Big East shopping for new TV deal - Game on (or no games on).

[whaler11]

How often are New Big East games going to be on ABC?

Pretty obviously that would depend on how good the teams are.

 

[CL82]

Im not up on all of this TV deal business like the rest of you. But if The Big East decides to go with an offer from NBC does that mean we will never see another BE game on ESPN? quote]

Yes.

Better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven.

If staying with ESPN means that we have to keep being that network's b*tches, then I am all for leaving. ESPN has been actively minimizing the league while we were partners with them well before this negotiation was looming. There is absolutely no reason to believe that this will change. Any suggestion to the contrary is analogous to the abused spouse who stays with her husband because she's sure "he'll change." He won't and neither will ESPN.

We either need to accept crappy timeslots, sub market money, and active disparagement by on air personnel and on the internet or we have to move. Not a difficult decision in my view.

 

[husky10]

I would take chances with NBC if it means BE will get coverage on their over the air network. ESPN won't be able to provide that. ESPN might be able to provide money but there is no way they can match it coverage wise.

Pretty obviously that would depend on how good the teams are.

Ok but while ESPN has tv content from several conferences NBC just has Notre Dame. Far more likely that NBC would show 1 BE football game on its over the air network per week than ESPN. I think westcoasthusky was implying that NBC can put BE games on over the air, espn wont. NBC can put all BE games on TV and none on the internet, espn wont. I cant honestly remember 2 teams that are going to be in the NBE being on ABC in the same day never mind matched up against each other.

 

[whaler11]

Ok but while ESPN has tv content from several conferences NBC just has Notre Dame. Far more likely that NBC would show 1 BE football game on its over the air network per week than ESPN. I think westcoasthusky was implying that NBC can put BE games on over the air, espn wont. NBC can put all BE games on TV and none on the internet, espn wont. I cant honestly remember 2 teams that are going to be in the NBE being on ABC in the same day never mind matched up against each other.

On October 20th 2012, 19 days ago - Louisville played USF on ABC.

Would you like to start over?

 

[husky10]

On October 20th 2012, 19 days ago - Louisville played USF on ABC.

Would you like to start over?

Regardless the point still stands that NBC can put many more games over the air than ESPN will and NBC and less games on the internet than ESPN. Edit: And less games during the week than ESPN does.

 

[husky10]

If you really can't understand how being higher up on the list of a network's priorities would mean they would cover us more than I think you owe your wife/mother some flowers for getting you dressed every morning.

 

[whaler11]

Regardless the point still stands that NBC can put many more games over the air than ESPN will and NBC and less games on the internet than ESPN. Edit: And less games during the week than ESPN does.

It doesn't stand. I have no idea what you mean by 'over the air'. If you are talking about actual over the air broadcasts they have the exact same capacity.

NBC has no more cable outlets than ESPN. There has never been a single Big East game worth televising that hasn't been on TV.

If you don't like being on ESPN3 - you may end up missing the option when the alternative is no broadcast at all.

 

[RS9999X]

On October 20th 2012, 19 days ago - Louisville played USF on ABC.

Would you like to start over?

ABC coverage map for USF and Louisville

 

[RS9999X]

"Significantly lacking a National Presence"

 

[whaler11]

ABC coverage map for USF and Louisville

Yeah if you put teams on the field worth watching they will be on. Do you guys really think NBC is going to carve out network time for what this league is putting on the field now every week?

I give up. If you think this is Field of Dreams knock yourselves out. Build it and they will come. I promise you this is not the case. You have to have something people want to watch before you get paid and get this hypothetical platform you think NBC might provide.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Yeah if you put teams on the field worth watching they will be on. Do you guys really think NBC is going to carve out network time for what this league is putting on the field now every week?

I give up. If you think this is Field of Dreams knock yourselves out. Build it and they will come. I promise you this is not the case. You have to have something people want to watch before you get paid and get this hypothetical platform you think NBC might provide.

when you say 'I give up', what does that mean?
Does it mean that you, a person with zero influence in what the BE does, will stop trying to convince a broader group with just as much influence into what the BE does as you do, from making a decision that we can not make.

