The nice thing is that the SEC is only a CBS so technically it's national coverage, but if the SEC was with ABC and ESPN+ more of their games would be shown on a saturday. Yes, there is the usual sat. evening game on ESPN and or ESPN2,but if you don't live in a SEC state you never see the Jefferson Pilot games. Personally I always thought JP's coverage was minor-league compared to what you see with ESPN+ and or ESPN or ESPN2. I think you would have more SEC games available on the digital cable or sat tv packages if the SEC signed with ABC/ESPN. For example between ESPN and ESPN2, and ESPN+ and ABC you can see all five big ten games on a saturday even if you live out of big ten country through cable and sat. tv packages. The CBS contract is good, but in some markets the SEC game isn't shown at all. For example in some markets in Ohio and Michigan if the 3:30pm game goes against Michigan, MSU, or Ohio State the local CBS affiliate will show a movie or reruns since the ratings will actually be higher for that instead of an SEC game. I don't know if CBS can force affiliates to show all SEC games, but the tv station makes more money in those cases by not showing the SEC game.
Didn't know there was that problem in the mid-west. I live in Georgia so it's never not shown. I'm surprised they would not show a college football game on a Saturday afternoon anywhere, especially with all of the transients in the Chicago area. A friend of mine lives out west and he saw all of the LSU games last year that were on CBS and ESPN. The JP thing is somewhat of a pain but I can see why they have it instead of the ESPN exclusive. ABC has contracts with the Big 12 and the Big 10 I believe so I would much rather stay on CBS myself. And if you get ESPN gameplan I think the only SEC game you cannot get is the JP game and the CBS game.
Yeah, the CBS affiliate in Chicago is owned by the network so you got all the SEC games. But I was visiting in Michigan once and CBS affiliate didn't show the SEC game since it went against a big ten game. In the bigger cities like Milwaukee, MPLS, Detroit and Chicago you get the SEC games, but in some places they aren't shown against a local big ten on ABC.
Maybe it's like they do it up here in Dallas on Sundays. If there is another game on while the Cowboys are playing, the CBS affiliate here won't show it. Personally, I think that's disgusting. If the hometown team can't draw the viewers, then it's because they suck. Freedom of choice, I say. I was able to watch all of the LSU games, except for ULM and Western Illinois last year. Fortunately, we didn't have any of those lousy JP "productions," but that's because we were good. However, I'd have been able to pay-per-view any of the JP games, and I did order the Louisiana Tech game, which was on Tigervision (and could possibly have ordered the other two games I mentioned.) One doesn't have to subscribe to ESPN Gameplan to pay-per-view any of their offerings on my satellite system. I just click on the game I want, get billed for it, and enjoy. But what's the question about Saturday games? All of the CBS games are for 2:30 on Saturdays (JP is at 11:30.) And ESPN nationally televises the SEC regularly, although CBS gets the pick of the SEC game of the week in most cases.
Okay, this schedule below shows that CBS's coverage isn't very good. On the 4th ABC is showing regionally Miami, OH @ Michigan at noon and Michigan State vs. Rutgers @ 3:30 regionally. PLus, BGSU vs. OK at noon and OK State @ UCLA and Wake @ Clemson. Now where is CBS on this weekend? SEC games involving SC-Vandy, Kentucky and Tennessee are not shown on the network. You can't tell me Miami, OH-Michigan and Rutgers-MSU are huge games of national interest, but they get on network tv. There is no national broadcast tv access for the SEC that weekend. Maybe they didn't schedule any heavy duty games, but CBS is not doing a great job on this. If you live in big ten country it's a great tv weekend. If you live in SEC country it's only so-so. SC and Vandy should be on national tv at least on CBS that weekend. Sep. 4 Sat. Miami (OH) @ Michigan Noon ABC/GP Sep. 4 Sat. Bowling Green @ Oklahoma Noon ABC/GP Sep. 4 Sat. California @ Air Force Noon ESPN Sep. 4 Sat. Virginia @ Temple Noon ESPN2 Sep. 4 Sat. South Carolina @ Vanderbilt 12:30 p.m. JP Sep. 4 Sat. Michigan Stae @ Rutgers 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP Sep. 4 Sat. Oklahoma State @ UCLA 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP Sep. 4 Sat. Wake Forest @ Clemson 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP Sep. 4 Sat. Tulane @ Mississippi State 6:00 p.m. ESPN2 Sep. 4 Sat. Colorado State @ Colorado 8:00 p.m. FSN Sep. 4 Sat. Toledo @ Minnesota 9:00 p.m. ESPN2 Sep. 4 Sat. Notre Dame @ BYU 9:15 p.m. ESPN Sep. 5 Sun. Syracuse @ Purdue 12:30 p.m. ABC Sep. 5 Sun. Kentucky @ Louisville 3:30 p.m. ESPN Sep. 5 Sun. Fresno State @ Washington 5:30 p.m. FSN Sep. 5 Sun. UNLV @ Tennessee 8:00 p.m. ESPN2 Sep. 6 Mon. Nevada @ Louisiana Tech 1:00 p.m. ESPN2 Sep. 6 Mon. Pittsburgh @ USF 4:30 p.m. ESPN Sep. 6 Mon. Florida State @ Miami, Fla. 8:00 p.m. ABC
Most of CBS' and ESPN's SEC games have yet to be scheduled. LSU/Auburn and LSU/Florida, just to name two games isn't anywhere on there, but they will definitely be nationally televised.
Ralph, CBS can't televise the SEC game due to the SEC not letting them, they wanted more money I think. But I would rather have the national exposure of the CBS game and then an ESPN night game over all of the regional coverage myself. I've never really looked at it real hard but I am thankful that I was able to see all but 2 of LSU's games last season here in Georgia and the 2 I missed were W. Illni and ULM. La Tech was on ESPN in Georgia for some reason, maybe I was at a bar I guess. :rofl: And on the 4th the LSU/OSU game will be on ESPN starting at 5 o'clok.
The NFL is a little different in how they show games. If you are in a home market for a team, you can get only have your team's game at that time, then the next set of games you should get 1 on each channel. It has to do with the NFL contract and blackout issues. that is why if you are a DirecTV NFL Ticket customer you can never see your team play on the 700's, you have to tune into your local affiliate to watch. I think CBS does a great job with their broadcast of SEC games, but i think the Saturday and Thursday night games on ESPN are the best.
I only wish that some CBS games could be at night. UGA has had only 1 home night games the last 2 years and doesnt like like we will have any next year
