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[uniftw]

90 million is a big number...


ESPNU is in over 80 million homes, approaching 90 at this point. Very very little difference.


The only reason FS1 is in so many homes it that SPEED was desperate for viewership so they whored themselves out to anyone who'd take them.

[AngryShock]

They get good money from FS1, but if we're talking exposure, I don't think it's that much better than what we have. One thing that hurts it at least in Wichita is it's location on the TV which is nowhere close to anything that is heavily watched. Which means even randomly finding it isn't easy to do. I don't know if it's like that on other providers, but it's one of those stations that you have to know you want to watch something on it to find it. I suppose the regional FSN stations can pimp what's going to be on FS1, but I haven't seen much of that at all at this point and I watch FSKC just about every night to catch the Royals games. I've seen some general spots that show FS1 exists, but nothing about what's actually on it. At least with ESPNU, you get plenty of mentions on ESPN and ESPN2 as well as highlights. FS1 is supposed to be THE station for Fox sports so you don't get the same exposure.

I will agree that our "deal" with ESPN sucks, but I think the exposure for us is better than it'd be on FS1 or NBCSports or CBSSports. I hope FS1 can at some point rise to give ESPN some actual competition, but until it does, we're better off where we're at. Or unless someone is going to throw good money at us that could help compensate for fewer eyes watching us like FS1 did with the Big Priest.

You're comparing most games being on FS1 to a handful of games being on ESPNU, though. If we had most Valley games broadcast on ESPNU, absolutely. But, what, 80%+ of Valley games are only available on ESPN3? 90%+?

I think the real comparison is with ESPN3, not ESPNU. WSU will be fine with ESPN games, but the rest of the Valley will struggle this season to get on actual TV unless they're playing us.

That does't really change the exposure aspect though. Where the hell is FS1 on the providers? Few are watching. So yes, their games may have more TV time and fans of those teams will see them, but overall exposure isn't going to raise much. You get more exposure right now with fewer games on ESPN. Even if you're on ESPN3 you will get some plugs on ESPN. I still don't know where the hell FS1 is here in Wichita. I guess the KState football game against NDSU was on it and I wanted to see that game as I thought NDSU might beat them. But I couldn't find it and missed out on the fun. Oh well.

And there are a lot of stations in 90 million homes that nobody ever watches. I'm guessing those are the same stations that surround FS1 on Cox here in Wichita. It simply doesn't matter if nobody is watching or nobody can find you. Like I said, you have to really want to seek out FS1 to watch it. That's not exactly true with ESPN.

[Valley_Fan]

I keep trying to let this subject die, I really do, but I have to correct something. FS1 is doing better than ESPNU and NBCSports even before Basketball season starts. Real test will be November and December (I am making no predictions)

http://sonofthebronx.blogspot.com/2013/ ... -1_20.html

[shoxrox]

That does't really change the exposure aspect though. Where the hell is FS1 on the providers? Few are watching. So yes, their games may have more TV time and fans of those teams will see them, but overall exposure isn't going to raise much. You get more exposure right now with fewer games on ESPN. Even if you're on ESPN3 you will get some plugs on ESPN. I still don't know where the hell FS1 is here in Wichita. I guess the KState football game against NDSU was on it and I wanted to see that game as I thought NDSU might beat them. But I couldn't find it and missed out on the fun. Oh well.

And there are a lot of stations in 90 million homes that nobody ever watches. I'm guessing those are the same stations that surround FS1 on Cox here in Wichita. It simply doesn't matter if nobody is watching or nobody can find you. Like I said, you have to really want to seek out FS1 to watch it. That's not exactly true with ESPN.

This.

[rlh04d]

That does't really change the exposure aspect though. Where the hell is FS1 on the providers? Few are watching. So yes, their games may have more TV time and fans of those teams will see them, but overall exposure isn't going to raise much. You get more exposure right now with fewer games on ESPN. Even if you're on ESPN3 you will get some plugs on ESPN. I still don't know where the hell FS1 is here in Wichita. I guess the KState football game against NDSU was on it and I wanted to see that game as I thought NDSU might beat them. But I couldn't find it and missed out on the fun. Oh well.

