MUScoop

So the rumored deal with Fox involves nationally televising every conference game.  Is this actually possible?

Assume 12 teams, 18-game conference season.  That's 108 games to be televised in a matter of nine weeks (beginning of Jan to first week in March), or on average, 12 games per week.  Teams typically play at least every weekend, so 6 of those games would occur on Sat/Sun, and the remaining 6 would occur during the week.  Televising six games over five weekdays isn't a problem, but what about the weekends?  As long as I can remember, I don't think MU has played more than two conference games on a Sunday in a given year, and this year they play one.  Such would imply that one game would be played on Sundays and five on Saturdays.

If the current deal with CBS continued, six of the Saturday games would be lifted to the eye, leaving Fox with at least 4 games to televise every Saturday.  If you started the schedule at 11:00a CT and gave 2-hour timeslots with 15 minutes between games (OT cushion, studio banter, score updates, the "Erin Andrews Panders to Dirty Old Men" segment, etc.), you'd have games starting at 11:00a, 1:15p, 3:30p, and 5:45p CT.  That doesn't leave much time for a fifth game on Saturday and feasibility to televise every game without either (amongst other options):

1) More Sunday games (to include 2-3 Sunday home games per year).
2) At least one (and maybe two) "bye" weekends per year (more weeknight games).
3) 10:00a CT Saturday tip-offs during the conference season.
4) 8:00p CT Saturday tip-offs during the conference season.
5) Earlier start to the conference season (mid- to late-December)
6) More Friday night games.

I guess it also means we'll get killed in just about every game, since 'every time' we are in national TV we are embarrassed.

I think you are assuming "nationally televised" means one network, but my guess is that a number of games would be shifted to the Fox Sports equivalent of ESPN2 and ESPNU.

Quote from: NavinRJohnson on January 09, 2013, 12:09:03 PM
I guess it also means we'll get killed in just about every game, since 'every time' we are in national TV we are embarrassed.

:D

In terms of the vote, I'm still looking for the "all of the above" option.

Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on January 09, 2013, 12:10:11 PM
I think you are assuming "nationally televised" means one network, but my guess is that a number of games would be shifted to the Fox Sports equivalent of ESPN2 and ESPNU.

For the most part, yes... one network.  The planned Fox Sports One (Speed) network is already on basic pretty much throughout the country.  I know Fox has other sports-related channels (excluding their regional networks) that could be re-branded to a Deuce or U equivalent, but some of those (e.g. FCS) aren't on basic packages.

I would hate for some of the games to be offloaded to regional or cable networks that have a fraction of the exposure... that's the one potentially great thing about a FS1 contract.

Additionally, if the games are available for the Regional FS networks to pick up, then it can be a national telecast that can be pre-empted for any number of local games similar to the way the Pac-12 Thursday night games are usually national feed, but will only be shown if the Bucks aren't playing, etc.

Also, depending how dedicated Fox is, the sheer number of channels they can utilize is pretty staggering.  For the last day of the EPL last year, they ran something like 7 simultaneous broadcasts across fox soccer, fsc+, fx, fsn, speed (Fox sports 1), fuel, etc. so they could easily accomodate an overlap.  Besides even at 4-5 saturday games - it just means more primetime slots.  what else is fox showing on a saturday night???

Would the main FOX channel ever air games?  Like a noon Saturday C7 game of the week? 

Whatever works for you Fox.  Throw in Erin Andrews at halftime and I can clear my schedule at any of those times.

Quote from: TallTitan34 on January 09, 2013, 12:27:31 PM
Would the main FOX channel ever air games?  Like a noon Saturday C7 game of the week? 

+1

I hope so. A game of the week on the main FOX network channel would be awesome

Quote from: TallTitan34 on January 09, 2013, 12:27:31 PM
Would the main FOX channel ever air games?  Like a noon Saturday C7 game of the week? 

I would think without a doubt they would. Content for Fox is pretty low between NFL off-season and MLB Opening Day. I could easily see a FOX doubleheader on Saturdays.

The real question is if there's a dancing robot or not.

Quote from: PTM on January 09, 2013, 01:21:49 PM
The real question is if there's a dancing robot or not.

Dancing?  No, but there's always that other thing it can do...

(http://i.adultswim.com/adultswim/tools/img/shows/wiki/robotchicken/characters/humpingrobot280.jpg)

Pay us enough to fund a strong program and I don't really care when the network decides to air the games, I will watch.  That said, I'd still prefer we play at times when people care to watch games.  Plus the network won't decide to pay a hefty price only to have us play in a slot where the competition is showing Saturday morning cartoons.  

Doesn't seem that far-fetched either way to air 6 games on some weekends...one Saturday "Game of the Week" on Fox, leaving something like one Friday night game, three Saturday games, and one Sunday game for FS1.  Hopefully non-con games can make FSN-Regional networks so they can also been seen by anyone, anywhere.

Does'nt FOX also own the FX channel? Games could be aired there as well.

Quote from: muwarrior69 on January 09, 2013, 01:30:29 PM
Does'nt FOX also own the FX channel? Games could be aired there as well.

