Saturday, December 21, 2019

SEC Goes All-In With ESPN?

First, read this from Sports Business Journal.

* My first take is that CBS did make a credible offer.  They knew the value of 15 football games plus seven MBK games was more than $55 million and it wasn't just 2x or 4x, it was somewhere between 5x-6x.  To me, that's not a lowball offer.  Clearly not bid winning, but not standing pat.

Also sounds like CBS truly didn't have a right of first refusal if both ESPN & FOX were able to make offers and talk contractual terms this far in advance.

* Assuming FOX doesn't come in with a bid that blows away ESPN, I believe you'll see changes in a few places, both related to having all rights under one roof:

  • Less exclusive windows.  If there's a SEC game on ABC. its quite possible that you'll see a SEC game programmed on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.  The SEC on CBS was one of the last places television window exclusivity existed.  With everything under one roof, I assume that changes.
  • More SEC in primetime on ABC.  How many?  Its hard to say, but my guess is that it would be more than one.
  • Possibly no more appearance limits.  CBS was limited to showing five games involving a SEC school, excluding the conference championship game.  Those limits are put in place to protect the secondary rightsholder, in this case ESPN, so that their rights agreement retains value and that they have the chance to select games from every school.  Otherwise CBS could choose Alabama every week if it desired.  With everything under one rood, ESPN no longer has that need to be protected, especially from itself. 
  • Maybe more gamesmanship on where the "best" SEC game airs every week.  The appearance limits that CBS had imposed on them do influence selection orders, but that could lead to the occasional gaming of the system by ESPN.  Maybe the best game is to be in primetime on ESPN instead of ABC, therefore, is it the 2nd best game on ABC and is it at 12pm instead?
* Remember that this doesn't take effect until the 2024-25 athletic year unless arrangements are made to release CBS from their obligations.  Expiration dates for other P5 rights agreements:
  • Big 12: 2024-25
  • Big Ten: 2022-23 (see note re: BTN below)
  • Pac-12: 2023-24
So all three of these would know the landscape far in advance.

* CBS can always pour that money into another NFL deal down the road and with NFL rights, down the road is never far away.  Thursday Night Football, until the recent five year deal with FOX, was usually a 1-2 year deal, sometimes with year two as an option.  The 2022 season seems to be the big year for nearly all agreements.

CBS also is spending to retain PGA Tour rights and Mountain West rights.

* I made some comments that CBS could look to the Big Ten and one of the incumbent packages.  Let me reiterate a couple items and expand in other areas, because I also wasn't thinking about the entire picture:
  • Just because CBS is coming in doesn't mean they would automatically go for FOX Sports' package of rights.  ABC/ESPN's could be in play too.  FOX does have a long term relationship with the conference via BTN, but the BTN deal is on a different timeline as it ends after 2031-32.  That said, its a relationship that has been strengthened over the years.
  • When I was discussing this via Twitter on Friday night, I made mention of how CBS could, in theory, pick up a football package and not have to televise any of them on CBS Sports Network. Pick them up, distribute them wherever you want and in this case, broadcast TV.  Roughly a doubleheader a week.

    Where I didn't think this through is the extra items that would get picked up like men's basketball.  CBS could take some of those men's basketball games for broadcast TV and strengthen their existing package of games, but the conference wouldn't be as likely to accept CBSSN as it stands right now.  They'd either have to carve a lot of the basketball games out of the deal, take them on and sublicense them to other entities, or keep them and figure out another place for them.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Mountain West Rights Agreements On The Move

* First, read this from Sports Business Journal as it gives the initial highlights of the Mountain West rights moving from ESPN to FOX Sports and remaining with CBS Sports.

Here's the items running through my head
* The article mentions Boise St. and Hawai'i with separate agreements.  Don't know if Boise St. just gets paid more to have their football games move over to FOX Sports or if they can have their home games remain with ESPN. 

Maybe the Broncos would be amenable to a 10am start if the opponent is worthwhile and FOX is convinced it would draw, or if their choices from the Big Ten and Big 12 are limited.  Or maybe something special around when Air Force hosts Army or Navy.  Again, I think FOX would need to be convinced it would draw.

Hawai'i's issue isn't a national TV deal, but their expiring agreement with Spectrum Sports for carriage of several sports, not just football.  Spectrum uses football to help recoup costs as it is distributed via pay-per-view within the state and shown via streaming externally.  Hawai'i typically had to have seven football games shown via PPV for them to get their full payout.  They did not receive television money from the Mountain West agreements.  Remember that they are an affiliate member of the Mountain West and a full member of the Big West.

* Does this hurt ESPN all that much?  I'm not certain it does.  It might help in terms of the content that they could be replacing it with.  Many of those Saturday Mountain West games air late evenings on ESPN2 and ESPNU.  ESPN+ happens to carry a lot of UFC and Top Rank Boxing.  Maybe an event or two in spring or summer ends up on ESPN+ instead of linear TV while a late summer or fall event shows up on ESPN or ESPN2. 

As for football, the Sun Belt had a slight increase in their minimum number of games starting in 2020 as their new rights agreement officially kicks in.  Maybe another weeknight game or two for them.

* Placement of the football games should be interesting.  Will FS2 be allowed for any games?  Depending on the number of football games FOX Sports is paying for, it will be a tighter squeeze to get games on FS1 on Saturdays without some creative scheduling, likely involving some weeknight games. 

* Did the conference ask for more certainty in start times from FOX Sports vs. the flexibility of the 12 day assignment that ESPN provided?

* Did CBS maintain their priority pick status in football and, I believe, men's basketball?  CBS was allowed to take a few games, six to eight games is the range that sticks in my mind, and reserve those.  I believe that was a bit of an equalizer since Boise St.'s home games could not be chosen to air on CBSSN, with the exception of ESPN being allowed to trade one Boise St. home game to CBS for one of the school's road games.

* I don't get the feeling that the conference's men's basketball schedule rotation has to change.  Currently the Mountain West is on a Wednesday-Saturday rotation, with the allowance of games being moved to Tuesday or Sunday for TV purposes.

* Did anything swap from the ESPN, now FOX Sports, package over to CBS?  Did anything get tied into these rights agreement that wasn't in place?  The conference's football championship was initially aired on CBS when they had the first crack at negotiating for it.  The game switched to ESPN when CBS declined to continue as the rightsholder after a two year agreement, but it seemed to be its own agreement independent of all other items.  Did the men's basketball championship stay with CBS Sports?

* Last, and not least: Are AT&T Sports continuing as a regional partner for football and men's basketball?  Is Stadium continuing as the "inventory" streaming partner, along with a handful of elevated streaming productions that have aired on Facebook, plus several other sports that air regularly on Stadium for the conference, like women's basketball?

Monday, November 18, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 14 (11/29/19 & 11/30/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 11/29 & 11/30 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Twelve games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


Every Power 5 conference has a six day hold available to be used by television networks.  My understanding is that the American Athletic Conference only has three six day holds to be used by television, but if they have four, one would also be available to be used for that conference's games.

Friday 11/29
12pm ABC: Virginia Tech at Virginia
12pm ESPNU: Toledo at Central Michigan
12pm CBSSN: Miami (OH) at Ball St.
12pm ESPN+: Bowling Green at Buffalo
12pm ESPN+: Kent St. at Eastern Michigan
3:30pm ABC: Cincinnati at Memphis
4:15pm ESPN: West Virginia at TCU
5pm ESPN+: Arkansas St. at South Alabama
6pm ESPN+: Appalachian St. at Troy
8pm ESPN: USF at UCF

Saturday games on hold
Navy at Houston - 4pm ESPNU or 7pm ESPN2
Tulane at SMU - 4pm ESPNU or 7pm ESPN2
Baylor at Kansas - 3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2 or 7pm FS1
Iowa St. at Kansas St. - 3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2 or 7pm FS1
Georgia St. at Georgia Southern - 7:30pm ESPNU or 6pm ESPN+
UL-Monroe at UL-Lafayette - 7:30pm ESPNU or TBA ESPN+
Colorado at Utah - 4pm FOX, 7:30pm ABC or TBA PAC-12 Networks
Notre Dame at Stanford - 4pm FOX, 7:30pm ABC or TBA PAC-12 Networks
Oregon St. at Oregon - 4pm FOX, 7:30pm ABC or TBA PAC-12 Networks

