Bill Mays Lied or Vise Vice

Coercion being forced to act in a way counter to what you want by an external force is all too come a business tactic. A former Pepsi salesperson told stories punishing retailers that would not cooperate by helping local competition run Pepsi products at lower prices in an attempt to embarrass the uncooperative retailer. The plan was that the pressure would cause a change of heart and a realization that the Pepsi way was the right way.

Somewhat less aggressive, but still coercive, was (and maybe still is) the practice of General Mills that will coupon the hell out of a new product so consumers will flock to their local grocer demanding the latest variety of Cheerios. With retailer being forced to add the new product to appease customers.

Now the evil empire of sports is doing the same to push your local ISP to add ESPN360 to your cable service. Mimicking the cable model by getting a fixed payment per subscriber where Disney Sports gets one check for the ISP (saving the cost of selling the end user and collecting the fee) and hiding the cost. Some less aware people may think that ESPN360 is a free service as they do not see Disney as the reason that the bill went up rather that evil greed ISP raised the price echoing the increasing cost of cable television where the provider is blamed.

Two games this weekend demonstrate the coercion that ESPN is attempting Marshall at Virginia Tech and East Carolina at West Virginia. Please note that coercion need not be extreme and in fact slow steady pressure may be the most effective. Neither of these game are particularly ground breaking but then neither was allowed to be broadcast as regional games rather each were on ESPN360 only. With loyal Virginia Tech and West Virginia fans becoming use over the past several years of seeing their teams every week on television (cable or broadcast) emails and phone calls were made to ISP's urging them to add ESPN360. Visit http://mattsarzsports.com/football2009.aspx look at each week for the web only games and ask why would ESPN forgo the regional television revenue if they are not looking at more money from a steady check for all the customers of every ISP whether they want to watch the CFL or not.

More reading on the subject:
Computers in Management: Case Study: ESPN new media
A nice college presentation in a Word document

ESPN's ISP discrimination shakes Net neutrality hornet's nest
For the nerdy techie college football fan.

Big East Game of the Week

Conference game of the week--mark your calendars now.
Rules: Every team must make the list at least once
Guideline: The most important game is not always the most interesting

The Big East has two other issues--they are the smallest conference with eight members and with no championship game the conference has a long season with game on December 5th. Given this their may be a "none" week or an away OOC game included.

Saturday, September 5
Cincinnati at Rutgers
A Disney arranged game between two contenders for the wide open conference crown.

Saturday, September 12
North Carolina at Connecticut
East Carolina at West Virginia
Carolina comes to the Big East: Are the Pirate able to take two in a row? UNC v. UConn in football rather than hoops?

Saturday, September 19
Northwestern at Syracuse
Will the Orange look any better than one would expect with a new coach and an ad hoc group of players.

Saturday, September 26
Pitt at North Carolina State
Rutgers at Maryland
USF at Florida State
Almost half of the conference is on the road against the ACC with, "We aren't the worst BCS conference." bragging right in the balance.

Thursday, October 1
Colorado at West Virginia (ESPN)
The Buff's are one of those rare teams that will travel. This game went to overtime last year.

Saturday, October 10
Connecticut at Pitt
If there must be a game
NONE

Friday, October 16
Pitt at Rutgers (ESPN)
Make an excuse not to go to that high school game. Can? Set the DVR!

Saturday, October 17
Louisville at Connecticut
Marshall at West Virginia
NONE

Saturday, October 24
USF at Pitt
Bully?

Saturday, October 31
Rutgers at Connecticut
Are these two really rivals?

Saturday, November 7
Louisville at West Virginia
Never going to be the 2005 game.

Thursday, November 12
USF at Rutgers (ESPN)
Can Rutgers have another season where they capture a sliver of attention from the NYC Metro area.

Friday, November 13
West Virginia at Cincinnati (ESPN2)
Can the Bearcats repeat? They are winless at home against WVU. WVU leads the series 11 to 2.

Saturday, November 14
Notre Dame at Pitt
The Irish are almost always interesting the watch. Losses to Pitt and Cuse sent Notre Dame to Hawaii last year.

Saturday, November 21
Louisville at USF
Rutgers at Syracuse
Connecticut at Notre Dame (NBC)
NONE

Friday, November 27
Pitt at West Virginia
Not an elite rivalry game but near the top of the second tier.



Saturday, November 28
Illinois at Cincinnati
Miami at USF
Not one but two unusually interesting late season OOC games.

Saturday, December 5
Cincinnati at Pitt
West Virginia at Rutgers
One of these two will determine who gets the conferences BCS bid.

Adding Up the Crumbs

Most, if not all, businesses have the side we see that the generally clean and pretty and the dark insidebusiness. Think the the butchershop or Congress as examples: clean on the outside but sickening to the outsider on the inside.

