TV impact of Notre Dame to ACC: ND-Florida State, Miami football games; ND-Duke, NC in hoops

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Well, this is big.

Notre Dame is joining the ACC in all sports, with the exception of football and hockey. However, the Irish will play 5 football games against ACC teams.

Details still are coming out, but here’s a quick look at the winners and losers from a TV perspective.

Winner: ESPN. With the ACC rights deal running through 2027, the addition of Notre Dame should make for plenty of attractive match-ups on the basketball side. Duke-Notre Dame. North Carolina-Notre Dame. Those games will generate interest.

On the football side, you have to figure at least 2 of those Notre Dame games will be on ACC turf. That gives ESPN/ABC the rights to those games. The networks love Notre Dame.

Winner: Florida State-Notre Dame, Miami-Notre Dame games: You can be sure they will be two of the five ACC games on an annual basis, or close to it. Again, good for ESPN/ABC and NBC.

Winner: NBC. Notre Dame’s football deal with NBC runs through 2015. In June, Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Chicago Tribune’s Brian Hamilton that he was trying to decide whether to negotiate a new deal.

“We’ve had a series of meetings, we’ve exchanged information, and I think we will have a decision to make probably within the next 30 days about all of that,” Swarbrick said in a phone interview Wednesday. “That’s probably the range we’re in … Don’t hold me to 30 (days), but it’s in that window.”

If anything, the ACC deal makes the Notre Dame home TV schedule more attractive with games against FSU and Miami. Look for NBC and the NBC Sports Network, which need a strong college football presence, to seek an extension on a new deal.

Loser: Big Ten. The idea of Notre Dame ever joining the conference was a pipe dream, anyway. However, with the Irish playing five ACC games, will any of its traditional Big Ten match-ups (Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State) come off the schedule? Michigan State actually is off after 2013.

Loser: USC. Is this long-running series in peril? The addition of 5 ACC games means somebody has to go. Remains to be seen.

Loser: Big East. Goes without saying.

 

What’s new for NFL 2012: NFL Network gets more quantity, quality; Finally continuity with Nessler-Mayock

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Last in a series:

The NFL didn’t just give the NFL Network more games. The league also gave the network an improved schedule.

NFL Network kicks off its expanded 13-game schedule Thursday with Chicago-Green Bay at Lambeau Field. I’m sure ESPN would have preferred that hated rivalry game over Baltimore whipping Cincinnati for its Monday night debut.

Then again, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the NFL took care of its own with a marquee opener. The league wants to build this enterprise, which is a big reason why the Thursday night package landed on NFL Network as opposed to another network.

More Thursday night games will help drive more eyeballs to the network. And it will put more pressure on Time Warner Cable, the lone holdout with Cablevision now in the fold, to finally come to a resolution with the NFL Network.

During a conference call, I addressed those issues with Mark Quenzel, senior vice president of production and programming for NFL Network.

What is the impact on the network of having games in September as opposed to starting in November? 

Quenzel: I think we have a lot of great quality programming, some great people and great shows on our network, and great analysis that we do.  But the bottom line is there’s nothing that even comes close to games.  And to be able to have five additional games to start the season, to be able to deliver that kind of value, and to have the kind of promotional platform that games bring, allows you to talk about everything else you’re doing. Our network is a lot more than just games obviously, and it allows us to tell our fans, to tell NFL fans, what else is out there that they can watch and be a part of.  So that’s a huge thing.

What does it mean for the distribution of the NFL Network?

Quenzel: Obviously we are thrilled Cablevision came on two weeks ago, and that’s a big, big score for us, particularly in the New York market. It’s a big deal.  Obviously a lot has been written about Time Warner, and they’re the only major carrier that doesn’t have NFL Network.  I’m hoping, I think we’re all hoping, that we can figure it out because there are a lot of NFL fans in those Time Warner markets, and they deserve to see the 13 games, and they deserve to see all the other programming and have that choice.

I’m hopeful that we can work something out with them, and I think that would be obviously to everybody’s advantage, but clearly to the NFL fan, that’s the best thing that could possibly happen.

