Bradley MBB TV Coverage

[Da Coach]

Somehow, every year for the last 30 or 40 years the administration at Bradley has found a way to get a dozen or more games on TV. Every single year. But now suddenly it is not possible. It costs too much, nobody wants to televise the games, it can't be done. And yes, it is sudden, this is the first time in memory we have had less than a dozen or more games on TV. We have heard all these excuses for years, yet somehow we always found a way to get the games on TV for the fans in the past. Maybe we need to ask someone from the past how they were able to overcome so many obstacles and get it done?

Sorry, but despite apologists trying to make excuses here, the fans are not going to buy this excuse. I have talked to people at WTVP, and others who were involved in broadcasting the games in the past years, and they are telling a much different story. But believe what you want, and let's keep making excuses instead of getting things done. This will hurt Bradley, just when we need to reach fans to get interest built back up.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

Somehow, every year for the last 30 or 40 years the administration at Bradley has found a way to get a dozen or more games on TV. Every single year. But now suddenly it is not possible. It costs too much, nobody wants to televise the games, it can't be done. And yes, it is sudden, this is the first time in memory we have had less than a dozen or more games on TV. We have heard all these excuses for years, yet somehow we always found a way to get the games on TV for the fans in the past. Maybe we need to ask someone from the past how they were able to overcome so many obstacles and get it done?

Sorry, but despite apologists trying to make excuses here, the fans are not going to buy this excuse. I have talked to people at WTVP, and others who were involved in broadcasting the games in the past years, and they are telling a much different story. But believe what you want, and let's keep making excuses instead of getting things done. This will hurt Bradley, just when we need to reach fans to get interest built back up.

Not televising the games may be sudden, but losing money isn't. It's been happening for years. I'm not sure why you're taking such a strong position on this, but I happen to have been directly involved in the business and decision making that surrounded Bradley leaving commercial broadcast television. As for WTVP's decision to cease broadcasts, according to Dave Reynold's story, they were also bleeding red ink.

http://www.pjstar.com/bradleyhoops/x470401895/Reynolds-Bradley-loses-out-on-WTVP

“It was strictly a business decision,” said WTVP president and CEO Chet Tomczyk. “We were losing a lot of money and couldn’t carry the loss any longer. It was a heartbreaking decision because we’re all Bradley fans here. We’ve had a really good relationship with Bradley.”

If you still don't believe me, call Mark DeSantis (someone whose job it is to make money operating a television station) and ask him why nobody is picking up the ball and running with it.

I wish that every Bradley away game was on television, but it just isn't going to happen. I'd hope for the best and look for someone to take shot at producing a small number of games (4-5) this season.

[ph]

Not televising the games may be sudden, but losing money isn't. It's been happening for years. I'm not sure why you're taking such a strong position on this, but I happen to have been directly involved in the business and decision making that surrounded Bradley leaving commercial broadcast television. As for WTVP's decision to cease broadcasts, according to Dave Reynold's story, they were also bleeding red ink.

http://www.pjstar.com/bradleyhoops/x470401895/Reynolds-Bradley-loses-out-on-WTVP

???It was strictly a business decision,??? said WTVP president and CEO Chet Tomczyk. ???We were losing a lot of money and couldn??™t carry the loss any longer. It was a heartbreaking decision because we??™re all Bradley fans here. We??™ve had a really good relationship with Bradley.???

If you still don't believe me, call Mark DeSantis (someone whose job it is to make money operating a television station) and ask him why nobody is picking up the ball and running with it.

I wish that every Bradley away game was on television, but it just isn't going to happen. I'd hope for the best and look for someone to take shot at producing a small number of games (4-5) this season.

Why can't Mark just setup a few more robotic cameras and have Ft Wayne produce the game?

But that does bring up a possible, real issue. In between automation, outsourcing, and combined station engineering (there are only 3 studios for the 13 digital stations in Peoria) a station does not have the extra workers to produce sporting events. The WMBD radio brodcasts seem to use everybody the station has (morning show producer, news guys, technical. They can do the WBB games with their existing staff, too.
And I guess TV now requires more than having their live news crews (I think that is now singular, crew) and news van.. Now they have to rent a production truck.

