pm local time (CDT), which is very convenient for the spectators in attendance. Furthermore, SC, being the #1 overall seed, gets to be seen at 7 pm EDT by their back-home fans, and Stanford as the #2 ranked team overall, gets to play at 6:30 pm PDT for their back-home fans. The other two teams (Louisville and UConn) should just feel fortunate that they're playing in a national semifinal game, and I don't think they really give a damn about their starting times. UConn (and probably the other teams as well) are already in Minnesota, so everybody will have a chance to set their body clocks for their respective starts on Friday. So what's the big deal?

 

[Kat]

Let’s give Ed a break here. A little kvetching in the comments is par for the course. Blame the game time on UConn vs Stanford being considered the marquee match of the day. Louisville/SC kicks off here at 4, when people are still at work or school because it is not the draw that is the defending champs against the legendary program in NCAA Women’s Basketball.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Doesn't the opponent paly at the same time?

Yes but given that Arizona is in the Pacific time zone, the natural body clocks of their players last year were three hours earlier that our players. To your point, It isn't as much of an issue when two teams from the same time zone play the late game. That wasn't the case last year and it won't be the case this year.

 

[dabears17]

Yes but given that Arizona is in the Pacific time zone, the natural body clocks of their players last year were three hours earlier that our players. It isn't as much of an issue when two east coast teams play.

Except the entire 2021 tournament was held in San Antonio, so both teams had spent 2 weeks in the same time zone.

 

[cancontent]

Yes but given that Arizona is in the Pacific time zone, the natural body clocks of their players last year were three hours earlier that our players. It isn't as much of an issue when two east coast teams play.

I don't get the point here. The tournament was in Texas last year which is an hour behind EST. And by the time these teams played against each other, these teams were in Texas for at least 3 weeks. How does the body clock come into play at this point?

Except the entire 2021 tournament was held in San Antonio, so both teams had spent 3 weeks in the same time zone.

Just beat me to this point.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Except the entire 2021 tournament was held in San Antonio, so both teams had spent 2 weeks in the same time zone.

Not this year! In any event, I don't think my point is that UConn is the only team affected. My point was that the overall number one seed should always have the early game per proper seeding protocols. Instead, ESPN has been scheduling who plays when for the semi-final every year.

Now this year, the overall number one seed does have the early game. But that still leaves the fact that when an east coast team plays in the late game, the start time is really too late for optimal performance by the athletes. And that can be exacerbated in years like this one when they have to go up against a team that is from points further west.

 

[ballerfan]

Because I’m in Europe, the game starts at 3:30 a.m. I definitely want to watch it live. I thought about trying to get a few hours sleep and waking up at 3:15, but I might just stay up, watch the game, and then go to bed. I don’t work on Saturday.

As for the players, I don’t know if the late game is a problem. At an elite level, even small changes can make a difference, but I have confidence that UConn will be ready.

 

[Husky25]

I swear it was less than 36 hours ago when many UConn fans basically telling NCSt fans to S__U about their conspiracy theories...

ESPN is doing what it has been doing for 40+ years in going after certain demographics. It might be cruel, but it's not a conspiracy. 60 year olds are 11+ years out from since mattering. The game might too late for a significant portion of UConn's target demographic (i.e. prepubescent/adolescent girls).

Back to the marginalized...there are numerous of solutions for this particular problem.

1. The aforementioned nap.
2. Subscribe to ESPN+ and watch over the course of the night, when one is sure to need to get up for "potty-breaks" and can't fall back to sleep.
3. Set a DVR, proceed as directed above.
4. Method 2 or 3 and watch first thing in the morning.
5. Whatever the connection to the school, one could consider following another Women's basketball program. Say...a program that has not won 11 National Championships over the last 27 years or gone to 14 straight Final Fours?

 

[GoUconn7961]

One of the (many) benefits of living in San Diego. Game time is 6:30. Right after dinner and a fine time for drinking!

Jealous. I've been there multiple times for trade shows and it's a wonderful place. I'd move, but moving again feels too overwhelming for me, and no job out there..

 

[GoUconn7961]

It does matter. Geno has said so himself. The staff tries to mitigate this by shifting the players' days by having them go to bed and wake up a little later, have meals a little later, basically just shifting their entire day a couple of hours later. Not sure how effective that all is, but at least the staff tries to do something about it. Geno says he doesn't like having the team sit around all day and evening waiting to go. I get the feeling if the team had its way they'd have an afternoon start, like a 2 or 3 PM tip.

If they played Saturday/Monday like the men do they most likely would have early afternoon games. They could get both games in during the day and then have the men play at night. On Monday the women could play at 7 pm since the men never seem to tip before 9:30

 

[BostonCanuck]

If they played Saturday/Monday like the men do they most likely would have early afternoon games. They could get both games in during the day and then have the men play at night. On Monday the women could play at 7 pm since the men never seem to tip before 9:30

The women actually did play on the Saturday and Monday at one point, last done in 2016 I believe. I don't remember off hand when the game times were on the Saturday, but it would be interesting to know.

Not sure why they went back to Friday and Sunday, but it probably involves coordination with the men's Final Four game days.

 

[dabears17]

The women actually did play on the Saturday and Monday at one point, last done in 2016 I believe. I don't remember off hand when the game times were on the Saturday, but it would be interesting to know.

Not sure why they went back to Friday and Sunday, but it probably involves coordination with the men's Final Four game times.

I went to the Final Four in 2016. It was Sunday/Tuesday.

ESPN 2016 NCAA Women’s Final Four Fact Sheet – April 3 & 5

Beth Mowins makes her television debut at the Women’s Final Four as the play-by-play announcer, and is joined by analyst Doris Burke and reporter Holly Rowe

espnpressroom.com

 

[uconn1999]

I’m with the OP, minus conspiracy theories, that 9:30 ET is a ridiculous start time. What are the odds it will even tip off on time?

There’s this little league called the NFL, it took a while but they figured out that a 9pm kickoff for MNF was losing eyeballs, moved to 8:15
Kickoff time for SB LVI?, 6pm.
They only managed 110M viewers.

You wonder why they’re so popular? They put their games at reasonable times and cultivate new fans that aren’t sleeping.

MLB take note, your never ending WS games that start after 8, just might with an earlier start reverse those declining ratings.

All good here though in DFW, the site of the 2023 Final 4

 

[Longtime fan]

ESPN is at it again. They figure UConn can win the ratings, plus adding in the top West coast team Stanford.

The fact of the matter is if you are 60+ its too late.

I moved to California to avoid that dilemma. But there is tape. I usually can't watch the game live anyway, because I get too nervous.