Saturday 11/30
12pm ABC: Georgia at Georgia Tech
12pm ESPN: Clemson at South Carolina
12pm ESPN2: Indiana at Purdue
12pm FS1: Northwestern at Illinois
12pm ESPNU: Tulsa at East Carolina
12pm ESPN+: Texas St. at Coastal Carolina
12:30pm ACC RSNs: Wake Forest at Syracuse
3:30pm ABC: Wisconsin at Minnesota
3:30pm CBS: Alabama at Auburn
3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2/ACCN: Boston College at Pittsburgh
3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2/ACCN: Miami (FL) at Duke
3:30pm FS1: Maryland at Michigan St.
3:30pm BTN: Rutgers at Penn St.
3:30pm CBSSN: Connecticut at Temple
7pm ESPN: Texas A&M at LSU
7pm ACCN: North Carolina at NC State
7:30pm SEC: Florida St. at Florida
8pm FOX: Oklahoma at Oklahoma St.
10pm ESPN: Arizona at Arizona St.
10:30pm ESPN2: Fresno St. at San Jose St.
10:30pm FS1: California at UCLA

Sunday, November 17, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Fourteen (11/29/19-11/30/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Coming into Week 14
* FOX Sports is out of Big Ten selections, using their final two of their 27 selections in Week 13 plus the preselection of Ohio St. at Michigan.  ESPN has two remaining.
* ESPN has one remaining Big 12 selection to use for the three Big 12 games on Saturday 11/30.
* FOX Sports has two remaining Pac-12 selections.  ESPN has one plus they preselected Arizona at Arizona St.
* ESPN and FOX have selected nine Oregon games as part of their Pac-12 packages.  Nine games is the capped number of games that a Pac-12 school can have selected as part of the conference's television package.  Therefore, Oregon St. at Oregon should air on Pac-12 Networks.
* Penn St. has not appeared in a intraconference game on BTN.  Therefore, Rutgers at Penn St. should air on BTN.
* A couple SEC games have already had their time & TV set.  The others have known TV windows.
* FS1 has opening at 12pm, 3:30pm, 7pm and 11pm, but I don't think they have enough games to air.
* Per Jon Wilner of Bay Area News Group, the Pac-12 selection order for 11/30 is the following:

  • ESPN at 3:30pm, ABC at 7:30pm or ESPN at 10:30pm
  • FOX at 4pm
  • Pac-12 Networks at 3pm, 4pm or 7pm
  • FS1 at 11pm

Decisions I made
* FOX used the top choice of the Big Ten on Ohio St. at Michigan.  If I've been tracking the top picks in the Big 12 correctly, they should also have the top Big 12 choice.
* For Black Friday, I went with the Commonwealth Cup at noon over Cincinnati at Memphis.  Its quite possible that those two American Athletics schools will meet the next week in their conference championship game.
* Since there's a six day hold for CBS to use and now that Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa is injured, I'd use it for the Iron Bowl & Texas A&M at LSU.  For these selections, I would take the Iron Bowl for now.
* I dropped the FS1 window sat 12pm & 3:30pm, assuming there isn't enough games for FOX to select based on the openings available.  Figured that FOX wouldn't want a competing game against Ohio St. at Michigan from their own network group.  Also, FOX Sports has a handful of Big East games airing on FS2 that they could move up to FS1 to fill in.  Or an alternate presentation of Ohio St.-Michigan at noon & something else after.
* ESPN2 had a late evening window that I didn't have a need for & dropped it.
* Stacked all of the BTN games in at 3:30pm ET.  The last two years, BTN has not scheduled a telecast window opposite the Ohio St.-Michigan game.
* Yes, I'm "burning" Tulane at SMU against Ohio St.-Michigan to get the American a 3rd ABC game during the regular season instead of airing Cincinnati at Memphis on Black Friday at 12pm.  I kinda like the idea of that one being on ESPN unopposed instead of against a Big 12 game on FOX competing with it.
* I wanted to get UL-Lafayette on since it appears they'll have a chance at representing the Sun Belt West in their conference championship game & also wanted it so that it wasn't being aired at the same time as LSU's game.

Friday
12pm ABC: Virginia Tech at Virginia
12pm ESPNU: Toledo at Central Michigan
12pm CBSSN: Miami (OH) at Ball St.
3:30pm ABC: West Virginia at TCU
4:15pm ESPN: USF at UCF
8pm ESPN: Cincinnati at Memphis

Saturday
12pm ABC: Tulane at SMU
12pm ESPN: Clemson at South Carolina
12pm ESPN2: Boston College at Pittsburgh
12pm ESPNU: UL-Monroe at UL-Lafayette
12:30pm ACC RSNs: Wake Forest at Syracuse
3:30pm ABC: Wisconsin at Minnesota
3:30pm CBS: Alabama at Auburn
3:30pm ESPN: Georgia at Georgia Tech
3:30pm ESPN2: Indiana at Purdue
3:30pm ESPNU: Navy at Houston
3:30pm BTN: Rutgers at Penn St.
3:30pm BTN: Maryland at Michigan St.
3:30pm BTN: Northwestern at Illinois
3:30pm CBSSN: Tulsa at East Carolina
4pm FOX: Colorado at Utah
4pm ACCN: North Carolina at NC State
7pm ESPN: Texas A&M at LSU
7pm ESPN2: Baylor at Kansas
7pm FS1: Iowa St. at Kansas St.
7pm ESPNU: Connecticut at Temple
7:30pm ABC: Notre Dame at Stanford
7:30pm SEC: Florida St. at Florida
7:30pm ACCN: Miami (FL) at Duke
7:30pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at Oregon
8pm FOX: Oklahoma St. at Oklahoma
10pm ESPN: Arizona at Arizona St.
10:30pm ESPNU: Fresno St. at San Jose St.
11pm FS1: California at UCLA

Monday, November 11, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 13 (11/19/19 - 11/23/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 11/19 - 11/23 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Twelve games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 1 (10/12, 11/2, 11/23)
American: 0 (11/2, 11/16, 11/23)
Big 12: 2 (11/9, 11/23)
Big Ten: 2 (10/12, 11/16)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 2 (11/16, 11/23)


Games on six day hold
Memphis at USF - 12pm CBSSN or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Temple at Cincinnati - 12pm CBSSN or one of several ABC/ESPN options
UCF at Tulane - 12pm CBSSN or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech - 7:30 ACCN or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Duke at Wake Forest - 7:30 ACCN or one of several ABC/ESPN options
TCU at Oklahoma - 3:30pm FS1 or 8pm FOX
Texas at Baylor - 3:30pm FS1 or 8pm FOX
Oklahoma St. at West Virginia - 7pm FS1 or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Kansas St. at Texas Tech - 7pm FS1 or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Minnesota at Northwestern - 4pm FOX or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Purdue at Wisconsin - 4pm FOX or one of several ABC/ESPN options
Utah at Arizona - 10pm ESPN, 10pm FS1 and two more ABC/ESPN options
Oregon at Arizona St. - 10pm ESPN, 10pm FS1 and two more ABC/ESPN options
UCLA at USC - 10:30pm ESPN, 10:30pm FS1 and two more ABC/ESPN options
Washington at Colorado - 10pm ESPN, 10pm FS1 and two more ABC/ESPN options

Please visit the available TV windows to know your game's options

Tuesday 11/19
7:30pm ESPN2:
7:30pm ESPNU:

Wednesday 11/20
7:30pm ESPN2:
7:30pm ESPNU:

Saturday 11/23
12pm ESPN/ESPN2/SEC: Western Carolina at Alabama
12pm ESPN/ESPN2/SEC: Samford at Auburn
12pm FS1: Michigan St. at Rutgers
12pm FSN: Kansas at Iowa St.
12pm ACC RSNs: Liberty at Virginia
12pm BTN: Illinois at Iowa
12pm ESPN3: East Carolina at Connecticut
12pm ESPN3/ESPN+: Ball St. at Kent St.
2pm ESPN3: Air Force at New Mexico
2pm ESPN+: South Alabama at Georgia St.
2:30pm ESPN+: Texas St. at Appalachian St.
3pm ESPN+: Georgia Southern at Arkansas St.
3:30pm CBS: Texas A&M at Georgia
3:30pm ABC/ESPN: Michigan at Indiana
3:30pm SEC: UT Martin at Kentucky
3:30pm SEC Alt: East Tennessee St. at Vanderbilt
3:30pm BTN: Nebraska at Maryland
3:30pm ACC RSNs: Mercer at North Carolina
3:30pm ESPN+: Louisiana Tech at UAB
4pm ACC: Syracuse at Louisville
4pm Pac-12: California at Stanford
5pm ESPN3: Coastal Carolina at UL-Monroe
5pm ESPN+: Troy at UL-Lafayette
7pm ESPN: Arkansas at LSU
7:30pm ESPNU: Houston at Tulsa
7:30pm SEC: Tennessee at Missouri
9pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at Washington St.
10:30pm ESPN2: Nevada at Fresno St.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Thirteen (11/19/19-11/23/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Through Week 12
* ESPN & FOX Sports share rights and first pick on the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.  Based on the games selected and known selection orders, often provided from media member posts, here is what I believe were the 1st choice networks for each conference through the 10/19 selections by week number.

