Final score: Arkansas 76 Bradley 57

[algotrader]

I could be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that the SEC has broadcasting rights to this game and the facility does not meet their broadcasting standards (not sure what that entails). So therefore it would not be televised. Based on what some Arkansas fans are saying, it seems like this is an annual issue for their North Little Rock game. This has nothing to do with Bradley or the MVC.

I understand that _right now_ this can't be fixed. But how far out are the rights to games sold/contracted/held? At some point in the future, we haven't determined the rightsholder for a game to be broadcast. I'm more talking about the future.

How my generation consumes media is drastically different than the older generations. The Valley and schools in the valley are going to have a really hard time growing their fanbase if they want their fanbase at home to tune to DirecTV channel 314 to watch the game.

On top of that, I think recruitment is going to suffer as well. Every single recruit is thinking "how will joining Bradley/UNI/etc help my brand over joining Kentucky/UNC/etc". We need to be using a valley wide platform to broadcast games, rewatch games, provide advanced stats, show highlights of plays for every player, but also to provide clips for social media and integrate with players on their social media as well.

The game has changed. I'm really worried for our future.

[️ Fanatic]

Arkansas was down 5 at half to UNC Greensboro (4-6) and only won by 7

Let’s go Braves!

[BUfan14]

So YouTube TV is saying on both the Arkansas list and Bradley list they have the game. Is that a mistake?

https://tv.youtube.com/browse/bradley-braves-men-s-basketball-UCQIvs1ZGfnszV1gaxXanASA

[Mikovio]

Arkansas might not want it to be televised so as to encourage ticket sales for their annual Little Rock game. The NFL is also known to blackout TV in cities where stadiums aren’t selling out.

[Nashville Cat]

I understand that _right now_ this can't be fixed. But how far out are the rights to games sold/contracted/held? At some point in the future, we haven't determined the rightsholder for a game to be broadcast. I'm more talking about the future.

How my generation consumes media is drastically different than the older generations. The Valley and schools in the valley are going to have a really hard time growing their fanbase if they want their fanbase at home to tune to DirecTV channel 314 to watch the game.

On top of that, I think recruitment is going to suffer as well. Every single recruit is thinking "how will joining Bradley/UNI/etc help my brand over joining Kentucky/UNC/etc". We need to be using a valley wide platform to broadcast games, rewatch games, provide advanced stats, show highlights of plays for every player, but also to provide clips for social media and integrate with players on their social media as well.

The game has changed. I'm really worried for our future.

I agree with you that media coverage is important but winning is the single biggest factor in growing a fan base; with or without extensive media coverage. Far scarier to me for the future of all mid-major bball is the polarizing impact that NIL is having on recruiting and the how the transfer Portal's impacting teams' ability to develop a program. The Portal is becoming a great recruiting equalizer between low major and mid-major teams. Talent gaps are closing. IMO

[egib52]

On top of that, I think recruitment is going to suffer as well. Every single recruit is thinking "how will joining Bradley/UNI/etc help my brand over joining Kentucky/UNC/etc". We need to be using a valley wide platform to broadcast games, rewatch games, provide advanced stats, show highlights of plays for every player, but also to provide clips for social media and integrate with players on their social media as well.

The game has changed. I'm really worried for our future.

In all fairness, we aren't getting the same players as the blue bloods regardless of who broadcasts our games.

[Tommy]

I agree with you that media coverage is important but winning is the single biggest factor in growing a fan base; with or without extensive media coverage. Far scarier to me for the future of all mid-major bball is the polarizing impact that NIL is having on recruiting and the how the transfer Portal's impacting teams' ability to develop a program. The Portal is becoming a great recruiting equalizer between low major and mid-major teams. Talent gaps are closing. IMO

NC, great post and exactly right.

I think the next couple of years is going to be extremely volatile as teams figure out the best approach to recruiting in this new environment. In the end, whoever adjusts the best will come out on top. As much as this hurts mid-majors and helps the power conferences (as we're just a recruiting league for them now), one bright side is that disgruntled players on power conference teams can opt to drop down to a mid-major to pick up playing time. Still, this is a small advantage considering we'll probably rarely if ever be able to keep players like Elijah Childs for their entire college tenure.

[Nashville Cat]

NC, great post and exactly right.

I think the next couple of years is going to be extremely volatile as teams figure out the best approach to recruiting in this new environment. In the end, whoever adjusts the best will come out on top. As much as this hurts mid-majors and helps the power conferences (as we're just a recruiting league for them now), one bright side is that disgruntled players on power conference teams can opt to drop down to a mid-major to pick up playing time. Still, this is a small advantage considering we'll probably rarely if ever be able to keep players like Elijah Childs for their entire college tenure.

Well said, Tommy.

[Da Coach]

I think it'll continue to get worse for the mid-major schools like Bradley and the other MVC programs, as the mid-major transfers continue to have success at the major schools.
The NIL money at the big schools is so much more than at the mid-majors, that the BCS-type programs with deep NIL pockets will have no trouble luring more and more talent away from the mid-majors.