Given thet college bowl contracts are up for renewal there is a dance (more like the scrambling when bride throws the bouquet) taking place with the bowls games and conferences jockeying for position. Given this background come the following little piece of information:

"He said bowls keep most of the best seats for their corporate partners, and the schools' fans often end up buying those tickets on the secondary market rather than through the school."

If you look at the Gator Bowl on Stub Hub the very best seats are for sale. The fact that seats are already sold may very well be a function of this being an NFL stadium and groups have leased real estate is the stadium.

Connected to the Dollars

James Burke is know for his late 1970's show called Connections in which he shows how unrelated events come together for something entirely new. Think about the multitude of different technologies that went into the first automobiles--just the marriage of refining oil into gasoline and metal casting for the modern internal combustion engine is a miracle.



Our story will start in fall of 1966 with the debut of both Star Trek showing how advance technology would change the world and Joe Paterno who would show how a guy from Brooklyn could change college football. James T. Kirk when facing a dilemma would consult either the very local Mr. Spook or the mechanical female voice of the computer. Captain Kirk would then ignore good sound advice, doing something rash, make out with a green (1960’s) space babe, and come out smelling like a rose. Coach Paterno has also been know to act rashly with a variety of smells as a result. Just this week Joe was quoted as saying, "I've tried to talk to the Big Ten people about, 'Let's get a 12th team -- Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt -- we could have a little bit of a playoff.'" http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4118848



Spike TV started in 1983 as The Nashville Network, morphing into The National Network before becoming testosterone focused channel it is today. Other organizations evolve overtime in an attempt to stay relevant; the March of Dime now devoted to preventing birth defect began life with the task of curing polio repurposing itself to stay alive. The Big Ten and the Big Ten Network will need to keep evolving in the constantly changing environment of college sports.



This blog recognized early the potential power of the Big Ten Network and the change that this could bring to the college football landscape. While Joe was looking at the practical idea of a championship game, the more profitable plan would be to add the right team to the Big Ten to boost the dollars beyond what the SEC is currently raking in. Paterno looked to his past a rashly suggested three east coast teams two of which could add the populace New York City metro TV market to the BTN footprint (and the associated dollars). Mr. Spock would look at the numbers and look to push BTN national in one fell swoop by taking another run at adding Notre Dame to the Big Ten.



South Bend, the home to Studebaker (the late car maker) and Notre Dame is the final piece to our puzzle. Those that say, “Notre Dame will never join a conference.” might be the same that said, “GM will never file for bankruptcy.” With the NBC contract running out in 2015 and the range into at which schedules are made BTN might want to be looking that far into the future and make a rash Kirk like move. In one move BTN could transform itself and the college football landscape.

The "Y" Bowls

Not every bowl game can have great teams, at a great time, at a great venue, in a great location. Here is a list of the “have not-iest” games:

EagleBank Bowl
Date Dec. 20
Teams Wake Forest vs. Navy

Venue RFK

Location Washington, D.C.

Other 11:00 a.m. kickoff

On the good side Navy got a real break on travel expenses. The minuses: bad stadium, temperatures in the high 30’s, and early kickoff (attendance: 28,777)



magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl
Date Dec. 20
Teams South Florida vs. Memphis

Venue Tropicana Field

Location St. Petersburg, FL

Other Isn’t Skype free

The Trop is bad baseball venue and even worse for football. The field looked like it had snow on it except where they covered up the baseball dirt area. On the positive side ESPN announcers said MagicJack more than the required number of times. (attendance: 25,205)


Emerald Bowl
Date Dec. 27 ESPN
Teams Miami vs. California

Venue AT&T Park

Location San Francisco, Calif.

Saturday by the bay but another of the baseball stadium game. AT&T park feature the endzone wall and the ever popular shared sideline.


Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl
Dec. 30
Teams Maryland vs. Nevada

Venue Bronco Stadium

Location Boise, ID

Other: High temperature of 40 with rain

Maryland fans are falling all over themselves to book airline tickets for a winter trip to land of the Smurf Turf. This game has been the boobie prize of the
ACC for several years now. Which is worse for Ralph and the boy: staying home for the holidays or seeing the sites in Boise.


GMAC Bowl
Jan. 6
Teams Tulsa vs. Ball State

Venue Ladd-Peebles stadium

Location Mobile, AL

Other GMAC is in serious trouble

The only bowl game using Federal bailout money the only issue here is the late dat of this game. Yes, the hardcore college football fan will care but by January 6th most are looking forward to next fall.

Pac 10 Game of the Week 2008

Game of the week rules: looking for the most intriguing (not always the most important) game, home conference games only, every team must appear at least once.

