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Television?
- Thread starter wizard1
- Start date
tornado
New member
wiz- see my opinions each of the last two or three seasons...and you'll see all the somewhat unsatisfactory reasons why they are doing what they are doing..
basically it is the end result of Michael Cross dismantling almost everything that worked fine (see the discussions on Itoo, running Joe Stowell out, etc..) and built a huge Bradley fans base for decades- which is now crumbling and disappearing
but then - it had been sorta since the KK era that anyone up there actually listens to the fans...until Dr. Reynolds - but there's still really too much to undo--
it was part of the calculated plan to go small...
go after the newer younger fans and ignore the long time fans who also were their big donors...
just go ask a few - Mort Cantor's family, the Vonachen family, McCord family, etc...all gone or moved up or out of the lower bowl when Cross quadrupled the mainteance and tripled the ticket prices.
basically it is the end result of Michael Cross dismantling almost everything that worked fine (see the discussions on Itoo, running Joe Stowell out, etc..) and built a huge Bradley fans base for decades- which is now crumbling and disappearing
but then - it had been sorta since the KK era that anyone up there actually listens to the fans...until Dr. Reynolds - but there's still really too much to undo--
it was part of the calculated plan to go small...
go after the newer younger fans and ignore the long time fans who also were their big donors...
just go ask a few - Mort Cantor's family, the Vonachen family, McCord family, etc...all gone or moved up or out of the lower bowl when Cross quadrupled the mainteance and tripled the ticket prices.
tornado
New member
many schools and several conferences have high quality streaming for most or all games, but we rely picking up the other teams' feeds or hoping ESPN gets their act right...and it hasn't been that successful.
As much as most younger people naively think everyone can do the streaming - they are clueless to the fact that a huge pct. of the older, most loyal, most generous and financially supporting fans - are not connected nor addicted to their iPhones and don't do the computers...
it's all part of the reason we used to have 10-12,000 at every game and now are lucky to get 4-5,000
As much as most younger people naively think everyone can do the streaming - they are clueless to the fact that a huge pct. of the older, most loyal, most generous and financially supporting fans - are not connected nor addicted to their iPhones and don't do the computers...
it's all part of the reason we used to have 10-12,000 at every game and now are lucky to get 4-5,000
You are absolutely correct. In fact, the major reason our cable bills keep going up is due to the amount of money sports channels must pay to televise sporting events. The NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB all have their own network now, in addition to the other sports channels such and ESPN, Fox Sports, Comcast Sports and others.
As for college, if you are a mid-major in basketball your games will be on ESPN3 or ESPNU for the most part. Actually from a national standpoint, ESPN3 is the best package mid-majors are going to get. It provides the airing of their football, baseball, women's basketball and women's softball. Their cost savings come from paying the local play by play and color commentary people.
The Big 10, SEC and ACC all have their own networks. The Big XII doesn't because the University of Texas has their own sports network, similar the what the Big 10, SEC and ACC have, and don't have to share revenue with other schools.
Mid-major conferences and schools don't have the financial means to have their own networks. As a result they must rely on ESPN3 or in some instances local affiliates to provide occasional coverage. Local coverage is almost a thing of the past due to high production costs and the selling of advertising doesn't generate enough revenue.
It's life as a mid-major.
tornado
New member
Wichita has every one of their games televised...
they are on network and ESPN a bunch but half their games are carried TO THEIR LOCAL FANS by a local TV deal with a local Wichita network so their fans can have their own guys broadcasting
They are stuck on ESPN3 only four times all season
most of the other MVC schools just do the ESPN3 thing...maybe we need some new marketing brains in the Valley...
..if you are not going to make the team widely available to your own fans then it doesn't save you money - it loses you money in the long run..
the attendance figures don't lie
they are on network and ESPN a bunch but half their games are carried TO THEIR LOCAL FANS by a local TV deal with a local Wichita network so their fans can have their own guys broadcasting
They are stuck on ESPN3 only four times all season
most of the other MVC schools just do the ESPN3 thing...maybe we need some new marketing brains in the Valley...
