Coach Mulkey criticizes ESPN, and talks UConn

[Woof 101]

Disrespect? no absolutely not. I think maybe I didn't express my opinion the best way. I think she was just hyping it all up. she wants to be on record having beaten "the best of the best" and so on. I do think there is mutual respect between the two programs but Kim is a showgirl (I don't mean the Vegas type) she wants a big show for her bears to upset the huskies. Idk just how I took those comments she made

Great comment here, your only problem is back tracking by saying Kim is a showgirl and then saying not the Vegas type. The latter perfectly describes her costumes and stiletto heels on the side lines as a basketball coach.

 

[UConner]

I understand Mulkey's point, but she's also misinformed when it comes to SC vs. OSU. I can't speak for Baylor vs. UCLA... not sure why ESPN didn't at least pick that game up for ESPN3..

ESPN didn't have the rights to broadcast the SC v. OSU game. The only way they could've was if the Big Ten Network surrendered their Tier 1 rights to ESPN allowing them to broadcast that game..... and why would they do that when they could potentially make money off of that game... the Big Ten Network had Tier 1 rights because that game was being played at Ohio State. The SEC Network (ESPN) would've had those rights (and they did, last year) if the game were being played at South Carolina.

So the Big Ten Network played it smart.... they didn't even make the game available for broadcast.. instead, they offered the game to be livestreamed digitally through their premium streaming channel, knowing that most SC fans don't have the Big Ten Network (why would they?) and in order for them to watch their beloved WBB team they would have to purchase either a $9.95 or $14.95 monthly pass just for that one game. Really smart by them.

So this really isn't ESPN's fault at all. Blame every athletic conference in America having a TV Network and dissecting the market a thousand times over. Again, Mulkey's frustrations are valid... ESPN does play favorites at time.. but in this case, her anger is misguided.

For a further example of this... last year's SC v. OSU game was broadcasted via the SECN+ digital channel... but even if you had ESPN you could watch via ESPN3/WatchESPN.... that's because the SECNetwork is 50% owned by ESPN.. meaning they had Tier 1 rights to offer that game to all of their customers.

And as far as I am aware.. ESPN did pick up the Baylor vs. UCONN game... ESPN has a partnership with SNY to broadcast UCONN games on ESPN3 in areas that don't have SNY.. so maybe she's mad that the game won't be on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU... but the game will be on a ESPN service.. ESPN3 to be exact.

Thanks for the insight. Great post

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Not to argue--but this argumentative--I've moaned for years about the lack of "spreading the news" about Women's College Basketball. In each college town, with a very good team, I talk them up loudly mostly to young women. Few have any idea of what I speak. Columbia SC last year--not one woman I spoke to knew USC had a top team or any Wbb team.
ESPN's object is to make money--if a WCBB team makes money for them--I hardly think they'd exclude them.
Women--young women--need to broadcast the news. Us old male 's don't make a dent.

To make any womens sports catch on with the public--apparently it must start in the grass roots.
How do you propose to fix it/?

Even though USC has led the country in attendance the last 2 years, it's not because of student attendance. I went to WBB games throughout college and in the %$$#$^ years since then, but then my mom raised me to be a feminist so I've always been a big supporter of women's sports. I think it's a shame that college women don't give better support to women's athletics.

 

[Florida Fan]

When B

Knowing Mulkey, I think it was truly out of respect. She is a competitor and is very good at giving credit to other teams where it is due. Notice she said "and will be the champions until someone knocks 'em off." I think she meant that UCONN is the best team until another program proves that they can beat UCONN when it counts. And isn't that what everyone on the board has always said?

What is she supposed to say? "UCONN lost the big three so they don't worry me too much"? She gave the answer that every coach should give, which is to say that UCONN has the type of program where players get better and better every time they get on the court.

I think she has some valid points but I also see the point of posters who say that ESPN is not looking at Baylor more because Baylor has not provided much incentive to have been on national TV the last couple of years. I hope Baylor and UCONN get to play again next year in Waco and I hope the game will get national exposure.

I suspect that getting out of the Elite Eight would help grow Baylor basketball more that more nationally televised games will.

