One of the things I do at my job is put together a live events calendar for all sports, awards shows, etc... so I know if we need additional staff on certain days. I'm on distribution lists from network affiliates, individual franchises (like some of our stations air Dallas Cowboys preseason games so we're on the distribution list for the Cowboys), etc... Makes sense, right?
Well, my friend had a similar task at Catapult tracking down all the TV schedules for all sporting events (which is hard to find for the lesser watched sports or if there's last minute schedule changes, etc...), however his boss wouldn't let him reach out to these organizations and conferences asking for TV schedules and to be put on a distribution list because his boss thought it would make it appear they don't know how to do their job. Yep, clown show, indeed!
Going back to my original post, Catapult is saying there was no unauthorized access, which technically may be true. Like I said, if practice footage was treated in the manner game tape was like my friend dealt with, it could have been someone mislabeling it and a team discovering this and taking advantage.
As mentioned in threads earlier this season, I work in the TV biz. Just so happens one of my best friends from college worked at Catapult until being laid off earlier this year due to cuts (and believe me, he’s not crying over it but I’ll leave it at that), so of course I had to ping him on this. His dept was responsible for recording games for multiple sporting events and cutting up game tape for teams and conferences (could be a whole game or a clip for social media for example). He said depending how tape is labeled could be an issue. For example, if Michigan requested something and it was labeled Michigan, only they would have access to it. However, if whoever was cutting the tape labeled it Big Ten by mistake, then any team in the conference would have access to it. Or if the conference requested something and it gets labeled under the conference, then any team could see it. Not saying that’s what happened but that’s the one thing he could think of that could have been an issue from his experience there. I’ve seen mentions of practice film being a potential issue but his dept didn’t deal with that so he doesn’t know about any of that.
Yes, I included promos in my times. I simplified the format above, but here's a snippet of the actual format we receive from FOX that breaks down the segments (SEG), commercials (CML), promos (PRO), local breaks (LCL), and billboards (which is basically when they come back from commercial and put a graphic on the air and say something like, "Today's game is sponsored by Coca Cola"). This is the format for last Saturday night's game.
I did not include the pregame show at 7:30pm because those can vary. If you have back-to-back games and the first game runs long, they might kill breaks if necessary for time, so I just wanted to focus on the game itself.
So you have your opening segment, the prekick break, which is 2:00 of commercials, followed by Segment 1, which would be kickoff/start of the first quarter. The next break there's 2:00 of commercials + 5 second MLB on FOX promo + 10 second billboard for Heineken and State Farm (10 seconds is just a generic time, it could take a few seconds more to less but no big deal). So Break 1 is 2:15. Back to the game for segment 2, then Break 2 is 2:00 of commercials + a 10 second promo for Special Forces, so a 2:10 total break. Not going to post the entire log, but you get the gist of it.
I posted about this in another thread a few weeks ago as I work in TV and have access to format logs for all major networks that and compared a few from last year to this year and they were identical. I even posted the format for the Virginia vs. Tennessee game a few weeks ago if you want to see what the actual ABC commercial format looks like:
Here's another one I've been working on comparing... FOX 2013 prime time college football format vs. FOX 2023. The results? If I did my math correctly, they're nearly identical and I've posted them below for those interested in seeing them.
To clarify some of the geek speak below, all breaks are national breaks except LCL, which are local affiliate breaks (typically at the end of each quarter). Break 5, for example, is 2:20 (2:00 national network followed by 20 seconds for the local affiliate).
I did not include the 1:10 local in Break 23 to the total. The reason is because this is the end break and depending what is airing next local affiliates may opt to make this break longer or shorter (for example, if they are airing local news after the game, they may add an extra minute of commercials before news because viewership will prob be higher at that time and they can make more money selling ads there).
This is the standard game format. It does not include floater breaks for things like injuries and teams taking time outs that networks will add as time allows.
Also, as I explained in the other thread, if the game moves at such a pace that not all breaks can be aired during the current quarter, they will make them up elsewhere. Say Michigan goes on a 9 minute drive to open the game and they only air breaks 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the first quarter, they will make up Break 4 in the 2nd quarter. Could be cramming in a 5th break, could be combining two breaks together into an extended break, etc...
Games can run longer or shorter, but the advertising time doesn't seem to change much. Networks paid a lot for the rights to air games and they gotta get paid.
I work in a broadcast hub for a TV ownership group, so I have access to formats from all the major broadcast networks. Some affiliates have formats going back several years, so I'll have to see what I can find and compare. Like I said, when I have more time I can really dig into it and probably make a diary post out of it.
