TV Changes College Game; Who Makes the Decisions? Do Television Broadcasts, Specifically Those of ESPN, Give the Broadcaster Power Over the Team and Its Fans?
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SPORTS Technique • Friday, February 2, 2001 • 31 TV changes college game; who makes the decisions? Do television broadcasts, specifically those of ESPN, give the broadcaster power over the team and its fans? By Joe Dana Of course,” said Brett Pyne, The Daily Universe Director of Sports Informa- tion. (U-WIRE) Brigham Young It is also a national popu- University—It would be too larity contest between colleges many seconds wasted on [BYU to win over recruits and more mascot] Cosmo the Cougar. fans. BYU’s lovable smile with long “BYU has determined they legs was supposed to be in- want to be one of the prelim- troduced before the team’s inary programs in the coun- starting five. Before? The man try and they were willing to crouched in a van outside of make some sacrifices,” Mi- the Marriott Center said that nor said. would be unacceptable. But some believe the con- “I don’t want the mascot trol of television is disrupt- to be introduced first. We need ing the college sports the team to come first with community’s original inten- the music,” said ESPN pro- tions. ducer Jeff Kibler, dressed in Fifty-five year-old Salt Lake black and a headset. City resident Jay Benson, who Kibler sat in front of more usually attends the game with than 20 televisions with his his daughter Brenda, came crew, shuttled from San Fran- to Monday’s game alone. cisco over the weekend. They “She’s got school tomor- were covering Big Monday, row,” Benson said. “It’s about which featured the basketball money, I know that. But I rivalry between BYU and don’t know who stays up late Utah. enough to watch it on TV They are part of The En- By Kristi Odom / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS anyway. I would rather be tertainment Sports Network, ESPN’s Big Monday College Basketball Game has been compared to the NFL’s Monday Night Football. Is the business here with my family.” holder of a seven-year con- of College Hoops making too much of an impact on the team, the student and the fan? Who’s really in charge? Pyne admits there are tract with BYU and the Moun- drawbacks to television’s clout. tain West Conference, and screen than the faithful fan. also seems to represent the rights have since been dis- Minor. “The students probably they dictate many details of “College sports is largely growing influence of televi- tributed to the individual con- Officials of the Mountain benefit more than the fami- the BYU football and men’s driven by television now,” said sion in college sports. The ferences of the NCAA. West Conference believe in lies of the community,” Pyne basketball games, including Mikel Minor, Executive Pro- schools once made all the de- Last year, The Mountain the long run it is a worth- said. game schedules, play times, ducer for Sports West, a divi- cisions about when and where West Conference signed a con- while trade-off. But the interest in gain- and the staging strategies. sion of KSL broadcasting. their games would be played tract with ESPN that gives “ESPN’s power is simple. ing from BYU’s Nielsen po- “We need the starters near- For the second time in two without the pressure of tele- the network the ability to It’s the ability to put the tential is not all bad, Minor est to the half court in the weeks, students and families vision contracts. broadcast any game with a Mountain West Conference said. It is also a sign of im- order they are introduced,” cheered for BYU well into “Television really got its 12-day notice, said Minor. in living rooms across the provement for the program. Kibler said, the clock reading the midnight hour. While thrust in college athletics with During the football season, country,” Burda said. “You “BYU is one of the jewels 22 minutes until game time. many fans left their kids for the anti-trust lawsuit in the ESPN announced the time try to convey that to the fans of the conference as far as Or show time, depending on the babysitter and others 1970’s. Since then it has gained of three home games just eight and hope they understand.” ESPN is concerned,” Minor who you ask. stayed home, most didn’t seem more and more influence,” days before game day. Burda said the contract is said. For the past 20 years, some to mind the late game. said Bob Burda, assistant com- “They can target and pick worth upwards of $50 mil- believe collegiate sports has Big Monday is ESPN’s missioner of the Mountain games that have impact in lion for the conference. That I regret that I ran U-WIRE. I in many ways become more college basketball version of West Conference. the conference and also key money trickles down to BYU. have been a big slacker when it tailored for the television Monday Night Football. It Broadcast negotiating games that have value,” said “There is money involved. comes to the paper. I’m sorry. JOINTHE TECHNIQUE getrandompicturesofyourself inpsas tuesdays. 