C-USA T.V.

[50's PONY]

Midweek 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]."

[NavyCrimson]

didn't they say last yr or the yr before that friday nite games in tx could be the killer to that school when it comes to recuiting ? especially when you're competing with the high schools...didn't tcu refuse to play them b/c of just that?

i don't know about this deal - folks?

[Mike Damone]

I doubt any of the texas teams will play any of the friday night games. There were WAC games on friday nights and we never played any of them. But you've got to do what you can to get your brand name out there.

Anybody know what the money numbers will be for the CUSA TV deal? Just wondering what they will be compared to MWC.

[ponyte]

Not every high school team plays every Friday night. And even if they did, how many players would stay at home and watch a college game? Most high schoolers are out trying their dead level best to curry favors from Mary Jo Cheerleader. We need exposure and money. Bennett et al have shown an ability to recruit and one would trust they could find a way to continue to recruit even if we had to play on the dreaded Friday night. National exposure for SMU on the other hand, would be a big plus. Alumni could see a game and other people could see a beautiful SMU campus (assume it is a home game). That exposure could help with donations and student recruiting. And we do want to recruit students that want to go to games.

Of course, nothing works well unless we WIN.

[Mickey]

No Friday night games, please!

[SMUFan]

A mid-week game -- even a Friday night game -- no doubt would hurt the attendance figures. But I would think that as long as we maintain the minimum required attendance, the benefits of being on TV would outweigh the lower attendance. If we could get a TV game or two and win, that would go a long way toward telling people (read: "recruits") that SMU is on the rise.

It would be especially cool if we could win a road game on TV, so those of us who couldn't make the trip could still see the Ponies play (and win)!

[SMUstang]

how much money we are talking about for a Wednesday night game for instance. But the sight of a game on TV with no one in the stands does nothing for the home team in the minds of the viewing public. jmho