In 2013, a loaded Baylor team was cruising toward an uncontested 40-0 season. Then Louisville pulled off the upset of all upsets, and it was funk time in Waco. Some people blamed the refs, others the coach. This year may be their best team ever, so if Baylor beats Uconn it certainly won't be the miracle heard round the world. The Huskies are vulnerable at a level fans haven't witnessed in a decade so Mulkey should tone down the rhetoric. Geno has taken the pressure from his young team, telling the country that his work in progress will be severely tested, perhaps losing a bunch of games before the kids find their rhythm. But they sure scrapped last night.

 

[Alydar]

ESPN picks the games it wants to show. It's contract is for showing X number of UConn games. So maybe they figured that games in Dec will be a better attraction. My guess is that they were picking one of the two game UConn plays this week and wanted to show the game in which their "streak" ends. I could almost hear the disappointment in one of the announcer's voices as the last shot hit the front iron.

 

[Plebe]

In 2013, a loaded Baylor team was cruising toward an uncontested 40-0 season. Then Louisville pulled off the upset of all upsets, and it was funk time in Waco. Some people blamed the refs, others the coach. This year may be their best team ever, so if Baylor beats Uconn it certainly won't be the miracle heard round the world. The Huskies are vulnerable at a level fans haven't witnessed in a decade so Mulkey should tone down the rhetoric. Geno has taken the pressure from his young team, telling the country that his work in progress will be severely tested, perhaps losing a bunch of games before the kids find their rhythm. But they sure scrapped last night.

Minor correction: The 2012-13 Baylor team also lost an early nonconference game against Stanford, and finished the season 34-2.

 

[donalddoowop]

Y'know, Jordy, there's no reason that UConn can't choose to go big. If Geno started Butler (6'5), Irwin (6'2), Collier (6'1), Lou (6'3), and probably Nurse to run the point, the team would be tall enough. Against FSU, Coach must have believed that he could run the 'Noles into the ground. Fact is, the Huskies did NOT "adjust quickly" at all. They rarely visited the area under the basket during the entire game. Passes to the interior were disrupted by FSU and resulted in (yipes!) 17 turnovers. Collier scored largely on put-backs of missed shots. Gabby effectively took herself out of the game, and how she'll fare against the Big Bad Bears is
questionable. Geno typically likes to use a core of players in every game, especially late in the season. But there's no reason not to experiment at this point IMHO.

I don't know what game you were watching but Collier did not score mostly on put-backs of missed shots. She scored on jump shots, lay-ups free throws.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Even though USC has led the country in attendance the last 2 years, it's not because of student attendance. I went to WBB games throughout college and in the %$$#$^ years since then, but then my mom raised me to be a feminist so I've always been a big supporter of women's sports. I think it's a shame that college women don't give better support to women's athletics.

You are right of course. My mom, nor did I with my girls, did not raise me as a feminist (i'm a guy)--her message was equality---she was intelligent and my model for women.
The media is not responsible for broadcasting Women sports--they ARE responsible to not inhibit it.
Geno is loud, brash, he is both loved and hated--he goes far and wide to do anything to spread the word of Womens College Basketball--the whole business of MEDIA knows Geno Auriemma and Uconn BB. Thats great for the game.

 

[huskeynut]

At least 50% of rebounding is: Position+boxing out. Uconn did not do this so well(especially in the first half) at FS.

Not only position (reading the shot) and boxing out, but desire.

As to Baylor pounding it inside, pressure the Baylor guards and disrupt their flow. Make it real difficult to make an entrance pass. Stay in the passing lanes. Baylor's height can be neutralized to a big degree.

Geno knows this stuff.

 

[CajunHusky]

As several people mentioned, this all seems to licensing issues.

Almost all the games I watch I now use WatchESPN. WatchESPN has agreements with most sports channels like SNY, Big 10, SEC etc to make available their programming on ESPN3 as long as the user subscribes to that sports channel with broadcast rights. The TV I use is in my living room with a nice wood burning insert (ummm toasty). But I don't have a cable hookup so I use a ROKU to go to WatchESPN. I use my cable credentials on the WatchESPN app so I get anything I pay for on cable. Not everything listed on ESPN3 I can watch because some of these sports channels simply aren't available on Charter in Connecticut.