Your tirade is getting old. Maybe you should give up.

 

[RS9999X]

The plus with NBC Sports is the programming is putrid right now.

NBC Sports Network Adds More 2012-13 College Basketball CoverageRead more at http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/11/08/nbc-sports-network-adds-more-2012-13-college-basketball-coverage-539213/20121108nbc05/#KJRtqK5jrMC2bwiM.99


NEW YORK - November 8, 2012 - NBC Sports Network has added the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic, two additional Atlantic 10 games and three new Colonial Athletic Association matchups to its 2012-13 telecast schedule, bringing its total to more than 60 college basketball games this season.

 

[UConnDan97]

Yeah if you put teams on the field worth watching they will be on. Do you guys really think NBC is going to carve out network time for what this league is putting on the field now every week?

I give up. If you think this is Field of Dreams knock yourselves out. Build it and they will come. I promise you this is not the case. You have to have something people want to watch before you get paid and get this hypothetical platform you think NBC might provide.

Wait a minute now. I wasn't going to chime in, but you hit Husky10 with an ABC game to try to drive home your point (you even asked him if he would like to "start over"), and now that RS9999X essentially hit you back with the coverage map of the game, you are going to talk about the quality of the teams???

Just admit it: the argument that Husky10 put forward (if I understood it properly) was that NBC may be able to offer better national exposure to the ESPN/ABC lineup currently offered to the Big East. Even though you seemed to "de-bunk" that argument, it seems that the argument still holds some water, right?

 

[RS9999X]

Wait a minute now. I wasn't going to chime in, but you hit Husky10 with an ABC game to try to drive home your point (you even asked him if he would like to "start over"), and now that RS9999X essentially hit you back with the coverage map of the game, you are going to talk about the quality of the teams???

Just admit it: the argument that Husky10 put forward (if I understood it properly) was that NBC may be able to offer better national exposure to the ESPN/ABC lineup currently offered to the Big East. Even though you seemed to "de-bunk" that argument, it seems that the argument still holds some water, right?

Right now there are 60 games and 4 tourneys getting better national coverage than the NBE in basketball through NBCSports. Of course when it's all said and done its money. SNY will get their share no matter who wins. NBCSports would be nice for UConn fans that's for sure.

I don't see how NBC passes with Comcast driving this merger bus and with many Comcast mouths to feed in the SportsNet networks and NBCSports.

 

[whaler11]

when you say 'I give up', what does that mean?
Does it mean that you, a person with zero influence in what the BE does, will stop trying to convince a broader group with just as much influence into what the BE does as you do, from making a decision that we can not make.

Your tirade is getting old. Maybe you should give up.

I give up arguing. There are benefits to leaving ESPN. Those who have wrapped themselves in NBC glory refuse go see the downside.

I am anti-NBC and still admit the advantages they provide and am impressed they got the Premier League.
When you are arguing that ESPN doesn't provide an ability to be over the air and doesn't provide enough televised options you are either clueless or being intentionally obtuse so what's the point.

 

[BlueMAB]

I think whaler is giving up on trying to explain to you guys that the Big East simply isn't worth what most of you think it is. It has nothing to do with making decisions, but managing expectations.

If the teams were good, and the games were compelling, ESPN would broadcast them, not bury them. But the teams aren't, and the games aren't. NBC sports currently has some MWC games, CAA games, and CFL games. That's what we're being relegated to. The big boys are on ESPN (ABC), Fox, and CBS. We're going to be broadcast partners with the MWC and CAA.

It's not like the other networks didn't know that the big east was going to be available. They just aren't interested. NBC is the only one interested because as bad as the conference is, it's a step up from the CAA. So we have that going for us, which is nice.