For the Virginia vs. Tennessee game on ABC the durations on the format were as follows (and it will pretty much be the same for every ABC noon game this season):
Pre-game
Break 1 (3:19 duration)
1:00 National Commercial break
0:15 Promo (like a 15 second promo for Jimmy Kimmel)
2:04 Local break (these are the commercials your local affiliate sells)
First Quarter
Break 2 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 3 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard (this is basically a graphic on screen and a quick "Today's game brought to you by Taco Bell")
Break 4 (3:05)
3:00 National
0:05 Promo
Break 5 (3:34 - End of the 1st Quarter)
2:30 National
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Second Quarter
Break 6 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 7 (2:30
2:30 National
Break 8 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Promo
Break 9 (3:00)
3:00 National
Break 10 (2:34 - End of the 2nd Quarter)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional (this is a commercial for one of the teams or conferences involved)
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Halftime
Break 11 (2:05)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
0:05 Billboard
Break 12 (2:05)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
0:05 Billboard
Break 13 (3:04 - End of Halftime)
0:30 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
1:34 Local
Third Quarter
Break 14 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 15 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard
Break 16 (3:05)
3:00 National
0:05 Promo
Break 17 (3:34 - End of the 3rd Quarter)
2:30 National
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Fourth Quarter
Break 18 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 19 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard
Break 20 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Promo
Break 21 (3:00)
3:00 National
Break 22 (0:15 - End of broadcast)
0:15 Promo
x:xx Local (they format :34 seconds for the local end break but affiliates can make this whatever duration they want)
Overtime/Post-game Show
If a game goes to overtime, they will air a 1:49 break prior to the coin toss, then 1:00 national breaks as time permits.
If there's time for a post-game show, they will air two 1:30 promo breaks, then a :15 end break.
And again, if there's a time out or injury or something they could throw in a quick 30 second floater break.
As someone who works in TV and has access to game formats for various broadcast networks, I can answer the question of whether or not they are adding more commercials when I have some time to compare 2022 and 2023 formats and even years prior to that.
I will say on an initial review of the first weekend of the 2022 vs. 2023 seasons comparing Colorado State @ Michigan in 2022 (ABC noon game) vs. Virginia @ Tennessee in 2023 (ABC noon game), the format sheets/break durations are nearly identical except for one national break in 2022 being 10 seconds longer than one in 2023.
Same with the Notre Dame @ Ohio State game in 2022 (ABC prime time game) vs. North Carolina vs. South Carolina (2023 ABC prime time game). They are the same.
There can sometimes be a short floating break, such as if a team calls time out they might go to a quick 30 second break, but nothing major.
Other times, they will float breaks if quarters burn by and they don't have to air them all. For example, if Michigan goes on a 10 minute first quarter drive and there's no opportunity for TV to air all four national breaks scheduled that quarter (lets say they only air three), they will float that missed break to the next quarter, so now if there are enough stoppages in play they will air five national breaks in the second quarter instead of four. So to the viewer/fan that will make that second quarter drag with breaks and complain they're airing more commercials, when really it's the same amount of commercial time for the game, it just got spread out unevenly.
As for why broadcasts are varying lengths, you'd have to go back and watch each game to really get an answer. Could be delays from injuries, teams calling time outs, etc... If games are shorter this year, are they adding more filler, like teams walking out of the tunnel pre-game and warming up and yammering more? Doesn't necessarily mean they're adding more commercials.
Going to see Blues Traveler w/ Big Head Todd and the Monsters at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle in July. Would love to see a BHTM show at Red Rocks some day.
As someone who works in TV and deals with these kind of things, yes, it is. If a local area team is playing a late game, CBS will enforce a mandatory pullout to ensure coverage of that game starts on time in those markets. Obviously, no good for the Michigan fans in San Diego. FOX will do the same thing during football and basketball season, too.
EDIT: I'll also add it works the other way, too. On a typical football Sunday CBS will air 4-5 regional games in the early time slot of a doubleheader. Lets say the Lions are playing in the early game. The Detroit CBS station will probably be designated a "Constant," meaning that station will stick with the game in its entirety. Let say Detroit is willing 49-7 in the third quarter. CBS has the option to pull away from the game to air a more competitive contest (one of their other regional games), however the Detroit CBS station will stay with the game while others will be switched away.
My guess is the incoming class stays intact at this point, but that's merely a guess.
I know Michigan didn't have a lot of options at this point of the summer and had to move quick. I'd still have preferred a national coaching search simply because I think the long term implications of this move are going to outweigh the short term.
U-M has enough pieces coming back plus a strong incoming class that they should do well this season regardless of who the coach is. If they finish say top three in the conference this season, does that mean Naurato is the best choice long term? Hard to say.
But long term, what happens with future recruiting? You know it starts early in hockey. I know they still have a handful of kids committed for 2023, two for 2024, and one for 2025 now. That commitment period just opened up and Michigan got one commit on the first day. Nearly every other top player seemed to commit somewhere on those first few days when kids could pledge their verbal. Is this the early affects of the uncertainty surrounding the Mel saga dragging on all summer? And now with an interim head coach with zero head coaching experience and only a year as an assistant, it might be hard sell to get any top players to commit to that resume and the uncertainty around his own future as Michigan's head coach, too.
Short term, this is fine. Long term, this could come back to hurt U-M a few years down the road, whether Naurato is retained after this season or not. It's a big gamble for a program like Michigan to take.