Please know that networks have admitted that weeknight games are selected/drafted separately and are not part of top choice selection for a given week.
  • Big 12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12
      • Selections used, including future games: 21 (max of 23)
    • FOX Sports: 3, 5, 7, 8, 11
      • Seven games confirmed for FOX broadcast network (min of 6)
    • Games on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1 (includes future games): 36 (min of 25)
      • Excluding UNI-Iowa St., which was to be Iowa St.'s member retained game
  • Big Ten
    • ESPN:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
      • Selections used, including future games: 23 (max of 27)
    • FOX Sports: 1, 2, 3, 4, 12
      • Selections used, including future games: 25 (range of 24-27)
    • BTN requirements of two games with one being a intraconference game filled currently by all schools except Iowa and Penn St.
  • Pac-12
    • ESPN: 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12
      • Games on ABC: 3 (min of 2 with one in primetime)
        • Conference office says that neutral site games like Oregon vs. Auburn are allowed to count as an ESPN selection.
      • Selections used, including future games: 18 (max of 22)
    • FOX Sports:  2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10
      • Games on FOX: 9 (min of 8 with 4 in primetime)
      • Selections used: 19 (max of 22)
    • Pac-12 Networks caps the number of conference controlled games that can air on ESPN & FOX Sports combined at nine games.  The following schools need at least one more appearance
      • Oregon: 12 conference controlled games, two Pac-12 Networks appearances.  Needs one more.
      • USC: 11 conference controlled games, one Pac-12 Networks appearance USC has 10 conference controlled games. One appearance is all they needed on Pac-12 Networks.
Things to know in advance
* The following games have had their network or network family set without a start time
  • Louisiana Tech at UAB (ESPN+)
  • Nevada at Frenso St. (All ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
* Several games from the SEC, plus Penn St. at Ohio St. and Harvard at Yale, had their start times and network or network choices set in advance.  Please take a look at the link at the top of this post to catch those games.
* Pac-12 selection order:
Decisions I made
* I gave the Big 12 top selection to FOX.  Big Ten went with FOX choosing Penn St. at Ohio St., so I gave ESPN the next best choice.
* With two Pac-12 Networks windows and USC's final game on 11/23, I sent the Crosstown Rivalry to Pac-12 Networks.  By setting Oregon at Arizona St. for ABC, that should assure the Civil War of being on Pac-12 Networks on 11/30.  I also noted that ESPN could shuffle times and stuck to the general order of what Jon Wilner provided for the Pac-12 selection order.
* As lopsided a matchup as it could be, I did consider swapping Arkansas at LSU & Texas A&M at Georgia.  I suppose it was to try to get LSU right after their win over Alabama.
* I sent Illinois at Iowa to BTN because Iowa needs a 2nd game scheduled for BTN.
* There's a FSN window that was scheduled for several RSNs.  I can't really ignore it.  So if you're saying "Hey, no Big 12 games on ESPN?", that's how these shook out.  I could have dumped the FSN window.  If I were to have done that, give ESPN the 3rd Big 12 choice & make these changes:

  • 7pm ESPN2: Oklahoma St. at West Virginia
  • 7pm FS1: Kansas St. at Texas Tech
  • 12pm FS1: Kansas at Iowa St.
  • 4pm ACCN: Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech
  • 3:30pm ACC RSNs: Liberty at Virginia
  • TBA ACCNX: Mercer at North Carolina
Tuesday 11/19
7:30pm ESPN2: Ohio at Bowling Green
7:30pm ESPNU: Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois

Wednesday 11/20
7:30pm ESPN2: Toledo at Buffalo
7:30pm ESPNU: Akron at Miami (OH)

Saturday 11/23
12pm ABC: Purdue at Wisconsin
12pm ESPN: Nebraska at Maryland
12pm ESPN2: Western Carolina at Alabama
12pm FS1: Kansas St. at Texas Tech
12pm SEC: Samford at Auburn
12pm FSN: Kansas at Iowa St.
12pm ACC RSNs: Syracuse at Louisville
12pm BTN: Michigan St. at Rutgers
12pm CBSSN: Houston at Tulsa
3:30pm ABC: Michigan at Indiana
3:30pm CBS: Texas A&M at Georgia
3:30pm ESPN: Utah at Arizona
3:30pm ESPN2: Temple at Cincinnati
3:30pm FS1: Minnesota at Northwestern
3:30pm ESPNU: UCF at Tulane
3:30pm SEC: UT Martin at Kentucky
3:30pm SEC Alt: East Tennessee St. at Vanderbilt
3:30pm BTN: Illinois at Iowa
3:30pm ACC RSNs: Mercer at North Carolina
4pm FOX: Texas at Baylor
4pm ACC: Liberty at Virginia
4pm Pac-12: Washington at Colorado
7pm ESPN: Arkansas at LSU
7pm ESPN2: Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech
7pm FS1: Oklahoma St. at West Virginia
7pm ESPNU: Memphis at USF
7:30pm ABC: Oregon at Arizona St.
7:30pm SEC: Tennessee at Missouri
7:30pm ACC: Duke at Wake Forest
8pm FOX: TCU at Oklahoma
9pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at Washington St.
10:30pm ESPN: California at Stanford
10:30pm ESPN2: Nevada at Fresno St.
10:30pm FS1: UCLA at USC 
TBA ESPN3: East Carolina at Connecticut

Monday, November 4, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 12 (11/13/19 - 11/16/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 11/13 - 11/16 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Eleven games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 2 (10/12, 11/2)
American: 1 (11/2, 11/16)
Big 12: 3 (11/9)
Big Ten: 2 (10/12, 11/16)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 3 (11/16)


Games on hold
Indiana at Penn St., Minnesota at Iowa & Ohio St. at Rutgers - 12pm (ABC), 12pm (BTN 2nd game), 3:30pm (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2), 3:30pm (BTN 2nd game) or 4pm (FOX)
Massachusetts at Northwestern & Wisconsin at Nebraska - BTN at 12pm or 3:30pm, possibly concurrent with another Big Ten game.
Arizona St. at Oregon St. & Stanford at Washington St. - 4:30pm (Pac-12) or 7:30pm FS1
Cincinnati at USF, Memphis at Houston - 3:30pm (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNEWS ??) or 7pm (CBSSN)

Wednesday 11/13
8pm ESPN2:
8pm ESPNU:

Saturday 11/16
12pm CBS: Florida at Missouri
12pm FOX: Michigan St. at Michigan
12pm ESPN: Alabama at Mississippi St.
12pm ESPN2: TCU at Texas Tech
12pm FS1: Kansas at Oklahoma St.
12pm ESPNU: Tulane at Temple
12pm ACC RSNs: Alabama St. at Florida St.
1pm ESPN3: UTEP at UAB
3pm ESPN3: Troy at Texas St.
3pm ESPN+: UL-Monroe at Georgia Southern
3pm ESPN+: Coastal Carolina at Arkansas St.
3:30pm CBS: Georgia at Auburn
3:30pm ABC or ESPN: Wake Forest at Clemson
3:30pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2: West Virginia at Kansas St.
3:30pm FS1: Texas at Iowa St.
3:30pm CBSSN: Central Michigan at Ball St.
3:30pm ACC RSNs: Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
4pm ESPNU: Wyoming at Utah St.
4pm ACCN: Syracuse at Duke
5pm ESPN+: UL-Lafayette at South Alabama
7pm ESPN: LSU at Ole Miss
7pm ESPN2: Air Force at Colorado St.
7:30pm ABC: Oklahoma at Baylor
7:30pm ACCN: Louisville at NC State
7:30pm ESPNU: Appalachian St. at Georgia St.
8pm FOX: UCLA at Utah
10:15pm ESPN2: New Mexico at Boise St.
10:30pm ESPN: Arizona at Oregon
11pm FS1: USC at California

Sunday, November 3, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Twelve (11/13/19-11/16/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Through Week 11
* ESPN & FOX Sports share rights and first pick on the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.  Based on the games selected and known selection orders, often provided from media member posts, here is what I believe were the 1st choice networks for each conference through the 10/19 selections by week number.

