What happened to college football on New Years Day?

[searadiofreak]

So the Rose Bowl was delegated to ESPN. Has that happened before? And where are all the usual New Year's games? Prime-time tonight is showing just one game tonight, The Fiesta Bowl, again on ESPN. The big three have regular programming. Has New Year's Day lost all of its influence? I guess we can blame this one on the BCS. But it sure makes January 1st a bummer.

 

[JayR]

Better get used to the idea of watching BCS Bowl games on cable/satellite because that's the way it will be for the next several years...and I do mean several. I doubt we'll see those games again on OTA networks.

 

[landtuna]

I doubt we'll see those games again on OTA networks.

Why? Can the networks be making more money showing repeats of this season's shows than bowl games? And why was the Outback Bowl the only one showing on OTA TV.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I want to know when the hell ESPN got everything. Was at my in-law's house and they do not have cable/satellite. I only could watch the Outback. What the hell?! ???

 

[quadraphonic]

I doubt we'll see those games again on OTA networks.

Why? Can the networks be making more money showing repeats of this season's shows than bowl games? And why was the Outback Bowl the only one showing on OTA TV.

I think ESPN outbidded the OTA networks, so it's not like the OTA networks have the option of airing bowls or shows. Shows is their default.

 

[arnoldevns]

Cable networks like ESPN collect billions a year in subscriber revenue that broadcast networks do not. Cable can outbid broadcast for anything. ESPN already owns many of the bowl games it airs.. and it airs almost all the bowl games. ESPN could make a bid for all NFL games when the rights come up again. At the very least, I expect them to get a Super Bowl in the next decade.

This will only stop if the broadcasters can get some of the money from cable subscribers that folks like ESPN get.

 

[Madmansam]

Cable networks like ESPN collect billions a year in subscriber revenue that broadcast networks do not. Cable can outbid broadcast for anything. ESPN already owns many of the bowl games it airs.. and it airs almost all the bowl games. ESPN could make a bid for all NFL games when the rights come up again. At the very least, I expect them to get a Super Bowl in the next decade.

This will only stop if the broadcasters can get some of the money from cable subscribers that folks like ESPN get.

And maybe the World Series too.

 

[Poledo]

Hey, at least the games weren't on Fox again this year. In previous years of the BCS, the Fox announcers didn't seem to care about college football and spent the whole game talking about the NFL... very annoying. I wish the "SEC on CBS" team could call the games. Also, this year's bowl match-ups sucked... lots of empty seats in the stadiums too. And to top it all off we have to wait to January 10th to see Auburn win the championship, they should be playing that game tomorrow in prime time. Get it over with already!

 

[philosofy]

This was the first year that the Rose Bowl was on ESPN. Prior to this they had their own separate contract with ABC. But since that expired they are on on the same setup with the rest of the BCS bowls. I think the contract with ESPN was for the next 5 years starting with this season.

 

[dhett]

I want to know when the hell ESPN got everything. Was at my in-law's house and they do not have cable/satellite. I only could watch the Outback. What the hell?! ???

ESPN got everything when someone noticed that with 85-90% of US households getting programming via cable or satellite, and ESPN being part of most people's TV packages, as long as the games got the inflated prices ESPN was willing to pay, they could do without the 10-15% of the audience that didn't have access.

And when ESPN wants to outbid another OTA network for an event, they just raise their rates and the cable or satellite company antes up, passing their costs along to the subscribers, who blame the cable or satellite company, while ESPN avoids blame because so few people know how much of the cable/satellite bill is for ESPN.

What a racket.

 

[MarcB]

In July 2010 a small EF-1 tornado hit a small section of Bristol, Connecticut where ESPN is HQ'd. Maybe the next tornado that touches down in Bristol will hit the ESPN complex.

 

[imhomerjay]

Classy. :

 

[quadraphonic]

Even if there were a tornado, the games that are supposed to be on ESPN will still be on ESPN.

 

[arnoldevns]

In my view, there are a number of illegal monopolies going on in sports and sports broadcasting today that are ripe for either legal or legislative action, absent some change by the parties involved.

ESPN is a monopoly in sports TV broadcasting. They are chasing competitors out of the marketplace. Owning many college bowl games, broadcasting most of them, owning the rights to all the BCS games, doing most of the syndication for college football in addition to their own games on their own networks.. etc. There's very little room for anyone else and ESPN can set their own fees and demands. That's the definition of a monopoly.