I talked to one player who played under Red/Mel back in the early 2000s (and this was probably 15 years ago when we talked) and I remember him telling me that Red was the tough one and Mel was the one you would go to if you had a problem. He was the one they would talk to. I don't know if others who played under them shared that same experience, but that was his.
Last June we sold our house in Jacksonville, FL. Originally asked $225K, had an offer in two days for $210k and accepted it. A few days later the buyers backed out. Back on the market and a few days later we accepted an offer at full price.
Built a new house about 30 minutes outside Charlotte, NC via Ryan Homes for about $285K (signed the agreement Feb. 2020). Same model house today in our neighborhood is starting at $370K. I *think* these might include a basement (oh, how I miss those!), not sure...but regardless the price has gone up either way. I'm glad we built when we did, not to mention the 2.8% interest rate we got. Will prob never get a rate that good again in my life.
My co-worker spent the past six months trying to find a condo in the Charlotte area and every time she sees something in the morning and wants to go look at it, by the time she gets off work it's already sold. Many of these offers are full cash, sight unseen. It's insane!
Also insane: when you see the price of a 2x4x8 at Lowe's went from $2 to $6 per board.
If you charge premium prices, I would expect premium opponents. Non-conference home games against Ball State and Arkansas State. B1G games vs. Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue, Maryland, and Indiana. Wisconsin and Penn State are fine. I realize they can't do anything about the B1G schedule but still between that and those two NC cupcakes? IMO, this is why more people are watching from the comfort of their homes and maybe will try to pick up single game tickets for the big games.
I suggest checking out the XFL Rules page, where they detail the XFL Rules vs. current NFL/College Rules and the rationale behind them. The points in the OP, such as #2, don't give the full details of how the new rule will work.
#2 makes it sound like the kicking team and receiving team are standing around at normal NFL/college kickoff spots waiting for the ball to be caught before they are allowed to move, which, yeah, would be dumb and not make sense. But they are actually lining up at the 30 and 35 yard line of the receiving team's end. Their rationale:
"In college football, kickoffs are only 6% of plays but lead to 21% of concussions. To eliminate the safety issues with kickoffs, the NCAA and NFL created more opportunities for touchbacks. The increase in touchbacks naturally leads to fewer returns which means fewer meaningful plays. The XFL’s proposed rule change will encourage more kick returns while making the play less dangerous by eliminating the 30-yard sprint to collision."
There's like eight bullet points on the XFL page explaining all the kickoff rules.
Gentry's combine numbers on NFL.com are coming in consistently at the bottom of the pack.
They list his 40 time at 4.90, which is fourth worst.
Just 12 reps on the bench press - worst among TEs.
Vertical jump 29.5" - third worst.
110" broad jump - tied for second worst.
7.4 sec 3-cone drill time - second worst.
He's been neck and neck with Isaac Nauta (who IIRC was the top TE recruit a few years ago Michigan missed out on) for near bottom of the pack combine results.
It needs top-end scoring (the Jack Hughes and Oliver Wahlstrom losses really hurt)
As do the losses of Cole Perfetti and Antonio Stranges, both top 2020 forward decommits that went to the OHL. Perfetti is the leading rookie scorer in the O with (62 pts in 54 games) and Stranges has 33 pts in 58 games with everyone's favorite London Knights. Who knows who else they might lose to major juniors between now and 2022 or however far they've recruited so far. Defenseman Bode Wilde, who Brian mentioned that decommitted to the O, is also tearing up the league with 62 pts in 53 games (3rd leading scoring defenseman). Have we ever tried putting together a Michigan hockey All-Decommitment Team?
Then there's the development issue they've been hit with many times. Get a top 14 or 15 year old to commit and then their development just stalls - e.g. Luke Moffatt was considered one of the top in his age group when he committed, drafted #2 overall in the WHL, and he never became the dominate player we originally thought he would be and you could sense that when he struggled scoring with the NTDP prior to coming to Michigan. Seems like that scenario has played out a lot over the years, unfortunately.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
I've been out of the hockey loop, but according to the DetNews article St. Cyr is draft eligible this summer. If he's an elite goalie recruit, shouldn't he at least be ranked by NHL Central Scouting? Recently released Midterm Rankings don't even have him listed among the 31 North American goalies ranked.
As a former Yooper who lived in Marquette for about 15 years, I'll give my two cents...
I've been to Houghton a few times and my family was looking at a job there earlier this year but that fell through. Beautiful area and would love to go back to the U.P.
Winters are harsh, yes. But I'll give you the Jim Harbaugh advice--attack winter with an enthusiam unknown to mankind. Winters are long, cold, and sometimes you might not have a sunny day for weeks. You can either sit inside and complain and get depressed or you can learn to get outdoors and enjoy the white stuff. I bought a pair of snowshoes and would take my dogs out on zero degree days in the middle of a snow storm and they loved it (and so did I). Snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, whatever...find something to do.
In terms of finding a place, most of the U.P. is safe. In Marquette I never really worried about a "bad side" to town. Maybe areas I wouldn't live in because they're more student housing/rentals, but that's about it. It really is the type of place you never have to lock your doors or worry about it if you forget.