If Kevin O'Neill moves to a C7 school that would be perfect.  He could be miked!

We should all wait for MU Avenue to weigh in on this ... he is the expert on nationally televised games.

Best part of this Fox deal is that Gus Johnson could be doing a lot more of our games

would the games be exclusively on the Fox network?  could some spill over to NBC sports, cbs, or the espn family

I wonder if this new Fox Sports network will lead to more C7-Big Ten out of conference match ups.

Quote from: LAZER on January 09, 2013, 04:32:53 PM
I wonder if this new Fox Sports network will lead to more C7-Big Ten out of conference match ups.

MU Vs gopher/Illini match ups. That would be fun

Quote from: RideMyBuycks on January 09, 2013, 05:21:47 PM
MU Vs gopher/Illini match ups. That would be fun

I would love that! Especially if the Gophers can sustain their success (I dont expect them to be a top 10 team year in-year-out, but if they can maintain top 30ish that would be great).

Reading different teams message boards and links to newspaper articles, it looks as though the east coast teams are really interested in continuing a relationship with some of the fball schools. I dont expect us to get involved because 1) we dont have a long history with them and 2) none of them recruit Milwaukee/Wisconsin. If they want exposure to Chicago, they would probably just schedule with Depaul.

With that said, Illini and Gophers would be sweet. Throw in an occasional 1 and 1 with UL and ND and the OOC schedule will prob make up for the drop in competition.

From what I have read:

SJU has interest from SU, Pitt (and eventually UConn).
GU's President said the SU-GU rivaly will continue.
Nova is interested in UConn and SU.

If those teams can schedule their rivalries then that makes the resume of every member that much better (RPI).

Quote from: honkytonk on January 09, 2013, 05:41:53 PM
I would love that! Especially if the Gophers can sustain their success (I dont expect them to be a top 10 team year in-year-out, but if they can maintain top 30ish that would be great).

Reading different teams message boards and links to newspaper articles, it looks as though the east coast teams are really interested in continuing a relationship with some of the fball schools. I dont expect us to get involved because 1) we dont have a long history with them and 2) none of them recruit Milwaukee/Wisconsin. If they want exposure to Chicago, they would probably just schedule with Depaul.

With that said, Illini and Gophers would be sweet. Throw in an occasional 1 and 1 with UL and ND and the OOC schedule will prob make up for the drop in competition.

From what I have read:

SJU has interest from SU, Pitt (and eventually UConn).
GU's President said the SU-GU rivaly will continue.
Nova is interested in UConn and SU.

If those teams can schedule their rivalries then that makes the resume of every member that much better (RPI).

This may be b/c I'm a minny native and that I have some bias to the area, but I've never understood why MU hasn't tried to schedule home and home series with B1G teams in the area. Sure, the Gopher v MU rivalry may not exist, but I'd like to think that Minnesotans would drive the 5 hours to check out the game (and vise versa).

Either way, I'm sure a locked-in nationally televised game would attract Illinois, Minnesota, and maybe Northwestern for possible series.  maybe Indiana, too

I think Minnesota fans would love to have another Wisconsin team to hate.  As a Minnesota who attended MU, I can speak to the fact we have a pretty good contingent of MU transplants.  I think we would love it but I bet the Gophers would never do it.  We would whoop that ass (every year except this one...)

Could an IU matchup ever work?

It is very nice now that most games are on one of the ESPNs or, at worst, ESPN3. Here's hoping Fox (or whatever non-ESPN entity ends up with the C7+) figures out a way to give viewers as many cost-effective ways to watch games.

It's fun to bash ESPN -- I do so often and with great glee -- but they make things pretty sweet for college hoops fans.

Quote from: dpucane on January 10, 2013, 12:13:46 AM
Could an IU matchup ever work?

If we had a series with the B1G, it could happen, or if we met in a non-con tournament, but I don't think you'll ever see a home-and-home. I don't think Crean would be willing to play that game. It's like us playing Milwaukee. One segment of the less prolific school's fanbase would care about winning, no one else would see it as anything other than a good non-con game. When they can schedule North Carolina, why schedule us?

Then again, they are playing Butler now, so I guess never say never...

Are these Fox channels in the Comcast package like Espn 3?

Quote from: Marqevans on January 10, 2013, 08:00:44 AM
Are these Fox channels in the Comcast package like Espn 3?

Of the top 5 cable/sat providers in the country, Comcast and Dish are the only ones who don't offer SPEED on a "basic" tier of service.  DTV, T-W, Cox, Verizon and Charter all offer it on basic; Dish on their mid-tier, and Comcast on their premium tier.

FX is on basic pretty much everywhere.

Where FSN has a local network (FS-Wisconsin in Milwaukee or Madison), the channel is on basic... out of region FSN networks (FS-Ohio in Milwaukee), where available, is typically on a premium tier or sports package.

Fox Soccer is pretty much mid- or premium tier everywhere.  Same thing for FUEL except it's not available on Comcast.

Fox College Sports, where available, is typically premium tier or sports package.  They are SD-only channels.