Regarding the schedule, it seems like this is the best NFL Network ever has had. The league obviously owns the channel; they make the schedule. Is there any connection there? What goes into determining who gets what games?

Quenzel: As in most things with the National Football League, and I’m telling you from my heart, it’s an incredibly level playing field.  I go in there, there’s a gentleman named Howard Katz, who is the master of all things with the schedule, and I go in probably right behind the ESPN guys and right behind the NBC guys and I beg Howard for the best games I can possibly get, and he looks at me and smiles and says, I’ll see what I can do.

But the point is I think that ‑‑ look, I know it’s the NFL Network, but speaking frankly, we have some great, great partners that pay us a fair amount ‑‑ pay the NFL a fair amount of money, and they deserve great games.  So while I’m thrilled about our schedule, I think if you look at it, I think if you asked Fox how they felt about Green Bay‑San Francisco yesterday or NBC with Peyton Manning against the Steelers last night, I think they feel pretty good about their games, too.

I’m thrilled with the schedule.  I think that we got some great games to start off, and I think we’ve got some real potential, particularly in the back end of the schedule, New Orleans‑Atlanta, obviously Denver‑Oakland, those games, divisional games, so I am thrilled with it.  But I do think if you look across the entire spectrum of our broadcast partners that everyone has got some things to be excited about, particularly after yesterday and some of the initial ratings I’ve seen from (week 1) look like they’re pretty darned good.

*******

Continuity in the booth

For once, one thing that won’t change for the NFL Network is the announce team. Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock return for their second year in the booth with Alex Flanagan on the sidelines.

That’s no small item for a network that has struggled with its announcing team. Remember Bryant Gumbel on play-by-play?

Continuity is a good thing. Nessler, Mayock and Flanagan appear to be in for the long haul.

Quenzel: It’s not a secret that we’ve had a little bit of a revolving door in terms of our on‑air talent for Thursday Night Football. The three of them I thought were spectacular last year, jumping in, by the way, for the first time really together and trying to do it midway through the season.  To have them back for a second year, to start at the beginning of the season, I can’t tell you how excited I am about being able to do 13 games with them and really being able to get a rhythm because I think they’re fantastic.

Nessler:  Mark talked about Mike and Alex and I, and our production team.  We kind of feel like we were just getting revved up when the season ended for us last year because of the half‑season schedule, and so this year we’re ready to go full bore.

 

 

 

An instant classic: John Clayton ESPN ad has generated nearly 2 million page views on youtube

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All it took was one 30-second commercial to turn John Clayton into a Youtube phenomenon.

At last check, his new SportsCenter ad has generated nearly 2 million page views.

Clayton, 58, told USA Today’s Michael Hiestand the response has been overwhelming:

Clayton, who began writing about football in high school and lives in Pittsburgh, says being on TV gets him “recognized just about any place in public. But with this, it’s just like, wow!”

At 4:30 a.m. local time at the Kansas City airport Monday, “I was checking out my iPad and saw a tweet saying, ‘I can’t believe I’m sitting by John Clayton at the airport,’ ” Clayton said.

Later, Hiestand writes:

Clayton marvels that the ad has drawn more than 2 million Youtube hits. Yet he seems a bit disappointed: “They wouldn’t let me keep the wig.”

All I can say is: Hey Ma, I finished my segment!

Classic.

 

 

Peyton effect: NBC records highest Sunday night rating

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Peyton Manning, America’s quarterback? Sunday’s rating speaks for itself.

From NBC:

Sunday’s Steelers-Broncos game on NBC was the highest-rated Sunday Night Football game ever and tied the 2010 NFL Kickoff opener as the highest-rated regular-season NFL game ever on NBC. Additionally, the game earned NBC’s highest-ever regular-season primetime rating in the advertiser-coveted Adult 18-49 demographic, according to official national data released today by The Nielsen Company.

Sunday night’s game on NBC, in which the Broncos defeated the Steelers, 31-19, in Peyton Manning’s first game as quarterback of the Broncos, drew a 16.5 national household rating and a 26 share, the highest-rated Sunday Night Football game ever, topping the 15.7/25 for last year’s Cowboys-Giants Week 17 finale by five percent. Additionally, the 16.5/26 rating ties the 2010 NFL Kickoff opener (Vikings-Saints) as the highest-rated NFL primetime regular-season game ever on NBC.

