Bradley MBB TV Coverage

[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. 8)

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. 8)

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!!!

 

[wily coyote]

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!!!

I can think of several reason for the low turn out.

1.) Friday night during HS football season. ( I think washington and Metamora were playing that Fri.)

2.) Womens VB played first. I'm not opposed to it just saying...

3.) Womens BB played before the men. I'm not opposed to it just saying....

4.) No supper before the game like in years past.

5.) Fri night on campus is boys and girls night out on most weekends. I probably have a good idea where they were.

6.) Starting around 9:00 probably to late for families with young kids and old folks who have to be in bed by 9:00. Not there yet but I'm getting close to the latter.

 

[ph]

6) is a big one.
I had some family in town, and as it worked out, my group of 7 was willing to go to the red/white.....if the men's started at 8pm or earlier. But the 9pm start for the main course is too late....much like trying to take a kid to a fine restaurant. If a child has to wait an hour for the main course, nothing good will happen in that hour.

 

[SFP]

Wish I knew the economics behind this a bit better. I'd have to believe creating a desirable product/broadcast should not be that hard with a limited budget. Now on the other hand if BU is not selling out Carver then it makes it less desirable for BU to broadcast the games in Peoria. I'd have to believe that is probably the biggest issue.

I have to agree with Gary The gargoyle on his overall logic with a bit of where T is going with this. In the past we could count on near sell outs and a few key games which generated advertising revenue for the production of the product without it effecting gate revenue. Businesses are just not taking too many chances now days. I'm sure if BU wanted to they could offer a multi-year deal that could entice a station to carry the games but right now BU is not in the drivers seat. You sell high buy low!

I would also have to believe BU could create their own production company and sell the rights if it was so profitable. Cameras are coming down in price and buying the needed bandwidth is also decreasing in price. The fixed costs would be the personnel needed to create the product and some of that could come from internships. Live broadcasts on something like Justin.tv is feasible but probably not profitable. Winning will fix this!

 

[DoubleJayAlum]

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.....

I guess I'm not following what you are asking me. If you are asking why is there not the interest to televise games, I guess I'd suggest that not finishing above 4th place for a decade, combined with back to back finishes at or near the bottom of the conference, along with a similar finish predicted for this season, is probably the cause. In my personal opinion only, I think BU held on to Les way too long, allowing expectations to diminish and the program to become stagnant.

 

[shaunguth]

I guess I'm not following what you are asking me. If you are asking why is there not the interest to televise games, I guess I'd suggest that not finishing above 4th place for a decade, combined with back to back finishes at or near the bottom of the conference, along with a similar finish predicted for this season, is probably the cause. In my personal opinion only, I think BU held on to Les way too long, allowing expectations to diminish and the program to become stagnant.

"Way too long" meaning he should have been gone before the Sweet 16 or "way too long" after the Sweet 16? Just wondering.

If the community made the connection between Les and lowered expectations, then shouldn't a new head coach entering his second season here and a brand new assistant coach with obvious connections to a lot of talent in Chicago add some excitement within the community about Bradley basketball? In fact, people on this message board have been told over and over to get over the fact that Les is no longer the coach here.

 

[shaunguth]

I can think of several reason for the low turn out.

1.) Friday night during HS football season. ( I think washington and Metamora were playing that Fri.)

2.) Womens VB played first. I'm not opposed to it just saying...

3.) Womens BB played before the men. I'm not opposed to it just saying....

4.) No supper before the game like in years past.

5.) Fri night on campus is boys and girls night out on most weekends. I probably have a good idea where they were.

6.) Starting around 9:00 probably to late for families with young kids and old folks who have to be in bed by 9:00. Not there yet but I'm getting close to the latter.

Yes.....many reasons that night was such a great decision! :roll:

 

[DoubleJayAlum]

"Way too long" meaning he should have been gone before the Sweet 16 or "way too long" after the Sweet 16? Just wondering.

If the community made the connection between Les and lowered expectations, then shouldn't a new head coach entering his second season here and a brand new assistant coach with obvious connections to a lot of talent in Chicago add some excitement within the community about Bradley basketball? In fact, people on this message board have been told over and over to get over the fact that Les is no longer the coach here.

Hey - don't shoot me, I just tried my best to answer his question!

 

[shaunguth]

Hey - don't shoot me, I just tried my best to answer his question!

Not shooting anyone, just wondering what exactly you meant by "way too long" and when you think he should have been fired.

 

[Da Coach]

Hey - don't shoot me, I just tried my best to answer his question!

