A great many people are upset about some of the Iowa nc games being only on Mediacom. If you have posted an opinion about this I missed it. Is there anyway to put pressure on the BTN and Barta to try and make some changes for next year? Last year I E-Mailed Barta and the BTN and never got a reply.
? for Jon
- Thread starter westview
- Start date
Not Jon, but I'm not sure this is a winnable fight.
What "weapons" or threats do you have that would cause the BTN (I don't think Barta has any influence) to change their thinking and be willing to lose money by televising, for example, an Iowa-Louisiana Tech Tuesday night game during Christmas week?
If your argument is: "We want to see all of Iowa's games on the BTN!", you're wasting your time. You need to have something in your arsenal that will have a negative impact on the BTN's bottom line, or else they won't listen. And if you're going to be mad about this game, then just tune in for Iowa-Illinois next week on the BTN, then you're not going to win, either.
If I'm the BTN and I get your e-mail, here's how I react ...
1) We don't have the resources to televise every single nonconference game for every Big Ten team. It's not cost-effective
2) The game was available to watch online for a small fee
3) Every Big Ten team has games that are only available for online streaming, or not televised at all
4) No one ever promised that all men's basketball games would be televised
5) The game was not even close to a sellout. It's tough to sell advertising to a mid-week game between 2 mediocre teams that can't even draw more than 10,000 people. That is indicative of the interest in Iowa basketball these days
So what do you have besides, "I wanted to watch the game" to argue all that with? Are you willing to pay more to help offset the money that the BTN would lose by showing the game? Is the BTN not giving you something that you were explicitly promised?
What "weapons" or threats do you have that would cause the BTN (I don't think Barta has any influence) to change their thinking and be willing to lose money by televising, for example, an Iowa-Louisiana Tech Tuesday night game during Christmas week?
If your argument is: "We want to see all of Iowa's games on the BTN!", you're wasting your time. You need to have something in your arsenal that will have a negative impact on the BTN's bottom line, or else they won't listen. And if you're going to be mad about this game, then just tune in for Iowa-Illinois next week on the BTN, then you're not going to win, either.
If I'm the BTN and I get your e-mail, here's how I react ...
1) We don't have the resources to televise every single nonconference game for every Big Ten team. It's not cost-effective
2) The game was available to watch online for a small fee
3) Every Big Ten team has games that are only available for online streaming, or not televised at all
4) No one ever promised that all men's basketball games would be televised
5) The game was not even close to a sellout. It's tough to sell advertising to a mid-week game between 2 mediocre teams that can't even draw more than 10,000 people. That is indicative of the interest in Iowa basketball these days
So what do you have besides, "I wanted to watch the game" to argue all that with? Are you willing to pay more to help offset the money that the BTN would lose by showing the game? Is the BTN not giving you something that you were explicitly promised?
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Its happening to other programs in the league too, including a Wisconsin game tomorrow night. Every Big Ten conference game for every team is televised...a handful of NC games have not been...I guess its the rub...the $$ created for Iowa by the BTN far outweighs any down side IMO, looking at this big picture
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
People keep talking about how the BTN "loses money" by airing our games.
Does anyone have any stats or figures to back this up? If so, please post them, because I'm curious.
Does the BTN actually have to spend more money than it brings in (literally?) to televise our games?
Or do people say they are "losing money" simply because there is some cost by airing the games?
Does anyone have any stats or figures to back this up? If so, please post them, because I'm curious.
Does the BTN actually have to spend more money than it brings in (literally?) to televise our games?
Or do people say they are "losing money" simply because there is some cost by airing the games?
WhitUp
Well-Known Member
I guess by airing this game the BTN goes into the red. I love how I keep hearing they lose money. They don't lose money they MAKE more money by not putting it on TV. Maybe the BTN can just charge the cable companies and not put anything on TV, cause the actual production of games loses money. They'd make more if they charged everyone and didn't show anything.
The BTN is making lots of money. Even if they lost money on the game they could afford it and it would be good pr. I have many friends who changed from Mediascum to a dish. The first year Mediascum did not have the BTN. The BTN told them to get a dish. So many people in eastern Iowa did it, that Dish and Direct had to bring installers from out of state. Now you need Mediascum to get the games. What a rip. As far as streaming a lot of older people do not have that option. I realize there is not much we can do, but I do not have to like it.
sportstalent
Well-Known Member
You are right, Michigan has had games that haven't been on this year as well. It is something that I am not happy with, but as Iowa improves that will change.
Hawkeye1690
Active Member
If Iowa gets much better over the course of the next couple of years and plays a quality NC schedule, we won't have to worry about the BTN because they will be on national tv and that would be much better anyway.
Iowatailgate
Well-Known Member
I don't understand how the network actually LOSES money by airing the game.
First of all, they could use the "student announcers" like they did for one of the games. It gives the students amazing experience and you obviously don't have to pay them a dime. You only have a couple camera guys and guys in the production room.
The money you made off advertisements HAS to be more than the $10 an hour the camera guy makes.
Sorry but the network does not lose money by airing a game. If they're showing the game online, then that means they have a guy in the venue with a camera. There's absolutely no reason they can't put the same video on Television.
Big Ten network has tons of overflow channels. Use them.
First of all, they could use the "student announcers" like they did for one of the games. It gives the students amazing experience and you obviously don't have to pay them a dime. You only have a couple camera guys and guys in the production room.
The money you made off advertisements HAS to be more than the $10 an hour the camera guy makes.
Sorry but the network does not lose money by airing a game. If they're showing the game online, then that means they have a guy in the venue with a camera. There's absolutely no reason they can't put the same video on Television.
Big Ten network has tons of overflow channels. Use them.
