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Post by horns1 on Dec 4, 2022 12:55:37 GMT -5
Rant #2: B1G is the best VB conference. B1G Network seems to do the best network coverage of the sport. NCAA should give tournament broadcast rights to the B1G Network.I realize a lot of VT posters are pleased with ESPN having the tournament rights, start to finish. But I don't see it as anything special. And how they've coordinated with the NCAA to schedule these tournament matches is a disservice to the average fan. Sure, some of us hardcore VTers will be glued to the TV on Thursday. But if a goal is to grow the sport, I don't see how forcing Oregon fans, for example, to watch an 8 a.m. Thursday broadcast makes any sense. And cramming all these matches into one day is criminal. VB deserves better. Hell no! You don't "give" the TV rights. It's based on who bids on them. BTN has like one TV channel. ESPN can air on ESPNU and ESPN2, and flip some of the starts to ESPNNews when other matches run past their 2 hour time slot.
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Post by tomclen on Dec 4, 2022 13:12:41 GMT -5
Rant #2: B1G is the best VB conference. B1G Network seems to do the best network coverage of the sport. NCAA should give tournament broadcast rights to the B1G Network.I realize a lot of VT posters are pleased with ESPN having the tournament rights, start to finish. But I don't see it as anything special. And how they've coordinated with the NCAA to schedule these tournament matches is a disservice to the average fan. Sure, some of us hardcore VTers will be glued to the TV on Thursday. But if a goal is to grow the sport, I don't see how forcing Oregon fans, for example, to watch an 8 a.m. Thursday broadcast makes any sense. And cramming all these matches into one day is criminal. VB deserves better. Hell no! You don't "give" the TV rights. It's based on who bids on them. BTN has like one TV channel. ESPN can air on ESPNU and ESPN2, and flip some of the starts to ESPNNews when other matches run past their 2 hour time slot. Yes, ESPN has multiple cable channels - so what did they do during the first round of the tournament? They didn't put a single match on their channels. They dumped it all onto ESPN+ to make more money. And a lot of the coverage was embarrassing.
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Post by tinboat on Dec 4, 2022 14:26:13 GMT -5
I liked the Oregon radio guys, but that court looks terrible on TV. Some of the broadcasts not sure the announcers knew what a volleyball was.
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Post by horns1 on Dec 4, 2022 14:26:31 GMT -5
Hell no! You don't "give" the TV rights. It's based on who bids on them. BTN has like one TV channel. ESPN can air on ESPNU and ESPN2, and flip some of the starts to ESPNNews when other matches run past their 2 hour time slot. Yes, ESPN has multiple cable channels - so what did they do during the first round of the tournament? They didn't put a single match on their channels. They dumped it all onto ESPN+ to make more money. And a lot of the coverage was embarrassing. That's not accurate. They placed Texas' matches on LHN. Why they chose not to do that for ACCN and SECN is beyond me. BTN wouldn't have done much better for this past weekend.
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Post by savannahbadger on Dec 4, 2022 16:41:09 GMT -5
Rant #2: B1G is the best VB conference. B1G Network seems to do the best network coverage of the sport. NCAA should give tournament broadcast rights to the B1G Network. Close, but it would come down to Fox Sports putting in a bid for the tourney, as they’re the parent company and have the insights on how much the sport is growing and what’s been happening with their record breaking ratings. They might be willing to make that kind of investment, and put the proper marketing into it. That said, I’m sure ESPN would try to outbid Fox/BTN just to block them from having it out of spite. I could see them paying MUCH more and still not giving a %*$#.
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Post by hornshouse23 on Dec 4, 2022 16:47:23 GMT -5
I distinctly remember gripes about some regionals overlapping in the past. I can actually get behind this schedule. The fact is, no schedule, even splitting the days, would be perfect for all fan bases. Someone will always get the shaft 🤷🏾♂️
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trojansc
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Post by trojansc on Dec 4, 2022 16:50:57 GMT -5
I distinctly remember gripes about some regionals overlapping in the past. I can actually get behind this schedule. The fact is, no schedule, even splitting the days, would be perfect for all fan bases. Someone will always get the shaft 🤷🏾♂️ I don't mind it. The schedule is going to be on a workday (maybe Friday/Sunday regionals would be slightly better - but that's a day less rest for the National Champs/Final Four) Volleyball die-hards should take off day of Regional Semifinals well in advance of the tournament anyways (if able)
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Post by hornshouse23 on Dec 4, 2022 16:56:46 GMT -5
I distinctly remember gripes about some regionals overlapping in the past. I can actually get behind this schedule. The fact is, no schedule, even splitting the days, would be perfect for all fan bases. Someone will always get the shaft 🤷🏾♂️ I don't mind it. The schedule is going to be on a workday (maybe Friday/Sunday regionals would be slightly better - but that's a day less rest for the National Champs/Final Four) Volleyball die-hards should take off day of Regional Semifinals well in advance of the tournament anyways (if able) It’s like tennis fans. Always take off the second Monday of Wimbledon. It’s the greatest day in tennis. I agree. If able, take off and make a day of it. It’s the greatest day in college volleyball.