[Braves4Life]

Somehow, every year for the last 30 or 40 years the administration at Bradley has found a way to get a dozen or more games on TV. Every single year. But now suddenly it is not possible. It costs too much... This will hurt Bradley, just when we need to reach fans to get interest built back up.

I agree Da Coach. This just doesn't make sense and will definitely hurt when it comes to creating local interest in Bradley Basketbal. You would think that with advances in technology broadcasts could be produced more cost efficiently than in the past; apparently not. Of course, winning is a cure all for most things. Hopefully, in a few years, media will be clamoring and competing for the opportunity to televise Bradley games once again.

[ph]

Then there is another issue, back when WEEK started Bradley games, they had their choice of games. The cost of a few games vs uninteresting teams were offset by a few marquee opponents. Now ESPN and FoxSports/Comcast Chicago get to cherry pick the marquee games, so there are few games worth while.

I do wonder about shared agreements. Don't teams like Creighton and WSU usually bring their TV crew? Could we affordably simulcast a few of those games? Although that may be more of sharing. I guess it was Creighton that got to see our MVC shuffle?

[ph]

I agree Da Coach. This just doesn't make sense and will definitely hurt when it comes to creating local interest in Bradley Basketbal. You would think that with advances in technology broadcasts could be produced more cost efficiently than in the past; apparently not. Of course, winning is a cure all for most things. Hopefully, in a few years, media will be clamoring and competing for the opportunity to televise Bradley games once again.

That (technology) does drive me crazy. Now Anyone with an iPhone 5 can "broadcast" using FaceTime in HD.
Or why can't a station simulcast BU Braves.tv?

[Gary the Gargoyle]

Why can't Mark just setup a few more robotic cameras and have Ft Wayne produce the game?

But that does bring up a possible, real issue. In between automation, outsourcing, and combined station engineering (there are only 3 studios for the 13 digital stations in Peoria) a station does not have the extra workers to produce sporting events. The WMBD radio brodcasts seem to use everybody the station has (morning show producer, news guys, technical. They can do the WBB games with their existing staff, too.
And I guess TV now requires more than having their live news crews (I think that is now singular, crew) and news van.. Now they have to rent a production truck.

WEEK used WTVP's live truck. Commercial broadcast stations can't afford the luxuries that public broadcasting stations operate with. Heck, just check out the differences in the buildings. That joint on the riverfront didn't get built because people bought enough Dean Martin Roast DVDs or love Masterpiece Theater.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

That (technology) does drive me crazy. Now Anyone with an iPhone 5 can "broadcast" using FaceTime in HD.
Or why can't a station simulcast BU Braves.tv?

Someone would have to want to buy the advertising spots as well, even if production could be done more affordably.

It really is just business. If there was an opportunity to make a profit, somebody would be doing it, but nobody is going to air Bradley basketball games as a community service.

[DoubleJayAlum]

I do wonder about shared agreements. Don't teams like Creighton and WSU usually bring their TV crew? Could we affordably simulcast a few of those games? Although that may be more of sharing. I guess it was Creighton that got to see our MVC shuffle?

I know there are times in the past where BU and CU have shared broadcast feeds with each school's crew laying down their own play by play over the top of the feed (we've had similar arrangements with WSU before ESPn started picking up those games). As I understand the arrangement, it was a straight up swap -- CU gets to use the BU feed while in Peoria and BU gets the CU feed in Omaha. One year, I know that am Omaha station (probably the local Cox cable station) picked up the entire Bradley feed - homer announcers and all - and simply aired it. I remember distinctly because the announcers were remarkably one sided and one dude had the biggest head of hair since Mel Kiper in the 1980's.

The scuttlebutt is that BU did not want send anyone in Omaha to do pbp over the feed this year, so there is no swap....

The game against you guys is one of the few roadies that we don't have on TV, so I'm really hoping that you guys get something in place as I'm sure the local Cox station will just air the feed in its entirety once again....

