123 replies to this topic

[DJ MC]

They have Tvs on at bars and restaurants, where most people are going out on Saturday nights...that's not the case on Sunday afternoons. Most people aren't hanging out at bars and restaurants on Sunday afternoons.

 

Right. It's mid-March, so they're home.

 

And moving it to Saturday night may help out bars a bit, but it doesn't help out ESPN's ratings.

[Chris B]

In 2014, the Duke-UVA ACC Championship on Sunday on ESPN got a 2.2 rating.

In 2014, the Big 12 Championship (Iowa St.-Baylor) on Saturday night on ESPN drew a 1.1 rating.

 

However, if we look more historically at that coveted 9 PM Saturday slot for conference tournaments on ESPN, the old Big East held that spot for years.

 

In 2013, the Big East Championship between Syracuse and Louisville drew a 2.1

In comparison in 2013, the ACC (Carolina-Miami) drew a 1.4.

 

I think, given the success of Big East basketball in that Saturday night time slot and the fact that the ACC is perceived as the nation's best basketball conference (along with the Cardinals joining this year), the ACC will have better ratings in that night time slot than Sunday afternoon.

 

Sources:

http://www.sportsmed...-and-nit/#chart

http://www.sportsmed...13-14-season/3/

[DJ MC]

In 2014, the Duke-UVA ACC Championship on Sunday on ESPN got a 2.2 rating.

In 2014, the Big 12 Championship (Iowa St.-Baylor) on Saturday night on ESPN drew a 1.1 rating.

 

However, if we look more historically at that coveted 9 PM Saturday slot for conference tournaments on ESPN, the old Big East held that spot for years.

 

In 2013, the Big East Championship between Syracuse and Louisville drew a 2.1

In comparison in 2013, the ACC (Carolina-Miami) drew a 1.4.

 

I think, given the success of Big East basketball in that Saturday night time slot and the fact that the ACC is perceived as the nation's best basketball conference (along with the Cardinals joining this year), the ACC will have better ratings in that night time slot than Sunday afternoon.

 

Sources:

http://www.sportsmed...-and-nit/#chart

http://www.sportsmed...13-14-season/3/

 

We'd need to see more than that, though. Neither the Big 12 in 2014 nor ACC in 2013 were marquee matchups.

[Chris B]

We'd need to see more than that, though. Neither the Big 12 in 2014 nor ACC in 2013 were marquee matchups.

 

I mean, that was just a quick google search. I'm sure if you search more on the site I referenced above, they'd have more historical information.

 

The point is, ESPN clearly knows the ratings. The execs aren't going to make this sort of change without proper research in order to boost ratings. I think that they will increase them by switching the ACC, its premier conference, into a premier primetime showing.

[DJ MC]

I mean, that was just a quick google search. I'm sure if you search more on the site I referenced above, they'd have more historical information.

 

The point is, ESPN clearly knows the ratings. The execs aren't going to make this sort of change without proper research in order to boost ratings. I think that they will increase them by switching the ACC, its premier conference, into a premier primetime showing.

 

I checked and didn't seem to find anything, but I also didn't do anything exhaustive.

 

Did ESPN make the decision or did the ACC? I can see the ACC being deluded and ESPN going along with it because having the ACC on Saturday is better than not having it at all.

[Chris B]

I checked and didn't seem to find anything, but I also didn't do anything exhaustive.

 

Did ESPN make the decision or did the ACC? I can see the ACC being deluded and ESPN going along with it because having the ACC on Saturday is better than not having it at all.

 

I can't imagine the conference even has the power to make such a move. It's ESPN's channel, their broadcasters, personnel, time slot, etc.

 

Also, and put your tin foil hat on here, but it's a nice way for ESPN to give a little FU to the current Big East, who also has a Tuesday to Saturday format with a primetime championship game.

[DJ MC]

I can't imagine the conference even has the power to make such a move. It's ESPN's channel, their broadcasters, personnel, time slot, etc.

 

It's the ACC's game. They can play it whenever they want. ESPN pays them for the privilege of broadcasting the game, so all they control is whether or not they wish to show it.

[Chris B]

It's the ACC's game. They can play it whenever they want. ESPN pays them for the privilege of broadcasting the game, so all they control is whether or not they wish to show it.

 

I'm sorry but that is just incorrect. If you don't think that the television company has a say in determining the date and time of when a college basketball game is played, especially something like a conference tournament championship game, I'm not sure what to tell you.

[Oriole85]

I can't imagine the conference even has the power to make such a move. It's ESPN's channel, their broadcasters, personnel, time slot, etc.

 

Also, and put your tin foil hat on here, but it's a nice way for ESPN to give a little FU to the current Big East, who also has a Tuesday to Saturday format with a primetime championship game.

I doubt that really even entered their thought process, it's just about maximizing revenue. And the ACC is more likely to do that than the Big 12.

[Chris B]

I doubt that really even entered their thought process, it's just about maximizing revenue. And the ACC is more likely to do that than the Big 12.

 

Haha yeah I know, like I said, tin foil hat. The more likely scenario was that they saw the less-than-normal ratings of the Big 12 this year (albeit with a bad, non-KU matchup) and wanted to revert back to the better ratings that they had with the Big East in years past.

[DJ MC]

I'm sorry but that is just incorrect. If you don't think that the television company has a say in determining the date and time of when a college basketball game is played, especially something like a conference tournament championship game, I'm not sure what to tell you.

 

There's a difference between having a say and controlling it. ESPN can request the ACC play the game at times that are advantageous to it, but the ACC can do what it wants. If they want to play it at three in the morning on a Wednesday, they can.

 

Now, there might be something written into the contract between the two sides that offers a particular schedule for the game, but that would involve renegotiations.

[SportsGuy]

Right. It's mid-March, so they're home.
 
And moving it to Saturday night may help out bars a bit, but it doesn't help out ESPN's ratings.

I doubt this is true.

The Friday night and Saturday night games will get better ratings than sat and Sunday afternoon.

[SportsGuy]

ESPN has entered into a contract with the ACC where they have paid them a lot of money...of course ESPN had a say in this.

[mweb08]

ACC Basketball Tournament Championship moves to Saturday night

 

Dumb idea. Glad the Terps left that conference.

And we are glad the Terps are gone...we get to bring in a real team.

Hilarious.

[DJ MC]

Hilarious.

 

Louisville is definitely going to keep up the academic standards. Towson wasn't willing to go to I-A in football, and Arizona State is too far west, so they had to go to the next-best choice.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Yeah man. Duke is ferocious. Just ask Lehigh and Mercer.

[DJ MC]

Oh, and I hear they contacted West Virginia, but since they just moved to the Big 12 they thought another move so quickly would completely confuse the student body, maybe even keep them from the weekly couch-burnings.

[SportsGuy]

Yeah man. Duke is ferocious. Just ask Lehigh and Mercer.

And yet, they still went further than Md in those years.

[You Play to Win the Game]

And yet, they still went further than Md in those years.

 

Oh, I thought we were talking about Duke here.

[SportsGuy]

Oh, I thought we were talking about Duke here.

Well, we were talking about good programs, so I guess I shouldn't have brought up the Terps.