C-USA T.V.
Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 4:07 pmMidweek games likely to increase for C-USA
C-USA officials would like to play more Wednesday and Friday games on TV.
By Alan Schmadtke
Sentinel Staff Writer
May 19, 2004
DESTIN -- Conference USA's football roster will change in 2005, but indications are the new faces will keep riding a TV path the league already has in place.
Executives from ESPN and ESPN Regional told conference football coaches and athletic directors that they were pleased with the ratings from Tuesday night, Wednesday night and Friday night football games last fall, news that likely spells more midweek games for the conference in coming years.
"We heard positive news from our TV partners," UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini said. "They are happy with their arrangement with Conference USA, and we're happy that they're happy."
C-USA caused something of a national stir when it struck a deal two years ago with ESPN and agreed to move games from Thursday and Saturday to other days during the week, moves that gave schools national exposure they otherwise would not have had.
The news serves as groundwork for the next 12 months, during which the conference figures to have to strike a new deal or set of deals for TV packages in football and basketball, thanks to conference realignment.
With ESPN recently completing a new package with the Atlantic Coast Conference, one that gives the ACC more Thursday night appearances than it previously had, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday games figure to be just as big an option for C-USA and ESPN.
"I saw the ratings. The ratings have been very good," UAB Coach/Athletic Director Watson Brown said. "We were one of the pioneer conferences in that. I'm being a little premature, but I truly believe that's going to stay a part of the package."
In other matters:
Football coaches met with directors of the league's five bowl partners and began discussions about divisional play and a championship game.
It's possible C-USA's men's and women's basketball leagues will have two setups. Women's coaches favor divisional play; men's coaches don't.
Women's swimming and diving, planned for a 2005 start at UCF, could be delayed for a year, Orsini said. Orsini had hoped to hire a coach by the fall and have a team in place for the fall of 2005, but the timing always has been contingent on the school's new aquatics center being built. That facility has not been designed yet. UCF has not begun advertising for a swimming coach.
New Houston basketball Coach Tom Penders met UCF basketball Coach Kirk Speraw for the first time, but Penders already is familiar with the Golden Knights. In 1983, he brought his Fordham University team to Central Florida for a two-game swing against Stetson and UCF. Fordham beat Stetson 57-56. Three days later, UCF, then a Division II program under Torchy Clark, upended the favored Rams 80-66. "I'll never forget Torchy Clark," Penders said. "I was [really angry]."
C-USA officials would like to play more Wednesday and Friday games on TV.
By Alan Schmadtke
Sentinel Staff Writer
May 19, 2004
DESTIN -- Conference USA's football roster will change in 2005, but indications are the new faces will keep riding a TV path the league already has in place.
Executives from ESPN and ESPN Regional told conference football coaches and athletic directors that they were pleased with the ratings from Tuesday night, Wednesday night and Friday night football games last fall, news that likely spells more midweek games for the conference in coming years.
"We heard positive news from our TV partners," UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini said. "They are happy with their arrangement with Conference USA, and we're happy that they're happy."
C-USA caused something of a national stir when it struck a deal two years ago with ESPN and agreed to move games from Thursday and Saturday to other days during the week, moves that gave schools national exposure they otherwise would not have had.
The news serves as groundwork for the next 12 months, during which the conference figures to have to strike a new deal or set of deals for TV packages in football and basketball, thanks to conference realignment.
With ESPN recently completing a new package with the Atlantic Coast Conference, one that gives the ACC more Thursday night appearances than it previously had, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday games figure to be just as big an option for C-USA and ESPN.
"I saw the ratings. The ratings have been very good," UAB Coach/Athletic Director Watson Brown said. "We were one of the pioneer conferences in that. I'm being a little premature, but I truly believe that's going to stay a part of the package."
In other matters:
Football coaches met with directors of the league's five bowl partners and began discussions about divisional play and a championship game.
It's possible C-USA's men's and women's basketball leagues will have two setups. Women's coaches favor divisional play; men's coaches don't.
Women's swimming and diving, planned for a 2005 start at UCF, could be delayed for a year, Orsini said. Orsini had hoped to hire a coach by the fall and have a team in place for the fall of 2005, but the timing always has been contingent on the school's new aquatics center being built. That facility has not been designed yet. UCF has not begun advertising for a swimming coach.
New Houston basketball Coach Tom Penders met UCF basketball Coach Kirk Speraw for the first time, but Penders already is familiar with the Golden Knights. In 1983, he brought his Fordham University team to Central Florida for a two-game swing against Stetson and UCF. Fordham beat Stetson 57-56. Three days later, UCF, then a Division II program under Torchy Clark, upended the favored Rams 80-66. "I'll never forget Torchy Clark," Penders said. "I was [really angry]."
? especially when you're competing with the high schools...didn't tcu refuse to play them b/c of just that?