Committee selects 4 teams not playing in conference champ game to contest two play-in games (thus teams can't benefit from sitting at home).
Final team is selected by committee from conference champ game losers.
What I don't want to see is the play-off to expand too much. The regular season is intense and every week counts simply because of the fact that the number of spots is limited. If you make it 8 teams or (heaven forbid) 16 then you'll see teams with 2 or 3 losses breezing into it, and that will dilute the importance of the regular season.
College Football is historically a regional sport, and anything that makes winning conference championships vital gets the thumbs up from me. Winning a conference championship should be important, and I believe winning one should allow teams a chance to play for the national championship.
How we get from one to the other is the tricky part. If we allow the Power 5 conference champions to make the play-offs we need to also allow at least one more spot for a non-champion who may simply just have lost a title game to another elite team. Plus we have the Notre Dame issue.
I would opt for a 6 team play off.
Week after conference title games - 2 highest placed non-Conference champions play off to make the play offs as the 'wild card'
2 highest placed conference champions get a bye.
Conference champion #3 vs Wild Card team
Conference champion #4 vs Conference Champion #5
Conference Champions #1 and #2 play the winners, and so on.
How they fit that in a schedule I don't know!
As for ESPNA, it's a great Saturday of College FB this weekend. 2 games at 5pm, 2 at 8.30pm and then games at midnight and 3.30am. Awesome stuff, and amazing that we were all sat here 15 months ago worrying about what kind of coverage we'd get once BT took over the channel!
Last time this weekend for Alabama on CBS this season.
It will be their 5th time choosing Bama - which is the maximum quota.
So in the final week of the season the Bama/Auburn Iron Bowl game will be on ESPN/ABC, and CBS will presumably pick the Ole Miss/Miss State Egg Bowl.
So I wonder whether comms. Verne L. and Gary D. will be subtly/inwardly rooting for Miss. State this weekend, as a Bama loss knocks them (Bama) out of any chance of a top 4 spot. Mind you, it would be interesting to see if Miss State stay in the top 4 with say a close loss to Bama, especially if FSU were to slip up against Miami.
Last time this weekend for Alabama on CBS this season.
It will be their 5th time choosing Bama - which is the maximum quota.
So in the final week of the season the Bama/Auburn Iron Bowl game will be on ESPN/ABC, and CBS will presumably pick the Ole Miss/Miss State Egg Bowl.
So I wonder whether comms. Verne L. and Gary D. will be subtly/inwardly rooting for Miss. State this weekend, as a Bama loss knocks them (Bama) out of any chance of a top 4 spot. Mind you, it would be interesting to see if Miss State stay in the top 4 with say a close loss to Bama, especially if FSU were to slip up against Miami.
Yes it will, they confirmed it the other day. It's the first time since 1964 that the Egg Bowl will be on national television in the States. On the Friday they'll be showing Missouri/Arkansas
ESPN will also be doing an alternate presentation of the Iron Bowl on SEC Network, although they haven't confirmed yet what that will entail
Prior to the season I expressed my disappointment about (my favourite) commentator Brent Musburger’s switch/demotion from ESPN to the new SEC Network. Others felt that with SECN being owned by ESPN we would get their games too.
Unfortunately my concerns have proved correct. After 4 SECN games in week 1 (and one with Brent) we have not seen any further SECN games since.
With CBS getting first choice (starting from week 3) and ESPN/ABC next in line, the SECN games have mainly been 2nd or 3rd string games.
This upcoming weekend, ESPN have Alabama/Auburn and CBS Ole Miss/ Miss. State. SECN have Georgia Tech. (ACC) at Georgia on Friday and Tennessee/Vandy on Saturday, which is a waste of Brent’s talents imo.
Big contract man Chris Fowler (who gave away 2 of his $100 Benjamins on Gameday for a correct answer) has been better than I thought, but doesn’t have the chemistry and humour that Kirk H. had with Brent. Presumably Brent will be back on ESPN for a Bowl game or two, so we will hear him then.