The Steelers-Broncos game was seen by 27.57 million viewers, less than one percent below the most-watched NFL regular-season primetime game ever on NBC (27.62 million for Cowboys-Giants Week 17 game last year that determined the NFC East title).

Also, the 44.2/67 rating in Denver is best for that market for any regular-season NFL game since 9/22/03 (44.5/61 for Oakland-Denver on ABC).

That means 2/3s of the TVs in Denver were tuned into the game. Makes me wonder what the other 1/3 were watching.

 

Headlines: New First Take host; Leafs GM slams ESPN; Scalabrine to call Celtics games; Dr. J book in the works

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Chris Berman called an NFL game last night and Twitter didn’t explode. Interesting.

Now for the headlines…:

The Big Lead reports the new First Take host will be Cari Champion. Hopefully, she knows she has to work between Skip Bayless and Stephen A.

The Toronto Maple Leafs GM isn’t happy about ESPN The Magazine ranking its franchise the worst in sports.

Brian Scalabrine retires; to call Celtics games. Won’t be long before he goes national. He’ll be great.

Here’s the playlist for the Rolling Stones on Monday Night Football.

A Dr. J autobiography is in the works. It will be co-written by Phil Taylor.

The Big 12 makes its debut on Fox on Sept. 22. Kansas State at Oklahoma State.

A really stupid idea. Proposed Paterno movie in the works, starring Al Pacino. I’ll pass.

A reviewer liked Fox’s new documentary series on Liverpool football.

The new Pac 12 Network and Dish have a deal.

Praise in Baltimore for Tirico, Gruden and ESPN MNF.

 

 

 

 

Michelle Beadle looks to be in line for morning show at NBC Sports Network

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Just checked my cable guide for the morning listings on NBC Sports Network.

After its new highlights show, The Lights, the network’s daytime programming for Tuesday features a huge block of outdoors shows from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET

Nothing against hunting and fishing (actually, I have a lot against hunting), but NBC Sports Network isn’t going to compete with ESPN with that kind of programming.

That should change soon. Michelle Beadle looks to be in line for some sort of a morning show on NBC Sports Network.

Network president Jon Miller definitely wants to find a role for Beadle, who joined NBC in the spring. Her duties at Access Hollywood make mornings a likely fit for Beadle on NBCSN.

“We’re trying to find the right format for her,” Miller said. “She could be a perfect morning show for us. We’re talking with some other people she might work with. She’s really a talent. She’s looking to work more and we’re looking to put her to work. It’s only a matter of time before we come out with an announcement about a show with her.”

As for the rest of the network’s programming, Miller said he is pleased with the progress. Miller said The Lights soon will be expanded from two to three hours in the morning.

Wednesday, NFL Turning Point makes its season debut. Hosted by Dan Patrick, the show features analysis and behind-the-scenes video and audio from games. It was nominated for an Emmy last year.

“People are finding they want to do business with us, and we’re open for business,” Miller said. “We’re not looking to knock anyone out from No. 1 anytime soon. That’s not our goal right now. Our goal is to provide content driven, attractive sports programming that people will want to watch.”

 

 

 

 

 

Replacement refs=Longer games; Networks can’t be pleased

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I’d like to throw a flag at the replacement referees: 15 yards for slow play.

Or make that 15 minutes.

Brad Biggs in the Chicago Tribune writes the average game time for Sunday’s opener was 3 hours, 14 1/2 minutes.

From Biggs:

The Bears’ game went 3 hours, 25 minutes, and all non-overtime games before the Sunday night Steelers-Broncos meeting averaged 3 hours, 14½ minutes. The Redskins-Saints game lasted 3:42 because there were two extended injury delays. Six games lasted 3:18 or longer.

That’s up considerably from the average that it is in the 3:06 neighborhood. The reason seems clear: the replacement refs were extremely confused, taking longer to sort out penalties, etc.