Monday, September 1
Tennessee at UCLA
The Vols will be heavily favored but the trip west is never easy.
Saturday, September 6

BYU at Washington
BYU starts building their BCS case.
Saturday, September 13
Ohio State at USC

Oklahoma at Washington
The Sooner should win this but this is a long trip and will have no bearing on winning the Big 12
Saturday, September 20

Georgia at Arizona State
The Bulldogs can finally earn some frequent flier miles

Boise State at Oregon
BSU is two years removed from a BCS berth. For the Ducks a win here can help their case for roses next January


Thursday, September 25
USC at Oregon State
Pac 10 Thursday night?

Saturday, September 27

Fresno State at UCLA
Pat Hill looks like a truck driver not a football coach.
Saturday, October 4

Oregon at USC

Saturday, October 11

Arizona State at USC
Measuring tape game as ASU played Georgia

Saturday, October 18
California at Arizona
Jockeying for position in the standings

Saturday, October 25
Notre Dame at Washington
Can Ty save his job with a win here?

Saturday, November 1
Oregon at California
The fight for #2

Saturday, November 8
Arizona at Washington State
Arizona State at Washington
Who is staying home this bowl season?

Saturday, November 15
USC at Stanford
A long shot for an upset but…

Saturday, November 22
Washington at Washington State
Apple Cup although a good Washington apple may be juicer than this game.

Saturday, November 29
Oregon at Oregon State
State may nothing to lose and be a dangerous opponent

Saturday, December 6
USC at UCLA
The Pac 10 for better or worse is the Trojans and then everyone else and after looking at the schedule you see that most of the non-USC games are trying to find your place between USC and Stanford.

Big East Game of the Week 2008

Game of the week rules: looking for the most intriguing (not always the most important) game, home conference games only, every team must appear at least once.

Saturday, August 30
Syracuse at Northwestern
The continuing story of trying to find the bottom BCS football team.

Monday, Sept. 1
Fresno State at Rutgers
A big challange for the BullDogs that are living up to their anywhere anytime attitude.

Saturday, September 6
Cincinnati at Oklahoma
The Bearcats are an interesting up and coming team that has been scheduling up in their OOC games (Ohio State and Virginia Tech in recent years) and while this may very well be an win for the Sooners Brian Kelly is bring this team along to respectability.

Saturday, September 13
Virginia at Connecticut
How does the Huskies and Cavs match up?

Thursday, September 18
West Virginia at Colorado
A Thursday night coming out party for the Buffs or will the Mountaineers prove their name in the shadow of the Rockies?

Saturday, September 20
Iowa at Pitt
How far down is Iowa after the off the field problems?



Friday, September 26
Connecticut at Louisville
The Cards have quickly gone from contenders to also-rans. Steve Kragthorpe entered 2007 with high expectations and UConn was the surprise 2nd place in 2007.

Thursday, October 2
Pitt at South Florida
This game will determine who has a more meaningful game late in the season. At minimum this will determine #2 maybe even #1.

Saturday, October 11
Rutgers at Cincinnati
Jockeying for position in a conference where their maybe a lot of parity.

Saturday, October 18
Connecticut at Rutgers

Thursday, October 23
Auburn at West Virginia
National showcase game for the WVU and the conference with an interesting twist: IF WVU wins this game finishing 12-0 and the Tigers then go on the win the SEC finishing 12-1 (assuming loses by other top teams), could this add up to a rematch in the BCS Championship Game?

Saturday, November 1

Louisville at Syracuse
The battle to not come in last place? Greg Robinson’s game preparation might include updating his resume and figuring out how to put the best spin on his years in upstate New York.

Saturday, November 8
Cincinnati at West Virginia
The Bearcats last won in Morgantown in 2003 against another first year coach.

Saturday, November 15
Rutgers at South Florida
Expect the unexpected. The Bulls are 1-2 v. the Scarlet Knights.

Saturday, November 22
Pitt at Cincinnati
The scramble for second place continues.

Friday, November 28
West Virginia at Pitt
Which team will have more fans in the stands at ketchup stadium?

Thursday, December 4
Louisville at Rutgers
This will not be a repeat of 2006.

Saturday, December 6
South Florida at West Virginia
Looks like the key game of the season here in July but six months have a way of changing things.

ACC Game of the Week 2008

Game of the week rules: looking for the most intriguing (not always the most important) game, home conference games only, every team must appear at least once.