I think this part of the discussion is getting quite ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but we've beaten this horse to death. For the record, throughout the tenure of the previous coach Bradley set all time records for revenues from donations, ticket sales, and maintenance contributions. We also had record numbers of televised games almost every year.
4th place/Sweet 16/record revenues/100+ wins over 5 seasons is a bit better than 10th place/record numbers of losses/record margins of losses/declining revenues.

 

[JMM28]

I can think of several reason for the low turn out.

1.) Friday night during HS football season. ( I think washington and Metamora were playing that Fri.)

5.) Fri night on campus is boys and girls night out on most weekends. I probably have a good idea where they were.

So add Friday nights to the list of bad nights to have Bradley basketball events.

No Sunday because of NFL.
No Monday because its the first day of the work week.
No Tuesday because all the greeks on campus have chapter.
No Thursday because thats when the best TV shows are on.
No Friday because of high school football, drinking, partying, etc.
No Saturday afternoon because they ruin the early bird dinner times at the local supper club.

Is there really such a thing as an ideal day?

Here is what I would say. If Bradley starts winning again, fans will pack Carver, donations will flood in, games will be televised through the MVC package plus, and all will be right regardless of what night or day a game is on...

 

[shaunguth]

So add Friday nights to the list of bad nights to have Bradley basketball events.

No Sunday because of NFL.
No Monday because its the first day of the work week.
No Tuesday because all the greeks on campus have chapter.
No Thursday because thats when the best TV shows are on.
No Friday because of high school football, drinking, partying, etc.
No Saturday afternoon because they ruin the early bird dinner times at the local supper club.

Is there really such a thing as an ideal day?

Here is what I would say. If Bradley starts winning again, fans will pack Carver, donations will flood in, games will be televised through the MVC package plus, and all will be right regardless of what night or day a game is on...

For the record....I have never complained about Bradley games being on any certain day of the week and really don't understand when people do complain about that. It's simple....make a choice. Stay home and watch the Bears or go to the Bradley game. I chose to go to a high school football game instead of the Red-White game. In no way do I regret that decision!

This has reminded me of one day last week I called to find out where to pay a parking ticket. The lady on the phone says "We're right next to the Peoria Civic Center, where the Rivermen hockey games are". I instantly thought about the people that question why Bradley has games on certain days/nights of the week.

 

[Braves4Life]

Wish I knew the economics behind this a bit better. I'd have to believe creating a desirable product/broadcast should not be that hard with a limited budget... I would also have to believe BU could create their own production company ... The fixed costs would be the personnel needed to create the product and some of that could come from internships. Live broadcasts on something like Justin.tv is feasible but probably not profitable. Winning will fix this!

Maybe you're hitting on something here SFP. :idea: Bradley has one of the premier Entrepeneurship programs in the country and has just announce that is the first College of its kind in the country.

Wouldn't it be neat if some students can exploit this opportunity in the marketplace to create an entirely new broadcasting medium? Get on it BU students!

 

[Gary the Gargoyle]

Maybe you're hitting on something here SFP. :idea: Bradley has one of the premier Entrepeneurship programs in the country and has just announce that is the first College of its kind in the country.

Wouldn't it be neat if some students can exploit this opportunity in the marketplace to create an entirely new broadcasting medium? Get on it BU students!

Can't you already watch the games on the internet?

The biggest issue is finding a place to air the games. They just don't garner the ad revenue. How much would you pay for 5,000 people to see your :30 television commercial?

 

[Buesch N Chips]

No Sunday because of NFL.
No Monday because its the first day of the work week.
No Tuesday because all the greeks on campus have chapter.
No Thursday because thats when the best TV shows are on.
No Friday because of high school football, drinking, partying, etc.
No Saturday afternoon because they ruin the early bird dinner times at the local supper club.

Wednesday is church night.

 

[Future Walk-On]

I can think of several reason for the low turn out.

1.) Friday night during HS football season. ( I think washington and Metamora were playing that Fri.)

2.) Womens VB played first. I'm not opposed to it just saying...

3.) Womens BB played before the men. I'm not opposed to it just saying....

4.) No supper before the game like in years past.

5.) Fri night on campus is boys and girls night out on most weekends. I probably have a good idea where they were.

6.) Starting around 9:00 probably to late for families with young kids and old folks who have to be in bed by 9:00. Not there yet but I'm getting close to the latter.

I didn't go bc i watching game 5 of NLDS....... there had to be people in my boat...