2019 B1G Tournament

[The Rube]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

A lot of the contracts for the big $$ sports basically have a rider that requires the channel to also show some hockey. College hockey is a complete afterthought, and if the channels had a choice, they wouldn't show it at all.

[LordofBrewtown]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

This is one of the bigger BTN mysteries. Three alternate channels and not only do they not fill those all the way during football season, they only use them during football season, even putting basketball onto Plus.

I'll never understand this. As you stated, all those unused alternate channels on my cable network. You'd think they could just air a student broadcast at the very least (if it's that expensive to produce).

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Well at least I was able to watch the Michigan/Minnesota game without costing me money. Not a bad game but I hate to say Michigan is their own worst enemy when it comes to taking penalties at the worst time. And if Hughes doesn't play the next game it may be goodnight Michigan.

[klbaum1077]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

3 one goal games tonight more of the same tomorrow and a couple game 3's i would bet on sunday.

[Slap Shot]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

I have heard Women's basketball has better viewership than college hockey.

For a conference tournament game the difference is likely marginal and certainly not a financially lucrative one.

[Eddie Schorr]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

The B7 makes mega millions every year on FB and BB, surely they could spare $100,000 or so to show us these games on the the alternate channels. They payout 30 to 50 MILLION every year to the member schools alone, not taking into account what they leave in their own bank accounts. This is a complete disservice to all the hockey member schools.

I agree. Wasn't one of the driving justifications for the BTHC supposed to be creating content for the BTN, and conversely, isn't the one of the major justifications for the network supposed to be promoting the Big Ten's non-revenue sports? I'm happy buying a school specific BTN+ subscription during the season. Come playoff time, however, all the games should be on the network.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

I agree. Wasn't one of the driving justifications for the BTHC supposed to be creating content for the BTN, and conversely, isn't the one of the major justifications for the network supposed to be promoting the Big Ten's non-revenue sports? I'm happy buying a school specific BTN+ subscription during the season. Come playoff time, however, all the games should be on the network.

Agreed!

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Traditionally television isn't really a "meet the demand" business. It's been a "create a demand" business. Nobody wanted Seinfeld until after NBC just put it on for a few years and let the audience develop.

Even in Sports. Who knew they wanted to watch Australian Rules Football, or skateboarding, or even Big East basketball nationally before ESPN just put it on and let people watch it? BTN is missing the boat by not just investing in building an audience for non traditional sports. Once you get people roped in and hooked, you can start fleecing them, but you don't fleece them first and think you're going to get market share later.

[Eddie Schorr]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

I'm certain the average women's basketball game draws more viewers than the average NCAA hockey game. I don't have my archives in front of me so I can't remember which game it was, but a fairly recent NCAA hockey tournament game had just 50,000 viewers. An audience that small is barely measurable and is fewer viewers that what would get, essentially, a zero rating. It isn't even measured using the same methods that tell us how many millions of people watched the latest episode of the Big Bang Theory. Some of the audience for women's basketball is also literally accidental. A viewer flipping channels sees "college basketball," maybe with a name brand college, and they stop and watch. By the time they decide they don't want to watch women, they've been registered as viewing it. That helps their ratings. Our name brand teams are mostly teams that don't compete in football or men's basketball, so no one is even curious. Denver versus Minnesota Duluth? We all know we might have a great contest, and one that matters throughout the world of college hockey. But that is a tiny, tiny world.

True, but that's only after having women's basketball shoved down the nation's throat for a quarter century, and espn giving it far more prominence and airtime than its numbers come close to justifying. Imagine if college hockey had the same promotional backing over the last twenty-five years. It might still be a regional sport, but its branding and casual fan following would be infinitely greater than what it is today.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Here I was being critical of the B1G Network to have women's bouncy ball get preference over hockey with their empty arena but Mariucci sure looked to be almost as empty!
I couldn't watch our other games to see how full they were but knowing Penn State and having been to ND for playoffs I'm assuming their fan base wasn't lacking.
So come on Minnesota, you're not helping the cause here, get some people in your barn even if you have to hand out free tickets at the bus station!

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Wow! Michigan has two wide open nets at point blank and misses both times. They've also had guys wide open in the slot in position for high percentage shots and nobody is passing it to them!
If this was my team I'd be pulling my hair out. I'm not trying to be a jerk to Michigan but calling it as I'm seeing it.

[Happy]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Here I was being critical of the B1G Network to have women's bouncy ball get preference over hockey with their empty arena but Mariucci sure looked to be almost as empty!
I couldn't watch our other games to see how full they were but knowing Penn State and having been to ND for playoffs I'm assuming their fan base wasn't lacking.
So come on Minnesota, you're not helping the cause here, get some people in your barn even if you have to hand out free tickets at the bus station!

The city hockey fans are in St Paul watching the high school tournament, and people like me are at home cause the 12 inch snow storm was forecast after a little raIn.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Notre Dame hosts Minnesota and Ohio State hosts Penn State for the 2nd round!

[spwood]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Notre Dame hosts Minnesota and Ohio State hosts Penn State for the 2nd round!

Why is the Ohio State/Penn State game on Sunday?

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: 2019 B1G Tournament

Why is the Ohio State/Penn State game on Sunday?

If you look back in this thread you'll see it's been gone over. Scheduling conflict for next weekend and the weekend after if OSU advances. The Schott is a "multi use" facility.