TV for BBall?

Enginerd

Enginerd

Well-Known Member
Forgive me if this has been discussed... What's the deal with the first 3 games not being on tv?

Certainly the BTN has nothing better to air on a friday night
 


They are already airing the Indiana and Ohio St games this Friday and don't use the overflow channels for basketball because it isn't very cost effective for them, therefore the game isn't on the BTN.

It is the same situation for the other games not aired as well.
 


Were we better off when the games were on ESPN+ or Raycom or whatever it was called back in the 90's?
 




So what is the deal with the overflow channels and this alleged cost for the BTN to use them? Do they not already "own" those slots (having already paid for them), or do they have to pay Directv, Dish, Verizon, etc. for each game that they air on the overflow channels?

Or is the extra cost to air the games simply coming from the fact that they have to send camera crews, etc. out to broadcast the games?

These are all things I've never really seen anyone give specifics on. Only thing I've been reading is that "it's not cost effective".

I just find it hard to believe that the BTN is operating in the red to air basketball games. If that was the case, why would they air anything at all?

This has been argued about many times before, but I'm having a hard time swallowing the story that the BTN is losing money by using the overflow channels for basketball games. Not without some actual hard numbers to back it up anyway.
 


The operating in the red argument is a sham. If they cared about that we'd never see a gymnastics or track and field event aired.
 


Enginerd said:
Were we better off when the games were on ESPN+ or Raycom or whatever it was called back in the 90's?
Click to expand...

We got to see the games far more consistently, that's for sure.

The BTN seems to cover every conference game so no gripe there, but for the non-conference, coverage is spotty at best.

I'd almost prefer to pay the $130 or whatever it is for ESPN Full Court like I was doing back in 2004-2006. Yeah it's a little extra money, but at least I got to see practically every Iowa game (without having to watch choppy streaming in front of my PC), plus lots of other college hoops as well. About the only games that weren't covered were games like @UNI and @Drake.
 
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Candy bars used to cost $.50
A gallon of gas was under $1.00.
You could get most of the Iowa games free over the air in the state of Iowa.

Now candy bars cost $1.19.
Gas is $3.50 a gallon.
Iowa games are accessible across the nation and globe for a small fee.

Times have changed, adapt or don't.
 


storminspank said:
Candy bars used to cost $.50
A gallon of gas was under $1.00.
You could get most of the Iowa games free over the air in the state of Iowa.

Now candy bars cost $1.19.
Gas is $3.50 a gallon.
Iowa games are accessible across the nation and globe for a small fee.

Times have changed, adapt or don't.
Click to expand...

But, I live in the 563 and would have gotten them for free. I hear ya though :)
 


storminspank said:
Candy bars used to cost $.50
A gallon of gas was under $1.00.
You could get most of the Iowa games free over the air in the state of Iowa.

Now candy bars cost $1.19.
Gas is $3.50 a gallon.
Iowa games are accessible across the nation and globe for a small fee.

Times have changed, adapt or don't.
Click to expand...

Except that the technology isn't there yet, at least concerning the BTN.

The technology IS there for me to have several hundred TV channels on satellite, to have something like "Full Court" available, compounded by the fact the BTN is sorely lacking in internet delivery if that is the way they choose to go.

If it's over the internet, fine. But their streaming is, well, subpar. I've watched on DSL, Cable, and beefy commercial speeds at work. The quality is not consistent. Even on 20-30mb+ connection.

And this part I don't know, but I could be wrong, but what methods are there to consume. Is it only on your computer? I don't believe you can stream through gaming systems or other wifi media players correct?

The only way to get it on the tv is to hook up a computer right? I know that's not exactly difficult, but it is still a mark that goes against the BTN being ready for full on internet streaming of product.

Fix quality issues, and you may have an argument.
 
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TritonHawkeye said:
Give me an Amen! Now queue the BTN supports that will try to tell us how this is better....
Click to expand...

If you honestly don't think that having 25 of 32 games nationally televised instead of maybe 4 or 5 and the rest being locally televised (see that as Iowa only) isn't better exposure for the program then I'm not even going to argue.

Not to even mention the BTN money that went to help pay for that new practice facility.
 






storminspank said:
Candy bars used to cost $.50
A gallon of gas was under $1.00.
You could get most of the Iowa games free over the air in the state of Iowa.

Now candy bars cost $1.19.
Gas is $3.50 a gallon.
Iowa games are accessible across the nation and globe for a small fee.

Times have changed, adapt or don't.
Click to expand...

I'd say getting gouged at the gas pump, and the price (and size) of candy bars is a pretty poor comparison to whether or not the BTN can televise a basketball game or not. At least people can still get gas and candy bars if they want, albeit at a higher price.

As someone else already pointed out, watching games on my computer leaves a little bit to be desired. Unless you're happy watching the game in a dinky window inside a web browser, or going full-screen and dealing with all the pixels, I'd say that I much preferred the days when I could watch all the games on my 50" HD TV, even if it required paying $100 or whatever the price was for ESPN Full Court.

If the quality was better than it really is, I wouldn't have so much of an issue with it. But it's not.
 


storminspank said:
Candy bars used to cost $.50
A gallon of gas was under $1.00.
You could get most of the Iowa games free over the air in the state of Iowa.

Now candy bars cost $1.19.
Gas is $3.50 a gallon.
Iowa games are accessible across the nation and globe for a small fee.

Times have changed, adapt or don't.
Click to expand...

Except that online TV is still "beta" ... if it were ready for prime time then I'd be with you ... I am looking to dump satellite next summer
 


Enginerd said:
So would BTN lose money showing the Chicago St game?
Click to expand...

On an alternate channel, yes. They (the BTN) choose to show the Indiana game at 6 pm and the Ohio St game at 8 pm on the main channel and the only channel they use for basketball.

It could be televisied if Iowa wanted to start it at 4 pm or 10 pm I guess.
 


1977Hawkeye said:
I'd say getting gouged at the gas pump, and the price (and size) of candy bars is a pretty poor comparison to whether or not the BTN can televise a basketball game or not. At least people can still get gas and candy bars if they want, albeit at a higher price.

As someone else already pointed out, watching games on my computer leaves a little bit to be desired. Unless you're happy watching the game in a dinky window inside a web browser, or going full-screen and dealing with all the pixels, I'd say that I much preferred the days when I could watch all the games on my 50" HD TV, even if it required paying $100 or whatever the price was for ESPN Full Court.

If the quality was better than it really is, I wouldn't have so much of an issue with it. But it's not.
Click to expand...

It's a great comparison. You are getting less of what you like or need, yet pay more money to get it. That's what's happening.
 


storminspank said:
It's a great comparison. You are getting less of what you like or need, yet pay more money to get it. That's what's happening.
Click to expand...

Except it's not pay more, get less.

It's pay more, get less, and get less quality. The same gallon of gas from 10 years ago gets you just as far as a gallon now. In fact, mpg has improved along with cars.

You're ignoring (repeatedly) the fact that internet TV on the whole, hasn't evolved to totally ready for mainstream...or at least BTN servers can't handle it. Several on here have paid and have mentioned issues to that end.

And what about those that live in areas where broadband isn't available. There are a few of those in Iowa you know (likely more than most Big Ten states...though OTA or PAY SATELLITE is readily available.)

I'll grant that the last point is a pretty small population, but it exists nonetheless. But the BTN's inability to deliver a consistently quality product is the biggest case against this.
 
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