Saturday, August 30
Alabama vs. Clemson (Atlanta)
Time for Tommy’s Tigers to start strong…or stumble out of the gate.
Saturday, September 6
Northwestern at Duke
Two teams looking for the right to say they’re the worst BCS program.
Saturday, September 13
California at Maryland
The Bears make a rare trip east for a match up with the Terps. This will be a more competitive game than the USC at UVA game last week.
Saturday, September 20

Virginia Tech at North Carolina
Tech starts strong but the Tar Heels might be able to Butch up and stop that trend.
Saturday, September 27
South Florida at NC State
A rematch of the 2005 Tire Bowl. Has Tom O’Brien’s team turned the corner? Can USF be a consistent team?
Saturday, October 4

Florida State at Miami
Two teams looking to assert their relevance in 2008 and beyond.

Thursday, October 9
Clemson at Wake Forest
Time to check in on Tommy. Is this another feather in the cap or another trip up?
Saturday, October 18
Virginia Tech at Boston College
Can this be anywhere as entertaining as last year?
Saturday, October 25

Virginia at Georgia Tech
A battle for the middle. Neither team is a contender but you just want to become bowl eligible while avoiding being the last ACC school to visit the Smurf Turf in late December.
Saturday, November 1
Duke at Wake Forest
But basketball season is still a month away.
Thursday, November 6
Maryland at Virginia Tech
The game is not as interesting as the pattern that ESPN has set up. Tech plays on Thursday November 1 and 8. Then Miami plays on November 8 and 15.

Saturday, November 8
Notre Dame at Boston College
Irish on Irish action…Brilliant.

Thursday, November 13
Virginia Tech at Miami
The hand off game.
Saturday, November 15
Duke at Clemson
North Carolina at Maryland
Wake Forest at NC State
Basketball is getting closer.

Thursday, November 20
Miami at Georgia Tech
The big ACC Thursday night finish? Paul Johnson did a great job at Navy but it is doubtful his first season at GT will be smooth sailing.
Saturday, November 22

Clemson at Virginia
Tommy watch #3
Saturday, November 29

South Carolina at Clemson
Florida at Florida State
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest
Time to test the ACC against the SEC, “Are we a power conference yet?” Also Georgia Tech at Georgia.

Learn From Others

The new money for college football and college sports will be the biggest factor in shaping the future. As this blog says right up front, “Follow the money”. Right now with the Big Ten already with their own network and the SEC looking into the possibility of taking the plunge wring more out of your total portfolio looks like the major driving force for the future. That said, there are several factors that need to be looked at before assuming that having your own network is the new gold mine.

FCC tackles NFL Network on new rules—the fate of the money making sports channel may be decided in a Washington DC office where the channels and the carriers are lock horns on where you get placed on the dial. Anyone wanting to step into this business needs the think long and hard about the fact that the powerful uber-sports brand called the National Football League has not found the going easy in getting themselves on the basic/extended tier and are grouped with the Fox Soccer channel in the sports tier ghetto. The NFL has invested heavily here by holding back games that would only be seen on the NFL Channel (and the problem caused with the Patriots v. Giants game late in 2007) but even the lure of the occasional regular season game has not delivered the gold. How the FCC handles this question will have a significant bearing on the future these new sports channels.

Often, you can get yourself into trouble by getting into a business that is not your core competency. The Big Ten knows little about broadcasting or cable yet are up to there eyeballs in trying to sell their channel. Both the Big Ten and NFL have such confidence in the strength of their brands that they cannot fathom the reasons for lack of quick success. Fox News, started slowly and cheaply, only looking for big bucks (about $1 per subscriber according to the Wall Street Journal) after they had established a an audience.

While the SEC considers an entry into the cable content business they should carefully consider two points:

1. Are we in the college sports business or a media company?
2. Is our brand more powerful than the NFL?

If they are honest the only conclusion should be to make a deal with CBS to keep their exclusive network position with CBS College Sports as the overflow for the lesser football games and use the SEC olympic sports as the major filler for this channel. The SEC gets a check while CBS can push distribution of their channel. CBS College Sports becomes an ad hoc SEC channel. CBS is a media company with expertise in distributing content while the SEC can put their energy into creating content.

BTN Schedule: Set the DVR to Stun

In May what will the BTN be bring the the lucky few that will be charged a dime and for in the Big Ten 'FOOT PRINT' states see what you traded a trip to Golen Arch's dollar menu to enjoy?

Please click on the title of this post in order to be taken to the current BTN schedule so you can plan you life around these fine offerings.



Thursday, May 08, 2008

1:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight (HD)
A.M. = Morning (not night)

1:30AM ET Big Ten Tonight: All Access (HD)
The bloopers that were taken out of the 1:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight

2:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight: Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Recap

2:30AM ET Big Ten Tonight: Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament Recap
If you do not know now do you really care?

3:00AM ET The Big Ten's Greatest Games - Football: 2007 Motor City Bowl: Purdue vs. Central Michigan (HD)
For those that find CSPAN too entertaining.

