CBS vs ESPN/ABC network...

• september63

  

  CBS is losing this NCAA contract. They are very bad with their late game cut aways. They move games late without even letting you know. They leave regional games that local people wanna still see. ESPN usually includes a split screen before cutting away to a game late.
• dazedconfused

  

  unfortunately, i think cbs has the march madness contract locked up for about three more seasons
• Azubuike24

  

  With their family of networks, ESPN/ABC will in theory be able to show every game in it's entirety. However, I just don't see that happening. Even during conference tournament weeks, ESPN rarely shows anything worthwhile on ESPNU or ESPN Classic.
• september63

  

  The CBS contract is coming up after this year or next.
• ts1227

  

  CBS contract has a few more years, but they do have the option to opt out after this very tournament.
• Mulva

  

  I like the CBS presentation and graphics. I like not having the bottomline scrolling all game too.
  
  But the cut aways are very bad. In the end none of that matters. What matters is ESPN will probably be able to pony up the most cash.
• Azubuike24

  

  I know. But I'm talking about ESPN being willing to show EVERY GAME during these 4 days. With the price they will pay in advertising, I don't see them giving people the option to NEVER watch commercials.
• Azubuike24

  

  Mulva wrote: I like the CBS presentation and graphics. I like not having the bottomline scrolling all game too.
  
  But the cut aways are very bad. In the end none of that matters. What matters is ESPN will probably be able to pony up the most cash.

  Agree with this 100%. CBS' graphics and presentation is great. I can't stand the bottom line and the constant clutter on ESPN's screen.
• september63

  

  You can watch every game now on www.cbssportsline.com
• Mulva

  

  september63 wrote: You can watch every game now on www.cbssportsline.com

  Unfortunately I don't have a big screen laptop. It's not quite the same.
• Azubuike24

  

  I know. I'm talking about using at least 3 of their main networks with full HD coverage.
  
  That's the only way they can really improve coverage. Free, high-quality, continuous basketball.
  
  Games are in groups of 4.
  
  Game 1 - ABC-HD
  Game 2 - ESPN-HD
  Game 3 - ESPN2-HD
  Game 4 - ESPNU-HD
  
  This is what I want to see. It's the only way ESPN getting the coverage can really improve things.
• september63

  

  I kept doing that when they switched away from the OU game. Still, the cut aways from CBS are horrible. They will switch games without even telling you where they are going.
• hoops23

  

  I also like CBS' graphics and presentation.. Also like most of their announcers.
  
  I do like the ideal of the games being on ESPN, because the most important thing is being able to watch them.
  
  With ESPN/ESPN2/ABC/ESPNU you could see EVERY game, which would be better than constant cut ins.
• Azubuike24

  

  Yeah, and since everyone has at least ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, you wouldn't need to EVER leave the live feed from that game. No cut-ins, no bonus coverage, anything.
  
  If people have all 4 games available, they can simply use the channel changer.
  
  As I said though, it would kill their advertising.
• september63

  

  ESPN/ABC would figure out an advertising plan. They certainly would include the NCAA Tourney with some other advertising package. Disney didnt get to be Disney because they werent advertising saavy.
• Azubuike24

  

  I wouldn't care how they did it, as long as every NCAA game was shown on their family of networks in HD. They could increase or lengthen the TV timeouts too, as long as we have an option to watch every game in HD.
  
  It would be unparalleled coverage and it would never leave the network once ESPN got their hands on it.
• september63

  

  It will be happening soon. CBS took a crap today. The NCAA has no loyalties, they will follow the $$$. We all know ESPN/ABC is a monopoly. They get what they want, the exception being the Masters.
• ts1227

  

  The NCAA will opt out after this year, expand the tourney to 96, and take the highest bidder.
  
  The ONLY thing that would prevent this is if they decide to stick the current contract out, because it was back-loaded... and CBS is losing their ass to the NCAA from now until the end of the contract.
• september63

  

  Within 5 years ESPN/ABC will have everything. NCAA tourney, NFL (both conferences), SEC Football. In addition to what they have now. They might keep the Masters.
• hoops23

  

  Depending on the cost to CBS, I could see them pushing for an opt out as well.
• krambman

  

  If ESPN buys the rights to the NCAA tournament, none of the games would be on ABC. They just bought the BCS and all of those games, including the Rose Bowl, are moving to ESPN, NOT ABC. Apparently more that 95% of the households that watched a BCS game last year had ESPN. I think they would either give people two viewing options in every region, one game on ESPN, one on ESPN2, or, show all four games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN Classic, and then also offer them all on ESPN360, unless the NCAA requires them to make MMOD available to everyone. The big problem right now is that CBS is currently losing money of the tournament because their contract was back loaded. The NCAA may actually have to sell the rights for less than the current CBS contact. Should be interesting to see what happens. It's no secret that ESPN wants to buy the rights though. They have every other NCAA championship.
• september63

  

  Yes. ESPN will buy this out. They have every major contract except the Masters and some random hockey on NBC. The Saturday FOX baseball will soon belong to ESPN too.
• ts1227

  

  september63 wrote: Yes. ESPN will buy this out. They have every major contract except the Masters and some random hockey on NBC. The Saturday FOX baseball will soon belong to ESPN too.

  ESPN has the first and second round to the Masters, so they're halfway there on that...
• vdubb96

  

  I have to respectfully disagree about CBS's coverage. Yeah I wanted to see the whole OU game last night but the earlier game between N.Iowa and UNLV was closer and less time was on the clock. I agree that they switch w/out much info. but yesterday I got to see every amazing finish w/out missing a beat. And to me thats all that matters. As a sidenote, I actually get 2 cbs affiliates from my location so I've been getting two different games!!!
• purple_rein

  I like CBS's coverage.
  
  Only way that I would rather have it on ESPN would be if they show multiple games at once.