 

[whaler11]

Wait a minute now. I wasn't going to chime in, but you hit Husky10 with an ABC game to try to drive home your point (you even asked him if he would like to "start over"), and now that RS9999X essentially hit you back with the coverage map of the game, you are going to talk about the quality of the teams???

Just admit it: the argument that Husky10 put forward (if I understood it properly) was that NBC may be able to offer better national exposure to the ESPN/ABC lineup currently offered to the Big East. Even though you seemed to "de-bunk" that argument, it seems that the argument still holds some water, right?

Yes, if you think NBC is going to provide over the air coverage to dogshit games that is crazy.

NBC and ABC have the same ability to provide national coverage. That ABC doesn't distribute bad games nationally over the air doesn't speak to their capacity - it speaks to the quality of the game. You do realize that ABC and ESPN provide those games to almost everyone right? That coverage map only shows ABC - it gets mirrored on ESPN and ESPN2.

 

[whaler11]

I think whaler is giving up on trying to explain to you guys that the Big East simply isn't worth what most of you think it is. It has nothing to do with making decisions, but managing expectations.

If the teams were good, and the games were compelling, ESPN would broadcast them, not bury them. But the teams aren't, and the games aren't. NBC sports currently has some MWC games, CAA games, and CFL games. That's what we're being relegated to. The big boys are on ESPN (ABC), Fox, and CBS. We're going to be broadcast partners with the MWC and CAA.

It's not like the other networks didn't know that the big east was going to be available. They just aren't interested. NBC is the only one interested because as bad as the conference is, it's a step up from the CAA. So we have that going for us, which is nice.

They don't even bury them. UConn/Syracuse and UConn/Pitt are awful matchups - no one would watch them on Saturday on some mishmash of Comcast RSNs - they are going to be seen by a few million more than any NBC platform would afford. Unless you are demented enough to think NBC is putting games like that on nationally on Saturday afternoon.

 

[UConnDan97]

Yes, if you think NBC is going to provide over the air coverage to dog**** games that is crazy.

NBC and ABC have the same ability to provide national coverage. That ABC doesn't distribute bad games nationally over the air doesn't speak to their capacity - it speaks to the quality of the game. You do realize that ABC and ESPN provide those games to almost everyone right? That coverage map only shows ABC - it gets mirrored on ESPN and ESPN2.

Of course it doesn't speak to ABC's capacity!!! But as was alluded to previously by Husky10, it speaks to THEIR INVENTORY! This is not a hard concept to understand, really. ABC has other games that it can air in other regions of the map. NBC does not. That was the whole ideology behind bracketing national games around the Notre Dame game for NBC. And Louisville vs. USF is not a dog**** game, I don't care how you slice it. Louisville is a top10 team right now, and was certainly well ranked when ABC aired them in October. I'm sure that ABC aired some ACC games that could be classified as dog****, but this Big East game was not.

Am I arguing that NBC is going to pay us 20 million each and make us household names throughout America? No. I don't think anyone here is. But I will most certainly argue the fact that Big East football is still a good brand of football, and if we become NBC's only inventory, we will be on the main channel a hell of a lot more than we are now, no question about it...

 

[BlueMAB]

Wait a minute now. I wasn't going to chime in, but you hit Husky10 with an ABC game to try to drive home your point (you even asked him if he would like to "start over"), and now that RS9999X essentially hit you back with the coverage map of the game, you are going to talk about the quality of the teams???

Just admit it: the argument that Husky10 put forward (if I understood it properly) was that NBC may be able to offer better national exposure to the ESPN/ABC lineup currently offered to the Big East. Even though you seemed to "de-bunk" that argument, it seems that the argument still holds some water, right?

The quality of the teams is the reason the coverage map looks the way it looks. His point is he doesn't think NBC would put that game on NBC either. It would end up on NBCSN at best. I think NBCSN was broadcasting MLS playoff game at the time. Probably wouldn't bump MLS playoffs for big east regular season games.

His point makes sense. At least with ESPN there were 9 games available on ESPN3 at 3:30, including Rutgers, and the USF/Louisville game wherever it wasn't on ABC.