Please know that networks have admitted that weeknight games are selected/drafted separately and are not part of top choice selection for a given week.
  • Big 12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10
      • Selections used, including future games: 18 (max of 23)
    • FOX Sports: 3, 5, 7, 8, 11
      • Six games confirmed for FOX broadcast network (min of 6)
    • Games on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1 (includes future games): 29 (min of 25)
      • Excluding UNI-Iowa St., which was to be Iowa St.'s member retained game
  • Big Ten
    • ESPN:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
      • Selections used, including future games: 22 (max of 27)
    • FOX Sports: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • Selections used, including future games: 22 (range of 24-27)
    • BTN requirements of two games with one being a intraconference game filled currently by all schools except Iowa and Penn St.
      • Ohio St. at Northwestern's second appearance may have come from the FS1 game on 10/18 that was moved to BTN.
  • Pac-12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11
      • Games on ABC: 2 (min of 2 with one in primetime)
        • Conference office says that neutral site games like Oregon vs. Auburn are allowed to count as an ESPN selection.
      • Selections used, including future games: 17 (max of 22)
    • FOX Sports:  3, 5, 6, 7, 10
      • Games on FOX: 7 (min of 8, must have one more in primetime)
      • Selections used: 16 (max of 22)
Things to know in advance
* The following games have had their network or network family set without a start time
  • UTEP at UAB (ESPN3)
  • Central Michigan at Ball St. (CBSSN)
  • Wyoming at Utah St. (All ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
  • New Mexico at Boise St. (All ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
  • Air Force at Colorado St. (All ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
* The SEC had a couple games' start times set in advance of the 12 day selection period with the TV windows set aside for the remaining four games:
  • 12pm CBS
  • 12pm ESPN
  • 3:30pm CBS
  • 7pm ESPN
* When CBS a 12pm & 3:30pm doubleheader, the 12pm game is selected after CBS's 3:30pm game & two selection by ESPN (see those options above).  ESPN is allowed to show games at the same time as the 12pm CBS game as it is a non-exclusive window.
* There will not be a 12pm SEC Network window.
* ACC RSNs are scheduled to receive a doubleheader at 12pm & 3:30pm.
* Pac-12 Networks are scheduled to carry Stanford & Colorado home men's basketball games at 10pm ET.

* Pac-12 selection order is
Decisions I made
* FOX supposedly has the top Big Ten pick on 11/16.  With ESPN taking the top selection for the Pac-12, I gave FOX the top Big 12 selection.
* I think its reasonable that Baylor at Oklahoma could be the FOX 12pm game as their best available game. Could be a slot for a six day hold if the concern is Baylor or Oklahoma losing on 11/9, which could put a Big Ten game on FOX at noon.
* I went with Indiana at Penn St. over Michigan St. at Michigan for FOX's top Big Ten pick due to Indiana being 7-2 headed into the game & PSU being undefeated. Will be curious to see if the Hoosiers end up being ranked coming into the game. Most of the schools ahead of them in the Receiving Votes area of the AP poll lost. To be honest, Indiana at Penn St. could hold up as the FOX 12pm game.
* FOX's Pac-12 selection, while not the first pick, still should get it a ranked team, plus it fulfills their broadcast network obligation to the conference.
* Alabama at Mississippi St. is going to be avoided by CBS at all costs.  At least I assume that.  I don't think the SEC Network selections already made for 4pm & 7:30pm would have been granted if CBS wasn't provided some assurance by ESPN that CBS wouldn't be "stuck" with using their final Alabama appearance on the Mississippi St. game, unless CBS intends to use their option to get a sixth Crimson Tide game.  A sixth game for a school on CBS is a rarely used provision that could be exercised, but I believe there's every intention for ESPN to take Alabama at Mississippi St.
* If LSU loses to Alabama, I think you could see CBS pull the trigger on taking Georgia at Auburn.  Would put Auburn at 4 CBS appearances, with the fifth likely for the Iron Bowl.

Wednesday 11/13
8pm ESPN2: Northern Illinois at Toledo
8pm ESPNU: Bowling Green at Miami (OH)

Saturday 11/16
12pm ABC: Michigan St. at Michigan
12pm CBS: Florida at Missouri
12pm FOX: Oklahoma at Baylor
12pm ESPN: LSU at Ole Miss
12pm ESPN2: West Virginia at Kansas St.
12pm FS1: Ohio St. at Rutgers
12pm ESPNU: TCU at Texas Tech
12pm BTN: Massachusetts at Northwestern
12pm ACC RSNs: Alabama St. at Florida St.
3pm ESPN3: UTEP at UAB
3:30pm ABC: Minnesota at Iowa
3:30pm CBS: Georgia at Auburn
3:30pm ESPN: Texas at Iowa St.
3:30pm ESPN2: Cincinnati at USF
3:30pm FS1: Kansas at Oklahoma St.
3:30pm ESPNU: Memphis at Houston
3:30pm CBSSN: Central Michigan at Ball St.
3:30pm BTN: Wisconsin at Nebraska
3:30pm ACC RSNs: Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
4pm FOX: Indiana at Penn St.
4pm ACCN: Duke at Syracuse
4pm Pac-12: Stanford at Washington St.
7pm ESPN: Alabama at Mississippi St.
7pm ESPN2: New Mexico at Boise St.
7pm FS1: USC at California
7pm ESPNU: Wyoming at Utah St.
7pm CBSSN: Tulane at Temple
7:30pm ABC: Wake Forest at Clemson
7:30pm ACCN: Lousville at NC State
8pm FOX: UCLA at Utah
10:15pm ESPN2: Air Force at Colorado St.
10:30pm ESPN: Arizona at Oregon
11pm FS1: Arizona St. at Oregon St.

Monday, October 28, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 11 (11/9/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 11/9 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Ten games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 2 (10/12, 11/2)
American: 2 (11/2)
Big 12: 3 (11/9)
Big Ten: 3 (10/12)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 4


Games on six day holds
Kansas St. at Texas & Baylor at TCU - Either 12pm FS1 OR 3:30pm ABC or ESPN

12pm ABC: Penn St. at Minnesota
12pm FOX: Maryland at Ohio St.
12pm ESPN: Vanderbilt at Florida
12pm ESPN2/ESPNU: East Carolina at SMU
12pm ESPN2/ESPNU: Texas Tech at West Virginia
12pm SECN: Western Kentucky at Arkansas
12pm BTN: Purdue at Northwestern
12pm ACCN: Florida St. at Boston College
12:30pm ACC RSNs: Georgia Tech at Virginia
3pm Pac-12: Stanford at Colorado
3pm ESPN3: South Alabama at Texas St.
3:30pm ABC/ESPN: USC at Arizona St.
3:30pm ESPN2/ACCN: Louisville at Miami (FL)
3:30pm ESPN2/ACCN: Wake Forest at Virginia Tech
3:30pm FS1: Illinois at Michigan St.
3:30pm ESPNU: Dartmouth vs. Princeton
3:30pm CBSSN: Connecticut at Cincinnati
3:30pm ESPN+: Georgia Southern at Troy
4pm FOX: Iowa at Wisconsin
4pm SECN: New Mexico St. at Ole Miss
5pm ESPN+: Georgia St. at UL-Monroe
7pm ESPN: Missouri at Georgia
7pm ESPN2: Appalachian St. at South Carolina
7pm Pac-12: Washington St. at California
7:30pm ABC: Clemson at NC State
7:30pm ESPNU: Liberty at BYU
7:30pm SECN: Tennessee at Kentucky
7:30pm ACCN: Notre Dame at Duke
8pm FOX: Iowa St. at Oklahoma
10:15pm ESPN: Wyoming at Boise St.
10:30pm ESPN2: Nevada at San Diego St.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Eleven (11/9/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Through Week 10
* ESPN & FOX Sports share rights and first pick on the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.  Based on the games selected and known selection orders, often provided from media member posts, here is what I believe were the 1st choice networks for each conference through the 10/19 selections by week number.

