Feb. 15: Where's the schedule?

[ThadFilms]

According to the Land of Cope, ESPN is supposed to deliver it's schedule by today, and according to an article a few weeks back in the DMN, the schedule would be finalized by the end of this month. So, using my clever skills of deduction... we should have the schedule anyday now.

Anybody have any clue about TV games? I figure that we will get at least one game on ESPN or the Deuce... anybody know about CSTV?

I'm also guessing we'll have two games on ESPN+... if anybody knows what the specifics of our CUSA television deal are (as it pertains to an individual school), I'd love to be filled in.



Horse Power in '05

[ThadFilms]

Okay, in an effort to answer my own question, I did a little research.

ESPN will cover ten CUSA games on ESPN or ESPN2, plus the Championship on ESPN. I would assume (you know what happens when you assume), that at least six of those games would be conference games, allowing each team to appear on ESPN once. I would also assum that the other four would reflect more of a rivalry game. Considering next years CUSA lineup includes five bowl teams, they should have some good matchups to choose from. However, ESPN's deal applies to CUSA teams being the home team. ESPN is in the business of making money, so they might take more non-conference games then we might like. (If A&M was at SMU next year, you know they would be all over it.) I think it's fair to say, that we will most likely get one game, and no more on ESPN or ESPN2. I sincerely doubt that any CUSA team will be on ESPN three times, but stranger things have happened.

Now, the CSTV deal is more interesing... I have seen two different reports, one stating that they will carry 60 CUSA football games, and one stating 65 games. Let's go with the 60 for our exercise here (most of the games will be regional, with 15 gauranteed national coverage)...

Now my memory of factorials is not good at all, so I am trying to avoid having to use them. On each weekend of the conference season, there are six games (not including bye weeks, but it all evens out by the end of the year), so eight weeks of six games for a total of 48 games. In the non-conference schedule, three weeks of twelve games for a total of 36... that means out of a total 84 CUSA football games, 60 will be televised.

It gets dicey when you start looking at individual schools, and CSTV appearances, because, obviously, during the conference season, the teams are doubling up... (Say a team is on CSTV five times, okay you think that means that there are 55 games left for the rest of the teams, but not so fast, because how many of those five games are against CUSA opponents? If I were to do this correctly, I would have to use factorials. Factorials, I hate factorials... it's good thing I wasn't a math major.)

Granted, SMU hasn't been great over the last few years, but I think it would be foolish to not think that SMU will have at the very least 3 games on CSTV.

So, I'll put it in writing, I think SMU will be on TV at least four times next year. More likely, we will see five or six Ponies games televised. I think the CSTV deal is pretty sweet for those fans and alums outside the Metroplex (I can only assume if CSTV has SMU on some regional broadcast that you out of towners would be able to pick it up via pay-per-view.)

Okay, my time wasting complete... I'm off.

[Dooby]

I linked to it before, but it got no interest. ESPN is launching a 24 hour college sports channel-ESPNU. We may get a game on there as well. My understanding of the ESPN deal was that it was for all ESPN entities.

[ThadFilms]

Dooby-

It was my understanding that our deal with CSTV percluded us from appearing on ESPNU... I think both entities (ESPNU and CSTV) have exclusivity deals.

I remember, originally, it looked like ESPN was going to buy CSTV to turn it into ESPNU... but that didn't happen. So there's probably some bad blood.

[ThadFilms]

Okay, maybe I'm more interested in this then anybody else...

More Math...

I think that it's concievable that every SMU football game next season will be televised. Follow me on this one.

I was talking about my research/math with my father (a computer science professor whose been at SMU for 30 years), and as I spoke the facts out loud, it occured to me that I had missed a few things.

Okay, if my initial math is correct, CUSA has a grand total of 84 football games.
-CSTV plans to air 60.
-ESPN plans to air 10.
Okay, that leaves only fourteen total CUSA games unaired.