This phenomenon is happening most notably in the SEC.
Here is the list of top 30 scorers in the SEC this season. More than half of the Top 30 scorers in the SEC transferred from mid-majors, including 4 of the top 6-
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...yer/_/group/23

#1 Ricky Council - Arkansas- transferred from Wichita State
#2 K.J. Williams - LSU- transferred from Murray State
#5 D'Moi Hodge - Missouri- transferred from Cleveland State
#6 Tolu Smith - Miss. State- transferred from Western Kentucky
#10 Mark Sears- Alabama- transferred from Ohio U.
#12 Terry Roberts- Georgia- transferred from Bradley
#14 Antonio Reeves- Kentucky- transferred from Illinois State
#15 Wendell Green - Auburn- transferred from Eastern Kentucky
#18 Liam Robbins - Vanderbilt- transferred from Drake (via Minnesota)
#19 Noah Carter - Missouri- transferred from UNI
#21 Chico Carter - South Carolina- transferred from Murray State
#22 Jacob Toppin - Kentucky- transferred from Rhode Island
#25 Hayden Brown - South Carolina- transferred from Citadel
#28 Will Richard - Florida- transferred from Belmont
#28 Tyreke Key - Tennessee- transferred from Indiana State
#30 Johni Broome - Auburn- transferred from Morehead State

And it's not just the scorers that the big schools are after, it is other skill players that populate the lists of top rebounders, assists, and FG% leaders.
Here are the top assist players in the SEC, and almost half transferred from mid-majors
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...sists/dir/desc

#2 Terry Roberts- Georgia- From Bradley
#6 Justice Hill- LSU- from Murray State
#7 Kyle Lofton- Florida- from St. Bonaventure
#9 Wendell Greene, Jr.- Auburn- from Eastern Kentucky
#12 Nick Honor- Missouri- from Fordham
#12 Ezra Manjon- Vanderbilt- from UC Davis
#15 Sean East- Missouri- from Bradley
#18 Mark Sears- Alabama- from Ohio U.
#19 Ricky Council- Arkansas- from Wichita State
#19 Justin Hill- Georgia- from Longwood
#22 Tre Gomillion- Missouri- Cleveland State
#25 Trae Hannibal- LSU- from Murray State
#27 D'Moi Hodge- Missouri- from Cleveland State

[Nashville Cat]

I think it'll continue to get worse for the mid-major schools like Bradley and the other MVC programs, as the mid-major transfers continue to have success at the major schools.
The NIL money at the big schools is so much more than at the mid-majors, that the BCS-type programs with deep NIL pockets will have no trouble luring more and more talent away from the mid-majors.

This phenomenon is happening most notably in the SEC.
Here is the list of top 30 scorers in the SEC this season. More than half of the Top 30 scorers in the SEC transferred from mid-majors, including 4 of the top 6-
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...yer/_/group/23

#1 Ricky Council - Arkansas- transferred from Wichita State
#2 K.J. Williams - LSU- transferred from Murray State
#5 D'Moi Hodge - Missouri- transferred from Cleveland State
#6 Tolu Smith - Miss. State- transferred from Western Kentucky
#10 Mark Sears- Alabama- transferred from Ohio U.
#12 Terry Roberts- Georgia- transferred from Bradley
#14 Antonio Reeves- Kentucky- transferred from Illinois State
#15 Wendell Green - Auburn- transferred from Eastern Kentucky
#18 Liam Robbins - Vanderbilt- transferred from Drake (via Minnesota)
#19 Noah Carter - Missouri- transferred from UNI
#21 Chico Carter - South Carolina- transferred from Murray State
#22 Jacob Toppin - Kentucky- transferred from Rhode Island
#25 Hayden Brown - South Carolina- transferred from Citadel
#28 Will Richard - Florida- transferred from Belmont
#28 Tyreke Key - Tennessee- transferred from Indiana State
#30 Johni Broome - Auburn- transferred from Morehead State

And it's not just the scorers that the big schools are after, it is other skill players that populate the lists of top rebounders, assists, and FG% leaders.
Here are the top assist players in the SEC, and almost half transferred from mid-majors
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...sists/dir/desc

#2 Terry Roberts- Georgia- From Bradley
#6 Justice Hill- LSU- from Murray State
#7 Kyle Lofton- Florida- from St. Bonaventure
#9 Wendell Greene, Jr.- Auburn- from Eastern Kentucky
#12 Nick Honor- Missouri- from Fordham
#12 Ezra Manjon- Vanderbilt- from UC Davis
#15 Sean East- Missouri- from Bradley
#18 Mark Sears- Alabama- from Ohio U.
#19 Ricky Council- Arkansas- from Wichita State
#19 Justin Hill- Georgia- from Longwood
#22 Tre Gomillion- Missouri- Cleveland State
#25 Trae Hannibal- LSU- from Murray State
#27 D'Moi Hodge- Missouri- from Cleveland State

Wow! Great data. Coach. Unfortunately it does not indicate a great future for mid-major programs.

[Tommy]

So YouTube TV is saying on both the Arkansas list and Bradley list they have the game. Is that a mistake?

https://tv.youtube.com/browse/bradle...nszV1gaxXanASA

Has anyone been able to verify the accuracy of this? Is it indeed going to be on Youtube TV?

[battlebasset]

From an article I found online:

Why Arkansas vs Bradley Isn’t Televised


Needless to say, recent central Arkansas games have left a lingering bad taste for Razorback fans. This goes without even mentioning the fact that all of these North Little Rock games – including this game featuring the No. 10 Razorbacks in the year 2022 – aren’t televised. Because ESPN owns the rights to these games, only an ESPN channel or the SEC Network + would be able to broadcast/stream them. Because Bradley isn’t a marquee opponent, one of the ESPN channels won’t broadcast it. On top of that, the infrastructure needed to stream games on the SEC Network+ is located in Fayetteville and not portable enough to transport.

So, I interpret this as "BU is a little po-dunk school, so we won't expend the effort to broadcast it. And, if by some chance, BU beats us, we don't want it on video".

Go BU.

[egib52]

Has anyone been able to verify the accuracy of this? Is it indeed going to be on Youtube TV?

They just list the schedule. For instance on my YouTube TV it shows game details and then underneath says unavailable.

[battlebasset]

So if it isn't being broadcast, and BU fans are there, can those fans stream from their iPhones on YouTube? Asking for a friend.

[Tommy]

They just list the schedule. For instance on my YouTube TV it shows game details and then underneath says unavailable.

Thanks egib.