6:00AM ET Big Ten Men's Tennis '08: Big Ten Championships (HD)

8:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight (HD)
Last night?

8:30AM ET Big Ten Tonight: All Access (HD)

9:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight (HD)
Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good. Repeating is good.

9:30AM ET Big Ten Tonight: All Access (HD)

10:00AM ET Big Ten Men's Tennis '08: Big Ten Championships (HD)

12:00PM ET The Big Ten's Greatest Games - Football: 2007 - Michigan at Michigan State (HD)
Yes, Greatest

2:00PM ET The Big Ten's Greatest Games - Football: 2007 - Purdue at Indiana (HD)
Yes, Greatest...too

4:00PM ET Northwestern Campus Programming: News at Northwestern 3

5:00PM ET Ohio State Campus Programming: iMix - University Mixed Media 3

5:30PM ET Purdue Campus Programming: Purdue Pride 2 (HD)

6:00PM ET Big Ten Tonight: Top Ten Men's Basketball Games of the Year
In 30 minutes or less

6:30PM ET Big Ten Tonight: Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Recap

7:00PM ET Big Ten Short Stories: Best of Short Stories
Tonight: Green Eggs and Ham

7:30PM ET Big Ten Tonight: All Access (HD)

8:00PM ET Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field: Illinois Twilight (HD)
Live or Memorex?

10:00PM ET Big Ten Tonight: All Access (HD)

10:30PM ET Big Ten Tonight (HD)
And tomorrow morning.

11:00PM ET Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field: Illinois Twilight (HD)
Memorex!

Come on Comcast how can you deny your viewers quality content like this?

Sorry McDonald's the dollar is looking weak.

Plinko

...the launching of the much-ballyhooed Big Ten Network proved disastrous.While the launch has been less than the triumph that Jim Delany would have wanted the plodding BTN might yet find its way into you house and extract money from your wallet.. BTN is like the guy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail that wasn't dead yet and any cheering at the death of this cash grab is best done when it is six feet under.

Apparently BTN and Comcast are still talking trying to find a way they can both profit handsomely from selling you a few 2nd or 3rd rate football games, meaningless regular season basketball and content on par with ESPN2 billards coverage.

"So when Silverman says the BTN has addressed Comcast's concerns, you can be sure it has dropped considerably from its initial asking price of $1.10 per subscriber." Not that Comcast really opjects to adding $1.10 to the cable bill, they just want a cut of the loot.

Ending...too cynical...too close to the truth. Looking for that happy place.

Ticket Roulette Bowl Game #3

She just learned she did not get her Peach Chick-Fil-A Bowl tickets early enough.

International Bowl Tickets (Rutgers vs Ball State)
Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 12:00 PM at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON
217 12 Up to 5 $70.00 each
Limited sales as the upper 500 level is apparently not being sold. Toronto v. New Jersey?

Insight Bowl Tickets (Indiana vs Oklahoma State)
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 1:00 PM at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ
237 24 Up to 4 $17.00 each
Good 50 yard line tickets are about $60. Hoosier fans are sure about this college bowl thing and T. Boone Pickens already bought a section.

Independence Bowl Tickets (Colorado vs Alabama)
Sunday, December 30, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, LA
125 F 3 $37.00 each (Endzone)
If 70,000 Bama fans will show up for spring practice then 40,000 can and will journey to Shreveport.

Humanitarian Bowl Tickets (Georgia Tech vs Fresno State)
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 12:00 PM at Bronco Stadium in Boise, ID
South End Zone GA 2 $3.50 each
For comparison--Weber State at Boise State Football Tickets 8/30 $75 for seats in the same area. If we had just lost a couple more games we could stay home for the holidays.

Holiday Bowl Tickets (Arizona State vs Texas)
Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 5:00 PM at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA
End Zone View 48 14 Up to 14 $34.00 each
Texas fans travel! The Holiday Bowl just seems to be the most major bowl that is all but forgotten.

GMAC Bowl Tickets (Tulsa vs Bowling Green)
Sunday 7:00 PM Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, AL
T 14 Up to 4 $35.00 each (not Endzone)
No need to finance this trip.

Gator Bowl Tickets (Virginia vs Texas Tech)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 1:00 PM at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, FL
Middle Level Sideline 233 BB 2 $10.00 each
The ACC Championship gameis moving and Jacksonville IS the problem.

Emerald Bowl Tickets (Maryland vs Oregon State)
Friday, December 28, 2007 at 5:30 PM at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA
End Zone Bleachers 140 12 2 $44.95 each
Great venue, a baseball only park for football. Bleachers setup in right field are $65 each.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Tickets (Auburn vs Clemson)
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 7:30 PM at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA
Upper Sideline 351 19 1 $97.95 each
From a bowl standpoint this is a great match up for selling tickets. Good location and two teams with loyal fan bases mean a sell out, full hotels, and dollars being spent in Atlanta.

