No Sibs weekend is the weekend before for the BG game.

Really?

So we complain when we don't get a game on any network at anytime, and we complain when we do because it doesn't fit into everyone's schedule?

Seriously?

Hi,  Alum of a 15-5, 6-0 MAC basketball team who made an awesome run in the NCAA Tournament last year and happens to have a game at 11 am on a Saturday..

  Quit complaining.

No announcement, but the schedule page on OhioBobcats.com now lists it at 11am on ESPNU.

http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/ohio-m-baskbl-sched.html

The ohiobobcats.com schedule says ESPNU for the game when you click on the Kent State game tab.

This is the same type of plan about 14 guys and I had.  The numbers of that group could be cut down strictly because of tip time.  Like I said in the earlier post, I'll be there no matter what.  This type of plan is exactly why I think ALL of our games should be scheduled for later in the day at the outset.  What's wrong with making the standard home tip off 4pm to 7pm, instead of 2pm?  Then when the "wild cards" on TV get in the way, at least there are more that are later in the day?  My feeling, and maybe I'm wrong, is that later tip times generally lead to better attendance.  Also, it probably leads to more people spending the whole afternoon in Athens' various food & beverage establishments, and that is always a good thing for the local economy.

I don't get our "Blackout" basketball promotions. We have already worn black uniforms at home in the same night that we gave away black replica jerseys. What difference does calling a game the blackout game do?

It's Official

Two thoughts:

1)  Do we get any money for playing on ESPNU?  If so, then I feel better about this decision.

2)  I hope athletics puts together a creative promotion for this game.  How about free McDonald's breakfast to the first 3,000 students who show up wearing pajama pants or something?  I don't really care, but something to get students out of bed and into the Convo would be nice. 

FWIW, here is a link with ratings for ESPN games. Based upon the VMI/Coastal Carolina numbers, I would guess at least 100K households would watch. Which is much better than the Friday night Horizon League spot.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013/01/college-basketball-tv-ratings-numbers-for-most-of-the-games-so-far/

Saturday 11 AM games:
1/26 ESPNU Syracuse vs. Villanova TBD
1/19 ESPNU VMI vs. Coastal Carolina  0.1 rating (94K households)
1/12 ESPN2 Georgetown vs. St. John's  0.1 rating (197K households)
1/5   ESPN2 Ptt vs. Rutgers  0.3 rating  (401K housefolds)

A 0.1 rating...0.1?? Are you serious??

The fact that we're selling out to ESPN for a 0.1 rating is sad to say the least. We have absolutely sold our soul to TV. Give me a great atmosphere in the Convo with 10K screaming fans over an 11:00 am game watched by maybe 100K nationwide.

Like Ozcat and others have said - the OUT OF TOWN travelling contingent is very negatively affected by this time start. Athens is AT LEAST AN HOUR from..............EVERYWHERE (or as Lou Holtz recently said on ESPN - "Athens is 15 minutes from Columbus - by phone".). The OUT OF TOWN travelling contingent I would argue is the second most critical factor in big attendance figures, the students of course being first. Per Athens and impact, well the students are broke (but they may be indeed "blacked out" at 11:00 AM).

The difference between noon and 11:00 AM start - with an hour and 1/2 drive/park/get in (never mind wait in the concessions line) is HUGE (and of course even worse for those coming from parts further yonder). I'll be there, but it really stinks.

(Note to self - pack a Gatorade in my jacket so I don't have to worry about the concession line before game start, and fill up gas tank day before so I don't have to get stuck trying to get back on RT 33 coming outta that Speedway at Carroll behind some gomer that won't leave room for me to pull a right on red, and remember to watch out for that overzealous state trooper who hangs out before and after Nelsonville to get his monthly quota speeding tickets from southbound Bobcats hurrying to the game, and remember to get around that 16 wheeler before I have to slog along behind it all the way through Nelsonville, and remember to check the state highway construction updates to make sure the I 270/33 ramp is not closed down for some construction or accident outta nowhere when I had left just in time and have to figure out how in God's name to find a way around.................).

Because you can get to Athens, you prefer that. Though I have to point out 100,000 is more than The Convo can hold.

The MAC is a stable conference.  Not being part of realignment is a good thing in our case.  We have a ways to go before we can join that conversation.

How many people drive an hour to go to a Temple BBall game? In friggin' Philly, nearly 6M metro population, and only avg 8K per game................They are a "TV" program....................

EDIT - Well, I guess they could have worse traffic affecting their drive time than Nelsonville (or that other pesky state trooper over by Peebles coming in from Cincy)..................