..if you are not going to make the team widely available to your own fans then it doesn't save you money - it loses you money in the long run..
the attendance figures don't lie
Wichita is an exception to the rule, due mostly to their recent sustained success. Their success is also why there is interest in them joining another conference. The local stations don't televise them so their fans can have their own guys broadcasting the games. They do it because they can sell plenty of advertising, at the right price, to make money on the production. It's as simple as that. The local stations don't do it as a community service. I don't think there is another team in the Valley, that has the ability to do that. Otherwise, they would be on local television. It's all about the money. And the money follows winning.
tornado
New member
well, sure they are now... but flash back 10 years....
in 2006 the drawing power, legacy, winning record, fanbase, recruiting prowess, and just about everything else between Wichita and Bradley was virtually identical...
except maybe Bradley was even better & stronger in many areas...
so BOTH Bradley and Wichita were neck & neck in every regard - both having just made a run to the Sweet Sixteen but here's the difference....
-Wichita soon lost their coach and made a great hire and has gained massively since then in all areas of respect and is now almost a MAJOR and no longer a mid-major
-Bradley instead hired a new President that fired the AD and ultimately the head coach and made th worst imaginable moves, decisions and hires (to appeal to the ego of the President, the PJS writers and a few loud squeaky wheels among the fan base) and after that we sunk nearly to the DIII level
there could NOT be a better lesson in all of college sports...
Make the right hires and flourish & succeed
Make the wrong hires and destroy 112 years of powerful basketball history & legacy...Take a bow JG & MC.
...we chose poorly over the objections of the major part of the fan base and are now living with the fallout.
in 2006 the drawing power, legacy, winning record, fanbase, recruiting prowess, and just about everything else between Wichita and Bradley was virtually identical...
except maybe Bradley was even better & stronger in many areas...
so BOTH Bradley and Wichita were neck & neck in every regard - both having just made a run to the Sweet Sixteen but here's the difference....
-Wichita soon lost their coach and made a great hire and has gained massively since then in all areas of respect and is now almost a MAJOR and no longer a mid-major
-Bradley instead hired a new President that fired the AD and ultimately the head coach and made th worst imaginable moves, decisions and hires (to appeal to the ego of the President, the PJS writers and a few loud squeaky wheels among the fan base) and after that we sunk nearly to the DIII level
there could NOT be a better lesson in all of college sports...
Make the right hires and flourish & succeed
Make the wrong hires and destroy 112 years of powerful basketball history & legacy...Take a bow JG & MC.
...we chose poorly over the objections of the major part of the fan base and are now living with the fallout.
All the Peoria stations now have side channels that could easily accommodate the games. Yes, there wouldn't be much profit, which is what the last administration was trying to get, but at least it would drive local interest in Bradley basketball. Bradley spends a lot of money on advertising, which accomplishes far less. I have been told that multiple Peoria stations offered deals to the last administration to televise games locally in the Peoria market, but they were turned down in favor of the ESPN3 deal. ESPN3.com works for some out-of-town fans, but unfortunately, it doesn't reach the majority of the local viewers who don't do computer streaming or don't have smart TVs, and thus local fan interest in the community is disappearing.
Not long ago, it seemed everyone I knew or talked to followed Bradley basketball. Now I can't even find anyone to give my extra tickets away to.
If TV stations thought it would pay they would do it.....it was starting to go by the wayside several years ago.......I bought ad packages for years but as the price kept rising and the TV audience was shrinking it just wasn't worth it..... the losing just accelerated decline quicker
lefty, there were local TV stations who really wanted to televise the games, and a couple that thought they had a good deal in place. But the TV stations wanted the better games that would draw the bigger audiences, while the administration wouldn't do the deal unless they took mainly the bad games (and recall the schedule was loaded with crappy games in 2012, 2013, and 2014). I've talked with people who produced the games for many years. It was the administration's demands that killed the deal.
In fact, most of the MVC teams do have television deals in place this season to broadcast their games to their local audience through a local network agreement:
Drake televises at least 9 of their games this season on local TV- Mediacom channel MC22
Illinois State has at least 9 of their games televised locally on ComcastSportsNet or Comcast SportsNet Plus
Loyola has a local TV package with Comcast SportsNet Chicago for several of their games
Missouri State University has a bunch of their games televised locally on their own Bears TV Network.
Northern Iowa has a bunch of their games on their own local Panther TV Network in Cedar Falls and other cable systems in Iowa.
And Wichita State has at least 14 of their games televised locally on the Cox channels 2021 or 2022
In fact, Bradley, Evansville, Indiana State, and SIU appear to be the only MVC teams that do not have a local TV deal this season. So somehow, there are 6 teams, most of whom do not have the finances, revenues, or fan following that Bradley has, who have figured out a way to get their games on local TV.
