BTN

[deanvogs]

Dean, you can't be serious? Yes, when Iowa plays on BTN it gives us more national exposure than we previously had. However, the current setup is giving us significantly less exposure in our own state. There are tons of fans now that don't even have a clue when these non conference games on, because they are not televised and there is no advertisement of the games whatsoever. And most fans are not willing to stand in front of a computer screen to watch a game. Many fans, like myself, have kids or other obligations that no longer allows them to sit down for 2 hours straight and watch a game, particularly on a pay website. However, if it is on tv you can at least watch bits and pieces of it and keep an eye on the score. The new setup is a step back for Iowa fans. There is no doubt about it.

If you don't know when Iowa plays then you aren't much of a fan, and probably aren't going to watch anyway. I never once said that we had more statewide coverage. I said that I would sacrifice and pay $20 for 6 non conference cupcake games so that my fellow Hawkeye fans across the country had access to all of the other games. The BTN, and the expanded nationwide coverage has far more greater benefits, than the drawback of in state fans fiding alternate means to experience 6 complete blowouts vs inferior competition.

Also Bud, if you don't have time to carve out 2 hours the streaming would be great for you, as you can log in and watch the game after it is complete, and you could watch one half, and then later catch the other half.

 

[bud2380]

If you don't know when Iowa plays then you aren't much of a fan, and probably aren't going to watch anyway.

Also Bud, if you don't have time to carve out 2 hours the streaming would be great for you, as you can log in and watch the game after it is complete, and you could watch one half, and then later catch the other half.

The first half of that statement is unfair. Again people like my parents root for Iowa and enjoy watching, but they are not die hard fans like you and I. However, they would not even attempt to watch a game online, even if I walked them through how to do it over the phone. It's just the way people are. They just want to turn on the tv like they always have. So it's not that they aren't much of a fan.

And the 2nd half of what you said, this is just personal preference, and I'm sure many are like me. I simply won't watch an Iowa game on delay. I have to know what is going on right now. So I will either follow along as closely as I can on tv, radio, internet, or I will just sit and watch the whole thing. I won't watch it later on delay and just hope nobody tells me the score or that I don't accidentally hear it.

 

[deanvogs]

The first half of that statement is unfair. Again people like my parents root for Iowa and enjoy watching, but they are not die hard fans like you and I. However, they would not even attempt to watch a game online, even if I walked them through how to do it over the phone. It's just the way people are. They just want to turn on the tv like they always have. So it's not that they aren't much of a fan.

And the 2nd half of what you said, this is just personal preference, and I'm sure many are like me. I simply won't watch an Iowa game on delay. I have to know what is going on right now. So I will either follow along as closely as I can on tv, radio, internet, or I will just sit and watch the whole thing. I won't watch it later on delay and just hope nobody tells me the score or that I don't accidentally hear it.

Fine, your folks root for Iowa. As it stands they will miss 6 non conference cupcake games. If this causes them to quit following Iowa all together, I say they weren't that good of fans to begin with.

You didn't address anything about the greater benefits of the BTN. If I have a choice of the old system (all games televised locally, with very limited national games) and the old payouts to the university. And a choice of the current BTN arrangement with all the money, and national coverage.....I would choose the current system, and it is really a no brainer.

 

[papathawki]

Actually, you should be a little more honest in your assessment. In only the last few years before BTN were all games available to anyone around the country, through ESPN's Fullcourt Package. Before that, all of the games you are referring to we're really available only in Iowa. The fact that the amount of games offered now are available to anyone in the country that has cable TV makes Iowa basketball accessible to many more people than it was before. Teams can be marketed across the country better now than they were before and teams whose programs were relative Davids to the Gloiaths are in a better position to compete. At least that could be one argument.

And if you don't want to go down without a fight (in your words you want to behead) do you really think that is happening when you post on HN.com? I don't disagree with everything you are saying. But I do think whining on this board is just being done to make you feel good and not really accomplishing anything. I don't think posts of this nature really add anything to this community, either, to be honest.

Additionally, as someone that lives in Kansas City I am better served in every way now than I was before BTN with the exception of the fact that the ESPN Fullcourt Package may very well have shown virtually every Iowa basketball game and right now BTN is not there. But in terms of overall coverage of Iowa in all aspects I am better off now, as there are many things on BTN that would never be seen on ESPN's pay packages during the week. Additionally, for schools that, unlike Iowa, did not have every game televised, this is a better setup for them. Realistically, there is probably a relatively small sliver of people that are less well served by the current setup than they were before. If you happen to be one of them than I will keep your whining in my thoughts as I watch pre and post game shows and all kinds of Big Ten programming I would otherwise not be seeing.

+1 from your Papa.