Does anyone have any info on how the SECN is doing in the USA in terms of subscribers?
BTW – I liked the humorous comment by Mike Tirico prior to the Pittsburgh/Tennessee NFL game, that with starting QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Zach Mettenberger, it would have been appropriate for Brent Musburger to have been commentating!
Play-offs...
I’m hoping for Ohio State to get in with the existing top 3. Urban Meyer has done a great job in his time there (34-3 record albeit in a weaker Conference), especially after losing their starting QB earlier in the season and developing the backup so well.
Bama vs. Ohio State and Oregon vs. FSU would be potentially great matchups imo.
If those 4 win out, TCU lose at Texas, Miss State lose to Ole Miss (probably the least likely of these 3) and Baylor lose to Kansas State – which could all happen, that would seal it – but that’s asking a lot!
If Ohio State don’t get in, then I’d like to see TCU get in. I went to their game at SMU, when they hammered the woeful SMU 56-0 (SMU remain the only FBS team without a win), and I was at Texas A&M game 2 weeks later, well before it started, and watched on tv at a concession stand as TCU lost a heartbreaker at Baylor 58-61 as time expired. Other than that late meltdown they would be unbeaten.
Some more great games this week, and continued great coverage from ESPN/BT.
Prior to the season I expressed my disappointment about (my favourite) commentator Brent Musburger’s switch/demotion from ESPN to the new SEC Network. Others felt that with SECN being owned by ESPN we would get their games too.
Unfortunately my concerns have proved correct. After 4 SECN games in week 1 (and one with Brent) we have not seen any further SECN games since.
With CBS getting first choice (starting from week 3) and ESPN/ABC next in line, the SECN games have mainly been 2nd or 3rd string games.
This upcoming weekend, ESPN have Alabama/Auburn and CBS Ole Miss/ Miss. State. SECN have Georgia Tech. (ACC) at Georgia on Friday and Tennessee/Vandy on Saturday, which is a waste of Brent’s talents imo.
Big contract man Chris Fowler (who gave away 2 of his $100 Benjamins on Gameday for a correct answer) has been better than I thought, but doesn’t have the chemistry and humour that Kirk H. had with Brent. Presumably Brent will be back on ESPN for a Bowl game or two, so we will hear him then.
Does anyone have any info on how the SECN is doing in the USA in terms of subscribers?
BTW – I liked the humorous comment by Mike Tirico prior to the Pittsburgh/Tennessee NFL game, that with starting QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Zach Mettenberger, it would have been appropriate for Brent Musburger to have been commentating!
Make sure your tuned into ESPN on Saturday night then as Brent and Jesse will be covering the Iron Bowl
From what I remember reading Brent's contract has him tied into calling a bowl game but I don't know whether it will be one of the higher profile ones
As I understand it the SEC Network isn't a standalone channel, it's part of general channel packages, unfortunately it isn't Nielsen rated either atm so there aren't any viewing figures released for various games
Make sure your tuned into ESPN on Saturday night then as Brent and Jesse will be covering the Iron Bowl
From what I remember reading Brent's contract has him tied into calling a bowl game but I don't know whether it will be one of the higher profile ones
As I understand it the SEC Network isn't a standalone channel, it's part of general channel packages, unfortunately it isn't Nielsen rated either atm so there aren't any viewing figures released for various games
Wow, that's great news, thanks - just done a search, and you're right!
"It’s an interesting decision to ESPN given they forcibly passed the torch from Brent to Chris Fowler this season with their top broadcast booth. This assignment could also have the subliminal message of free advertising for the SEC Network as well with Musburger and Palmer coming to ESPN.