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Post by horns1 on Dec 4, 2022 17:13:21 GMT -5
I get that a lot of folks are somewhat new to following women's collegiate sports, but you have no idea how good we have it now for TV coverage compared to how things were just 7-10 years ago. And, tons better than how things were before that.
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Post by hornshouse23 on Dec 4, 2022 17:20:44 GMT -5
I get that a lot of folks are somewhat new to following women's collegiate sports, but you have no idea how good we have it now for TV coverage compared to how things were just 7-10 years ago. And, tons better than how things were before that. exactly. You can tell who is new around here.
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Post by tomclen on Dec 4, 2022 17:44:04 GMT -5
I get that a lot of folks are somewhat new to following women's collegiate sports, but you have no idea how good we have it now for TV coverage compared to how things were just 7-10 years ago. And, tons better than how things were before that. You can be both thankful for the improvement in coverage and dissatisfied with taking steps backwards. I'd argue that the round of 16 is as good as it gets for D1WVB. Cramming and overlapping all 8 of those top matches into one day - especially on the West Coast, where the first match is at 8 a.m. and only one match starts after 5 p.m. - is a step backwards.
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trojansc
Legend
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Post by trojansc on Dec 4, 2022 17:50:34 GMT -5
I get that a lot of folks are somewhat new to following women's collegiate sports, but you have no idea how good we have it now for TV coverage compared to how things were just 7-10 years ago. And, tons better than how things were before that. You can be both thankful for the improvement in coverage and dissatisfied with taking steps backwards. I'd argue that the round of 16 is as good as it gets for D1WVB. Cramming and overlapping all 8 of those top matches into one day - especially on the West Coast, where the first match is at 8 a.m. and only one match starts after 5 p.m. - is a step backwards. I think it's worse what they do for the 2nd round NCAA Tournament matches. Yesterday, there were like 6-7 matches all being played at once. That's terrible. About half of the sweet 16 field being played simultaneously. I would have rather had an 11am or 12pm ET match being played - but that's me personally! I do think a solution is to go to Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun Regionals. Two Regionals are Thu/Sat and the others are Fri/Sun. Accomodates BYU who can often get there. It eliminates the need for early morning matches particularly since four are being played on Thurs/Fri and only two on Sat/Sun. It does mean the Fri/Sun teams get a day less of rest, but, given how you talk about cramming all of those 8 matches, I guess you would actually support some teams getting a day less of rest and others getting a day more of rest (which isn't a terrible opinion, I mean, it happens in NCAA basketball)
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Post by horns1 on Dec 4, 2022 17:59:57 GMT -5
There's just no making some people happy. I would say the majority of folks can see the progress which has been made by ESPN over the years. I know I can.
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Post by savannahbadger on Dec 4, 2022 20:29:28 GMT -5
I get that a lot of folks are somewhat new to following women's collegiate sports, but you have no idea how good we have it now for TV coverage compared to how things were just 7-10 years ago. And, tons better than how things were before that. exactly. You can tell who is new around here. New to being someone who watches as much VB as possible, yes. Last year was new, in that I was watching other B1G matches. Now I’m catching ALL the big matches, and even quite a few “because they’re on” type matches. So if you have a lot of new people, that means more potential viewership that ESPN is missing out on.
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Post by hornshouse23 on Dec 4, 2022 21:01:43 GMT -5
exactly. You can tell who is new around here. New to being someone who watches as much VB as possible, yes. Last year was new, in that I was watching other B1G matches. Now I’m catching ALL the big matches, and even quite a few “because they’re on” type matches. So if you have a lot of new people, that means more potential viewership that ESPN is missing out on. I think the fact ESPN keeps expanding its coverage is a good sign they’re catching enough strays of new fans. I think they also realize there are more teams in the tournament than just the B1G and their new fans. Either way, the overall coverage keeps getting better and better in my opinion, but to each I guess.
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