UConn AAC Games: What Are TV Networks Thinking?

[JoePgh]

I happened to notice the following counterintuitive fact about broadcast arrangements for UConn's upcoming AAC games. No less than 6 UConn regular season AAC games will be broadcast on TV networks with nationwide reach:

ESPN2: South Florida @ UConn, 1/18
UConn @ Cincinnati, 1/25
UConn @ Temple, 2/1
UConn @ South Florida, 3/2

CBSSN: Tulane @ UConn, 2/14
Memphis @ UConn, 2/28

I understand that South Florida is UConn's best competition in the conference, so there is some reason to broadcast both of those games. I also note that the first three games listed above are all on Sunday afternoons during NFL playoff season, so the networks that are not broadcasting the NFL have to find something that will appeal to sports fans who are not NFL fans. I also see that there is some interest among UConn's fan base in games against teams coached by former UConn assistants (Cincinnati and Temple).

Despite all of this, I am surprised that ESPN and CBSSN are interested in broadcasting what are likely to be 40-50 point blowout games. That must mean either that the UConn WCBB fan base itself is bigger and better than any other sports audience available to them in these time slots, or that there is more of an audience for UConn WCBB games than we might have supposed outside the New York / New England geographic area.

In any case, if other Top 25 schools think that they can keep UConn off of national television by refusing to play regular season games with them, and thereby cut down on Geno's ability to market his program to promising recruits in high school, then this scheduling pattern seems to suggest that their strategy will not succeed.

I seriously doubt that any other WCBB program could get national TV networks to broadcast six of its noncompetitive games in January and February, or even that it could get national broadcasts of that many competitive games in the same months.

 

[DobbsRover2]

The Husky dogs have been let out and is running free on TV for all to see, and if you have a good product with lots of titles, a lot of viewers will tune in. The games you listed do not include the two down in Texas and one in Louisiana, which are prime recruiting grounds to get players like MoJeff, so you can really see the value of the AAC stretch in getting the UConn product out there across the nation. If you are one of the best players in the nation, you very well might give extra serious consideration to becoming part of the Husky traveling barnstorming spectacular.

 

[Vowelguy]

1) the big east had a deal with CBSSN to show 1 conference game a week. It wouldn't surprise me if the AAC had a similar deal. CBSSN is desperate for content.

2) it also wouldn't surprise me if the women's games were part of the AAC s contract with ESPN to show FB/ mcbb. in that case, ESPN would just be picking the best (ie UConn) conference games.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

1) the big east had a deal with CBSSN to show 1 conference game a week. It wouldn't surprise me if the AAC had a similar deal. CBSSN is desperate for content.

2) it also wouldn't surprise me if the women's games were part of the AAC s contract with ESPN to show FB/ mcbb. in that case, ESPN would just be picking the best (ie UConn) conference games.

I think you have it. After all, if as a network I can show UConn - with a large following, and some national interest - or a Tulsa / Memphis match up that no-one wants to see, I think the choice is obvious.

 

[UcMiami]

Just want to point out that the combination of SNY and ESPN3 probably has a larger national footprint than CBSSN and basically all of Uconn's games have a national delivery system.
And if you scroll through the WCBB games being broadcast on cable every week it is a really mixed bag of questionable contests. At least with Uconn you get one team that 95% of the time will be playing an interesting brand of basketball - efficient passing offense, hard nosed defense. If you tune in to any number of more 'competitive' games with ranked teams playing each other you get a mixture of foul fests, dreadful shooting, matador defenses, and turn overs. The game may be a one point affair but it often is a race to see who can lose rather than who will win.

 

[HGN]

The appeal in this case , I think , is simply UConn BB......It really doesn't matter who UConn is playing in many cases because The Huskies have such a large fanbase that stretches nationwide. So they can play a Cincinnati and get viewership on TV networks because people want to see the defending national champions and #1 or #2 team in WCBB. I may not like ND or Tenn but I will watch them , just to see what kind of team they have and how good they are.

When a team or program has performed over the years like a Connecticut you get a huge following. Many want to see you lose and many want to see you win......Either way, the TV Network makes money. And that's why they are televising that game.

JMHO.

 

[Sonny44]

The appeal in this case , I think , is simply UConn BB.It really doesn't matter who UConn is playing in many cases because The Huskies have such a large fanbase that stretches nationwide. So they can play a Cincinnati and get viewership on TV networks because people want to see the defending national champions and #1 or #2 team in WCBB. I may not like ND or Tenn but I will watch them , just to see what kind of team they have and how good they are.

When a team or program has performed over the years like a Connecticut you get a huge following. Many want to see you lose and many want to see you win.Either way, the TV Network makes money. And that's why they are televising that game.

JMHO.

Except the ones who want to see us lose probably leave at the second TV time-out.