The ultimate in confusion took place in the Seattle-Arizona game when the referees lost track of timeouts for the Seahawks. The incident gave former NFL referee Mike Pereira a chance to vent during the Fox Sports telecast.

Elsewhere, the new refs went flag happy. There were 18 penalties in the Green Bay-San Francisco game, slowing down the pace considerably.

I can’t imagine the networks were pleased with the slow play. They like the games to fit in a neat 3-hour window, or close to it. Viewers tend to hit the remote when games drag on.

You can sure the NFL is sensitive to the situation. They’ll demand the replacements pick up the pace.

Or better yet, the league should just settle with the regular officials.

 

 

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Media trouble in New York: Jets LB cites ‘media mutiny’; Girardi battles NY Post columnist

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Athletes, managers angry at the New York media? So rare and unexpected.

After the Jets’ big victory on Sunday, linebacker Bart Scott said he wasn’t talking. Assumingly, he’s not sure of the right term to say he’s not talking.

From CBSSports.com:

“I’ve got a media mutiny,” Bart Scott told Jim Corbett of USA Today when Corbett approached his locker after the game.

Asked if he meant “boycott,” Scott told Corbett that, yes, he meant boycott and no he wasn’t interested in talking. Then Scott proceeded to talk anyway.

“You guys treat us like we’re a [bleeping] joke,” Scott said. “You all want us to feed your papers, but then you all talk [bleep] about us. So why would I want to give you all quotes to sell papers with if you all treat us like [bleep]? That doesn’t make sense.”

Hey, Bart: Don’t get too full of yourself. You beat the Bills, not the Patriots.

********

Saturday, things got a bit hot between Yankees manager Joe Girardi and New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman (no relation to yours truly).

From LarryBrownsports.com:

“I think [the previous reporter] might have just asked my question,” Sherman acknowledged. “Are you convinced CC (Sabathia) is healthy?” he asked.

“Yes, this is the third time, yes. Yes, he’s healthy,” Girardi replied.

“It’s part of the game,” Sherman said in response, trying to defend his question after noticing Girardi seemed irked.

“I know, but I was asked three times,” said Girardi.

“Still part of the game,” Sherman continued.

“No, I’m not lying. One time (to ask the question) is sufficient,” an annoyed Girardi told Sherman.

“Joe, you make big money as Yankee manager, it’s part of the job,” we believe Sherman said to end the exchange, though it was tough to tell exactly what he said.

Girardi shook his head at Sherman, didn’t respond, and then fielded a question from another reporter. It was after the press conference when things got really heated.

According to an account from ESPN’s Andrew Marchand, Girardi called Sherman into his office where they had a heated confrontation. The two reportedly went nose-to-nose in an argument, with Girardi telling Sherman not to tell him how to do his job, and Sherman saying the same thing back to Girardi. Marchand says the two had to be separated by security.

Looks like the pennant race is getting Girardi.

 

 

What’s new for NFL 2012: Another lineup switch for ESPN on MNF; how long before Gruden coaches again?

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Since ESPN took over Monday Night Football in 2006, the only constant has been Mike Tirico in the play-by-play seat.

The first year saw Tirico work with Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser. The chemistry wasn’t right, and out went Theismann and in came Ron Jaworski for 2007.

That trio lasted two years until Kornheiser decided he had enough of MNF, or they had enough of him. Take your pick. Enter Jon Gruden in 2009.

Again, ESPN felt it wasn’t right. After a three-year run, the network sent Jaworski back to the sidelines last spring. Now ESPN is banking two is better than three with Tirico and Gruden on the call for 2012.

Why another change? On the eve of the 43rd season for Monday Night Football, I posed the question of Tirico and producer Jay Rothman:

Tirico: I would say the difference, simply, having more of a conversation with one person, as opposed to spreading it out back and forth. That’s where the dynamic of the broadcast changes. People were under the false impression that a three‑man booth led to more chatter. Like any other broadcast ‑‑ there are no plays that go by with complete silence so, there’s just as much real estate.

We’ll be able to take a conversation and develop it and follow‑up on things. I’ll give you a great example, there was a screen pass in the game that we had in the preseason and Jon talked about the perfect phasing of the offensive line. And I know that term only because I’ve been around Jon for last four years and he’s taught us that. I was able to follow up with him on the next play, as opposed to going somewhere else.