Please know that networks have admitted that weeknight games are selected/drafted separately and are not part of top choice selection for a given week.
  • Big 12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10
      • Selections used, including future games: 16 (max of 23)
    • FOX Sports: 3, 5, 7, 8
      • Five games confirmed for FOX broadcast network (min of 6)
    • Games on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1 (includes future games): 26 (min of 28)
      • Excluding UNI-Iowa St., which was to be Iowa St.'s member retained game
  • Big Ten
    • ESPN:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
      • Selections used, including future games: 21 (max of 27)
    • FOX Sports: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • Selections used, including future games: 19 (range of 24-27)
    • BTN requirements of two games with one being a intraconference game filled currently by all schools except Iowa and Penn St.
      • Ohio St. at Northwestern's second appearance may have come from the FS1 game on 10/18 that was moved to BTN.
  • Pac-12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9
      • Games on ABC: 2 (min of 2 with one in primetime)
        • Conference office says that neutral site games like Oregon vs. Auburn are allowed to count as an ESPN selection.
      • Selections used, including future games: 16 (max of 22)
    • FOX Sports:  3, 5, 6, 7, 10
      • Games on FOX: 7 (min of 8, must have one more in primetime)
      • Selections used: 16 (max of 22)

Things to know in advance
* The following games are set for the following network or network families with a start time to be determined:
  • Notre Dame at Duke (ACCN)
  • Liberty at BYU (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU)
  • Wyoming at Boise St. (Any ESPN platform except ESPN+)
  • Nevada at San Diego St. (Any ESPN platform except ESPN+)
* The following games have their start time & network family set, but the specific network is to be determined.
  • Dartmouth vs. Princeton, 3:30pm ET (ESPN linear TV networks)
* CBS has selected LSU at Alabama for 3:30pm ET
* FS1 has a pair of college basketball games at 7pm & 9pm, respectively
* Pac-12 Networks has college basketball scheduled for 4:30pm ET & 11pm ET.

Decisions I made
* I gave ESPN the top Big Ten selection & the top Pac-12 selection.  FOX had the top Big 12 selection.
* Since we're in six day pick season, I can see the following places where a six day hold is used

  • Winner of Georgia vs. Florida gets the evening ESPN slot

* To get USC at Arizona St. on the late evening slot on ESPN, the start time has to move to 8pm local time / 10pm ET as Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
* Big Ten night games have more hurdles to occur after the first weekend in November.  Hence I don't think Penn St. at Minnesota will get there, but I also don't think ESPN would sacrifice it against LSU at Alabama.

12pm ABC: Penn St. at Minnesota
12pm FOX: Maryland at Ohio St.
12pm ESPN: Missouri at Georgia
12pm ESPN2: Appalachian St. at South Carolina
12pm FS1: Illinois at Michigan St.
12pm ESPNU: Wake Forest at Virginia Tech
12pm SECN: Western Kentucky at Arkansas
12pm BTN: Purdue at Northwestern
12pm ACCN: Notre Dame at Duke
12:30pm ACC RSNs: Georgia Tech at Virginia
1pm Pac-12: Stanford at Colorado
3:30pm ABC: Kansas St. at Texas
3:30pm ESPN: Baylor at TCU
3:30pm ESPN2: Wyoming at Boise St.
3:30pm FS1: Texas Tech at West Virginia
3:30pm ESPNU: Dartmouth vs. Princeton
3:30pm CBSSN: Connecticut at Cincinnati
4pm FOX: Iowa at Wisconsin
4pm SECN: New Mexico St. at Ole Miss
4pm ACCN: Florida St. at Boston College
7pm ESPN: Vanderbilt at Florida
7pm ESPN2: East Carolina at SMU
7pm ESPNU: Liberty at BYU
7pm Pac-12: Washington St. at California
7:30pm ABC: Clemson at NC State
7:30pm SECN: Tennessee at Kentucky
7:30pm ACCN: Louisville at Miami (FL)
8pm FOX: Iowa St. at Oklahoma
10pm ESPN: USC at Arizona St.
10:15pm ESPN2: Nevada at San Diego St.

Monday, October 21, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 10 (11/2/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 11/2 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Nine games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 2 (10/12, 11/2)
American: 2 (11/2)
Big 12: 4
Big Ten: 3 (10/12)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 4


Games on six day holds
SMU at Memphis - 3:30pm ABC/ESPN or 7:30pm ABC
Miami (FL) at Florida St. - 3:30pm ABC/ESPN or 7:30pm ABC

12pm ABC: Michigan at Maryland
12pm FOX: Nebraska at Purdue
12pm ESPN: NC State at Wake Forest
12pm ESPN2: Houston at UCF 
12pm ESPNU: Buffalo at Eastern Michigan
12pm SEC: UTSA at Texas A&M
12pm CBSSN: Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
12pm ACCN: Boston College at Syracuse 
2pm ESPN+: Akron at Bowling Green
3pm ESPN3: Troy at Coastal Carolina
3:30pm ABC/ESPN: TCU at Oklahoma St.
3:30pm FS1: Kansas St. at Kansas
3:30pm ESPNU: Arkansas St. at UL-Monroe
3:30pm BTN: Rutgers at Illinois
4pm FOX: Utah at Washington
4pm ESPN2: Tulsa at Tulane
4pm SEC: Mississippi St. at Arkansas
4pm ACCN: Wofford at Clemson
4pm ACC RSNs: Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech
4:30pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at Arizona
5pm ESPN+: Texas St. at UL-Lafayette
7pm ESPN: Ole Miss at Auburn
7pm FS1: Northwestern at Indiana
7pm ESPNU: UAB at Tennessee
7pm CBSSN: Cincinnati at East Carolina
7:30pm SEC: Vanderbilt at South Carolina
7:30pm ACCN: Virginia at North Carolina
8pm FOX: Oregon at USC
9pm Pac-12: Colorado at UCLA
10pm ESPN2: BYU at Utah St.
10:30pm ESPNU: New Mexico at Nevada

Sunday, October 20, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Ten (11/2/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Through Week 9
* ESPN & FOX Sports share rights and first pick on the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.  Based on the games selected and known selection orders, often provided from media member posts, here is what I believe were the 1st choice networks for each conference through the 10/19 selections by week number.

Please know that networks have admitted that weeknight games are selected/drafted separately and are not part of top choice selection for a given week.
  • Big 12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9
      • Selections used, including future games: 15 (max of 23)
    • FOX Sports: 3, 5, 7, 8
      • Five games confirmed for FOX broadcast network (min of 6)
    • Games on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1 (includes future games): 26 (min of 25)
      • Excluding UNI-Iowa St., which was to be Iowa St.'s member retained game
  • Big Ten
    • ESPN:  5, 6, 7, 8, 9
      • Selections used, including future games: 20 (max of 27)
    • FOX Sports: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • Selections used, including future games: 17 (range of 24-27)
  • Pac-12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9
      • Games on ABC: 1 (min of 2, must have one more in primetime)
      • Selections used, including future games: 15 (max of 22)
    • FOX Sports:  3, 5, 6, 7
      • Games on FOX: 5 (min of 8, must have two more in primetime)
      • Selections used: 14 (max of 22)

Things to know in advance
* CBS selected Florida vs. Georgia in advance, so they will not be involved in SEC selections.
* The following games have had their start times set in advance without a TV assignment:
  • Michigan at Maryland, 12pm
* The following games have had their network groups selected in advance:
  • New Mexico at Nevada (all ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
  • BYU at Utah St. (all ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
* The Pac-12 selection order is the following.  Note that Jon's times are Pacific:
* No FS1 game at 12pm.  They are carrying Bundesliga matches until 3:30pm.


