[NU Sports] Uh Oh! BCS Poll Warnings

Tue Oct 16 11:33:24 CDT 2007

What is funny is that ESPN360, which we despised so much last year, is now
carried on AT&T's DSL service (which I have and is available throughout the
Chicago area).  Basically every game on ESPN/ABC/ESPN+ plus some ESPN360
exclusive games are all carried on the online video streaming and it's easy
to switch between games leaving a lot of viewing options on the computer.
Obviously it's not the same as a TV feed (especially HD) but it's
something.  And there are archives of games from previous weeks that you can
replay if you so choose.

Jonathan

On 10/16/07, Roy Lamberton <rstetson at capps-assoc.com> wrote:
>
> On the East Coast, if you have several other services linked to Comcast
> [as I
> do], satellite is NOT an option due to cost and duplication.
>
> I used to pay $99 for game plan, and could get it on my HDTV or Computer.
> ESPN
> used to broadcast all of the Big 10 games somewhere.
>
> Now, I can get Maryland, Virginia, even Rutgers, but I can't get NU
> because the
> games are on the BTN and COMCAST doesn't carry it, even as a PPV.
>
> Since the majority of people live on the East Coast, the loss of free
> coverage
> around here has got to be hurting the Big 10's image. Our games aren't
> good
> enough to get on TV, we must not be that good. [At least that's the danger
> of
> this screwy setup].
>
> When the network execs look at ratings for games, and run their focus
> groups,
> you know that the Big 10 isn't getting mentioned as much because our games
> are
> not on the Comcast or Time Warner cable systems. Out of sight, out of
> mind....
>
> What is sad is that I have over 100 channels vacant on my system - I'd pay
> extra
> for a sports tier that carried the BTN and other conference's TV, but
> right now
> the roadblock is the Big 10 Network's demand that cable companies carry
> the net
> on the free tier. On the Boston to DC corridor, Comcast's east coast
> strength,
> the Big 10 isn't a Big enough draw to ever break thru to the freebie
> channels.
>
> Obviously, there also has not been a major shift in subscriptions from
> Comcast -
> because they are holding firm in their desire to put the BTN on a sports
> tier,
> which is where they want to put the ACC and SEC networks once they appear.
>
> Going to a sports bar 35 - 120 miles away is not an option for me on
> Saturday
> afternoons, neither is flying to Evanston. I used to be able to buy the
> entire
> NU season, now I can't.
>
> The Big 10 won't have any clout again until they do.
>
> 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 SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 9:26 AM
> > To: nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
> > Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Uh Oh! BCS Poll Warnings
> >
> > > I disagree. Unless you have satellite and are
> > > willing to spend extra for the BTN
> > > games, you don't see any NU on the East Coast!
> >
> > But that was the case before as well, and ESPN Game
> > Plan cost more than the BTN. When we played the big
> > boys we were on ESPN2 or ABC, but otherwise it was the
> > GamePlan outside of the midwest (in the midwest, I
> > will agree, it's a big change).
> >
> > And that doesn't explain the lack of respect for the
> > teams nationally -- OSU, Michigan, PSU, Wisky, etc.
> > have still been on ABC plenty. In fact, with the new
> > mirroring of the 2:30 games on ESPN or ESPN2, our
> > "main" Big Ten game of the week has reached a wider
> > audience than before. Plus we've been on the prime
> > time ABC game a few times as well.
> >
> > So I don't think the BTN has hurt our visibility
> > nationwide. Within the midwest, perhaps, but NU and
> > other BTN highlights are still all over Sports Center
> > and our top teams still get national coverage on ABC
> > and ESPN. BTN or no BTN, NU's games so far - outside
> > of Michigan and OSU - would probably not have been
> > anything other than Big Ten Plus anyway.
> >
> > > Maybe the BTN will become a force in the Midwest
> > > some day, but once the SEC and
> > > ACC [and maybe the Big East] get their networks up,
> > > we can kiss the opportunity
> > > to watch our games on the East Coast goodbye.
> >
> > Were the Big Ten Plus games on regular TV out east?
> >
> > I think the BTN has helped our visibility outside of
> > the midwest. I can get games in Arizona I could never
> > get before unless I paid extra for the GamePlan
> > coverage - and even that sometimes wouldn't have it.
> > Now I get it as part of my basic package and it's more
> > than just football.
> >
> > The midwest is really the only place where Comcast
> > negotiations are holding things up. Outside of that,
> > though, I would think the BTN has helped more people
> > have access to games that don't involve the big four
> > or five teams in the league. And those teams still get
> > their usual ABC/ESPN coverage.
> >
> > > As bad as the picture was, at least ESPN gameplan on
> > > the computer let us watch,
> > > with the sound off and Dave & Ted on. Until the BTN
> > > figures out that an internet
> >
> > Again, didn't you have to pay extra for that? I
> > thought I read that the BTN had a free trial viewing
> > of their Net site last weekend. I'd imagine they
> > couldn't charge much more - if not less - than ESPN's
> > gameplan net.
> >
> > I don't think the BTN has hurt our visibility
> > nationwide for the polls - in fact I think it's gone
> > the other way outside the midwest. I think it's our
> > lack of big wins outside of league play, as was
> > mentioned yesterday.
> >
> > GO CATS!!!
> > -SjT
> >
> > * * * * * * * * *
> > STEPHEN J. TRUOG
> > sjtruog at yahoo.com
> > GO CATS!!!
> >
> >
> >
> >
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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
1237 Emerson St Apt 2
Evanston, IL  60201-3577
(847) 736-2449
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