Revamped March Madness Coverage

[DeathClutch]

With the recent deal between Turner Broadcasting and CBS there will now be 4 channels that will be broadcasting NCAA Tourny Games. They include: CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. If the Gophers make the Tourny, will their first round game be broadcast on CBS regionally, and then on another channel nationwide? Or will it just be on one channel exclusively? I'm just wondering because UI don't have cable or satelite.

 

[freshtrout]

My understanding is that there will be no more 'regional' games. All games will be shown nationally. Have no idea how games will be selected for each of the 4 providers.

 

[GoAUpher]

I don't know if that kind of info has been distributed yet or not...

 

[josh087]

I don't know if that kind of info has been distributed yet or not...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/richard_deitsch/01/18/kerrbarkley.ncaatournament/index.html

According to this release all games will be shown nationally. I love it. Instead of relying on CBS to switch you to a more competitive game you can do it yourself. Instead of hoping the game you want to watch is featured in your area, you can just flip the channel. It won't bother me one bit that "Forensic Files" or "The Smoking Gun presents - World's Dumbest Criminals 4" might be the show that airs before or after the coverage.

 

[GopherJake]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...h/01/18/kerrbarkley.ncaatournament/index.html

According to this release all games will be shown nationally. I love it. Instead of relying on CBS to switch you to a more competitive game you can do it yourself. Instead of hoping the game you want to watch is featured in your area, you can just flip the channel. It won't bother me one bit that "Forensic Files" or "The Smoking Gun presents - World's Dumbest Criminals 4" might be the show that airs before or after the coverage.

I wonder if DirecTV will create a "mix" channel like they do for the Masters and Grand Slam tennis tournaments (among others). Now that would be nice.

 

[josh087]

I wonder if DirecTV will create a "mix" channel like they do for the Masters and Grand Slam tennis tournaments (among others). Now that would be nice.

That would be amazing on my big screen.

Now that the major networks will be broadcasting all of the games, it pretty much renders the "March Madness" DirecTV PPV package useless. Because of this I'd expect DirecTV to push to try to make it happen. Obviously, I'm not sure what all of the copyright laws and the new agreement entails, though - so there's a chance it was already discussed and approved/rejected as part of the new deal.

 

[KyGopherfan]

If you don't have cable or satellite, you're going to have to hope and pray that somehow the Gopher's game ends upon CBS. Otherwise, you're SOL if it's on the other channels. Somehow I got a sneaky suspicion that the big college programs like Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, etc., will get the plum CBS slot, while other lesser programs are relegated to TruTV.

 

[Monty519]

That would kinda be a mess if they didn't allow local stations to broadcast their team's game. It's not like they couldn't, just simulcast it.

 

[DeathClutch]

On a viewership standpoint, wouldn't it be dumb of them not to show regional coverage on CBS? I didn't see any definitive answer in the Sports Illustrated piece. To not show the Minnesota game on CBS wouldn't be a very smart move IMO. They could easily do it. Much like ESPN shows the Monday night game on KSTP here in Minnesota and then ESPN nationally. Anyways theirs other option's like a bar, a friends house, or on the internet. But it still would be nice to have the option to watch it here.

 

[GopherGack]

Last year they offered every game online. It was a high quality stream (don't remember if it was HD or not). I would assume they would still stream their games so at the very least this would be an option if it is on a different station. Assuming that they are streamed you could then hook your computer up to the TV to watch it if you dislike watching your monitor.

 

[freshtrout]

All games over the past few years on DirecTV's March Madness package have been in HD -- If this 'new' deal doesn't at least do that - it'll be a huge loss. CBS, TNT, TBS, are all HD - TruTV channel 246 (DirecTV is not HD) I'm sure there will be issues. Looking ahead, won't this be fun? Just another problem when there's change in the NCAA contract.