Count me among the many college football fans that still wish Brent Musburger was the lead voice for ESPN’s coverage of the sport. Even at this point in his career, there’s a passion and an energy with Musburger in the booth that is undeniable. He’s one of the few broadcasters living that can add a big-game feel just by his presence in the booth. (Which is why ESPN used his voice to advertise a game he wasn’t even announcing this year.) Chris Fowler is solid as a football play by play man, but he’s much better as a studio host. There have been a few moments this year that fans have been left wanting and wondering how Musburger would have called a certain big play…. or referenced the point spread.
To be honest, there’s only one Brent Musburger. And it will be fantastic to hear him call Auburn-Alabama this Saturday."
I couldn't agree more.
Bit of a snub for Fowler/Herbstreit. They will call FSU/Florida instead.
Ironic... this morning some of the games at the weekend were listed as tbc in the Sky EPG. Now filled in Sunday am as-live game as Georgia/Georgia Tech. - which is SEC Network (and a Sat. game, not Fri. as I put above). So I thought there was a chance of Brent being there - but your news beats that.
The Georgia Tech @ Georgia game should be interesting (best game in that slot imo), Arkansas @ Missouri (another as-live) too in terms of impact though maybe not stylistically.
Unfortunately DS won't let me link to the whole article but ESPN have released the list of announcers for their Bowl Games, I've posted the major seven
Wed, Dec 31
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 6 TCU
TV: Joe Tessitore, Brock Huard & Shannon Spake
VIZIO Fiesta Bowl No. 20 Boise State vs. No. 10 Arizona
TV: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman & Todd McShay
Capital One Orange Bowl No. 7 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech
TV: Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer & Maria Taylor
Thu, Jan 1
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 5 Baylor
TV: Dave Pasch, Brian Griese & Tom Luginbill
Rose Bowl Game College Football Playoff SF No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Florida State
TV: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox & Tom Rinaldi
Allstate Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff SF No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Ohio State
TV: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe
Mon, Jan 12
College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T TBD vs. TBD
TV: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox & Tom Rinaldi
Musburger and Palmer will also call the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl on Dec 20th
On another note, this weekend I was disappointed to see no live coverage of Army/Navy, one of the best games of year. Instead they're showing NBA/college basketball and have opted to show it delayed after the Heisman presentation at 2am!
Unfortunately DS won't let me link to the whole article but ESPN have released the list of announcers for their Bowl Games, I've posted the major seven
Musburger and Palmer will also call the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl on Dec 20th
On another note, this weekend I was disappointed to see no live coverage of Army/Navy, one of the best games of year. Instead they're showing NBA/college basketball and have opted to show it delayed after the Heisman presentation at 2am!
Thanks for info.
I agree re Army/Navy - we've always had it live in the past. College Gameday is also not being shown at all, which is also a big shame - ESPN (US) are there for the first time, even though it's a CBS game.
Re my earlier post.. I got the final 4 teams I was hoping for, which was the right result, albeit tough on Baylor and TCU. I commented then that Urban Meyer had done a great job with the 2nd string QB - now he's doing the same with the 3rd stringer. Alabama will be another level though, and they could get blown out.
Food for thought... if we'd still had the old BCS system, who would be 1 and 2? Unbeaten FSU would almost undoubtedly of been in, so presumably Oregon would of missed out?
I agree re Army/Navy - we've always had it live in the past. College Gameday is also not being shown at all, which is also a big shame - ESPN (US) are there for the first time, even though it's a CBS game.
Re my earlier post.. I got the final 4 teams I was hoping for, which was the right result, albeit tough on Baylor and TCU. I commented then that Urban Meyer had done a great job with the 2nd string QB - now he's doing the same with the 3rd stringer. Alabama will be another level though, and they could get blown out.
Food for thought... if we'd still had the old BCS system, who would be 1 and 2? Unbeaten FSU would almost undoubtedly of been in, so presumably Oregon would of missed out?
Yes, the rankings would have been
1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
BT Sport and sports broadcaster ESPN have signed a seven-year agreement to expand the range of ESPN content available on the platforms of the UK pay-television broadcaster.