The UConn - FSU game was on ESPN2 and listed as an ACC on ESPN game so I am pretty sure there is some contractual deal that mandated that game rather than some other game (Does ESPN have some deal for the Big 12 on ESPN?)

We all know that SNY has rights to broadcast UConn games that they won in a bidding process over CPTV. Kim alluded to that when she said the Baylor UConn game is a SNY game and ESPN does not have rights to broadcast it on ESPN, ESPN2. Note ESPN does have an agreement to provide the feed on ESPN3 (WatchESPN). Whether or not they get to watch the game in Waco TX I don't know since I am pretty certain not a lot of people there are going to subscribe to SNY, or even if it is available on their cable provider.

But of course this does not assuage the feeling that no matter the fact that Baylor has been a Top10 program for many years they just aren't getting the national broadcast games.

 

[iamcbs]

What Coach Mulkey, in particular, and fans of WCBB in general refuse to acknowledge is that money drives the bus in television and television drives the bus in the NCAA. WCBB isn't a revenue generator, and before all you Boneyarders begin with the obligatory attacks that come with anyone posting anything you consider the heresy of criticizing WCBB, I'm not making a value judgement here, merely pointing out a fact. The revenue generators in NCAA sports are CFB and MCBB, plain and simple. The people at Lehigh, Penn, Iowa and Oklahoma would like to see more college wrestling on ESPN, The PAC 12 schools would like to see men's and women's volleyball, The Big 12 would like to see more women's softball. My point is every conference and many sports have constituencies and to them the sports their institutions and conferences excel in always deserve the most coverage. As Coach Mulkey rightly described, the Baylor/UConn game tomorrow is a big deal nationally, but nowhere in the known universe is WCBB going to pre-empt CFB from any conference. Is it fair, no it isn't but always remember, fair is a place where they judge pigs....

 

[UcMiami]

As several people mentioned, this all seems to licensing issues.

Almost all the games I watch I now use WatchESPN. WatchESPN has agreements with most sports channels like SNY, Big 10, SEC etc to make available their programming on ESPN3 as long as the user subscribes to that sports channel with broadcast rights. The TV I use is in my living room with a nice wood burning insert (ummm toasty). But I don't have a cable hookup so I use a ROKU to go to WatchESPN. I use my cable credentials on the WatchESPN app so I get anything I pay for on cable. Not everything listed on ESPN3 I can watch because some of these sports channels simply aren't available on Charter in Connecticut.

The UConn - FSU game was on ESPN2 and listed as an ACC on ESPN game so I am pretty sure there is some contractual deal that mandated that game rather than some other game (Does ESPN have some deal for the Big 12 on ESPN?)

We all know that SNY has rights to broadcast UConn games that they won in a bidding process over CPTV. Kim alluded to that when she said the Baylor UConn game is a SNY game and ESPN does not have rights to broadcast it on ESPN, ESPN2. Note ESPN does have an agreement to provide the feed on ESPN3 (WatchESPN). Whether or not they get to watch the game in Waco TX I don't know since I am pretty certain not a lot of people there are going to subscribe to SNY, or even if it is available on their cable provider.

But of course this does not assuage the feeling that no matter the fact that Baylor has been a Top10 program for many years they just aren't getting the national broadcast games.

ESPN actually owns the rights to all AAC sports including Uconn WCBB (the Big East contracts never included women's basketball in days of yore.) They can choose to broadcast any Uconn games they want, but they also have a rights deal with SNY that allows SNY to broadcast those games ESPN doesn't want on one of their stations as long as SNY supplies the feed to ESPN for live streaming and archiving. )ESPN then blocks the live streaming from the SNY home market (mostly NY, NJ, and CT) as part of that agreement. Uconn/ESPN/SNY/AAC does not own the rights to OOC contests at away venues but if the home team does not have a contract to broadcast the game SNY/Uconn can try to negotiate a deal to broadcast the game. If there is a local broadcast in place, Uconn/SNY can try to negotiate a deal to pick up that feed to broadcast it more widely. That is why a few Uconn games might not be available on TV or may have local broadcast announcers rather than the standard SNY broadcasters.