The NFL is an illegal monopoly. A jury even said so in the USFL case. They should not be allowed to own their own network and put their games on that network. In fact, I don't think any of the sports leagues should be able to do that. All it does is reduce competition, push up rates and hurt the consumer. Worse, the NFL has started to dictate how the media covers what they do. If you shoot video of a practice, the NFL owns it. If you shoot video of a game from the sideline, they can require you to wear a vest with ads on it for whover they sell the ads to. Oh, and they still claim ownerhsip of that video and restrict how you can use that video. I could go on and on, but the NFL is in serious need of a legal smack down or break up.

 

[landtuna]

ESPN is a monopoly in sports TV broadcasting. They are chasing competitors out of the marketplace. Owning many college bowl games, broadcasting most of them, owning the rights to all the BCS games, doing most of the syndication for college football in addition to their own games on their own networks.. etc. There's very little room for anyone else and ESPN can set their own fees and demands. That's the definition of a monopoly.

Actually, the definition of a monopoly is a bit different and I'm guessing it would not meet the standard in a court. While I am a big college football fan and not a subscriber to ESPN I hate the fact that I cannot get games OTA. However, ESPN is not alone in broadcasting college football. CBS has the SEC and NBC has Notre Dame and all networks are free to bid on the broadcasting rights. As long as other businesses are not denied access to the product I don't think you could prove monopoly.

The NFL is an illegal monopoly. A jury even said so in the USFL case. They should not be allowed to own their own network and put their games on that network. In fact, I don't think any of the sports leagues should be able to do that. All it does is reduce competition, push up rates and hurt the consumer. Worse, the NFL has started to dictate how the media covers what they do. If you shoot video of a practice, the NFL owns it. If you shoot video of a game from the sideline, they can require you to wear a vest with ads on it for whover they sell the ads to. Oh, and they still claim ownerhsip of that video and restrict how you can use that video. I could go on and on, but the NFL is in serious need of a legal smack down or break up.

Virtually every major sport in the USA controls how their product is broadcast. The NFL may be the most successful example today but in the past it was MLB and even the Indy 500. Once again, unless you exclude others from participating a monopoly would be hard to prove. The NFL is free to broadcast its games on its own facilities or sell the broadcast rights to a third party. Given the number of NFL games broadcast weekly OTA your argument makes even less sense.

 

[arnoldevns]

We'll have to agree to disagree. In both cases I think ESPN and the NFL are stifling competition.
You don't agree. So be it.

Like I said, the parties involved can make changes before congress or the courts get involved.
They can also hasten the involvement of either one or both.

 

[landtuna]

We'll have to agree to disagree. In both cases I think ESPN and the NFL are stifling competition.
You don't agree. So be it.

I didn't say they weren't stifling competition. I said they didn't fit the definition of a monopoly.

Every successful business stifles the competition. Some do it by selling for less. Others by out-advertising the competition. Some do it by offering better service, longer operating hours, better quality products.....the list is almost endless. The difference is, none of these practices constitute a monopoly. It is simply business competition.

Like I said, the parties involved can make changes before congress or the courts get involved.
They can also hasten the involvement of either one or both.

Don't hold your breath. The average NFL viewer can get half a dozen games OTA every week. If they want more they can subscribe to the NFL Network. Approximately 85% of the country has access to NFL Network and ESPN. There is no shortage of college and NFL games on those plus what is delivered OTA. What seems to be bothering you is the bowl setup which is contracted outside the NCAA and/or individual schools. But there is nothing illegal about creating your own product (the bowl games) then using another part of your business to broadcast them.

But hey, feel free to file a class action suit. I'd rather get the bowl games for free OTA too.

 

[oldvnewschool]

As far as I'm concern I'm ok with the BCS bowls on ESPN as long ALL OF THE OTHER BOWLS ARE ON CABLE.

To me having one on ABC (Outback) is a cop-out.

If you're going all the way, go all the way and don't give in.

And to me, the real biggest gripe I have isn't that there are too many bowl games,

It's the way they regionalize the teams to different bowls;

For example:

Tennessee (Music City)
Maryland (Military Bowl)
Syracuse (New Pinstripe)
Florida (Outback)
Texas Tech (Ticket City)
SMU (Armed Forces)

To me they have become glorified home games rather than true bowl games where the teams travel a great distance to play.

Only the Sun Bowl (ND/Miami) and the Holiday Bowl (Nebraksa/Washington) were the only ones I saw that wasn't as regionalized like the rest.

 

[landtuna]

Apparently viewing has dropped in double-digit numbers this year. Can't be good news for ESPN.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/mccarthy/2011-01-02-bcs-ratings_N.htm

 

[FreddyE1977]

ahh, for the good old days when Jefferson Pilot or Raycom would syndicate the Tangerine or
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl to my local independents.