Personally, I don't really care, since I can watch ESPN3, but the current system is shutting out a large percentage of people who used to follow Bradley and now are losing interest or who have dropped out completely. IMO, it would be in Bradley's best interest to get back on local TV.
In fact, most of the MVC teams do have television deals in place this season to broadcast their games to their local audience through a local network agreement:
Drake televises at least 9 of their games this season on local TV- Mediacom channel MC22
Illinois State has at least 9 of their games televised locally on ComcastSportsNet or Comcast SportsNet Plus
Loyola has a local TV package with Comcast SportsNet Chicago for several of their games
Missouri State University has a bunch of their games televised locally on their own Bears TV Network.
Northern Iowa has a bunch of their games on their own local Panther TV Network in Cedar Falls and other cable systems in Iowa.
And Wichita State has at least 14 of their games televised locally on the Cox channels 2021 or 2022
In fact, Bradley, Evansville, Indiana State, and SIU appear to be the only MVC teams that do not have a local TV deal this season. So somehow, there are 6 teams, most of whom do not have the finances, revenues, or fan following that Bradley has, who have figured out a way to get their games on local TV.
Personally, I don't really care, since I can watch ESPN3, but the current system is shutting out a large percentage of people who used to follow Bradley and now are losing interest or who have dropped out completely. IMO, it would be in Bradley's best interest to get back on local TV.
The local cable stations you are talking about, are not for profit.
tornado
New member
I think that is what we are talking about..
50-75% of all Bradley fans - and maybe 90% of all fans who would be targets to market game tickets or season tickets to are people who live nearby and who would have access to local cable systems..
If we cut some deal to get our games in homes in Quincy or Danville, then I would agree that might gain very little but we're talking about keeping our own local fans involved aren't we?
50-75% of all Bradley fans - and maybe 90% of all fans who would be targets to market game tickets or season tickets to are people who live nearby and who would have access to local cable systems..
If we cut some deal to get our games in homes in Quincy or Danville, then I would agree that might gain very little but we're talking about keeping our own local fans involved aren't we?
Maybe Bradley should spend a little money and start their own sports television network if there is so much money in it. Even Illinois is not televised on local television anymore, and they are the flagship program of the state. Local television, as far as I'm concerned in the Peoria area is Channel 19, 25, 31 and 43.
You keep local fans involved by winning. We also use to get Bradley games on two and even sometimes three radio stations. Now we only have WMBD. Times have changed. As for people that don't have smart phones or don't have or know how to use computers for ESPN3, there is not enough of those people to pay the bill. As Dylan said...The times they are a changin'.
Vent, I have to differ here. The older fans, the ones you seem to be referring to, are in fact the ones who donate the disproportionately bigger part of the Bradley Athletic Department donations. And yes, they are decreasing in number, and will continue to decrease, and that is hurting Bradley. Those were the fans who gave money in good years and bad years, even when Bradley wasn't winning. There used to be some of those older fans who even bequeathed money or assets from their estates to Bradley when they died.
But now, there are a lot fewer dedicated younger fans, and the younger generations give far less, and yes, they mostly give only when the team is winning (which hasn't happened in a while). And I suspect they do not have the strong feelings and connection to Bradley that previous generations had, which will translate into few bequeathing money after they're gone.
tornado
New member
in my business I talk with these fans every day - they all know I am a Bradley fan and they readily spark up a conversation...
farmers from Roanoke, pharmacists from Morton, teachers from Washington, and even long ago Woodruff & Central grads who then attended Bradley like my own mother-in-law and her whole family...
and they are all interested in seeing more and hearing more about Bradley basketball...
They miss the TV version of the Dave Snell show with the coach, they miss all those fan-oriented events like the preseason & post-season banquets, and they miss the local TV coverage and broadcasts.
If anyone thinks they don't exist or that it's not worth the time or trouble or that it's not profitable to reach out to them, then I guess you hit the nail on the head as to why our support and fan base that's been super-solid for 75 years has nearly disappeared overnite and plummeted to less than half of what it was just 6-8 years ago.
The way business has been done by the former admin has Bradley basketball on life-support...
I still go, I still donate, I still support Bradley basketball but nobody seems to care that literally tens of thousands of other fans have given up.