Help me here: ND / UGA Primetime Exclusivity

[croomin]

Why would ESPN accomodate CBS in providing exclusive capture of the Primetime slot for ND / UGA (sans SJS/Ark)?

Wouldn't they be most interested in maximizing their own ratings? It doesn't make sense to help CBS, unless they negotiated some sort of quid pro quo later in the season.

We've never had scheduling like this and it's disturbing. It seems like blue bloods are getting ever-increasing exposure by the day to the detriment of broader college football. But again, other major SEC programs were theoretically lessened by this scheduling.

Whatever happened, it needs to stop. Having one major game in Primetime sucks for the vast majority of football fans.

What am I missing???

 

[8dog]

They have done this every year. Its part of the contracts. Cbs gets one nighttime game as part of a one of its two doubleheaders in the season. The other will be 11/2:30

its been lsu/bama the last several years

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Last year's TV schedule on CBS primetime DH

https://www.secsports.com/article/25053897/sec-football-tv-schedule-games-november-3

2017's

https://www.secsports.com/article/21126104/sec-football-tv-schedule-games-november-4

Its been done before, just happens on a day when there are more conference games than normal.

 

[Phil Wenneck.sixpack]

You're not missing anything. The part that gets me is why the schools don't

learn how to at least make an attempt to play hardball. Think about it. What's CBS or ESPN going to broadcast on a Saturday in the Fall aside from football? Bowling? A poker tournament marathon? They need the sport as much as the schools need them. Logistically there has to be a mix of some afternoon games and some night games so that all the games are televised. However, in this case forcing everyone to move their games up to accommodate Georgia/ND is where the line is crossed.

 

[croomin]

hmmm

 

[croomin]

Perhaps it has something to do with CBS commiting to stay out of the ABC/ESPN Primetime slots on all other weekends.

 

[patdog]

The original CBS deal gave them exclusive use of the 2:30 time slot plus one or two prime time slots as well. When we added Missouri & A&M, rather than agreeing to pay more money, they allowed SECN (but not ESPN) to air a game during their exclusive time slot. So, ESPN can't show an SEC game that night. The SECN can, but I don't understand why they're putting such an unattractive game there.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

They want to drive CBS viewership to maximize that contract when it comes up in 3 years. CBS can brag about "XYZ" ratings, and SEC can say pay me more than $55m per year you are now.

 

[patdog]

I suspect CBS is going to have to overpay to keep the SEC when this deal expires. It'll be bid up real high, but it'll be Fox, NBC or ABC/ESPN that gets it. And the ratings of one UGA-ND game 5 years ago won't effect the total at all.

 

[johnson86-1]

The original CBS deal gave them exclusive use of the 2:30 time slot plus one or two prime time slots as well. When we added Missouri & A&M, rather than agreeing to pay more money, they allowed SECN (but not ESPN) to air a game during their exclusive time slot. So, ESPN can't show an SEC game that night. The SECN can, but I don't understand why they're putting such an unattractive game there.

If CBS waited until late October for their prime time game, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. But forcing all these games to day games in September is ridiculous. The contract says what the contract says, but the SEC should have pushed really hard against this. Maybe CBS feels like it's already burned its SEC bridges, so there's no point in being accommodating now because they're not getting the 2023 renewal regardless. But if the SEC hasn't already told CBS they won't be in the bidding in 2023, this would be a good issue to threaten that over.

 

[RocketDawg]

The original CBS deal gave them exclusive use of the 2:30 time slot plus one or two prime time slots as well. When we added Missouri & A&M, rather than agreeing to pay more money, they allowed SECN (but not ESPN) to air a game during their exclusive time slot. So, ESPN can't show an SEC game that night. The SECN can, but I don't understand why they're putting such an unattractive game there.

Probably because they know that just about everybody wants to watch Georgia/Notre Dame, so they put the worst game of the conference up against them, one very few want to watch anyway. The SECN just sorta gave in to reality.

 

[deadheaddawg]

Let's be honest. TV should be able to show the games in a way that will maximize their profit. It's a business. One that pays us well.

If we start saying it isn't fair that the big schools get all the good tv spots, then you are doing the same thing as someone that wants to force TV to show less football and more women's sports.

We can't really pick and choose when we want to make tv stations act "fair". Stop watching the big boys play on TV if you want change

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Who said anything about more womens sports?

They know, just chosing to ***** and moan.

It will pass.

 

[VegasDawg13]

But if the SEC hasn't already told CBS they won't be in the bidding in 2023, this would be a good issue to threaten that over.

Imagine in 2023, the SEC turning down more money from CBS than what other networks are offering because of that one day in September 2019 where there were too many day games.

 

[vhdawg]

Let's look at the CBS night game in history:

2014, November 8: CBS night game is Alabama at LSU, only other competing SEC game is Florida at Vandy on SEC Network
2015, November 7: CBS night game is LSU at Alabama, only other competing SEC game is Auburn at A&M on SEC Network
2016, November 5: CBS night game is Alabama at LSU, only other competing SEC game is Georgia at Kentucky on SEC Network
2017, November 4: CBS night game is LSU at Alabama, only other competing SEC game is Southern Miss at Tennessee on SEC Network
2018, November 3: CBS night game is Alabama at LSU, only other competing SEC game is La Tech at MSU on SEC Network
2019, September 21: CBS night game is Notre Dame at Georgia, only other competing SEC game is San Jose State at Arkansas on SEC Network

So at least through 2016, there was no conference game restriction on opposing the CBS PM game on SEC Network. Prior to the SEC Network's arrival in 2014, CBS had absolute exclusivity. If there's an embargo on conference games opposing the PM game, it started in 2017.

Edited to add: the CBS morning/afternoon doubleheader features no such restrictions, as the AM game has shared time with both SEC Network and the big ESPN almost every year.