Decisions I made
* I gave FOX the top Big Ten selection and ESPN the top Big 12 selection.
* I think there's a real chance SMU at Memphis ends up as the primetime ABC game.  If it ends up being Miami-FSU, put SMU-Memphis at 3:30pm and NC State-Wake Forest at 12pm.  I don't think they would attempt to slot Miami-FSU at the same time as Georgia-Florida.
* I gave NC State at Wake Forest the nod ahead of TCU at Oklahoma St.  Could also see Cincinnati at East Carolina end up on ABC given the Bearcats currently ranked status.
* BTN's website didn't have a 12pm game.  Just a TBA programming window.  I'm going with only a single window at 3:30pm ET.
* It's a really uninspiring slate of selectable games.  Not sure that I would end up wasting any six day holds on this date.

12pm ABC: Miami (FL) at Florida St.
12pm FOX: Michigan at Maryland
12pm ESPN: Nebraska at Purdue
12pm ESPN2: UTSA at Texas A&M
12pm ESPNU: Houston at UCF
12pm SEC: Vanderbilt at South Carolina
12pm CBSSN: Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
12pm ACCN: Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech
12:30pm ACC RSNs: Boston College at Syracuse
3:30pm ABC: NC State at Wake Forest
3:30pm ESPN: TCU at Oklahoma St.
3:30pm ESPN2: Cincinnati at East Carolina
3:30pm FS1: Northwestern at Indiana
3:30pm ESPNU: New Mexico at Nevada
3:30pm BTN: Rutgers at Illinois
4pm FOX: Utah at Washington
4pm SEC: UAB at Tennessee
4pm ACCN: Wofford at Clemson
4:30pm Pac-12: Colorado at UCLA
7pm ESPN: Ole Miss at Auburn
7pm FS1: Kansas St. at Kansas
7pm ESPNU: Texas St. at UL-Lafayette
7pm CBSSN: Tulsa at Tulane
7:30pm ABC: SMU at Memphis
7:30pm SEC: Mississippi St. at Arkansas
7:30pm ACCN: Virginia at North Carolina
8pm FOX: Oregon at USC
9pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at Arizona
10:15pm ESPN2: BYU at Utah St.

Monday, October 14, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 9 (10/26/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 10/26 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Eight games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 3 (10/12)
American: 3
Big 12: 4
Big Ten: 3 (10/12)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 4



All times Eastern

12pm ABC: Oklahoma at Kansas St.
12pm FOX: Wisconsin at Ohio St.
12pm ESPN/ESPN2: Iowa at Northwestern
12pm ESPN/ESPN2: Miami (FL) at Pittsburgh
12pm ESPNU: Appalachian St. at South Alabama
12pm SEC: Mississippi St. at Texas A&M
12pm BTN: Liberty at Rutgers
12pm BTN: Illinois at Purdue
12pm ESPN3: Bowling Green at Western Michigan
2pm ESPN+: Ohio at Ball St.
3pm ESPN3: New Mexico St. at Georgia Southern
3:30pm ABC: Penn St. at Michigan St.
3:30pm CBS: Auburn at LSU
3:30pm FOX: Texas at TCU
3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2: Maryland at Minnesota
3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2/ACCN: Syracuse at Florida St.
3:30pm ESPN/ESPN2/ACCN: Virginia at Louisville
3:30pm FS1: Oklahoma St. at Iowa St.
3:30pm BTN: Indiana at Nebraska
3:30pm Pac-12: Arizona at Stanford
3:30pm ESPN3: Akron at Northern Illinois
3:30pm ESPN+: Eastern Michigan at Toledo
3:30pm ESPN+: Central Michigan at Buffalo
3:30pm ESPN+: Miami (OH) at Kent St.
3:45pm ESPNU: USF at East Carolina
4pm SEC: South Carolina at Tennessee
4pm ACC RSN: Duke at North Carolina
7pm ESPN: Arkansas at Alabama
7pm ESPN2: UCF at Temple
7pm FS1: Texas Tech at Kansas
7pm CBSSN: Memphis at Tulsa
7pm ESPN+: Troy at Georgia St.
7pm ESPN+: Texas St. at Arkansas St.
7:30pm ABC: Notre Dame at Michigan
7:30pm SEC: Missouri at Kentucky
7:30pm ESPNU: Colorado St. at Fresno St.
7:30pm ACCN: Boston College at Clemson
7:30pm Pac-12: Arizona St. at UCLA
10pm FS1: California at Utah
10:15pm ESPN2: Utah St. at Air Force
10:30pm ESPN: Washington St. at Oregon

Sunday, October 13, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Nine (10/26/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Through Week 8
* ESPN & FOX Sports share rights and first pick on the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.  Based on the games selected and known selection orders, often provided from media member posts, here is what I believe were the 1st choice networks for each conference through the 10/19 selections by week number.

Please know that networks have admitted that weeknight games are selected/drafted separately and are not part of top choice selection for a given week.
  • Big 12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 6
      • Selections used, including future games: 14 (max of 23)
    • FOX Sports: 3, 5, 7, 8
      • Four games confirmed for FOX broadcast network (min of 6)
    • Games on ABC, FOX, ESPN and FS1 (includes future games): 22 (min of 25)
      • Excluding UNI-Iowa St., which was to be Iowa St.'s member retained game
  • Big Ten
    • ESPN:  5, 6, 7, 8
      • Selections used, including future games: 18 (max of 27)
    • FOX Sports: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • Selections used, including future games: 17 (range of 24-27)
  • Pac-12
    • ESPN: 1, 2, 4, 8
      • Games on ABC: 1 (min of 2, must have one more in primetime)
      • Selections used, including future games: 14 (max of 22)
    • FOX Sports:  3, 5, 6, 7
      • Games on FOX: 5 (min of 8, must have two more in primetime)
      • Selections used: 13 (max of 22)
Things to know in advance
* The following games have had their start times set without a TV assignment:
  • Iowa at Northwestern, 12pm
* The following games have had their network groups selected in advance:
  • Maryland at Minnesota (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
  • Notre Dame at Michigan (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
  • Utah St. at Air Force (Any ESPN platform except ESPN+)
  • Colorado St. at Fresno St. (Any ESPN platform except ESPN+)
* FOX has no night game due to World Series Game 4.
* FS1 has no 12pm game due to a NASCAR Truck Series race.
* BTN has two games listed for 12pm.

Decisions I made
* I assumed that Notre Dame at Michigan was the top choice for the Big Ten this particular week by ESPN, but that FOX has the top remaining choice of Big Ten games.  Also think that ESPN has three Big Ten games to air which is why they also got Penn St. at Michigan St.  Note that this would only increase their number at the top by one because Notre Dame at Michigan & Maryland at Minnesota were already selected & included in the count.
* I gave ESPN the top Big 12 choice as well and sent the top Pac-12 choice over to FOX Sports.  Bay Area News Group's Jon Wilner often posts the Pac-12 selection order in advance, but I haven't seen it listed on his Twitter feed yet.  So the networks involved could be wrong.
* EDIT: Pac-12 selection order.  I have adjusted as well.
* Going back to my piece on "Would you put Notre Dame at Michigan at night?", you can see my answer is "Yes".  I understand there are EEE concerns around Ann Arbor, and that alone might be worth the schools asking "please don't".  So I had two backup plans in mind:
  • If I put it at noon, swap Boston College at Clemson to the ABC night game.
  • If I keep it in the evening, I ask the Big Ten for flexibility on the start time and consider airing it on ESPN & send Oklahoma at Kansas St. over to ABC, similar to what they did with Notre Dame at Northwestern last year.  No, Northwestern is not the same quality of opponent as Michigan.  I can at least look at the World Series, right now through two games in both series (Game 2 ALCS being played tonight) and the result of Michigan at Penn St. and say "yeah, I'm willing to take this matchup to primetime, but I'll wait out knowing the NL side". 
* Iowa on BTN is to clear the Hawkeyes of their BTN requirements.
* By choosing Cal at Utah for FS1, I had to move the TV window up to 10pm ET / 8pm MT.

