[NU Sports] TV for Wisconsin Game

[Roy Lamberton]

There always has been a "free internet" theory running about the web. 

But the problem is that advertising, the typical broadcast model, doesn't work
because of the normally small numbers involved in internet access.

A good example is the Senior Softball World Series web site - we had well over a
million hits over the 6 days, but when you look at the actual numbers those hits
represent just over 200 people, not a very attractive market for an IBM or GM
budget.

Major League Baseball, the Porno guysand even ESPN Gameplan have it right - they
charge you a fee [monthly or otherwise] to access the information or now with
better streaming video, the movies. ESPN360 was a off the wall system, primarily
built so ESPN could support gaming. 

While the gameplan images are usually smooth [altho they run about 4 seconds
behind the action], 360 is jerky, even on a P4 with lotsa ram. 

When you call Comcast about carrying 360, they put you into phone loop hell. I
never did get to talk to anyone in authority, and to be honest, I don't have the
time right now to sit on hold for 2 or 3 days.

What has made the web so great is that it supports everything from text [this
board] to live streaming video. All you need is a high speed connection and you
can watch the world, even if half [I'm being generous] the political stuff on
all sides is bogus...

rsl

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates
and Publisher of Purple Reign, 
The Scout.com Northwestern University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle: CoachRoy74
======== Go Cats -  Beat 'em All ===========
"You have a Republic Madam --
     If you can keep it" - Benjamin Franklin
============================================

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com 
> [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Jonathan 
> Michael Hawkins
> Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 8:49 AM
> To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] TV for Wisconsin Game
> 
> 
> That's my point, John.  By failing to understand the realities of the 
> market they've chosen to enter, ESPN and ABC will fail to 
> make money from 
> the ESPN360 venture.
> 
> I am concerned that the executives in charge over there will 
> blame poor 
> viewership on the teams rather than on the fact that their 
> tied-to-ISPs 
> subscription model (instead of the more appropriate 
> tied-to-individual-users, like MLB) doesn't match the market. 
>  I hope it 
> does not affect our ability to get on actual real television in the 
> upcoming games.
> 
> But back to making money, their continued internet miscues dilute the 
> strong brand that ESPN has in television.  Were I a 
> shareholder of the 
> Mouse, I'd be unhappy indeed.
> 
> Jonathan
> 
> On Wed, 4 Oct 2006, John A. DeGroat wrote:
> 
> > ESPN and ABC for that matter are in business to make money, they 
> > aren't
> > charities.  What is so hard about that to understand?
> >
> > John DeGroat
> 
> -- 
> Jonathan Michael Hawkins
> spiritu at northwestern.edu
> Northwestern University
> WCAS '03,  Law '09
> 
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