 

[Vowelguy]

What Coach Mulkey, in particular, and fans of WCBB in general refuse to acknowledge is that money drives the bus in television and television drives the bus in the NCAA. WCBB isn't a revenue generator ...
As Coach Mulkey rightly described, the Baylor/UConn game tomorrow is a big deal nationally, but nowhere in the known universe is WCBB going to pre-empt CFB from any conference.

WCBB isnt a revenue generator for schools, true. But are you saying that ESPN isn't making money off the games it airs?

Plus ESPN has a larger concern - increasing interest in a sport where it airs all 63 tournament games. Airing quality games early in the season would help with that. And a UConn-Baylor game would do as well as most wcbb games. Would also be solid counterprogramming to the CFB game being aired.

 

[iamcbs]

WCBB isnt a revenue generator for schools, true. But are you saying that ESPN isn't making money off the games it airs?

Plus ESPN has a larger concern - increasing interest in a sport where it airs all 63 tournament games. Airing quality games early in the season would help with that. And a UConn-Baylor game would do as well as most wcbb games. Would also be solid counterprogramming to the CFB game being aired.

The NCAA WCBB Tournament has a built in audience and no one watches the Women's 1 v. 16 match-up the way they watch the Men's as a point of comparison, the operative phrase here is revenue generator. To answer your question, no the average fan is not going to care in March that Baylor beat UConn in November, as both will be vastly different teams than they are now. Those who really want to watch the game will stream it online.

 

[noirwestern]

Just peeked at tomorrow's programming and saw that this game will be aired on ESPN2 and now sling has added the ACC network so most of their games will be available as well.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Just peeked at tomorrow's programming and saw that this game will be aired on ESPN2 and now sling has added the ACC network so most of their games will be available as well.

I think you must mean ESPN3, because I checked the listings just now and it's not showing on ESPN2 or any of their regular cable channels.

 

[noirwestern]

That's odd. A few hours ago it was listed on ESPN2 and not 3. I checked both but now you are correct and it's on 3. Sling TV, what can I say?

 

[BostonCanuck]

That's odd. A few hours ago it was listed on ESPN2 and not 3. I checked both but now you are correct and it's on 3. Sling TV, what can I say?

I wish you were still right! ...although I will enjoy hearing Bob Joyce call this game. I'm happy for SNY, they deserve to get a game of this magnitude for once.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I don't know what game you were watching but Collier did not score mostly on put-backs of missed shots. She scored on jump shots, lay-ups free throws.

And a sparkling three.

 

[LadyVols9]

Kim is a total clown. She ducked many teams after Griner left. She only wants to be on TV because she believes they will beat UCONN. No class at all...sorry just my opinion.

 

[Mdoggie]

Kim is a total clown. She ducked many teams after Griner left. She only wants to be on TV because she believes they will beat UCONN. No class at all...sorry just my opinion.

Don't be sorry about your opinion. It is what it is.

 

[LadyVols9]

Don't be sorry about your opinion. It is what it is.

 

[easttexastrash]

Kim is a total clown. She ducked many teams after Griner left. She only wants to be on TV because she believes they will beat UCONN. No class at all...sorry just my opinion.

Jealousy is an ugly thing. If I were you, I would be worried about your coach, who probably won't last more than another season or two, unless Tennessee is OK with having double digit losses each season.

 

[LadyVols9]

the truth hurts buddy. we have all seen the schedules since Griner left. Baylor will likely beat TN this year. I have no problem in saying that.

 

[easttexastrash]

the truth hurts buddy. we have all seen the schedules since Griner left. Baylor will likely beat TN this year. I have no problem in saying that.

Of course you won't have a problem with that because you have become accustomed to losing.

I've always been a fan of Tennesse women's basketball, but now I am starting to get a true sense of why UCONN fans have such disdain for Tennessee. I'm not here to argue with a UT fan.