All times Eastern

12pm ABC: Boston College at Clemson
12pm FOX: Wisconsin at Ohio St.
12pm ESPN: Arkansas at Alabama
12pm ESPN2: Oklahoma St. at Iowa St.
12pm ESPNU: Memphis at Tulsa
12pm SEC: Missouri at Kentucky
12pm BTN: Iowa at Northwestern
12pm BTN: Liberty at Rutgers
12:30pm ACC RSN: Miami (FL) at Pittsburgh
3:30pm ABC: Penn St. at Michigan St.
3:30pm CBS: Auburn at LSU
3:30pm FOX: Texas at TCU
3:30pm ESPN: Maryland at Minnesota
3:30pm ESPN2: UCF at Temple
3:30pm FS1: Indiana at Nebraska
3:30pm ESPNU: Appalachian St. at South Alabama
3:30pm BTN: Illinois at Purdue
4pm SEC: South Carolina at Tennessee
4pm ACCN: Duke at North Carolina
4pm Pac-12: Arizona at Stanford
7pm ESPN: Oklahoma at Kansas St.
7pm ESPN2: Syracuse at Florida St.
7pm ESPNU: Colorado St. at Fresno St.
7pm FS1: Texas Tech at Kansas
7pm CBSSN: USF at East Carolina
7:30pm ABC: Notre Dame at Michigan
7:30pm SEC: Mississippi St. at Texas A&M
7:30pm ACCN: Virginia at Louisville
8pm Pac-12: Arizona St. at UCLA
10pm FS1: California at Utah
10:15pm ESPN2: Utah St. at Air Force
10:30pm ESPN: Washington St. at Oregon

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Scheduling College Football On Broadcast TV vs. the World Series

Since there has been conjecture as to whether Notre Dame at Michigan should be a night game on ABC putting it head to head with World Series Game Four or placed elsewhere on the schedule, I went back through Sports Media Watch's ratings pages to see how other games on broadcast television did against the World Series.  The site has archived college football numbers going back to 2012, so I went back that far as well.

Notre Dame happened to play three times in primetime on these competing Saturday as well, which is an interesting comparison point as well.  Only one was vs. a Power Five opponent though.

In 2012 & 2013, World Series Game Three was on Saturday.  From 2014 on, it was Game Four.  If the college football game is in bold, it was the highest rated game of the day per Nielsen.

Also, I'm sticking with the linear TV number & not adding in streaming numbers.

2012: Notre Dame at Oklahoma (5.2, 8.6m), Detroit-San Francisco (6.1, 10.5m)
2013: Penn St. at Ohio St. (2.5, 4.06m), St. Louis-Boston (7.4, 12.5m)
2014: Ohio St. at Penn St. (2.9, 4.67m), San Francisco-Kansas City (6.3, 10.6m)
2015: Notre Dame at Temple (3.6, 5.977m), NY Mets-Kansas City (9.29, 13.58m)
2016: Florida St. at Clemson (3.2, 5.38m), Cleveland-Chicago Cubs (9.3, 16.71m)
2017: ACC/Big 12 split window (2.0, 3.464m), LA Dodgers-Houston (8.7, 15.4m)
2018: Texas at Oklahoma St. (2.1, 3.486m) & Notre Dame vs. Navy (1.5, 2.447m), Boston-LA Dodgers (7.9, 13.56m)

In five of the seven cases of the World Series games, the Saturday game was the lowest rating game or tied for it within its World Series, or the household number was the lowest of the series.  I think its reasonable to say that college football puts a dent in the World Series number for Saturday night, but it also depends on the quality of the games in the series, as we're going only with broadcast network games and not including games on cable.

There's also a lot of context to a week's college football ratings.  I encourage you to look over Sports Media Watch to see the entire day's ratings.  If you're wondering what the highest game is on TV the weeks when it wasn't the game listed here, please visit his site.

There's context alone when it comes to October 26th.  Wisconsin at Ohio St. could be a game between two undefeated teams, or Penn St. at Michigan St. could be a high profile game.  Auburn at LSU could draw fans if its the CBS 3:30pm game.

ESPN has to make the choice as to whether its going to be a night game on October 14th.  Big Ten night games have to be declared 12 days in advance, though the network can be flexible as Notre Dame at Northwestern had the option of 7:15pm ET ESPN or 7:30pm ET ABC on November 3rd last year.  They don't have the ability to hold the game time until October 20th to see what the World Series matchup could be, and they still might only know the NL side if both series go to Game Seven.  Part of me sees that Notre Dame at Oklahoma number and thinks that's a barometer based on traditional, multi-decade college football brand names, but that game was also between top ten ranked teams (#5 Notre Dame vs. #8 Oklahoma).  By the time this game is slotted for TV, both teams should be ranked, but I don't think it will be to the level of a matchup of top ten teams and Michigan could drop in the polls if it loses to Penn St. on 10/19.

Of the games listed, the bolded college football games also happen to the only games involving two schools ranked in the top 25, but the Notre Dame at Oklahoma game was the only one where both were in the top ten.  All other games had one ranked school.  Yes, Temple was ranked.

So no, I haven't made up my mind and that won't happen until Sunday morning.

Monday, October 7, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 8 (10/19/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 10/19 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Seven games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 3 (10/12)
American: 3
Big 12: 4
Big Ten: 3 (10/12)
SEC: 2 (10/19)
Pac-12: 4


Note: The 10:30pm ET FS1 window was in listings for 10/19 but per Jon Wilner of Bay Area News Group, ESPN has two selections and Pac-12 Networks have three for the five Pac-12 games, so the FS1 window could disappear.

Games being held for six day hold
Kentucky at Georgia
LSU at Mississippi St.
Florida at South Carolina

Options for LSU at Mississippi St.
& Florida at South Carolina: 12pm ESPN, 3:30pm CBS or 6pm ESPN

Options for Kentucky at Georgia: 3:30pm CBS or 6pm ESPN

All times Eastern

12pm ABC: Clemson at Louisville
12pm FOX: West Virginia at Oklahoma
12pm ESPN2: Purdue at Iowa
12pm ESPNU: Houston at Connecticut
12pm FS1: Iowa St. at Texas Tech
12pm SEC: Auburn at Arkansas
12pm CBSSN: Kent St. at Ohio
12pm BTN: Wisconsin at Illinois
12pm ACCN: Georgia Tech at Miami (FL)
12pm ACC RSNs: NC State at Boston College
2pm ESPN3: Central Michigan at Bowling Green
2pm ESPN+: Toledo at Ball St.
2:30pm FSN: TCU at Kansas St.
2:30pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at California
2:30pm ESPN+: Northern Illinois at Miami (OH)
3pm ESPN3: Costal Carolina at Georgia Southern
3:30pm ABC: Oregon at Washington
3:30pm ESPN2: Temple at SMU
3:30pm ESPNU: Tulsa at Cincinnati
3:30pm BTN: Indiana at Maryland
3:30pm BTN: Minnesota at Rutgers
3:30pm ACCN: Duke at Virginia
3:30pm ACC RSNs: North Carolina at Virginia Tech
3:30pm ESPN3: Buffalo at Akron
3:30pm ESPN+: UL-Monroe at Appalachian St.
4pm FOX: Baylor at Oklahoma St.
4pm SEC: Missouri at Vanderbilt
4pm ESPN+: Old Dominion at UAB
6pm Pac-12: Arizona St. at Utah
7pm ESPN2/ESPNU: Tulane at Memphis
7pm ESPN2/ESPNU: Colorado at Washington St.
7pm CBSSN: East Carolina at UCF
7pm ESPN+: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan
7pm ESPN+: Army at Georgia St.
7:30pm ABC: Michigan at Penn St.
7:30pm SEC: Texas A&M at Ole Miss
7:30pm ACCN: Florida St. at Wake Forest
9pm ESPN: Tennessee at Alabama
9:30pm Pac-12: Arizona at USC
10:15pm ESPN2: Boise St. at BYU
10:15pm ESPNU: Nevada at Utah St.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

CFB TV Guesses for 2019 Week Eight (10/19/19)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast.  Here are the known available telecast windows.

