Marshall-Ohio bowl game ratings 15% higher than BYU-Oregon State

[KillerDog]

Sounds like ESPN thought a contract with BYU was worth $4mm a year despite our low Vegas Bowl numbers.

[ERCougar]

I'm exploring the ethereal claim that ESPN covets BYU and will give them a significant amount of TV revenue to play a guaranteed multiple number of regular season games on their networks.

One of the favorite claims has bounced around for years and years on the BYU boards is that BYU football generates significant TV ratings. I don't think ANYONE has definitely demonstrated that to be the case.

OK...but:
1) Our scheduling wouldn't totally depend on ESPN driving it.
2) You don't think we're more of a draw than your average WAC team (creek's argument)?

[Indy Coug]

Indy, I'd expect more of you.

We're not comparing BYU's draw against other teams in the country. We're comparing BYU's take of the MTN money vs what they could make on their own. BYU doesn't have to be a big national draw--they just need to be bigger than the average MWC team.

I'm exploring the ethereal claim that ESPN covets BYU and will give them a significant amount of TV revenue to play a guaranteed multiple number of regular season games on their networks.

One of the favorite claims has bounced around for years and years on the BYU boards is that BYU football generates significant TV ratings. I don't think ANYONE has definitely demonstrated that to be the case.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Indy, I'd expect more of you.

We're not comparing BYU's draw against other teams in the country. We're comparing BYU's take of the MTN money vs what they could make on their own. BYU doesn't have to be a big national draw--they just need to be bigger than the average MWC team.

Marshall and Ohio got 89.7% of the same number of eyeballs as Oklahoma vs. Stanford. Apparently Marshall and Ohio are 90% programs as Oklahoma and routinely demand 90% of the exposure.

[ERCougar]

Indy, I'd expect more of you.

We're not comparing BYU's draw against other teams in the country. We're comparing BYU's take of the MTN money vs what they could make on their own. BYU doesn't have to be a big national draw--they just need to be bigger than the average MWC team.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

The last second victory BYU-UCLA game had a 2.48 rating.

Well then, it appears as if both the BYU and Southern California markets are overrated.

I don't think any rational fan suggests BYU is Notre Dame, USC or the top 4-5 teams in the SEC. So there's a little bit of a strawman built up for the use of Indy employing his old schtick of trying to act like the reasoned guy compared to a bunch of crazed BYU fans.

But BYU as an independent represents two things to someone like ESPN: flexibility and a competitive program. While few casual fans give a shit about the Las Vegas Bowl, they do give a shit if BYU is playing a team during the regular season that is competing for a BCS bowl bid/conference championship. Clearly ESPN has an interest in using BYU to schedule something like a competitive Thursday night game.

I'd like to see the TV ratings for BYU vs. Oklahoma compared against other Oklahoma games. The Sun Bowl featuring Oklahoma received a 3.31, so am I to assume that Oklahoma is not much of a better draw than Ohio or Marshall because of the relatively paltry difference between what the Sun Bowl and the Pizza Bowl received? Trying to draw too many conclusions out of the damn Las Vegas bowl is like trying to draw conclusions out of the TV ratings from an NIT game. Some bowls obviously draw more interest than NIT games, the Las Vegas bowl isn't one of them.

[Indy Coug]

The last second victory BYU-UCLA game had a 2.48 rating.

That's because the SoCal Mormons and the SoCal UCLA fans canceled each other out.

[DapperDan]

Doesn't the competitiveness of the game have an influence on the ratings? BYU went into the 4th quarter with a 30-7 lead. In addition, what casual fan will even wait around for the second half of another NIT bowl when one team is up 23-7? Unless it's a national championship game, Rose Bowl or BYU is playing, I just turn it off.

The last second victory BYU-UCLA game had a 2.48 rating.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I'm also glad to see that little Ohio and Marshall outdrew UCLA. The Southern California market is clearly overrated.

[Hot Lunch]

I have to agree with Indy on this argument.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Doesn't the competitiveness of the game have an influence on the ratings? BYU went into the 4th quarter with a 30-7 lead. In addition, what casual fan will even wait around for the second half of another NIT bowl when one team is up 23-7? Unless it's a national championship game, Rose Bowl or BYU is playing, I just turn it off.

[KillerDog]

I'm with Indy (for once, because I ought to oppose on principle like he does all of my posts). The story being told don't make sense. BYU as an independent doesn't make sense. I assume something else is going on. Either the entire speculation is wrong or there are different inputs than are apparent at this time. Otherwise, BYU is about to make the dumbest move they've made since creating the 163 team WAC.

[Jacob]

So what's the attraction for ESPN to be brokering some special deal with BYU as an independent?

Ask ESPN. But I can think of a few things that have already been tossed around today.

1. It improves the selection of games ESPN has to show under their WAC contract.
2. It gives ESPN a couple of marquee games a year with teams from conferences it doesn't otherwise broadcast i.e. a BYU-Oregon game in Provo, or a BYU-Utah game, or a BYU Texas game in Provo, or at a neutral site, etc.

[creekster]

You mean all of those open slots they don't have with their Big12, Big10, ACC, Big East, SEC, WAC and MAC contracts?

Exactly.

Look, I have tried to make clear that I personally have no clue about this topic, and havent even really followed it except here and tunilt this morning. But In my mind, as long as you arent' gogin to LOSE money on TV being indepdent it is a wash and if you can make more then it is a huge advantage. I think BYU offers some advantages to ESPN and it is easy for me to see them agreeing to braodcast a couple or three games a year. That might be enough. I do nto buy the ND comparison, except in very broad non-finanbcial terms, at least at this point.

[Indy Coug]

Ratings better than whatewver else they would put on at that time; Welcome back to thursday and friday games!

You mean all of those open slots they don't have with their Big12, Big10, ACC, Big East, SEC, WAC and MAC contracts?

They have ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN Classic to fit all of that in.


Oh, and ESPN3!!!