There are advantages to both, but thinking NBC is going to be a cash windfall and savior of the league is premature. We are as likely to have less access to UConn games due to the lack of internet option, and more teams joining the conference. All that content that people keep talking about is competition for UConn to get airtime. Hopefully SNY can make arrangements and we aren't stuck with no TV certain weeks.

 

[BlueMAB]

Of course it doesn't speak to ABC's capacity!!! But as was alluded to previously by Husky10, it speaks to THEIR INVENTORY! This is not a hard concept to understand, really. ABC has other games that it can air in other regions of the map. NBC does not. That was the whole ideology behind bracketing national games around the Notre Dame game for NBC. And Louisville vs. USF is not a dog**** game, I don't care how you slice it. Louisville is a top10 team right now, and was certainly well ranked when ABC aired them in October. I'm sure that ABC aired some ACC games that could be classified as dog****, but this Big East game was not.

Am I arguing that NBC is going to pay us 20 million each and make us household names throughout America? No. I don't think anyone here is. But I will most certainly argue the fact that Big East football is still a good brand of football, and if we become NBC's only inventory, we will be on the main channel a hell of a lot more than we are now, no question about it...

They have signed MLS which is late in the season and into the playoffs during the football season.

Haven't you been an active participant in discussing the growth of soccer in this country?

Ville/USF is a dogshit game, that's why it was only on in local markets and the northeast.

Notre Dame is going to be on NBC 7 times a year, there are only 5 weekly openings for 1-2 games a week. They aren't going to have tripleheaders every week. There will be 14 teams in the conference. If we aren't a ranked team, we are no more likely to be over the airwaves with NBC than with ABC.

 

[UConnDan97]

The quality of the teams is the reason the coverage map looks the way it looks. His point is he doesn't think NBC would put that game on NBC either. It would end up on NBCSN at best. I think NBCSN was broadcasting MLS playoff game at the time. Probably wouldn't bump MLS playoffs for big east regular season games.

His point makes sense. At least with ESPN there were 9 games available on ESPN3 at 3:30, including Rutgers, and the USF/Louisville game wherever it wasn't on ABC.

There are advantages to both, but thinking NBC is going to be a cash windfall and savior of the league is premature. We are as likely to have less access to UConn games due to the lack of internet option, and more teams joining the conference. All that content that people keep talking about is competition for UConn to get airtime. Hopefully SNY can make arrangements and we aren't stuck with no TV certain weeks.

1) I'm not arguing that NBC is going to be a cash windfall and savior (see my post above).

2) SNY is owned at least in part by Comcast/NBC, is it not?

3) I understand ESPN has more channels to air product, but they have a hell of a lot more product. The question becomes: does UConn do better by being on the main NBC channel, let's say, twice nationally during any given year and the rest of the year on SNY/other, or do they do better by never being on ABC and being on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU only during the week and SNY the rest of the year?

4) They would negotiate with MLS to change the start time of the playoff game to work accordingly with their football schedule. That is something that MLS wouldn't fight, since they want the strongest NBC possible to hopefully bring in "overflow" viewers, and NBC would want that to maximize their sports inventory.

 

[whaler11]

Of course it doesn't speak to ABC's capacity!!! But as was alluded to previously by Husky10, it speaks to THEIR INVENTORY! This is not a hard concept to understand, really. ABC has other games that it can air in other regions of the map. NBC does not. That was the whole ideology behind bracketing national games around the Notre Dame game for NBC. And Louisville vs. USF is not a dog**** game, I don't care how you slice it. Louisville is a top10 team right now, and was certainly well ranked when ABC aired them in October. I'm sure that ABC aired some ACC games that could be classified as dog****, but this Big East game was not.

Am I arguing that NBC is going to pay us 20 million each and make us household names throughout America? No. I don't think anyone here is. But I will most certainly argue the fact that Big East football is still a good brand of football, and if we become NBC's only inventory, we will be on the main channel a hell of a lot more than we are now, no question about it...