The deal will see BT Sport expand the amount of programming it receives from ESPN, up to 5,000 hours per year. Programming supplied during the course of the agreement will typically feature US motor racing series IndyCar, NCAA college American football and basketball, the X Games and Aussie rules football league the AFL.
There is also enhanced availability of existing content supplied by ESPN, such as the ESPN Films documentary series, plus the introduction to BT Sport of world football show ESPN FC, and some of the most well-known brands in US sport television including Pardon The Interruption and Around The Horn.
Shame they cant get Nascar and NHL. But the highlights show for Nascar will have to do. Who knows they might get them back in the future. Good that BT are to carry on their relationship with espn.
The return of Around the Horn and Pardon The Interruption is brilliant news. Hopefully other shows will also be included including SportsCenter and SportsNation. If they can then snag NHL rights when they next become available even better with all the associated programming that ESPN do.
ATH and PTI have been off screens for around 18 months I think.
Although it is included in the press release, is it a certainty that we will see a return of ATH and PTI over here or just a possibility as it is part of the ESPN portfolio of programming?
Also although it should be essential over here to compliment their programming, i would be surprised to see Sportscenter on our screens. I think they would have issues with rights to certain clips. When ESPN Europe was on the go, they showed the US version as they had different rights to us here in the UK and it isn't shown now on Sport 1 US in Germany which acquired the rights when ESPN shut down its European operation.
I remember Michael Kim presented an ESPN UK version from the same studios as the US version and it was pretty good, albeit a much shorter and concise edition and only on weekdays, and that failed to stand the test of time as well.
A North American sports wrap up morning show for 7 days a week lasting an hour or so, with clips, highlights etc should be a given over here, even though the internet can give us all of that anyway. I can never understand why it isn't on everyday now, money and/or rights issues i suppose.
Regarding NHL rights, when they come up again i expect Premier Sports to get them again, ESPN in the US don't have the rights and i get the impression that the NHL are quite happy with the job Premier sports does at rights holder, whether the customers over here are is another matter, glad i don't have to pay for Premier sports and their dreadful SD picture quality!
I can only see the NHL moving if Premier Sports folds, which i cannot see happening after the longer term deals with the NRL and something else which i can't remember!
Regarding NHL rights, when they come up again i expect Premier Sports to get them again, ESPN in the US don't have the rights and i get the impression that the NHL are quite happy with the job Premier sports does at rights holder, whether the customers over here are is another matter, glad i don't have to pay for Premier sports and their dreadful SD picture quality!
I can only see the NHL moving if Premier Sports folds, which i cannot see happening after the longer term deals with the NRL and something else which i can't remember!
The NHL are hardly going to say otherwise, or give the impression, than that they are happy with Premier Sports in the middle of a four year contract. However, when you look at the actual exposure which Ice Hockey receives as a result of being confined to a channel with limited subscribers in the UK as opposed to being on ESPN or Sky, then you have to think that they would be more than happy to move to either of those two should the opportunity arise.
Setanta in the UK had deals but folded. The key is whether anyone will challenge Premier Sports who only got the rights because the version of the ESPN America channel which we used to get covered the UK and Scandinavia and couldn't match the fees that the Nordic broadcasters paid for them in their territories. When the rights come back up we are talking a whole different scenario.
Although it is included in the press release, is it a certainty that we will see a return of ATH and PTI over here or just a possibility as it is part of the ESPN portfolio of programming?
This being on the BT Sport website would suggest that they will return
You would think so reading that, but with European football (mainly weekends i accept) and their other programming, i wonder if they will have regular time slots or just be used as filler and what happens with the clips which they possibly don't have rights to, do they cut them out and have a really shortened show?