Now, I believe both contracts stipulate that that a CUSA team must be the home team. Okay, for conference play that means nothing, but in non-conference play, on average CUSA teams will play 18 home games and 18 road games. So let's take 18 from 84... and we get (on average, since the non-conference schedules fluctuate from team to team) a total of 66 "airable" games. Which, of course, is four less than the stipulated agreement.

So, I went back to my research... ESPN with 10, no more no less, book it. CSTV, on the other hand, stipulates that, in one article, that it will show "about 60 games a year", and, in another article, that it will show "up to 65 games a year".

Now, back to what this means to SMU... assuming CSTV sticks to its agreement of "about 60 games" (and in this case around 56)... this means that- under our conference contract- only one game will not be televised: the A&M game. Seeing as the team is Texas A&M, someone is going to put it on Pay-Per-View. So, if my math is correct, I believe every Pony game next year will be on the tube.

Somebody please debunk my math. Because I am finding this hard to believe but equally hard to refute.

If this is true, the move to CUSA is quadruply amazing as I originally thought. Regardless of the economic terms of the TV contract, this much exposure will pay huge dividends to the athletic department and the University.

[MrMustang1965]

Hey, I'm as optimistic as the next guy. But EVERY one of 'em? I don't think so.

[MustangStealth]

More likely, we will see five or six Ponies games televised.

You're forgetting one thing... does anyone actually get CSTV?

[ThadFilms]

Hey, I'm as optimistic as the next guy.

I'm not talking about optimism. I'm talking about math.

does anyone actually get CSTV?

CSTV will (supposedly) be available in all CUSA markets by August of this year.

[ponyboy]

For those of you with DirectTV, it's channel 610 (at least here in DFW)

[Stallion]

I noticed that the story on CUSA signing its TV deal mentioned prominently that the deal included streaming computer video of all games. Are we sure that when CUSA talks about televising 60+ games that it will actually be on a TELEVISION network rather than the INTERNET?

[ThadFilms]

First of all, I simply couldn't believe that we were going to have every game on TV, even if that's what the numbers said... So, I took the last half hour to look for more articles.

The math is correct. However, I found this quote, from a Memphis based writer, and I believe it will help clear things up...

While ESPN and ESPN2 will carry 10 regular-season football games, CSTV expects to have access to a regular-season package of about 60 games.

"We'll have an aggressive regional distribution," said Chris Bevilacqua, a CSTV spokesman. "And we'll have 15 national games per year on CSTV."

So that really puts things into a much better perspective, specifically the line- "CSTV expects to have access to about 60 games." Some reports listed that network would televise "around" 60 games, or "up to 65"... but I think this story has it right. (Considering the math in above posts, of course they would have access to about 60 games.)

All we know, for certain, is that ESPN is airing 10. CSTV will have 15 "national games"... as for what they mean by, or are planning for, "an aggresive regional distribution"... who knows?

And, yes, Stallion... I have seen a few notes to the effect that all non-televised games will be available over their website.
http://www.collegesports.com/

Also, CSTV has a satelite radio channel, and I'll bet we hear a number of CUSA games on that... (well, I'll bet those of you out there who have satelite radio will be hearing a number of CUSA games.)

Also, CSTV apparently signed a similar deal with the Mountain West. I'll take a look and see if I can't find more firm details on that plan.

[MrMustang1965]

Had lunch today with a top-level staff member of the SMU football team who informed me that the delay on the 2005 schedule announcement is due to C-USA television contracts. SMU is working on getting better exposure via television this season thru C-USA. This staff member told me that the schedule could be announced as early as the middle of next week. We'll see.

[ThadFilms]

Did this top-level staffer give you any inkling about the number of games to be televised? Also, any information on the streaming of all non-televised games?

(Thanks for the information, MM65.)

[ALEX LIFESON]

Most of our games will be on TV in 2005!!!

[MrMustang1965]

Did this top-level staffer give you any inkling about the number of games to be televised? Also, any information on the streaming of all non-televised games?

(Thanks for the information, MM65.)

No, he didn't. And obviously he was not being forthcoming with the information that the schedule would be released TODAY! Next time, he buys lunch!