One thing I would suggest is definitely thinking about country/small town vs. "city" living (I use that term loosely because Houghton is only like 7,500 population). When I first moved back to Marquette I lived 20 miles south out in the woods. Lovely area, however totally inconvenient. Everything I wanted to do was in town, from shops, doctors, going kayaking on the lake or whatever. Cell phone coverage isn't always good outside of town and no high speed internet in many small areas, too. If you have kids, schools are a lot further away. In small towns, schools don't have the amenities or budgets that schools in Houghton do. That's not to say they are bad but something to think about. I know Marquette schools had more options than say the schools in Gwinn. Not to mention in winter, that 20 mile drive can become a LOT longer and more dangerous when you're driving home through a winter storm. I would suggest living closer to work than further away until you're used to the area and conditions. Highly recommend a vehicle with four-wheel drive.
When Taylor committed to Michigan in April they called him a 4-star. Most recent article on his visit to Notre Dame on June 21 called him a 4-star. But now if you click on his profile he's a 3-star. Not sure why the drop, but it doesn't seem to be a mistake that he was left off the Scout 300 list.
I figured what's why Alabama was sending coaches to his satellite camps after the recent Harbaugh-Saban spat--not to coach, but to spy for any infractions and cry foul.
Still sounds like it'll be tough to beat Auburn since he's visited it so much already, but the article says he was born and grew up in Michigan and has family there and didn't move south until 2011.
Living in Jacksonville now, when I read user comments on local media and blog websites during the preseason, there were definitely fans who felt the Jaguars should have cut Denard. Same fans who gave up on him last season due to his fumbling issues (even though he was playing with an injury that caused some of those ball security issues). Basically they thought he couldn't win the backup role, that he wasn't cut out to be a RB, and the Jags should cut their losses with him. Glad to see the Jags coaching staff saw otherwise!
"“I made the decision in my mind late Sunday evening, told my dad and then called coach (Rich) Rodriguez at 6 p.m. Monday,” said Morgan, who was selected as an all-state special mention honoree in Division 1-2 and earned a spot on The Press’ All-Area team. “Coach Rodriguez is a great guy and very down to earth. He’s personable, easy to talk to and not just a great football coach."
Granted, RichRod never got to coach him, but he did recruit him.
Though he wasn't officially committed, he was about to commit to Michigan when RichRod got fired. I remember a TomVH article or blurb in which Frost said he was "99 percent" going to Michigan before the coaching change.
Recent Comments
Ok, I take it back, I'll share one story...
One of the things I do at my job is put together a live events calendar for all sports, awards shows, etc... so I know if we need additional staff on certain days. I'm on distribution lists from network affiliates, individual franchises (like some of our stations air Dallas Cowboys preseason games so we're on the distribution list for the Cowboys), etc... Makes sense, right?
Well, my friend had a similar task at Catapult tracking down all the TV schedules for all sporting events (which is hard to find for the lesser watched sports or if there's last minute schedule changes, etc...), however his boss wouldn't let him reach out to these organizations and conferences asking for TV schedules and to be put on a distribution list because his boss thought it would make it appear they don't know how to do their job. Yep, clown show, indeed!
Going back to my original post, Catapult is saying there was no unauthorized access, which technically may be true. Like I said, if practice footage was treated in the manner game tape was like my friend dealt with, it could have been someone mislabeling it and a team discovering this and taking advantage.
As mentioned in threads earlier this season, I work in the TV biz. Just so happens one of my best friends from college worked at Catapult until being laid off earlier this year due to cuts (and believe me, he’s not crying over it but I’ll leave it at that), so of course I had to ping him on this. His dept was responsible for recording games for multiple sporting events and cutting up game tape for teams and conferences (could be a whole game or a clip for social media for example). He said depending how tape is labeled could be an issue. For example, if Michigan requested something and it was labeled Michigan, only they would have access to it. However, if whoever was cutting the tape labeled it Big Ten by mistake, then any team in the conference would have access to it. Or if the conference requested something and it gets labeled under the conference, then any team could see it. Not saying that’s what happened but that’s the one thing he could think of that could have been an issue from his experience there. I’ve seen mentions of practice film being a potential issue but his dept didn’t deal with that so he doesn’t know about any of that.
Yes, I included promos in my times. I simplified the format above, but here's a snippet of the actual format we receive from FOX that breaks down the segments (SEG), commercials (CML), promos (PRO), local breaks (LCL), and billboards (which is basically when they come back from commercial and put a graphic on the air and say something like, "Today's game is sponsored by Coca Cola"). This is the format for last Saturday night's game.
I did not include the pregame show at 7:30pm because those can vary. If you have back-to-back games and the first game runs long, they might kill breaks if necessary for time, so I just wanted to focus on the game itself.