Dan love the passion but you are seeing the upside and ignoring the downside.

If NBC puts Big East games around Notre Dame I'll gladly admit I am wrong - I think that is a fantasy.

 

[UConnDan97]

Haven't you been an active participant in discussing the growth of soccer in this country?

Yes I have. See the above post...

 

[whaler11]

I'm watching a Sun Belt game right now on ESPNU. If this game was on a Comcast RSN on a Saturday no one would watch it.

If you aren't a Big East fan there are dozens of better games on Saturday - the reality for the Big East is if you want people to watch you can't go against the Big 12/Big 10/SEC.

 

[UConnDan97]

Dan love the passion but you are seeing the upside and ignoring the downside.

If NBC puts Big East games around Notre Dame I'll gladly admit I am wrong - I think that is a fantasy.

That may be a fantasy, but it is not a fantasy that I concocted:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/c...ne-games-national-tv-article-1.1127668?pgno=1''

"One of the network’s ideas may be to run a full day of Big East football, along with Notre Dame home games, from noon to midnight Saturdays on either NBC or its still-growing cable channel."

This was one of multiple write-ups speculating on that being a real possibility. Does this mean it will happen? Of course not. But why are you "poo-pooing" an idea for being fantasy when others are already speculating on it and how it makes sense?

 

[BlueMAB]

1) I'm not arguing that NBC is going to be a cash windfall and savior (see my post above).

2) SNY is owned at least in part by Comcast/NBC, is it not?

3) I understand ESPN has more channels to air product, but they have a hell of a lot more product. The question becomes: does UConn do better by being on the main NBC channel, let's say, twice nationally during any given year and the rest of the year on SNY/other, or do they do better by never being on ABC and being on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU only during the week and SNY the rest of the year?

4) They would negotiate with MLS to change the start time of the playoff game to work accordingly with their football schedule. That is something that MLS wouldn't fight, since they want the strongest NBC possible to hopefully bring in "overflow" viewers, and NBC would want that to maximize their sports inventory.

2) We should be able to see games on SNY yes. I don't think the rest of the conference has a deal with SNY, so that's not going to convince anyone other than Rutgers and UConn to sign a deal with NBC. SNY is an NY station. Bringing in SMU and SDSU doesn't help SNY at all, so I don't see why it makes the Big East more valuable.

3) You're making up the number of times UConn would be on the main NBC channel. Completely pulling that number out of your arse. We've been on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 when we've been good. When we suck we aren't. Why would this change by going with NBC? It won't. ND gets top billing 7 weeks a year. Then we're competing with 13 other teams depending on how many conference games are taking place. Not to mention we don't know if NBC would want to broadcast more than 1 game on NBC each day. Maybe they do, but there is no reason to assume they would if the games are dogshit.

4) You're making shit up as you go along. You don't know what they would do with those games head to head. Depends on what they get for ratings this year vs what they think they can get for football.

 

[BlueMAB]

Yes I have. See the above post...

So why pretend like they're going to bump MLS for the big east? it's an assumption based on nothing but a wild ass guess.

 

[whaler11]

That may be a fantasy, but it is not a fantasy that I concocted:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/c...ne-games-national-tv-article-1.1127668?pgno=1''

"One of the network’s ideas may be to run a full day of Big East football, along with Notre Dame home games, from noon to midnight Saturdays on either NBC or its still-growing cable channel."

This was one of multiple write-ups speculating on that being a real possibility. Does this mean it will happen? Of course not. But why are you "poo-pooing" an idea for being fantasy when others are already speculating on it and how it makes sense?

Yes I know. We all saw the stories.

NBC is not airing a NNBE game in primetime. The affiliates would burn 30 Rock to the ground if their Saturday night programming was SMU and Rutgers.

So that leaves noon - I'll believe NBC puts a NNBE game over the air at noon when they actually do it - call me Missouri I guess.

 

[whaler11]

I thought comcast had a big piece of SNY. They barely own any of it.