I'm not too bothered as i don't watch ATH and PTI much these days even though i can get ESPN as i prefer other programmes, but it would be nice to see BT/ESPN fill their schedules with much more North American based and produced programming to make it the more authentic US themed channel that it could be and give us all more choice and alternatives over here in the UK.
The NHL are hardly going to say otherwise, or give the impression, than that they are happy with Premier Sports in the middle of a four year contract. However, when you look at the actual exposure which Ice Hockey receives as a result of being confined to a channel with limited subscribers in the UK as opposed to being on ESPN or Sky, then you have to think that they would be more than happy to move to either of those two should the opportunity arise.
Setanta in the UK had deals but folded. The key is whether anyone will challenge Premier Sports who only got the rights because the version of the ESPN America channel which we used to get covered the UK and Scandinavia and couldn't match the fees that the Nordic broadcasters paid for them in their territories. When the rights come back up we are talking a whole different scenario.
Yeah true enough.
I cannot see Sky being remotely interested in NHL rights sadly, they don't seem to have had much interest in the past or so it seems.
ESPN on the other hand i am sure would be, but whether the NHL want to do business is another matter, i suppose it boils to to dollars and cents at the end of the day.
The NHL are quite funny when it comes to the deals they have cut, both in North America and in Europe over the years, the Fox glowing puck experiment springs to mind and completely shutting out or being shut out by ESPN which has rights to everything major in some shape or form these days is unusual. Also the Rogers 12 year deal was mind blowing.
I suppose here in the UK, the NHL is very minor compared to mainland Europe with the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Czech Rep etc all clamouring to see their NHL based stars in action, so maybe a limited subscription based channel in the UK is not a big problem to them. Also if Premier Sports end up losing rights to the NHL, they have even slimmer pickings than they have now which cannot help their subscription drive. Who knows.
As i said, i'm glad i don't pay for Premier Sports as it isn't worth the £10 to £12 a month it costs and extra for multi room i believe. the SD picture is shocking and all i watch is occasional NHL and NRL games and a bit of Nascar.
I get Viasat from Scandinavia for the NHL and their coverage is incredible, every single NHL game is shown live and with English as well as Nordic commentary, certain games have studio coverage in Nordic and other games just take the local host feed generally.
That is the difference in countries where the sport is a hotbed i suppose.
Obviously there is NHL gamecenter as well, i know that MLB at bat has made baseball a lot of money over the years and i read somewhere it is booming and getting stronger every year, so the NHL has to take note of that too.
All conjecture at the moment, but with the internet and TV in differing formats, we have never been so blessed. If i didn't have to work for a living and could earn the same money sat at home, i would never miss a Blue Jays, Penguins, Penn State, 49ers or Raptors game ever! They are all available and easy to get, just hard to stay up for!
ESPN are offering programmes that they control the international distribution rights for. They do not own these for NASCAR (from this year) or NHL, so unless either sport decides to sign with BT it's unlikely.
NHL has a long term deal with Premier Sports; NASCAR is currently without a TV deal in the UK but sources close to both NASCAR and Premier Sports say a three year deal is likely
Interesting that the new deal with ESPN will see the return of ESPN FC (ESPN Soccernet Press Pass). I don't know how this is going to work as the show has become very US focused of late with more time dedicated to showing and discussing MLS and Liga MX. I just hope they do not strip the show of highlight footage like last time it was airing in the UK and rather leave it up to BT Sports to edit out the highlights if they must please the local regulators. It will also mark the return of Craig Burley to UK tv:D
Comments
What I don't want to see is the play-off to expand too much. The regular season is intense and every week counts simply because of the fact that the number of spots is limited. If you make it 8 teams or (heaven forbid) 16 then you'll see teams with 2 or 3 losses breezing into it, and that will dilute the importance of the regular season.
College Football is historically a regional sport, and anything that makes winning conference championships vital gets the thumbs up from me. Winning a conference championship should be important, and I believe winning one should allow teams a chance to play for the national championship.