And there are a lot of stations in 90 million homes that nobody ever watches. I'm guessing those are the same stations that surround FS1 on Cox here in Wichita. It simply doesn't matter if nobody is watching or nobody can find you. Like I said, you have to really want to seek out FS1 to watch it. That's not exactly true with ESPN.

I don't see any point in even talking about this now. After this season we'll have actual ratings to compare, so no reason to speculate.

Honestly, although I understand the tremendous temptation to root for Creighton to fail miserably at everything they do ( ), we need to be rooting for the financial success of FS1 and the Big Priest this season. A basketball-only product has to be financially successful if the Valley or WSU specifically will have a strong future.

[rlh04d]

90 million is a big number...


ESPNU is in over 80 million homes, approaching 90 at this point. Very very little difference.


The only reason FS1 is in so many homes it that SPEED was desperate for viewership so they whored themselves out to anyone who'd take them.

I actually had no idea FS1 used to be SPEED. That's really cool.

Again, Valley fans and WSU fans in particular need to not be rooting against FS1, but for it. The only chance the Valley ever gets a REAL TV contract, or that WSU gets into a different conference, is if the financial viability of basketball is proven, and the viability of Fox as a legit competitor to ESPN. The Big Priest failing would be VERY bad for our future.

(And I certainly don't mean that in a "maybe we can get an invite to the Big East!" kind of way. I mean that in a "maybe the AAC or MWC will start recruiting basketball only schools if their basketball product is valued highly by a TV provider," or "maybe the Valley will get a contract with FS1 that actually gives Valley teams money to hire coaches with" kind of way. I think if the Big Priest succeeds, the pendulum might start swinging away from football as much as it has, which would be very good for us.)

[pafan]

ESPNU is in "approximately 75 million households" according to ESPN itself.

FS1 is somewhere north of 90 million. Households are important to FS1 because that's how they make their money (reportedly 80 cents per month per household) and without money they can't pay their contract with the Big Priest or expand.

[ihsi]

90 million is a big number...


ESPNU is in over 80 million homes, approaching 90 at this point. Very very little difference.


The only reason FS1 is in so many homes it that SPEED was desperate for viewership so they whored themselves out to anyone who'd take them.

I actually had no idea FS1 used to be SPEED. That's really cool.

Again, Valley fans and WSU fans in particular need to not be rooting against FS1, but for it. The only chance the Valley ever gets a REAL TV contract, or that WSU gets into a different conference, is if the financial viability of basketball is proven, and the viability of Fox as a legit competitor to ESPN. The Big Priest failing would be VERY bad for our future.

(And I certainly don't mean that in a "maybe we can get an invite to the Big East!" kind of way. I mean that in a "maybe the AAC or MWC will start recruiting basketball only schools if their basketball product is valued highly by a TV provider," or "maybe the Valley will get a contract with FS1 that actually gives Valley teams money to hire coaches with" kind of way. I think if the Big Priest succeeds, the pendulum might start swinging away from football as much as it has, which would be very good for us.)

FS1 will do fine and the Big East will get ratings because NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago will be watching. Their production is excellent and the on air talent is going to be great too.

[shoxrox]

FS1 will do fine and the Big East will get ratings because NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago will be watching. Their production is excellent and the on air talent is going to be great too.

That's a very positive, biased outlook on things.

Just because the Big East is in those markets doesn't mean you're going to get huge ratings. Not a lot of people care about Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John's, DePaul, etc.

They're a fringe network at the moment, nothing more. They may equal themselves to ESPNU some day, but not today.

[Red]

FS1 will do fine and the Big East will get ratings because NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago will be watching. Their production is excellent and the on air talent is going to be great too.

That's a very positive, biased outlook on things.

Just because the Big East is in those markets doesn't mean you're going to get huge ratings. Not a lot of people care about Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John's, DePaul, etc.

They're a fringe network at the moment, nothing more. They may equal themselves to ESPNU some day, but not today.

The ratings at Fox are already better than ESNU fwiw. And Rutgers isn't in the Big East.