 

[Thawki]

The bottom line is that when the B10 makes more money then Iowa makes more money. BTN is DIRECTLY responsible for the B10 making a LOT more money than it would otherwise, and they OWN the distribution network instead of outsourcing the product, so they eliminate the middle man, which means more money, too.

It is also true that although you might remember the good old days, you are obviously remembering what you do as an Iowa resident. Anyone from outside the state remembering the good old days in all likelihood remembers not seeing any of the games that you recall seeing every one of. And hard as it may be to believe, there are probably at least as many people outside of Iowa that would like to watch the Hawks as there are in Iowa. Well, that might be my only half-truth in my post. I probably can't prove that one.

 

[jacknicholson]

I gladly look past my self interest, and am happy that Hawkeye fans all over the country get to see 26 or 27 of Iowa's 32 or 33 games. Iowa has a great fan base, and I am glad that they get to see the majority of the Hawkeye games, because of the BTN.

Hawk fans in Iowa do have to sacrifice 6 non conference games for this arrangement. I personally pay $20 to Hawkeyesports (benefits UI athletics) to watch these games. If you don't want to pay anything, then listen on the radio, or find an illegal stream. If you can't get to Carver, you do have these options.

Twenty dolllers is chump change. I will gladly pay if the site is legit and the picture is decent. Otherwise there is always the supposedly illegal sites that do a decent job for free. We will see most of the games as you said, Dean.....

Also my son helped me get back on Mediacom and some of the games will be on there with extremely poor quality but free. My son had to have the fast internet speed for his XBox 360. Worked out well, save $80 a month.....

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

Actually, you should be a little more honest in your assessment. In only the last few years before BTN were all games available to anyone around the country, through ESPN's Fullcourt Package. Before that, all of the games you are referring to we're really available only in Iowa. The fact that the amount of games offered now are available to anyone in the country that has cable TV makes Iowa basketball accessible to many more people than it was before. Teams can be marketed across the country better now than they were before and teams whose programs were relative Davids to the Gloiaths are in a better position to compete. At least that could be one argument.

And if you don't want to go down without a fight (in your words you want to behead) do you really think that is happening when you post on HN.com? I don't disagree with everything you are saying. But I do think whining on this board is just being done to make you feel good and not really accomplishing anything. I don't think posts of this nature really add anything to this community, either, to be honest.

Additionally, as someone that lives in Kansas City I am better served in every way now than I was before BTN with the exception of the fact that the ESPN Fullcourt Package may very well have shown virtually every Iowa basketball game and right now BTN is not there. But in terms of overall coverage of Iowa in all aspects I am better off now, as there are many things on BTN that would never be seen on ESPN's pay packages during the week. Additionally, for schools that, unlike Iowa, did not have every game televised, this is a better setup for them. Realistically, there is probably a relatively small sliver of people that are less well served by the current setup than they were before. If you happen to be one of them than I will keep your whining in my thoughts as I watch pre and post game shows and all kinds of Big Ten programming I would otherwise not be seeing.

Everything I have said is accurate. And if you read the other posts in this thread, you would see about my "honest" assessment and where I referred to ESPN Full Court. And what you consider whining is what I consider discussing. I could argue your reply to me is whining about people whining. It's a message board, so that was an ignorant comment on your behalf.

And I'm not just posting on a message board. I have emailed the University, Big Ten Network and even talked on the phone to Mark Rudner the head of TV scheduling for the Big Ten about this subject. If you want you can look up my post from last year where I relayed everything we talked about.

I have the means to watch these games on the web, but I know most don't. I don't like it. It is a step back no matter what you want to believe. Like I have said previously in this thread, there is no reason to not have it both ways. National coverage on BTN and local coverage for these lower tier non conference games.

 

[bud2380]

Fine, your folks root for Iowa. As it stands they will miss 6 non conference cupcake games. If this causes them to quit following Iowa all together, I say they weren't that good of fans to begin with.

You didn't address anything about the greater benefits of the BTN. If I have a choice of the old system (all games televised locally, with very limited national games) and the old payouts to the university. And a choice of the current BTN arrangement with all the money, and national coverage.....I would choose the current system, and it is really a no brainer.

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but it's really 2 different arguments. The only argument I am talking about is that tv coverage for non-conference basketball games has significantly decreased. It's an undeniable fact. I already agreed on a previous post that the national coverage of the BTN is better than under the old system. Given all the benefits BTN has brought Iowa, no I would not switch back to the old system, obviously. But for all the money BTN is making you cannot tell me they can't put more Iowa non-conf games on tv. And if BTN can't do it, then sell off the rights to the local stations (i.e. KCRG), that will generate even more revenue that goes back to the BTN and the University. Win win.