Dear ESPN Executives:

[UNIPNTHR]

Is High School basketball really more worthy of airtime on ESPN2 than the Missouri Valley Conference. Or ANY Division I game, for that matter?

I do not care about Norcross vs. Helen Cox.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

But, little Jimmy had a heckuva game the other night.

[jman2004]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Does ESPN have a contract or something with the ACC? There used to be plenty of Big Ten games on but now with their own network, I haven't noticed the Big Ten on ESPN AS MUCH.

I thought they had a contract or ties with the ACC, but I could be wrong.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Does ESPN have a contract or something with the ACC? There used to be plenty of Big Ten games on but now with their own network, I haven't noticed the Big Ten on ESPN AS MUCH.

I thought they had a contract or ties with the ACC, but I could be wrong.

I'm pretty sure ESPN has contracts with about all conferences including the Valley

[clenz]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

I don't know if they have a contract with the ACC but they might as well. All they seem to show is the ACC and Big East

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

This topic comes up every year in both football and basketball.

While it may not be what we UNI/"Midmajor" fans want to hear... fact is, ESPN is a ginormous money-making machine... if people wanted more MVC they would show it. Recruiting is the sport within the sport that is followed almost as avidly as the sport itself. Someone, not us, but SOMEONE, wants to watch these games to see the next A-A going to UNC, Duke, etc. And the audience for that is greater than that of folk who want to see an MVC game. (Clenz, I think you can attest to this due to your ties to Rivals.com -- look how much money people are willing to pay for "insider info" on the recruiting of 15 year olds!)

[clenz]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Thats true. I get my membership free there, but it is $99.99 for a years subsciption. That is if you take the year long one. The monthly subscription ends up being well over $100 dollars a year. Honestly, the only sites that carry a ton of info that isn't easily accessed outside of free boards is the Rivals.com basketball and football boards. However it doesn't take more than a couple hours for that stuff to get spread around any free boards it deals with.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

This topic comes up every year in both football and basketball.

While it may not be what we UNI/"Midmajor" fans want to hear... fact is, ESPN is a ginormous money-making machine... if people wanted more MVC they would show it. Recruiting is the sport within the sport that is followed almost as avidly as the sport itself. Someone, not us, but SOMEONE, wants to watch these games to see the next A-A going to UNC, Duke, etc. And the audience for that is greater than that of folk who want to see an MVC game. (Clenz, I think you can attest to this due to your ties to Rivals.com -- look how much money people are willing to pay for "insider info" on the recruiting of 15 year olds!)

Some of us don't like to hear it, but this is of course 100% correct.

From a dollars and cents standpoint, these HS games make a good deal of sense for ESPN. They cost next-to-nothing to acquire the rights to, they are cheap to produce, and they can sell them. Will an MVC game attract a larger audience? Probably, but not a much larger one, and they don't have to pay nearly as much to get the rights.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

It matters, their advertising rates are determined by eyeballs. It doesn't effect the money they get from cable companies/carriers, but it could significantly change what they get for ad rates. Occasionally a channel will guarantee a ratings point, and if the program doesn't perform, they have to refund the difference. This is rare.

Yet, understand that a significant audience (male, young) is going to have ESPN on every night no matter who is playing. Also understand that because of this, the total viewership from an MVC game to a HS game isn't going to be big enough to hurt them. Finally, the sponsors specifically buying a HS game (as opposed to those just buying any slot ESPN has available) are those who are likely both (1) targeting the "rivals" recruiting audience and (2) companies that already sponsor sports at that level.

[dan_beeding]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Dear ESPN Execs:
Thank you for covering Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson while leaving the MVC to the local news. This breaking news was all I could think about today. Thank God you told me all about their excursion to Mexico with Whitten and his wife.
Sincerely,
A Grateful fan

[jman2004]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

The Cowboys are in the second round of the NFL playoffs. That's kind of a big deal.

[dan_beeding]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

The Cowboys are in the second round of the NFL playoffs. That's kind of a big deal.

Just read this today. Really?? You're really going to try to justify the coverage that was given to the Romo/Jessica Mexico trip? This is ESPN, not E! . You have got to be kidding me.

[jman2004]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Just read this today. Really?? You're really going to try to justify the coverage that was given to the Romo/Jessica Mexico trip? This is ESPN, not E! . You have got to be kidding me.

Considering they lost now BOTH times Jessica was involved, yeah, I think it is kind of an interesting and BIG deal.

Are you trying to tell me that the number of MVC fans outnumber the number of Dallas Cowboy fans? I have news for you. Valley fans like myself would be blown away.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

Are you trying to tell me that the number of MVC fans outnumber the number of Dallas Cowboy fans? I have news for you. Valley fans like myself would be blown away.

Haven't you heard? The MVC is "America's Conference"



Or has that been claimed and copyrighted somewhere?

[dan_beeding]

Re: Dear ESPN Executives:

That's not what I'm saying at all. But what I am saying is that a upper mid-major conference deserves a bit more coverage than some paparazzi footage of a quarterback in Mexico after his coach told him to get away from football for a few days. I'm afraid this is one that you aren't going to convince me any different, my friend.