Things to know in advance
* The following games have had their start times set without a TV assignment:
  • Purdue at Iowa, 12pm ET
  • Wisconsin at Illinois, 12pm ET
  • Minnesota at Rutgers, 3:30pm or 4pm ET
* The following games have had their network groups set:
  • Boise St. at BYU (All ESPN platforms except ESPNEWS & ESPN+)
  • Nevada at Utah St. (All ESPN platforms except ESPN+)
  • Old Dominion at UAB (ESPN+)
* FOX literature has their two windows as being a pair of Big 12 games at 12pm & 4pm ET.  My assumption is that if ALCS Game 6 is a midday game, it will be on FS1 at 4pm as there are college football game windows on FS1 at 12pm & 10:30pm ET.  If the ALCS game is a night game,  I assume it will be on FOX.
* FOX Sports Networks is scheduled to carry a Big 12 game at 12pm ET.
* ESPN again does not have a 3:30pm window.  Instead they have 6pm & 9pm, which has often signaled a SEC doubleheader, but 10/12 had a similar listing & they deviated from that.
* Per a podcast with the Pac-12's liaison for television Duane Lindberg, ESPN will pick first for the Pac-12, then the Pac-12 Networks.
* Per listings, ACC RSNs will have a doubleheader at 12pm & 3:30pm ET.
* Per BTN.com, they will have two games at 3:30pm ET.

Decisions I made
* I gave ESPN the top Big Ten selection and FOX the top two remaining Big 12 selections.  I believe ESPN picked Kansas at Texas knowing that FOX either had the top two selections for the Big 12 selections and did not intend to select Kansas at Texas or was picking 1st and 3rd.  Its also possible that Kansas at Texas was the top Big 12 pick and ESPN had earmarked it for their Longhorn Network game.  Either way, I have FOX with the top two remaining Big 12 selections.
* I considered Oregon at Washington for the ABC primetime game, but with two BTN games at 3:30pm and what appears to be a currently vacant 7:30pm window, it looks like ABC is set up to carry Michigan at Penn St. in primetime.  Oregon at Washington still looks solid for an ABC game to get them halfway home on their Pac-12 requirement for that network.
* It is very possible that CBS could use a six day hold between LSU at Mississippi St., Florida at South Carolina & Kentucky at Georgia.  At this time, I leaned Georgia, but the winner of LSU at Florida could make a compelling case for their game to be chosen.
* I went with the two ACC RSN games that I chose because of the lack of potential NHL conflicts.  Carolina & Washington do not play on Saturday, and Boston plays at night, so NC State at Boston College gets the early slot and UNC at Virginia Tech gets the later one.  I considered Georgia Tech at Miami (FL) for the 2nd RSN game, but both Florida & Tampa Bay have NHL games on Saturday night, making it harder for those RSNs to carry games without split feeds.
* Placing Purdue at Iowa on BTN clears the Hawkeyes requirement for two BTN appearances with one of the two being a Big Ten opponent.  In case you're curious, the following Big Ten schools need to make a 2nd appearance on BTN: Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio St. and Penn St.  In Iowa's case, they need their 1st appearance as their final regular season game vs. Nebraska is already scheduled for BTN.
* USC needs to make one appearance on Pac-12 Networks the rest of the year, with ten of their games as part of the Pac-12's television contract.  Nine of those ten can be carried as part of the ESPN & FOX Sports packages.  I considered Arizona at USC for the slot occupied by California at Oregon St. If FOX were to have selected Arizona St. at Utah, it would have to move the TV window up to 10pm ET as no Pac-12 game can have its TV window start later than 8pm local time.  If both Pac-12 Networks games are being selected before FS1's game, swap California at Oregon St. & Arizona at USC.
* If there are three Pac-12 Networks windows, since this configuration puts ESPN with three Pac-12 selections this week (they have UCLA at Stanford on Thursday night), make the following changes:

  • Colorado at Washington St. to Pac-12 Networks at 10pm ET
  • Boise St. at BYU to ESPN2 at 10:15pm ET
  • Tulsa at Cincinnati to ESPN2 at 7pm ET
  • UL-Monroe at Appalachian St. to ESPNU at 12pm ET

* I wanted to get a Boise St. game out of the late evening slots now since they are the highest ranked Group of Five team.

12pm ABC: Clemson at Louisville
12pm FOX: West Virginia at Oklahoma
12pm ESPN: Florida at South Carolina
12pm ESPN2: TCU at Kansas St.
12pm ESPNU: Tulsa at Cincinnati
12pm FS1: Wisconsin at Illinois
12pm SEC: Auburn at Arkansas
12pm CBSSN: Toledo at Ball St.
12pm BTN: Purdue at Iowa
12pm ACCN: Duke at Virginia
12pm ACC RSNs: NC State at Boston College
12pm FSN: Iowa St. at Texas Tech
2pm Pac-12: Arizona St. at Utah
3pm ESPN+: Old Dominion at UAB
3:30pm ABC: Oregon at Washington
3:30pm CBS: Kentucky at Georgia
3:30pm ESPN2: Temple at SMU
3:30pm ESPNU: Tulane at Memphis
3:30pm BTN: Minnesota at Rutgers
3:30pm BTN: Indiana at Maryland
3:30pm ACC RSNs: North Carolina at Virginia Tech
4pm FOX: Baylor at Oklahoma St.
4pm SEC: Missouri at Vanderbilt
4pm ACCN: Georgia Tech at Miami (FL)
5:30pm Pac-12: Oregon St. at California
6pm ESPN: Tennessee at Alabama
7pm ESPN2: Boise St. at BYU
7pm ESPNU: Houston at Connecticut
7pm CBSSN: East Carolina at UCF
7:30pm ABC: Michigan at Penn St.
7:30pm SEC: Texas A&M at Ole Miss
7:30pm ACCN: Florida St. at Wake Forest
9pm ESPN: LSU at Mississippi St.
10:15pm ESPN2: Colorado at Washington St.
10:15pm ESPNU: Nevada at Utah St.
10:30pm FS1: Arizona at USC

Monday, September 30, 2019

CFB TV Confirmations for 2019 Week 7 (10/12/19)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for 10/12 from the twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to.  Please understand that games can be held until next Sunday if a broadcaster wants to wait on the results of the Week Six games.  Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their games held for a six day hold of the start time.  

The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases.  They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect) and here is the current schedule for the week as several FBS games do have their time & television/webcast assignments already accounted for.


The number of six day holds available for each conference
ACC: 3 (10/12)
American: 3
Big 12: 4
Big Ten: 3 (10/12)
SEC: 3
Pac-12: 4


All times Eastern

Games on hold
Florida St. at Clemson - ABC at 3:30pm or 7:30pm
Penn St. at Iowa - ABC, FS1 or BTN at 7:30pm
Nebraska at Minnesota - FS1 or BTN at 7:30pm
Michigan St. at Wisconsin - ABC or BTN at 3:30pm


12pm ABC: Michigan at Illinois
12pm ESPN: South Carolina at Georgia
12pm ESPN2: Memphis at Temple
12pm ESPNU: Miami (OH) at Western Michigan
12pm SECN: Mississippi St. at Tennessee
12pm BTN: Rutgers at Indiana
12pm BTN: Maryland at Purdue
12pm CBSSN: Toledo at Bowling Green
12:30pm ACC RSN: Georgia Tech at Duke
2pm ESPN+: Ball St. at Eastern Michigan
3pm ESPN3: New Mexico St. at Central Michigan
3:30pm CBS: Alabama at Texas A&M
3:30pm ESPN2: Cincinnati at Houston
3:30pm CBSSN: BYU at USF
3:30pm Pac-12: Washington St. at Arizona St.
3:30pm ESPN+: Northern Illinois at Ohio
3:30pm ESPN3: Kent St. at Akron
3:45pm ESPNU: Connecticut at Tulane
4pm ESPN: Iowa St. at West Virginia
4pm FS1: Texas Tech at Baylor
4pm SECN: UNLV at Vanderbilt
4pm ACCN: Rhode Island at Virginia Tech
5pm ESPN+: Georgia St. at Coastal Carolina
7pm ESPN2: Ole Miss at Missouri
7:30pm ESPNU: Navy at Tulsa
7:30pm SECN: Arkansas at Kentucky
7:30pm ACCN: Louisville at Wake Forest
8pm ESPN: Florida at LSU
8pm Pac-12: Utah at Oregon St.
10:15pm ESPN2: Hawai'i at Boise St.
11pm FS1: Washington at Arizona