So you have your opening segment, the prekick break, which is 2:00 of commercials, followed by Segment 1, which would be kickoff/start of the first quarter. The next break there's 2:00 of commercials + 5 second MLB on FOX promo + 10 second billboard for Heineken and State Farm (10 seconds is just a generic time, it could take a few seconds more to less but no big deal). So Break 1 is 2:15. Back to the game for segment 2, then Break 2 is 2:00 of commercials + a 10 second promo for Special Forces, so a 2:10 total break. Not going to post the entire log, but you get the gist of it.
I posted about this in another thread a few weeks ago as I work in TV and have access to format logs for all major networks that and compared a few from last year to this year and they were identical. I even posted the format for the Virginia vs. Tennessee game a few weeks ago if you want to see what the actual ABC commercial format looks like:
https://mgoblog.com/comment/244950149#comment-244950149
Here's another one I've been working on comparing... FOX 2013 prime time college football format vs. FOX 2023. The results? If I did my math correctly, they're nearly identical and I've posted them below for those interested in seeing them.
To clarify some of the geek speak below, all breaks are national breaks except LCL, which are local affiliate breaks (typically at the end of each quarter). Break 5, for example, is 2:20 (2:00 national network followed by 20 seconds for the local affiliate).
I did not include the 1:10 local in Break 23 to the total. The reason is because this is the end break and depending what is airing next local affiliates may opt to make this break longer or shorter (for example, if they are airing local news after the game, they may add an extra minute of commercials before news because viewership will prob be higher at that time and they can make more money selling ads there).
This is the standard game format. It does not include floater breaks for things like injuries and teams taking time outs that networks will add as time allows.
Also, as I explained in the other thread, if the game moves at such a pace that not all breaks can be aired during the current quarter, they will make them up elsewhere. Say Michigan goes on a 9 minute drive to open the game and they only air breaks 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the first quarter, they will make up Break 4 in the 2nd quarter. Could be cramming in a 5th break, could be combining two breaks together into an extended break, etc...
Games can run longer or shorter, but the advertising time doesn't seem to change much. Networks paid a lot for the rights to air games and they gotta get paid.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON FOX 2013 PRIME TIME FORMAT
Pre-kick – 2:00
1st Quarter
Break 1 – 2:15
Break 2 – 2:15
Break 3 – 2:15
Break 4 – 2:15
Break 5 (End 1st) – 2:20 (2:00 NET/:20 LCL)
2nd Quarter
Break 6 – 2:15
Break 7 – 2:10
Break 8 – 2:15
Break 9 – 2:15
Break 10 (End 2nd) – 2:55 (:30 NET/2:05 LCL/:20 NET)
Half Time
Break 11 – 2:50 (1:30 NET/1:00 LCL/:20 NET)
Break 12 – 2:55 (:20 NET/2:05 LCL/:30 NET)
3rd Quarter
Break 13 – 2:15
Break 14 – 2:10
Break 15 – 2:15
Break 16 – 2:15
Break 17 (End 3rd) – 2:25 (:30 NET/1:55 LCL)
4th Quarter
Break 18 – 2:15
Break 19 – 2:15
Break 20 – 2:15
Break 21 – 2:10
Break 22 – 3:50 (1:40 NET/2:10 LCL)
Break 23 (End break) – 1:35 (:25 NET/1:10 LCL)
TRT: 55:25
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON FOX 2023 PRIME TIME FORMAT
Pre-kick – 2:00
1st Quarter
Break 1 – 2:15
Break 2 – 2:10
Break 3 – 2:15
Break 4 – 2:15
Break 5 (End 1st) – 2:20 (2:00 NET/:20 LCL)
2nd Quarter
Break 6 – 2:15
Break 7 – 2:10
Break 8 – 2:15
Break 9 – 2:10
Break 10 (End 2nd) – 2:55 (:30 NET/2:05 LCL/:20 NET)
Half Time
Break 11 – 2:50 (1:50 NET/1:00 LCL)
Break 12 – 2:55 (:20 NET/2:05 LCL/:30 NET)
3rd Quarter
Break 13 – 2:10
Break 14 – 2:10
Break 15 – 2:15
Break 16 – 2:15
Break 17 (End 3rd) – 2:20 (:25 NET/1:35 LCL/:20 NET)
4th Quarter
Break 18 – 2:10
Break 19 – 2:15
Break 20 – 2:15
Break 21 – 2:10
Break 22 (Postgun) – 3:50 (1:40 NET/2:10 LCL)
Break 23 (End break) – 1:35 (:25 NET/1:10 LCL)
Commercial TRT: 55:00
I work in a broadcast hub for a TV ownership group, so I have access to formats from all the major broadcast networks. Some affiliates have formats going back several years, so I'll have to see what I can find and compare. Like I said, when I have more time I can really dig into it and probably make a diary post out of it.