How we get from one to the other is the tricky part. If we allow the Power 5 conference champions to make the play-offs we need to also allow at least one more spot for a non-champion who may simply just have lost a title game to another elite team. Plus we have the Notre Dame issue.
I would opt for a 6 team play off.
Week after conference title games - 2 highest placed non-Conference champions play off to make the play offs as the 'wild card'
2 highest placed conference champions get a bye.
Conference champion #3 vs Wild Card team
Conference champion #4 vs Conference Champion #5
Conference Champions #1 and #2 play the winners, and so on.
How they fit that in a schedule I don't know!
As for ESPNA, it's a great Saturday of College FB this weekend. 2 games at 5pm, 2 at 8.30pm and then games at midnight and 3.30am. Awesome stuff, and amazing that we were all sat here 15 months ago worrying about what kind of coverage we'd get once BT took over the channel!
Last time this weekend for Alabama on CBS this season.
It will be their 5th time choosing Bama - which is the maximum quota.
So in the final week of the season the Bama/Auburn Iron Bowl game will be on ESPN/ABC, and CBS will presumably pick the Ole Miss/Miss State Egg Bowl.
So I wonder whether comms. Verne L. and Gary D. will be subtly/inwardly rooting for Miss. State this weekend, as a Bama loss knocks them (Bama) out of any chance of a top 4 spot. Mind you, it would be interesting to see if Miss State stay in the top 4 with say a close loss to Bama, especially if FSU were to slip up against Miami.
Yes it will, they confirmed it the other day. It's the first time since 1964 that the Egg Bowl will be on national television in the States. On the Friday they'll be showing Missouri/Arkansas
ESPN will also be doing an alternate presentation of the Iron Bowl on SEC Network, although they haven't confirmed yet what that will entail
Probably not.
College Football; you don't know what you're missing (it's also awesome for fantasy
Prior to the season I expressed my disappointment about (my favourite) commentator Brent Musburger’s switch/demotion from ESPN to the new SEC Network. Others felt that with SECN being owned by ESPN we would get their games too.
Unfortunately my concerns have proved correct. After 4 SECN games in week 1 (and one with Brent) we have not seen any further SECN games since.
With CBS getting first choice (starting from week 3) and ESPN/ABC next in line, the SECN games have mainly been 2nd or 3rd string games.
This upcoming weekend, ESPN have Alabama/Auburn and CBS Ole Miss/ Miss. State. SECN have Georgia Tech. (ACC) at Georgia on Friday and Tennessee/Vandy on Saturday, which is a waste of Brent’s talents imo.
Big contract man Chris Fowler (who gave away 2 of his $100 Benjamins on Gameday for a correct answer) has been better than I thought, but doesn’t have the chemistry and humour that Kirk H. had with Brent. Presumably Brent will be back on ESPN for a Bowl game or two, so we will hear him then.
Does anyone have any info on how the SECN is doing in the USA in terms of subscribers?
BTW – I liked the humorous comment by Mike Tirico prior to the Pittsburgh/Tennessee NFL game, that with starting QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Zach Mettenberger, it would have been appropriate for Brent Musburger to have been commentating!
Play-offs...
I’m hoping for Ohio State to get in with the existing top 3. Urban Meyer has done a great job in his time there (34-3 record albeit in a weaker Conference), especially after losing their starting QB earlier in the season and developing the backup so well.
Bama vs. Ohio State and Oregon vs. FSU would be potentially great matchups imo.
If those 4 win out, TCU lose at Texas, Miss State lose to Ole Miss (probably the least likely of these 3) and Baylor lose to Kansas State – which could all happen, that would seal it – but that’s asking a lot!
If Ohio State don’t get in, then I’d like to see TCU get in. I went to their game at SMU, when they hammered the woeful SMU 56-0 (SMU remain the only FBS team without a win), and I was at Texas A&M game 2 weeks later, well before it started, and watched on tv at a concession stand as TCU lost a heartbreaker at Baylor 58-61 as time expired. Other than that late meltdown they would be unbeaten.