So I think we’ll be able to do more of that. Just the nature of ‑‑ a conversation with two people who like each other, love football, and are prepared for the entirety of what’s in front of us that week with the two teams. I think you’ll get more of that in the broadcast with two, as opposed to three.

Rothman: Well, the only thing I would say about that is Jon is a unique talent and has a lot to offer. I think it’s very difficult and you’ll see there’s really no three‑man booth out there in terms of football coverage, really in NFL or college football.

It’s very difficult in a game with a play clock and the short window in which you dissect the game and analyze the game, that sort of thing. It’s cluttered. That’s why you don’t really see it.

I think this allows for more space and it allows for us to be more precise and on point. It allows us to showcase Jon and Mike’s talents, and we think it’s the right move.

*******

However, will ESPN have to make another change in 2012? I think it’s an upset that Gruden, 49, is back for his fourth year.

I asked Tirico if he is surprised that the former coach hasn’t become a current coach again?

Tirico: I think that after all the stories I read that Jon was not going to be back after year one, here is what I’ve learned over time. The more energy you spend predicting the future is wasted energy. You have no idea what’s going to transpire and what’s going to go on.

The unfortunate thing with a three‑man booth because I know that if at some point, Jon leaves, it’s because he gets sick of me.

But hopefully Jon enjoys what he’s doing ‑‑ and he can speak for himself, he’s a big boy. But we love having him and every day, whether it’s for the next 20 years or the next 20 months, every day that I get to work with Jon has made me a better broadcaster and I look forward to it and I hope the run doesn’t end, I really don’t.

******

As for Mr. Gruden, this is what he has to say about his future:

Gruden: When I got fired from coaching, obviously I had a tremendous loss. I didn’t know what to do. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to be on Monday Night Football and be on with Mike Tirico and have a chance to work with Ron Jaworski at ESPN that have helped train me, and I know that I have to get better.

But when you work at ESPN, they call it “the worldwide leader” for a reason; if you can see the tape that they send me to watch, that’s what has really quenched my thirst for coaching. I get plenty of video to evaluate. I get to go to different teams and spend days there and watch them practice and see their facilities, meet their players and coaches.

So it’s really been a tremendous growing opportunity for me professionally, trying something new, and also staying on top of what’s going on in football. I’ve really enjoyed it.

*****

Gruden hits 50 next year. That’s a sobering number and you start to hear the clock ticking a bit louder.

I can’t see him not coaching again. If the opportunity is right, Tirico will be in line for yet for another partner.

 

Joe Mooshil,1925-2012: Veteran Chicago AP sportswriter

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If you worked the press boxes in Chicago, you loved working with Joe Mooshil.

He could be gruff, and definitely didn’t suffer fools, and that includes coaches, players and owners. But if you earned the respect of the veteran Associated Press reporter in Chicago, it meant something.

From the obit in the Tribune:

On Saturday, friends and family remembered him as a gruff-voiced master of the sports world who nearly always had a cigar in his mouth, but whose tough exterior melted around those he loved.

From the Tribune’s Paul Sullivan:

“He was a classic, old-school sportswriter. It was hard to believe that anyone could write on deadline as sharply as he did. He made it look easy. He never got flustered.”

And from the Tribune’s Dave van Dyck:

“Joe Mooshil was kind of scary to us young guys because he had this gruff demeanor,” van Dyck said, chuckling. “Anything he said, he said it with this gruff and booming voice. But once you got to know him, he was just the opposite.”

Van Dyck also recalled Mr. Mooshil’s persistence as a reporter.

“I can remember many times coaches and managers getting really mad at him because he kept asking the same question over and over again until they really answered it,” van Dyck said. “He would never let them get off easy.”

A statement from Jerry Reinsdorf:

“The Chicago sports scene has lost a member of the Old Guard … with the passing of Joe Mooshil,” Chicago Bulls and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement Saturday. “It’s probably fitting in a way that he passed away on a fall weekend filled with sports events, because Joe covered them all during his long and honor-filled career.”