7 pm. rm 137. student services I’m filling these for Chris 32 • Friday, February 2, 2001 • Technique SPORTS BBall from page 36 (14.1). While the Terps can put the points on the board, they aren’t old-school NBA on defense. They have the fifth highest average point differen- tial in basketball, and while that is largely due to their offense, their defense has been more than ade- quate. The Terps game is winnable; but the Jackets will again need to play a near flawless game to have a chance. Despite the loss to Duke in which they led by 10 points with under a minute remaining, the Terrapins have been playing some of the best basketball on the Atlantic Coast in the last month. This story was written by Ehsan Sar- sharzadeh but was modified by Assis- Photo Courtesy of Georgia Tech Wrestling Club tant Sports Editor Derek Haynes. The Georgia Tech Wrestling Club is this week’s Club Sports Spotlight. The club has organized several tournaments including the Georgia Tech Open Special thanks to both for their help and the Georgia Tech Team Duals which took place last fall and represents Tech in competitions against both varsity and club teams. For more this week. Please email questions, com- information on joining the team or their schedule visit the website at http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/wrestling or keep reading the Technique. ments to [email protected] literary & art magazine Be creative. Express yourself. Don’t fit the stereotype. Sumbit your original: poetry short stories fiction nonfiction artwork photography dspubera@prism I’m filling these for Chris SPORTS Technique • Friday, February 2, 2001 • 33 Jackets sting Seminoles; Jones has excellent showing By Terence Jones leading scorer on the night. “But he far,” said Jones, who contemplated El hombre grande played a great game and put his entering the NBA after just three team in position to win.” seasons at Tech. “This is like icing Alvin Jones recorded his sixth The Seminoles had a hard time on the cake. I have really enjoyed double-double of the season with trying to contain Jones without the this season.” 26 points, 14 rebounds, and four services of their 6-foot-10, 350 The Seminoles led in the game blocked shots as Georgia Tech beat pound, starting center, Nigel Dix- only once, early on at 4-3, then fell Florida State 77-68 last Saturday on, held from the game for unex- behind by double digits most of the afternoon at Alexander Memorial plained reasons. The Seminoles other way before twice rallying to within Coliseum. The win moved the Yel- a single point, the second time com- low Jackets to 4-4 at the half-way ing with just over 11 minutes to go point in the ACC season for just the in the game. The Seminoles were second time in the last five years. “It’s been a great within striking distance with around Meanwhile, the hapless Seminoles five minutes remaining, trailing 64- remained winless in the ACC, push- career for me so 60, however, the Jackets reeled off ing their league record to 0-7. far...this is like icing on 10 straight points, effectively shat- Jones matched his season high tering the Seminoles hopes and put- in scoring, set in the previous game the cake. I have really ting the game away. against Clemson, shooting 8-of-11 enjoyed this season” “We did fall way behind at the from the floor, and 10-of-15 from start, but our guys showed a lot of the free throw line. His performance Alvin Jones toughness to come back and get in marked the seventh time this sea- Senior Guard the game,” said FSU coach Steve son he has led the Jackets in scoring. Robinson. “We were down by just With Tech shooting just 4-of-19 1 point with 10 minutes left in the from beyond the arc, their worst second half, and I’ll take that posi- outing of the season, Jones’ perfor- two centers, Mike Mathews and tion. We are improving. We just mance kept Tech in the game David Anderson, both fouled out fall short sometimes.” throughout, eventually helping the trying to contest the goliath Jones. The Yellow Jackets improved to Jackets pull away convincingly at Jones has now scored over 20 points 12-7 on the season, 4-4 in the ACC, the end. in three of his last four games.