Indiana Game - 6 Day Hold
November 5th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^
And Michigan Football
November 5th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
Plan for 3:30 and snow.
November 5th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^
Seriously? Like Rutger, this should be a noon kick to get it over with...
November 5th, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^
Have you taken a look at the conference schedule that day? Other than Wisconsin - Purdue this is the only other decent game that weekend.
November 5th, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
I think a 9-1 OSU at 6-4 Maryland is a decent game
November 5th, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
Taking the MSU game for granted for the Buckeyes?
November 5th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
Agreed, but the networks are eating up the Michigan story. More eyeballs at 3:30 pm.
November 5th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
But like...are you Adam Biggers?
November 5th, 2018 at 12:10 PM ^
I think he is Wedge Antilles.
November 5th, 2018 at 2:06 PM ^
I rather go at 3:30pm, more tailgate time for me
November 5th, 2018 at 11:30 AM ^
So the division clinching party will be at Schembechler Hall at 7pm on the 17th?
Noted.
November 5th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^
My dad has season tickets and unfortunately this is the only game I'm gonna make it to this year. Can't wait to make it back to Ann Arbor. Hopefully the game goes well and we can get a good beat Ohio chant going.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
?↩️ Networks have chosen to use their six-day selections for the 11/17 B1G games. No games will be primetime.
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) November 5, 2018
More #IUFB-Michigan details this weekend.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
To hell with all TV contracts. I have guests from out of town. Chicago, in fact. The difference for them, between a noon game and a 3:30 game, is the difference of whether they get a room on Friday night for a noon kick, or a room on Saturday night for a 3:30 kick.
To the University of Michigan Athletic Department: You are insulting your most important demographic, your critical core supporters, with these contractual concessions to television contracts.
I cannot imagine Fox or ESPN/ABC or especially the BTN saying, sorry, we won't broadcast Big Ten football, if in the next contract the Conference says, "Our fans demand that we have 30 days' notice of game times, and we want individual-school vetoes on night games. Take it or leave it."
It is time to stop B1G football ticket buyers from getting jerked around by TV contracts.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
I...agree with this?
I know for 99% of teams the money is worth it to be pushed around by TV, but Michigan really could use the Bo quote and be fine.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
The networks have way too much power here and wider ADs should see right through it. What else are they going to show on fall Saturdays - off season golf? The bigger schools will get paid regardless of what network shows what game, so they should be setting the terms and not the networks.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^
I tend to agree. But Fox and ABC/ESPN probably pay a lot more money for the ability to set game times. The B1G brass aren't going to turn down more $$$$$$$$$$$$.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
Well if it is just a matter of "following the money" I say to you and the MGoBoard and the Athletic Department, there is more total revenue from ticket sales, PSD's and general unrestricted donations at Michigan, than there is from these goddamned television contracts.
Per the Department's own revenue estimates in the Budget approved by the Regents.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
Michigan, like every other eligible school in the conference, cashed a check for more than $50 million primarily from TV contracts in June. That ship has sailed.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
And Michigan is getting about $33 million in Preferred Seating Donations, from folks like me. That is wholly apart from our payments for tickets, which is another $46 million.
So while I disagree with you, I am glad you called out that number because it gives me a chance to hammer it rather specifically.
TV (and apparel sales) get all kinds of credit for supporting Michigan athletics when in fact the backbone of revenue is with the season ticket holders.
Of course, I am not suggesting that there be no television, and no contract. I am suggesting that the terms be altered in a way that is merely about game times, to provide ticket holders with nothing more than an ordinary, decent amount of courtesy in making their schedules.
And I'll let Brian Cook talk about commercial interruptions.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
I'm not sure what I said that could be disagreed with, as I never hinted that TV money was the backbone of college athletic budgets. Schools have long made it clear they're going to chase every dollar from every source, given that despite persistent complaints, fans are pretty much fine with the increasing professionalization of college athletics as long as it doesn't involve paying payers. So yes, Michigan, like every other school playing big-time athletics, will keep raising ticket prices and PSL fees and starting games whenever networks say so while cashing an increasingly big conference check each year. So yes, that ship has sailed because schools know that even though fans complain, they're still going to watch and attend games.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^
Following your last sentence, my point is that season ticket holders have financial power on a par with television and we should use it.
Of course, not every season ticket holder will credibly threaten to stop purchasing tickets.
At the same time -- and as I said -- I am not suggesting a sudden end to all TV broadcasting and revenue. Who thinks that television will walk away from Big Ten football if we say we want control over game times?
What I am suggesting is the exertion of pressure on all of the B1G AD's, to negotiate a better deal next time. Who ever suggested that the networks will walk away if we tell them that we will let them in on determining game times, but they need to pick those game times something like 30 days in advance. Is it that big of a deal, to ESPN, if they agree to a noon game instead of a 3:30 game, 30 days in advance instead of 6 days in advance? If so, then tough shit for them.
And about the notion of "professionalization of college athletics"; I am against it, in all forms. And paying the players will only exacerbate the problem. And if anybody thinks that we can get some free money from television to pay players, just look at what TV is doing to the games right now.