Some more great games this week, and continued great coverage from ESPN/BT.
Make sure your tuned into ESPN on Saturday night then as Brent and Jesse will be covering the Iron Bowl
From what I remember reading Brent's contract has him tied into calling a bowl game but I don't know whether it will be one of the higher profile ones
As I understand it the SEC Network isn't a standalone channel, it's part of general channel packages, unfortunately it isn't Nielsen rated either atm so there aren't any viewing figures released for various games
Wow, that's great news, thanks - just done a search, and you're right!
found this
http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/brent-musburger-will-call-iron-bowl-saturday-night.html
which includes...
"It’s an interesting decision to ESPN given they forcibly passed the torch from Brent to Chris Fowler this season with their top broadcast booth. This assignment could also have the subliminal message of free advertising for the SEC Network as well with Musburger and Palmer coming to ESPN.
Count me among the many college football fans that still wish Brent Musburger was the lead voice for ESPN’s coverage of the sport. Even at this point in his career, there’s a passion and an energy with Musburger in the booth that is undeniable. He’s one of the few broadcasters living that can add a big-game feel just by his presence in the booth. (Which is why ESPN used his voice to advertise a game he wasn’t even announcing this year.) Chris Fowler is solid as a football play by play man, but he’s much better as a studio host. There have been a few moments this year that fans have been left wanting and wondering how Musburger would have called a certain big play…. or referenced the point spread.
To be honest, there’s only one Brent Musburger. And it will be fantastic to hear him call Auburn-Alabama this Saturday."
I couldn't agree more.
Bit of a snub for Fowler/Herbstreit. They will call FSU/Florida instead.
Ironic... this morning some of the games at the weekend were listed as tbc in the Sky EPG. Now filled in Sunday am as-live game as Georgia/Georgia Tech. - which is SEC Network (and a Sat. game, not Fri. as I put above). So I thought there was a chance of Brent being there - but your news beats that.
Musburger and Palmer will also call the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl on Dec 20th
On another note, this weekend I was disappointed to see no live coverage of Army/Navy, one of the best games of year. Instead they're showing NBA/college basketball and have opted to show it delayed after the Heisman presentation at 2am!
Thanks for info.
I agree re Army/Navy - we've always had it live in the past. College Gameday is also not being shown at all, which is also a big shame - ESPN (US) are there for the first time, even though it's a CBS game.
Re my earlier post.. I got the final 4 teams I was hoping for, which was the right result, albeit tough on Baylor and TCU. I commented then that Urban Meyer had done a great job with the 2nd string QB - now he's doing the same with the 3rd stringer. Alabama will be another level though, and they could get blown out.
Food for thought... if we'd still had the old BCS system, who would be 1 and 2? Unbeaten FSU would almost undoubtedly of been in, so presumably Oregon would of missed out?
Yes, the rankings would have been
1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
https://twitter.com/BCSKnowHow/status/541656093689393152/photo/1
If they had used the old bowl system the Championship Game would have been Alabama vs Florida State.
However if they used the BCS rankings for the current system we would have ended up with the same two semi-finals
(edited for length)
How long have PTI and ATH been off UK screens?
ATH and PTI have been off screens for around 18 months I think.
Thanks BT Sport for this.
Also although it should be essential over here to compliment their programming, i would be surprised to see Sportscenter on our screens. I think they would have issues with rights to certain clips. When ESPN Europe was on the go, they showed the US version as they had different rights to us here in the UK and it isn't shown now on Sport 1 US in Germany which acquired the rights when ESPN shut down its European operation.
I remember Michael Kim presented an ESPN UK version from the same studios as the US version and it was pretty good, albeit a much shorter and concise edition and only on weekdays, and that failed to stand the test of time as well.