For the Virginia vs. Tennessee game on ABC the durations on the format were as follows (and it will pretty much be the same for every ABC noon game this season):
Pre-game
Break 1 (3:19 duration)
1:00 National Commercial break
0:15 Promo (like a 15 second promo for Jimmy Kimmel)
2:04 Local break (these are the commercials your local affiliate sells)
First Quarter
Break 2 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 3 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard (this is basically a graphic on screen and a quick "Today's game brought to you by Taco Bell")
Break 4 (3:05)
3:00 National
0:05 Promo
Break 5 (3:34 - End of the 1st Quarter)
2:30 National
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Second Quarter
Break 6 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 7 (2:30
2:30 National
Break 8 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Promo
Break 9 (3:00)
3:00 National
Break 10 (2:34 - End of the 2nd Quarter)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional (this is a commercial for one of the teams or conferences involved)
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Halftime
Break 11 (2:05)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
0:05 Billboard
Break 12 (2:05)
1:00 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
0:05 Billboard
Break 13 (3:04 - End of Halftime)
0:30 National
0:30 Institutional
0:30 Promo
1:34 Local
Third Quarter
Break 14 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 15 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard
Break 16 (3:05)
3:00 National
0:05 Promo
Break 17 (3:34 - End of the 3rd Quarter)
2:30 National
0:30 Promo
0:34 Local
Fourth Quarter
Break 18 (2:45)
2:30 National
0:15 Promo
Break 19 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Billboard
Break 20 (2:35)
2:30 National
0:05 Promo
Break 21 (3:00)
3:00 National
Break 22 (0:15 - End of broadcast)
0:15 Promo
x:xx Local (they format :34 seconds for the local end break but affiliates can make this whatever duration they want)
Overtime/Post-game Show
If a game goes to overtime, they will air a 1:49 break prior to the coin toss, then 1:00 national breaks as time permits.
If there's time for a post-game show, they will air two 1:30 promo breaks, then a :15 end break.
And again, if there's a time out or injury or something they could throw in a quick 30 second floater break.
As someone who works in TV and has access to game formats for various broadcast networks, I can answer the question of whether or not they are adding more commercials when I have some time to compare 2022 and 2023 formats and even years prior to that.
I will say on an initial review of the first weekend of the 2022 vs. 2023 seasons comparing Colorado State @ Michigan in 2022 (ABC noon game) vs. Virginia @ Tennessee in 2023 (ABC noon game), the format sheets/break durations are nearly identical except for one national break in 2022 being 10 seconds longer than one in 2023.
Same with the Notre Dame @ Ohio State game in 2022 (ABC prime time game) vs. North Carolina vs. South Carolina (2023 ABC prime time game). They are the same.
There can sometimes be a short floating break, such as if a team calls time out they might go to a quick 30 second break, but nothing major.
Other times, they will float breaks if quarters burn by and they don't have to air them all. For example, if Michigan goes on a 10 minute first quarter drive and there's no opportunity for TV to air all four national breaks scheduled that quarter (lets say they only air three), they will float that missed break to the next quarter, so now if there are enough stoppages in play they will air five national breaks in the second quarter instead of four. So to the viewer/fan that will make that second quarter drag with breaks and complain they're airing more commercials, when really it's the same amount of commercial time for the game, it just got spread out unevenly.
As for why broadcasts are varying lengths, you'd have to go back and watch each game to really get an answer. Could be delays from injuries, teams calling time outs, etc... If games are shorter this year, are they adding more filler, like teams walking out of the tunnel pre-game and warming up and yammering more? Doesn't necessarily mean they're adding more commercials.
Going to see Blues Traveler w/ Big Head Todd and the Monsters at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle in July. Would love to see a BHTM show at Red Rocks some day.
What's a Dick Pole Portland Beavers card go for these days? (Fun fact: a friend of mine from college is related to him)
As someone who works in TV and deals with these kind of things, yes, it is. If a local area team is playing a late game, CBS will enforce a mandatory pullout to ensure coverage of that game starts on time in those markets. Obviously, no good for the Michigan fans in San Diego. FOX will do the same thing during football and basketball season, too.
EDIT: I'll also add it works the other way, too. On a typical football Sunday CBS will air 4-5 regional games in the early time slot of a doubleheader. Lets say the Lions are playing in the early game. The Detroit CBS station will probably be designated a "Constant," meaning that station will stick with the game in its entirety. Let say Detroit is willing 49-7 in the third quarter. CBS has the option to pull away from the game to air a more competitive contest (one of their other regional games), however the Detroit CBS station will stay with the game while others will be switched away.
My guess is the incoming class stays intact at this point, but that's merely a guess.
I know Michigan didn't have a lot of options at this point of the summer and had to move quick. I'd still have preferred a national coaching search simply because I think the long term implications of this move are going to outweigh the short term.
U-M has enough pieces coming back plus a strong incoming class that they should do well this season regardless of who the coach is. If they finish say top three in the conference this season, does that mean Naurato is the best choice long term? Hard to say.
But long term, what happens with future recruiting? You know it starts early in hockey. I know they still have a handful of kids committed for 2023, two for 2024, and one for 2025 now. That commitment period just opened up and Michigan got one commit on the first day. Nearly every other top player seemed to commit somewhere on those first few days when kids could pledge their verbal. Is this the early affects of the uncertainty surrounding the Mel saga dragging on all summer? And now with an interim head coach with zero head coaching experience and only a year as an assistant, it might be hard sell to get any top players to commit to that resume and the uncertainty around his own future as Michigan's head coach, too.