Ticket Roulette Bowl Game #2

New Orleans Bowl Tickets (Memphis vs Florida Atlantic)
Friday, December 21, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Superdome in New Orleans, LA
Club Sideline 334 14 2 $50.00 each
Very few tickets being sold. The upper deck most likely will not be opened and the lack of seats is may be a sign of the lack of interest.

Music City Bowl Tickets (Kentucky vs Florida State)
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 3:00 PM at LP Field in Nashville, TN
Upper Level 304 CC 2 $62.98 each
Yeah, that Wal Mart pricing (ending in an 8) will make those tickets fly. Kentucky fans should fill the place. Nole fans may not want to sit out in the cold.

Motor City Bowl Tickets (Central Michigan vs Purdue)
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at 7:30 PM at Ford Field in Detroit, MI
Lower Level End Zone 137 4 2 $39.99 each
Again the supply of seats but even so there are 27 listings. Could this game be any worse than the Lions?

Meineke Car Care Bowl Tickets (Connecticut vs Wake Forest)
Saturday, December 29, 2007 at 1:00 PM at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
Upper Level 513 31 Up to 2 $65.00 each
Higher prices than expected. Husky fans are looking to escape the northeast for a few days in Carolina. Too bad that a basketball game between the two teams could not be added to the event.

Liberty Bowl Tickets (Central Florida vs Mississippi State)
Saturday December 29, 2007 at 3:30 PM Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, TN
End Zone 126 14 (SEC SIDE) Up to 10 $85.00 each
The top sides for seats is $306. Both UCF and MSU fans are excited to be in the post-season and that is something the "too many bowls" critics do not seem to understand.

Read about the 1964 Liberty Bowl that was played inside the Atlantic City convention Center.

Great Question for BTN from Patrick Henry's Ghost

Where does the UW get off, he asks, entering into agreements that deny these Wisconsin citizens access to sporting events featuring their own tax-supported university?

Great opinion piece that falls short of suggesting that the citizen of Wisconsin should consider reducing support to UM by the amount of income from the BTN deal.

"Give me free broadcasts of the game or give me my money back."

Give them a reason to buy

Rarely can you find a position enjoyed by the likes of Under Armour or Apple (iPod) where people see value in your product well beyond the actual value. Under Armour (UA) has a shirt made in China using the same material that anyone else can use and sell it for a premium price. Just guessing here but the shirt costs about $1 to produce and ship to the retailer were UA sells is the retailer for $15 for a $30 retail. Nice business if you can get away with it. Apple is reportedly making $18 per month on iPhone user because they have the "IT" factor that allows them to demand a premium margin.

Both found willing partners to help them in promoting and profiting themselves in the process. The average sporting goods retail welcomes the addition of a line that promises both wide margins and fast turns. AT&T was looking for a way to increase the utilization of their network and drive down the average cost with the added benefit of driving huge awareness of their other products with little or no additional costs.

So, what does this have to do with college football? Both of these show smarts businesses working with the distribution channel to deliver their product with value (real or perceived) to the consumer. In Note to N.F.L.: High Prices Cut Demand Joe Nocera discusses the struggles that the NFL has had with its cable channel and not cashing in the way they had expected. The NFL Network and Big Ten Network overestimated the value of their brand and failed to realize that they had to work with the channel members to reach the consumer. Proctor & Gamble while it has tremendous brands like Tide or Bounty cannot go into Wal Mart and dictate the terms for the delivery of a new product.

There's an old story of a salesman sitting in front of a grocery chains buyer and insisting that his new item carry a particular retail price. The buyer grabs a pen, searches the fact sheet for the delivered unit price and crosses out the number writing in a figure rough half of that given. The proposal is then flung back at the bewildered salesman with the buyer saying assertively, "Here's your new selling price."

"Uh,...No!", the salesman responses with indignation.

Gruffly the buyer snorts, "You don't tell me and I won't tell you what to charge."

The lesson of the story is that you cannot dectate terms to other parties that you deal with without expecting some push back. Both the Big Ten and NFL clearly overvalued the product they are offering banking on the tremendous power that their respective brands have. This strength made them both blind to the weakness of the product (lack of quality content) being offered and resulting lack of value that could justify a premium price. Further, they did not consider the cable operators in the process by adding value for them.

Because It Matters

In college basketball the events of the past weekend with West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and Rutgers from the top 10 all losing would be no big deal. Yes, the losing teams might fall a few places but the regular season in hoops is to position your team for tournaments (conference and NCAA). In football these teams that had their hopes set on the MNC have while not completely eliminated are out. That said they still have something to play for in that near excellence in football is rewarded by the invitation to a BCS bowl, a New Years Day game or in fact almost any bowl. Even the Made for ESPN Bowl can give your team positive exposure.