A North American sports wrap up morning show for 7 days a week lasting an hour or so, with clips, highlights etc should be a given over here, even though the internet can give us all of that anyway. I can never understand why it isn't on everyday now, money and/or rights issues i suppose.
Regarding NHL rights, when they come up again i expect Premier Sports to get them again, ESPN in the US don't have the rights and i get the impression that the NHL are quite happy with the job Premier sports does at rights holder, whether the customers over here are is another matter, glad i don't have to pay for Premier sports and their dreadful SD picture quality!
I can only see the NHL moving if Premier Sports folds, which i cannot see happening after the longer term deals with the NRL and something else which i can't remember!
The NHL are hardly going to say otherwise, or give the impression, than that they are happy with Premier Sports in the middle of a four year contract. However, when you look at the actual exposure which Ice Hockey receives as a result of being confined to a channel with limited subscribers in the UK as opposed to being on ESPN or Sky, then you have to think that they would be more than happy to move to either of those two should the opportunity arise.
Setanta in the UK had deals but folded. The key is whether anyone will challenge Premier Sports who only got the rights because the version of the ESPN America channel which we used to get covered the UK and Scandinavia and couldn't match the fees that the Nordic broadcasters paid for them in their territories. When the rights come back up we are talking a whole different scenario.
This being on the BT Sport website would suggest that they will return
http://sport.bt.com/sport-football/news/bt-sport-and-espn-extend-deal-S11363956012885
You would think so reading that, but with European football (mainly weekends i accept) and their other programming, i wonder if they will have regular time slots or just be used as filler and what happens with the clips which they possibly don't have rights to, do they cut them out and have a really shortened show?
I'm not too bothered as i don't watch ATH and PTI much these days even though i can get ESPN as i prefer other programmes, but it would be nice to see BT/ESPN fill their schedules with much more North American based and produced programming to make it the more authentic US themed channel that it could be and give us all more choice and alternatives over here in the UK.
Yeah true enough.
I cannot see Sky being remotely interested in NHL rights sadly, they don't seem to have had much interest in the past or so it seems.
ESPN on the other hand i am sure would be, but whether the NHL want to do business is another matter, i suppose it boils to to dollars and cents at the end of the day.
The NHL are quite funny when it comes to the deals they have cut, both in North America and in Europe over the years, the Fox glowing puck experiment springs to mind and completely shutting out or being shut out by ESPN which has rights to everything major in some shape or form these days is unusual. Also the Rogers 12 year deal was mind blowing.
I suppose here in the UK, the NHL is very minor compared to mainland Europe with the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Czech Rep etc all clamouring to see their NHL based stars in action, so maybe a limited subscription based channel in the UK is not a big problem to them. Also if Premier Sports end up losing rights to the NHL, they have even slimmer pickings than they have now which cannot help their subscription drive. Who knows.
As i said, i'm glad i don't pay for Premier Sports as it isn't worth the £10 to £12 a month it costs and extra for multi room i believe. the SD picture is shocking and all i watch is occasional NHL and NRL games and a bit of Nascar.
I get Viasat from Scandinavia for the NHL and their coverage is incredible, every single NHL game is shown live and with English as well as Nordic commentary, certain games have studio coverage in Nordic and other games just take the local host feed generally.
That is the difference in countries where the sport is a hotbed i suppose.
Obviously there is NHL gamecenter as well, i know that MLB at bat has made baseball a lot of money over the years and i read somewhere it is booming and getting stronger every year, so the NHL has to take note of that too.
All conjecture at the moment, but with the internet and TV in differing formats, we have never been so blessed. If i didn't have to work for a living and could earn the same money sat at home, i would never miss a Blue Jays, Penguins, Penn State, 49ers or Raptors game ever! They are all available and easy to get, just hard to stay up for!
NHL has a long term deal with Premier Sports; NASCAR is currently without a TV deal in the UK but sources close to both NASCAR and Premier Sports say a three year deal is likely