[Da Coach]

What? You mean some schools like Creighton, Wichita, and just about every other MVC school still find a way to televise a number of their games? How is that possible? We are being told it is such a massive money-loser that it is virtually impossible to get the games on TV.

Thanks for showing how silly that argument is.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

What? You mean some schools like Creighton, Wichita, and just about every other MVC school still find a way to televise a number of their games? How is that possible? We are being told it is such a massive money-loser that it is virtually impossible to get the games on TV.

Thanks for showing how silly that argument is.

What it tells me is that they don't lose money in Wichita, Omaha, and Cedar Falls, or the stations that broadcast the games in those markets are more willing to not earn a profit on the broadcasts. The quality of the team, and overall media market are certainly determinig factors. I quickly took a look and noticed that UNI has 6 local broadcasts listed on their schedule, and Creighton has 5. WSU's local broadcasts are not yet listed.

In a nutshell, just because it's being done in other markets doesn't mean it's a wise business decision in this market. It isn't "silly", it's economics and business sense. To believe otherwise is akin to accusing Bradley and the local television outlets of conspiring to keep people from seeing the Braves on television.

Geesh... Trust me. I know what I'm talking about.

[JMM28]

What? You mean some schools like Creighton, Wichita, and just about every other MVC school still find a way to televise a number of their games? How is that possible? We are being told it is such a massive money-loser that it is virtually impossible to get the games on TV.

Thanks for showing how silly that argument is.

The majority of MVC games that are televised will be televised as part of the conference package with ESPN, Fox Sports, CSN/NBC, or whatever other stations were part of that deal.

Some schools have a few games picked up by locals, similar to the Comcast deal a few years back.

If this were so profitable - why aren't WEEK/HOI and WMBD fighting over this?

Hell, why don't you just get a public access time slot, air it via iPad, and laugh all the way to the bank. It is that easy, right?

For anyone worried about televised home games - I am sure plenty of good seats are still available to actually go to the game.

[tornado]

...l.

Some schools have a few games picked up by locals, similar to the Comcast deal a few years back.

If this were so profitable - why aren't WEEK/HOI and WMBD fighting over this?...

you make an interesting point - but was there not once a time - in the not-so-distant past when indeed they DID fight over who could have BU basketball coverage - so I guess you have to ask - in a basketball-crazy town - where BU basketball IS and has always been the premier basketball event - then why ISN'T THIS a no-brainer...with all the games possible on local TV??

surely if WTVP does women's basketball and surely if WEEK does ISU basketball - then ought there be a market for BU basketball?

so I think the interesting point is just WHO has dropped the ball and let a very popular and very profitable commodity degenerate into something undesirable??

[DoubleJayAlum]

you make an interesting point - but was there not once a time - in the not-so-distant past when indeed they DID fight over who could have BU basketball coverage - so I guess you have to ask - in a basketball-crazy town - where BU basketball IS and has always been the premier basketball event - then why ISN'T THIS a no-brainer...with all the games possible on local TV??

surely if WTVP does women's basketball and surely if WEEK does ISU basketball - then ought there be a market for BU basketball?

so I think the interesting point is just WHO has dropped the ball and let a very popular and very profitable commodity degenerate into something undesirable??

I think an equally important question would be, "Does Bradley do anything to help defray the costs? i.e., are they willing to guarantee sale of advertising, pay some sort of a fee, etc."

The answer to your own scenario is that Peoria obviously isn't as basketball ball crazy over Bradley as you insinuate.

[tornado]

I never insinuate - I just speak the truth...
and if there's declining interest in Peoria - then I see you finally caught on to my main point - maybe Bradley can't expect much interest if the product on the court isn't what people will pay to see.....

As I noted elsewhere - this year's Red-White drew the smallest crowd I have ever seen for the preseason intrasquad..
we used to routinely get 2500 to as much as 3800 at the Red-White scrimmages....anyone wanna discuss what has happened that we barely get 1/10th of that now?

BUT as I said before - it used to be 10K was easy to get there and people wanted to see the games on TV....I think it can still happen if it is done right..
BTW -- Saint Louis just announced that 23 of their games will be on TV -- whoa - wonder if they realize how much money they're gonna lose!!!