College basketball has it all wrong in that the season there is just jockeying to make it into the high stakes winner takes all invite the marginal conferences to shut them up hope you get hot who’s the Cinderella team March Silliness. In this system steadiness during the season is rewarded by a high cede but does not really reward success much beyond the first two rounds. On the hardwood floors January's triumph is all but worthless. College football that does not allow the quantity of games, and therefore few are wasted, the season is the tournament but, with the bonus that those not bound for the very top are not necessarily sent home. In basketball the match up are at the mercy of the brackets precluding purposeful selection of teams to face off.

What matters in college football every Saturday matters? Your team is the hero or the heel. You watch nervously because it matters. You live or die for the next week because the game matters. You look ahead to the next game for confirmation or redemption because it matters. The message boards and the water cooler talk for the week it based on the looking back and ahead because it matters. And you are there the next week because it matters.

Florida could still play for the MNC by beating LSU this Saturday because…

Hidden Beauty

Rarely do you find someone else that takes the ideas seeming from your head and puts them to paper or at least the ideas you wish you had thought. College football journalism has a true hidden jewel in Matt Zemek at CollegeFootbalNews.com (http://cfn.scout.com/) that writes about the sport in a poetic and insightful manner missing form most other reporters. Perhaps that is the difference Matt is a true writer where the others are reporters. This is not to belittle the reporter as the transmittal of the facts is of vital importance but the voice on the Weather Channel will tell you the forecast without any passion, depth or real insight. Matt, by comparison, does not rush nor dumb down the story rather paints the complex picture at the heart of the tale.

ESPN tries to complete the story in college football before that story has ever been written in the first place. Last year, the Michigan-Ohio State game was hyped on the final Saturday of September, almost two months before the game…

...No one at ESPN, though, seems to have paid any attention. Throughout August, and especially as the season approached, ESPN did extensive week-by-week projections of how the season and its rankings would play out. Can't anyone in Bristol realize how this poisons the well and predisposes people to cognitively frame the season before it has even begun?

In a moment of honesty Robert Smith appearing on ESPN’s College Football Live in the 25 hour build up to the LSU v. MSU game voiced the family secret (that only those that are blind or in deep denial have not already figured out) when he told us the advice given to him by Lee Corso, “Sell the game, sell the game.” ESPN is neither in the information like a reporter nor even the entertainment business they are existence to sell the fact that your eyeball are looking at that screen. Returning to our Weather Channel example there is no real reason Jim Cantore is on the beach in North Carolina other than the visuals (and people will stay tuned to SEE).

Anyone watching ESPN for the past five days knew that the two marquee game they were selling: Notre Dame v. PSU and VT v. LSU. Most consumers had the choice of close to a dozen games even before getting to the pay per view tier. Among those other games were some great stories such as the overtime games of Fresno State v. Texas A&M or La. Tech v. Hawaii and many others obscured by the birght light from Bristol. Even on the day ending wrap up the focus was on a few games and not much outside the Disney Sports universe.

Getting back to the topic of Matt Zemek invest your limited college football time reading everything he writes and turn off the infomercial that is ESPN.

Weekly Affirmation Sep 4, 2007
http://cfn.scout.com/a.z?s=451&p=2&c=557922
Instant Analysis: Virginia Tech-LSU
http://cfn.scout.com/2/677410.html
Instant Analysis: TCU-Texas
http://cfn.scout.com/2/677408.html
Instant Analysis: South Carolina-Georgia
http://cfn.scout.com/2/677368.html
Instant Analysis: Oregon-Michigan
http://cfn.scout.com/2/677304.html
Instant Analysis: Miami-Oklahoma
http://cfn.scout.com/2/677262.html

Coming Up On BTN

Two notes:
1. Women's Sports are given there due!

2. See the UM loss with your breakfast.

Friday, September 07, 2007
12:00AM - 1:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight
1:00AM - 4:00AM ET Big Ten Football '07: Youngstown State at Ohio State
1:00AM - 1:30AM ET Big Ten Extra Points

1:00AM - 2:30AM ET Big Ten Women's Show

2:00AM - 3:00AM ET Coachs' Q & A
3:00AM - 4:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight

4:00AM - 7:00AM ET Big Ten Football '07: Appalachian State at Michigan

6:00AM - 7:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight
7:00AM - 8:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight
8:00AM - 9:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight
9:00AM - 10:00AM ET Big Ten Tonight

