Impact of the Big Ten Network on Conference performance
Not to come across as a Coach Rod apologist, but do you all think the Big Ten Network has impacted the level of play in the conference? Before there was little media coverage for teams like Indiana, Northwestern, and a half dozen of their brother teams, but now there is more exposure, more breakdown of the X's and O's, more scrutiny of wins and losses; it appears to lend more respect to every team. What do you guys think?
November 25th, 2009 at 1:05 PM ^
I doubt it affects anything other than the financial performance of the conference and its member, and in a positive way. Pretty sure the Big Ten is still doing better on media money despite the breathless media reports on the SEC's big contract. The BTN did pretty well its first year, and now that nearly every cable company has it (either as a sports tier channel or a base channel), the numbers should be even better. Plus maybe they'll be able to get advertisers besides QUESO EMERGENCY! and BW3.
That the Big Ten is back to being a top basketball conference again can only help. The massive expansion of available televised basketball games is IMHE the best thing about the channel.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:22 PM ^
Am I the only one who's noticed the "mediocre" conference it has become? With the exception of the "Big Two", (Florida, Alabama) they've been reduced this season to, (dare I say it) "meh" status. Sure, LSU is 8-3, but they've hardly set the world on fire, and the only other SEC school in the Top 25 is Ole Miss (8-3) and they lost to Auburn but beat LSU.
Or am I wrong?
November 25th, 2009 at 3:29 PM ^
been. 2 or 3 good teams, a bunch of mediocre ones who beat each other up, and a couple bad ones.
just like every conference.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:16 PM ^
You could look at it from a different way and say that not many people have the BTN so when it pulls a game or two off of a regional ABC broadcast it is hurting the schools by limiting the number of households who could see them.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:18 PM ^
on regional ABC and ESPN networks as before. They difference is there are no games as pay per view on ESPN game plan.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:22 PM ^
I think that's mostly true, but there are some exceptions. BTN gets to take a few games per month that would have been on ESPN/ESPN2, and those missing games are what allows ABC to show stupid cartoons at the noon slot and more of the SEC on ESPN.
In a related note, the lack of football at noon on ABC was horrible this season.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
I think they're still showing the same number of Big Ten games. The times when the BTN gets second or third crack at the games is when you get a game on ESPN/ESPN2 that makes everyone say "why the hell is this crap-ass matchup on ESPN?". Pretty sure there was a weird one on the week that UM/MSU got moved to BTN -- that was likely a second-pick game by the BTN.
ABC shows crap in that noon slot most weeks regardless. It's only when there's a big game at noon (like the Red River Shootout this year) that they show anything then.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:12 PM ^
I'm pretty certain that the crap on ABC in the noon slot is new. I could have sworn last season was football at that time.
There were one or two weeks with less BigTen games, but not many.
| Date | ABC/ESPN/2 | BTN | Other | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/5 | 4 | 6 | 0 | Indiana played Thursday on BTN |
| 9/12 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 road games on FSN |
| 9/19 | 1 | 4 | 3 | NBC, ESPN360, ESPN+ |
| 9/26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
| 10/3 | 3 | 3 | MSU/UM on BTN lead to Iowa/ASU on ESPN2 | |
| 10/10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | ESPN360, MSU vs Illini on BTN lead PSU/EIU to ESPN Classic |
| 10/17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| 10/24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | Iowa/MSU on BTN lead to Illini/Purdue on ESPN2 |
| 10/31 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| 11/7 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 11/14 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ESPN Classic |
| 11/21 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
November 25th, 2009 at 2:56 PM ^
Crappy noon football game > cartoons. Always. As one who doesn't have cable or satellite tv, I was very unhappy at the near-total lack of noon football on ABC.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:17 PM ^
I really like Sailor Moon.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^
First, if you don't know the meaning of the term "apologist" and the context in which it arose, you shouldn't use it. It is completely non sequitur in the context of sports.
This leads to the second point of those who call RR supporters "apologists." Either you support Michigan or you don't. If you do, then get behind our coach whether you like him or not and stop trying to incite division by using idiotic terms like "apologist" to deride those who support RR.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:06 PM ^
The post uses the correct context:
Apologist - One who speaks or writes in defense of someone or something.
He wasn't trying to make excuses for (or writing in defense of) RR, he was just questioning whether the additional exposure of other teams on BTN was helping them elevate their programs therefore making the league more competitive overall. The more competitive the league is, the harder it is for RR to gain traction. Simple concept.
I don't know whether the theory is legit or not but his use of "apoligist" certainly was.
Also, not supporting a coach (whatever that really means) is not mutually exclusive of supporting a program. At any given time ~25-50% of the citizens don't support a President (or at least would like to see someone else in his office) but that doesn't mean that they don't support the country.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:19 PM ^
comes from someone named "Marshmellow"! While I do feel my usage of 'apologist' is correct, the mindset conveyed by the term is not; I am 100% behind our coach, and not because it's Coach Rod but because he's our coach. I will support him until such a time that he is not our coach, whereupon I will proclaim, "The King is dead! Long live the King!"
November 25th, 2009 at 5:22 PM ^
If you don't know the meaning of the term "non sequitur" and the context in which it arose, you shouldn't use it.
For the record, a "non sequitur" is a conclusion that does not logically follow from the premise presented.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:35 PM ^
......on my agita......HIGH!
It's almost as if they randomly agree to miss 4 plays per game.
Anyone's guess as to when those will be! Spicy!
November 25th, 2009 at 3:42 PM ^
I doubt the btn has had anything to do with northwestern and such teams play on the field.
but as for me, I hate the big ten network, because what was the first game ever broadcasted on it? the horror. and watching games on that channel has been a horror ever since.
November 26th, 2009 at 12:11 AM ^
I got the Dish HD package just to watch B10 Network although I got it mostly for basketball season.