Short term, this is fine. Long term, this could come back to hurt U-M a few years down the road, whether Naurato is retained after this season or not. It's a big gamble for a program like Michigan to take.
I talked to one player who played under Red/Mel back in the early 2000s (and this was probably 15 years ago when we talked) and I remember him telling me that Red was the tough one and Mel was the one you would go to if you had a problem. He was the one they would talk to. I don't know if others who played under them shared that same experience, but that was his.
Neither are 2023s Webb (ESPN 300 RB) and Nelson (QB, ESPN #3 recruit). Decommitapalooza is on!
Last June we sold our house in Jacksonville, FL. Originally asked $225K, had an offer in two days for $210k and accepted it. A few days later the buyers backed out. Back on the market and a few days later we accepted an offer at full price.
Built a new house about 30 minutes outside Charlotte, NC via Ryan Homes for about $285K (signed the agreement Feb. 2020). Same model house today in our neighborhood is starting at $370K. I *think* these might include a basement (oh, how I miss those!), not sure...but regardless the price has gone up either way. I'm glad we built when we did, not to mention the 2.8% interest rate we got. Will prob never get a rate that good again in my life.
My co-worker spent the past six months trying to find a condo in the Charlotte area and every time she sees something in the morning and wants to go look at it, by the time she gets off work it's already sold. Many of these offers are full cash, sight unseen. It's insane!
Also insane: when you see the price of a 2x4x8 at Lowe's went from $2 to $6 per board.
My friend suggested sepak takraw to me. Think volleyball without being able to use your hands, but using the rest of your body.
If you charge premium prices, I would expect premium opponents. Non-conference home games against Ball State and Arkansas State. B1G games vs. Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue, Maryland, and Indiana. Wisconsin and Penn State are fine. I realize they can't do anything about the B1G schedule but still between that and those two NC cupcakes? IMO, this is why more people are watching from the comfort of their homes and maybe will try to pick up single game tickets for the big games.
No, but Jeff Badet has an Allen Iverson "Practice?!?" meme on the visor of his helmet
I suggest checking out the XFL Rules page, where they detail the XFL Rules vs. current NFL/College Rules and the rationale behind them. The points in the OP, such as #2, don't give the full details of how the new rule will work.
#2 makes it sound like the kicking team and receiving team are standing around at normal NFL/college kickoff spots waiting for the ball to be caught before they are allowed to move, which, yeah, would be dumb and not make sense. But they are actually lining up at the 30 and 35 yard line of the receiving team's end. Their rationale:
"In college football, kickoffs are only 6% of plays but lead to 21% of concussions. To eliminate the safety issues with kickoffs, the NCAA and NFL created more opportunities for touchbacks. The increase in touchbacks naturally leads to fewer returns which means fewer meaningful plays. The XFL’s proposed rule change will encourage more kick returns while making the play less dangerous by eliminating the 30-yard sprint to collision."
There's like eight bullet points on the XFL page explaining all the kickoff rules.
Perfetti and Wilde are no longer Michigan recruits. Once they joined Saginaw/the OHL, their NCAA eligibility went bye bye.
Obviously, Shea isn't...Perfect! Or else he could.
There is some pure gold in the e-mail dump. And I'm only 15 pages into the 1840 e-mails!
…
And in the last two events:
4.53 sec 20-yard shuttle - worst
12.43 sec 60-yard shuttle - second worst
Gentry's combine numbers on NFL.com are coming in consistently at the bottom of the pack.
They list his 40 time at 4.90, which is fourth worst.
Just 12 reps on the bench press - worst among TEs.
Vertical jump 29.5" - third worst.
110" broad jump - tied for second worst.
7.4 sec 3-cone drill time - second worst.
He's been neck and neck with Isaac Nauta (who IIRC was the top TE recruit a few years ago Michigan missed out on) for near bottom of the pack combine results.
The two Iowa TEs are killing it, though.
As do the losses of Cole Perfetti and Antonio Stranges, both top 2020 forward decommits that went to the OHL. Perfetti is the leading rookie scorer in the O with (62 pts in 54 games) and Stranges has 33 pts in 58 games with everyone's favorite London Knights. Who knows who else they might lose to major juniors between now and 2022 or however far they've recruited so far. Defenseman Bode Wilde, who Brian mentioned that decommitted to the O, is also tearing up the league with 62 pts in 53 games (3rd leading scoring defenseman). Have we ever tried putting together a Michigan hockey All-Decommitment Team?
Then there's the development issue they've been hit with many times. Get a top 14 or 15 year old to commit and then their development just stalls - e.g. Luke Moffatt was considered one of the top in his age group when he committed, drafted #2 overall in the WHL, and he never became the dominate player we originally thought he would be and you could sense that when he struggled scoring with the NTDP prior to coming to Michigan. Seems like that scenario has played out a lot over the years, unfortunately.
Finished RDR2 and loved it. One of my favorite games ever. Loved RDR, too.