10:00AM - 11:00AM ET Big Ten Women's Show

10:00AM - 11:00AM ET Big Ten Extra Points
11:00AM - 12:00AM ET Coachs' Q & A
12:00AM - 12:30AM ET Mark Dantonio: One on One '07
12:00AM - 1:00PM ET Purdue: Joe Tiller Show '07
4:00PM - 5:00PM ET Coachs' Q & A
5:00PM - 5:30PM ET Mark Dantonio: One on One '07
5:00PM - 6:00PM ET Purdue: Joe Tiller Show '07
6:00PM - 8:00PM ET The Big Ten's Greatest Games: 1999 - Minnesota at Penn
8:00PM - 10:00PM ET Friday Night Tailgate
10:00PM - 11:00PM ET Big Ten Tonight
11:00PM - 1:00AM ET Friday Night Tailgate

Better than the Home Shopping channel.

Karma or Arrogance

Back in May Michigan AD discussed playing the early season cupcake/bodybag game and came across as slightly arrogant like the spoiled rich guy at the country club. Now we have reached the part of our movie where the young up and comer (nerdy but lovable) swamps his boat in the big yatch race and gets the girl. The only problem is in real life Appy State becomes the footnote and while Michigan is embarrassed for awhile they are still in the elite club that looks down there noses at those others.

Voices In My Head from May 2007

You know that voice that Hollywood would use for that rich spoiled man discussing how things are going at the yacht club and how wonderful those dinner parties are that Muffy throws after the polo game are (a clinched jaw helps). Use that voice while reading:

Martin repeated his scheduling philosophy, stating that Michigan will not sign a two-for-one contract -- offering a game at a small stadium -- under his watch.

"It's very difficult to leave the largest stadium in the country to go play in a 30 or 40,000-seat stadium," he said. ( U-M athletic director Bill Martin)

Perhaps the Wolverines would like the more intimate feel of the small of venue and connect with the fan.

One needs to question Mike O'Brien about accepting a mere $500,000 for their trip to The Big and Arrogant House as SEC teams are willing to pay much more for a win.

One more quote, "Yet Martin said he could envision facing a smaller school at a professional stadium, such as the Meadowlands just outside New York City." Is this a message or just a fleeting idea. Would a MAC team make the trip to Gotham for the chance to play the might UM? Would Michigan football sell in the Big Apple?

Hit and Run Comments:
Has anyone bought the movie rights yet?

UM paid $400,000 next time they might be willing to pay more for the bag to contain a dead body.

Appalachian State cannot be part of the Top 25 but it would raise an interesting question should Michigan run the table in the Big Ten.

Conspiracy theory: This was just one big promotional stunt for the great game that will only be seen on the Big Ten Network.

Caddyshack Quotes

Help, Help I'm Being Represented

“I am from the government and I am here to help.” Some of the most frightening words in the English language and Dave Crooks State Representative District 63 is the man to fear. He has written a letter to Susan Macey at Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor looking for mediation of the current Big Ten Network v. cable company (Comcast) impasse.

The letter as a Word document can be downloaded but here is the content.

As the Chairman of the House Commerce, Energy and Utilities Committee, I have been watching with great interest the public debate that is taking place between the Big Ten Network and Comcast regarding the manner the network is carried. Comcast appears to be the major cable provider in the Hoosier state that could set the trend for others. It is my understanding cable companies throughout the state such as Charter and Insight, who serve areas like mine, are awaiting the result of the current negotiations to decide whether to carry the network or not. The purpose of this letter is not to side with one entity or the other in this negotiation process but to ask for your assistance in jump starting what seems to be an impasse on an issue that is important to Indiana.

As you are aware, I was a strong opponent of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 2006. My opposition was based on my belief that consumers, especially consumers in rural districts like mine, would be left with little in the form of safeguards when competition in the telecommunications industry is slow to regulate itself. Proponents of the Act touted it as a mechanism that would result in more access to all things in the communications and cable industries. The impasse between the Big Ten Network and Comcast is causing exactly the opposite, and the result will be unhappy consumers.

Again, I do not have a position as what the price should be for the network or how the cable companies in Indiana choose to distribute it. I do, however, feel strongly that my constituents want to see Indiana University and Purdue University sports. I am also aware of your background as a mediator/arbitrator and I believe your current position and your background make you the perfect state official to prevent Indiana consumers from having to miss their favorite college sports team by getting the appropriate parties to the table for discussion.

Please let me know what I can do to help and let me know as soon as possible what you can do to encourage a solution that will protect Indiana consumers.

Sincerely,

Dave Crooks

From Indystar.com

He said he got a call back from Macey Wednesday.

"She said she had no statutory authority to be involved in this," Crooks said.

So we are safe for now saved by an offical not in a hurry to expand on their authority.