November 5th, 2018 at 3:46 PM ^
I guess this assumes there's a major groundswell of anger with the current arrangement. Are season ticket holders and boosters ready to completely walk away from supporting the athletic department en masse to force a change? Are you? If that's not the case, then it's all empty posturing, and the schools know it.
November 6th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
I don't think that constant unremitting pressure and complaining to someone like Warde Manuel, from his most important base of support, is "empty posturing." For my part, I wouldn't have any expectations whatsoever that there would be any major change in television contracts. Only a minor change, and only for the most reasonable of causes; the simple courtesy of allowing ticket holders the opportunity to plan a weekend for which they have paid a lot, in advance.
For any out-of-town Michigan alum, the status quo is like buying a trip to Disneyworld, and letting Disneyworld tell you six days in advance which say your room will be ready.
And further (paraphrasing you): Are television networks ready to completely walk away from broadcasting Big Ten football games in order to avoid an accommodation on kickoff times? If that's not the case, then we are back to serious negotiations and bargaining over the right to get better advance notice on game times.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:31 PM ^
The B1G has granted the networks the opportunity to have FOUR (FOUR!!!!!) weeks every season where they can make 6-day selections.
That's ridiculous - but that's what the B1G agreed upon.
And we are where we are.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
Right. And every well-connected season ticket holder from State College to Columbus to Ann Arbor to Chicago ought to be getting in the ears of their respective athletic departments on this subject.
To make sure that the next contract doesn't cave to such idiotic terms.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
I'd also like to see a limit on the number of games (per week) they are putting 6-day holds on.
This is the second consecutive week where EVERY B1G game is on a 6-day hold.
Some of these "lower level" games can be easily slotted. They're not going to be drawing a ton of TV eyeballs anyway.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
Yeah this was my rant, what, 3 or 4 years ago. Money talks now, either you are going to put up with it or let it go. I actually had an awesome time for the 3:30 game this past weekend.....winning helps a lot. Normally I am a diehard 12 noon guy but again, have to say it was fun!! I did have to get a hotel in Toledo for the night though as I just partied too much to drive all the way to Fort Wayne. The perfect weather also was a factor. But it will have to be a cold day in hell to make me miss this Senior Day. These guys deserve our support. They brought us all the way back, and they believed. They are the new trailblazers. Noon or 3:30, I'll be there!!!
GO BLUE!!
November 5th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
I live in Chicago and make the trip all the time. If you leave after the 3:30 kicks you can be home by 11 so it's not too bad. I prefer coming up Friday either way. Usually just listen to a good SEC game on the way home
November 5th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
I think the team will be up for this game, no matter what time it is. I remember a game, the team was not up for, in 1986. MN came in and upset #2 Michigan at home. Since Harbaugh was QB in that game, he will make sure this will not happen with so much on the line.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
WTF .. i was at that game. Why did you even have to mention that !!!
Go Blue!
November 5th, 2018 at 8:17 PM ^
It was very cold and Michigan treated the football like a volleyball.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^
The weather was cold and cloudy on that day in 1986. Losing their coach Lou Holtz to Notre Dame, the Gophers lost to MSU and OSU by more than four scores earlier in the season.The Wolverines were super flat. It was awful. Minnesota refused to go away. The Michigan defense chased Rickey Foggie all day. Yeah, not a great day.
Hard to believe that Bo let it happen. Hrbaugh followed the game with his famous guarantee. However, I don't think 2018 Rutgers or even Indiana are 1986 Minnesota although Indiana has a nice offense but the team seems to be in a tailspin.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
From a purely selfish perspective I'm hoping this lands at noon. Pulled the grill out of the tailgate kit as we usually do for the last home game and I'd rather not have to rearrange the prepack.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^
My daughter's b-day party is in the morning so I'm hoping for a 3:30pm game so I can make it and take my never-been-to-a-football-game-ever (!!) brother-in-law to the Big House.
American football isn't too huge in South America. Yet.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
Part of me thinks this should be a noon game as others do, but I also believe that our season is getting attention and there is a non-zero chance that this game ends up in a 3:30 spot. I could be wrong, but that's my gut feeling right now.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
As long as Comedian/Masturbator Jim Delaney is commish, this will not change.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
The pressure needs to start with season ticket holders, and be exerted strongly on the AD's. I'd like to put the question to the TV broadcasters, but they don't have to respond to FOIA's and such. Delany has to answer to the AD's, at least in large part. And the question should go to Delaney, "What are our options, if we refuse TV's demands on game time scheduling?" I know damn well that the answer isn't, "Well they won't do our games at all if we insist on that." It is a negotiation. And so far, I don't think that fans are putting enough pressure on the AD's and the press is not sufficiently interested in the story. (What do the newspapers care, about what times the games are? And we know whose side the television networks are on, in terms of their news divisions.)
November 5th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^
I know most on this board don't shift to basketball mode until after the season, but I'm personally hoping for a 330 kick as basketball has a game at noon that day.