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Should they change the early round start times?

  • Non
    Not sure how exactly. CBS probably doesn't want to interrupt the evening news but maybe start Tuesday and Wednesday with the early rounds and play them all in the evenings.

    Or not.
  • Laley23
    I think they should keep the early games, but less and place another 1 to go along with the 1 in the evening news. Televise them on HD and demand the news be on only standard definition.

    The affiliates and local news would NEVER go for it though as it is one of the best 4 days (thurs and fri of first two weeks) for ratings all year long.
  • Manhattan Buckeye
    Leave it alone, it is an excuse to take a very long lunch on thursday and friday.
  • Heretic
    Or to take vacation days on Thursday and Friday!
  • cbus4life
    I will be taking vacation Thursday and Friday. :D
  • darbypitcher22
    I wish I could take vacation. Unfortunately have classes, practice, and games to be attending
  • queencitybuckeye
    This tournament is about the closest thing to sports perfection that exists. Leave it be.
  • vdubb96
    ^^AMEN!
  • krambman
    They can't preempt the evening news for this. The US government technically owns the airwaves and part of the lease agreement with these networks is that they cover the news daily. My guess is that they will draw more viewers with the news than showing a game opposite the news anyway. With games on all day long, a lot of people would switch over to ABC or NBC to catch the news at that time.

    CBS's contract is up soon and it's likely that ESPN will out-bid them for the television rights, and it won't really be an issue at that point. Although you still need a break in there somewhere because the arenas need cleared in between the morning and evening sessions.
  • ts1227
    krambman wrote: CBS's contract is up soon and it's likely that ESPN will out-bid them for the television rights, and it won't really be an issue at that point. Although you still need a break in there somewhere because the arenas need cleared in between the morning and evening sessions.
    NCAA has the right to opt out after this tournament if they want to open the bidding now (and they are considering it, especially if they go to 96 because they can get more money sooner).
  • Heretic
    krambman wrote: They can't preempt the evening news for this. The US government technically owns the airwaves and part of the lease agreement with these networks is that they cover the news daily. My guess is that they will draw more viewers with the news than showing a game opposite the news anyway. With games on all day long, a lot of people would switch over to ABC or NBC to catch the news at that time.

    CBS's contract is up soon and it's likely that ESPN will out-bid them for the television rights, and it won't really be an issue at that point. Although you still need a break in there somewhere because the arenas need cleared in between the morning and evening sessions.
    If you get CBS College Sports (I don't, but my friends with Dish Network do...channel 152), you get the 4:55 games on it. Which is great for those of us fans who would stab themselves in the eye than take a two-hour hiatus from March Madness during the first two days.
  • Manhattan Buckeye
    "With games on all day long, a lot of people would switch over to ABC or NBC to catch the news at that time."

    Does anyone under the age of 60 watch evening network news?
  • killer_ewok
    Heretic wrote: Or to take vacation days on Thursday and Friday!
    This + DirecTV's Mega March Madness = pure bliss
  • reclegend22
    No offense (and I know you're only making a suggestion for debate), but terrible idea.

    The fact that they want to expand the tournament is nauseating/tiring/stupid enough. Changing the format of the greatest two days in sports (NCAA basketball all day Thursday and Friday), in the tournament's current setup, is even worse.
  • reclegend22
    CBS knows what owning the rights to this heaven means. I am hopeful they put their money where there knowledge is.

    This should be a national television event. Not on ESPN. ESPN couldn't hold CBS's jock strap in terms of the superb production of the NCAA Tournament the past 25 years.

    Even though ESPN would be able to show more games, I would be sick if they got the rights.
  • jordo212000
    Heretic wrote: If you get CBS College Sports (I don't, but my friends with Dish Network do...channel 152), you get the 4:55 games on it. Which is great for those of us fans who would stab themselves in the eye than take a two-hour hiatus from March Madness during the first two days.
    The games should be streamed online as well...
  • ts1227
    Heretic wrote: If you get CBS College Sports (I don't, but my friends with Dish Network do...channel 152), you get the 4:55 games on it. Which is great for those of us fans who would stab themselves in the eye than take a two-hour hiatus from March Madness during the first two days.
    Time Warner Mid-Ohio is offering a free preview of CBSCS through April 5.

    If you have digital cable it's on it's normal position somewhere in the 300's, and sometimes they show it on the overflow channel (Ch. 24) so everyone gets some of it.

    http://www.timewarnercable.com/MidOhio/learn/programming/sports/marchmadness.html
  • wildcats20
    ^^^As is Insight in Columbus, channel 968.
  • krambman
    reclegend22 wrote: CBS knows what owning the rights to this heaven means. I am hopeful they put their money where there knowledge is.

    This should be a national television event. Not on ESPN. ESPN couldn't hold CBS's jock strap in terms of the superb production of the NCAA Tournament the past 25 years.

    Even though ESPN would be able to show more games, I would be sick if they got the rights.
    The big problem right now is that CBS is actually losing money on the NCAA tournament. Their contract was back-loaded, so they are paying a lot more now than they did at the beginning of the contract and they have less money coming in from advertising than going out to the NCAA for the rights. This is a big reason why the NCAA likely won't opt-out early because no one else is going to be willing to given them equal or better money for the remaining three years of the contract, then sign a new ten year contract worth more. This is one of the big reasons they are considering expanding because more games means more money for the network television the games.