Other games I've played over the years that changed gaming for me for various reasons:
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
Michigan Hockey Net's original incarnation Michigan Hockey Rules! dates back to 1997 on Geocities. I imagine many these days have no idea what Geocities is and how big Geocities was back in the day. I don't remember exactly off hand when I made the switch to my own domain. Always tried to stay on top of the news and game recaps, but also incorporating features such as archiving The Red Berenson Show (when WTKA wasn't able to in those days), posting video highlights (in the days before YouTube), CoverItLive live blogs (believe I was the first to do this when I attended a game in the Soo), getting threatened to be sued by Paula Weston (true story), and helping open the door for blogs to get credentials to Michigan athletic events (major THANK YOU to former hockey SID Matt Trevor for that). It was a good run while it lasted but life took over and now I'm a Florida Man.
To add to your list, Tyrone Wheatley is the running backs coach for Jacksonville.
I've been out of the hockey loop, but according to the DetNews article St. Cyr is draft eligible this summer. If he's an elite goalie recruit, shouldn't he at least be ranked by NHL Central Scouting? Recently released Midterm Rankings don't even have him listed among the 31 North American goalies ranked.
As a former Yooper who lived in Marquette for about 15 years, I'll give my two cents...
I've been to Houghton a few times and my family was looking at a job there earlier this year but that fell through. Beautiful area and would love to go back to the U.P.
Winters are harsh, yes. But I'll give you the Jim Harbaugh advice--attack winter with an enthusiam unknown to mankind. Winters are long, cold, and sometimes you might not have a sunny day for weeks. You can either sit inside and complain and get depressed or you can learn to get outdoors and enjoy the white stuff. I bought a pair of snowshoes and would take my dogs out on zero degree days in the middle of a snow storm and they loved it (and so did I). Snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, whatever...find something to do.
In terms of finding a place, most of the U.P. is safe. In Marquette I never really worried about a "bad side" to town. Maybe areas I wouldn't live in because they're more student housing/rentals, but that's about it. It really is the type of place you never have to lock your doors or worry about it if you forget.
One thing I would suggest is definitely thinking about country/small town vs. "city" living (I use that term loosely because Houghton is only like 7,500 population). When I first moved back to Marquette I lived 20 miles south out in the woods. Lovely area, however totally inconvenient. Everything I wanted to do was in town, from shops, doctors, going kayaking on the lake or whatever. Cell phone coverage isn't always good outside of town and no high speed internet in many small areas, too. If you have kids, schools are a lot further away. In small towns, schools don't have the amenities or budgets that schools in Houghton do. That's not to say they are bad but something to think about. I know Marquette schools had more options than say the schools in Gwinn. Not to mention in winter, that 20 mile drive can become a LOT longer and more dangerous when you're driving home through a winter storm. I would suggest living closer to work than further away until you're used to the area and conditions. Highly recommend a vehicle with four-wheel drive.
There's a freshman offensive tackle named Greg Robinson. Can they put "GERG" on the back of his jersey?
When Taylor committed to Michigan in April they called him a 4-star. Most recent article on his visit to Notre Dame on June 21 called him a 4-star. But now if you click on his profile he's a 3-star. Not sure why the drop, but it doesn't seem to be a mistake that he was left off the Scout 300 list.
I figured what's why Alabama was sending coaches to his satellite camps after the recent Harbaugh-Saban spat--not to coach, but to spy for any infractions and cry foul.
"Eli has made me some fire fried chicken and mac and cheese. The source seems to be pretty unreliable"
Because putting this in the microwave for two minutes counts as cooking...
Rivals and Scout both have Walker as the #2 RB recruit. Tavien Feaster (Clemson commit) is #1.
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2015/03/auburns_gus_malzahn_battling_m.html
Still sounds like it'll be tough to beat Auburn since he's visited it so much already, but the article says he was born and grew up in Michigan and has family there and didn't move south until 2011.
Living in Jacksonville now, when I read user comments on local media and blog websites during the preseason, there were definitely fans who felt the Jaguars should have cut Denard. Same fans who gave up on him last season due to his fumbling issues (even though he was playing with an injury that caused some of those ball security issues). Basically they thought he couldn't win the backup role, that he wasn't cut out to be a RB, and the Jags should cut their losses with him. Glad to see the Jags coaching staff saw otherwise!
Desmond Morgan committed when RichRod was still coach.
"“I made the decision in my mind late Sunday evening, told my dad and then called coach (Rich) Rodriguez at 6 p.m. Monday,” said Morgan, who was selected as an all-state special mention honoree in Division 1-2 and earned a spot on The Press’ All-Area team. “Coach Rodriguez is a great guy and very down to earth. He’s personable, easy to talk to and not just a great football coach."
Granted, RichRod never got to coach him, but he did recruit him.
Though he wasn't officially committed, he was about to commit to Michigan when RichRod got fired. I remember a TomVH article or blurb in which Frost said he was "99 percent" going to Michigan before the coaching change.
http://www.haotivi.com/468