Man CBS Screwed Up Big Time

[Wild Turkey]

There was a nugget in the new B1G network deal I didn't realize and that is that NBC is the rights holder to the premier B1G game. When you look at ratings there are really 4 draws in the B1G as far as ratings go:

1. Big OOC games - This is typically true of all conferences
2. Ohio State - They consistently draw
3. Michigan when they are good - When they aren't they fall pretty quickly
4. Games that have big consequences for the national scene like their championship game

For 1 you have to just get lucky and this game be at a B1G stadium and 4 is typically tied to 2 & 3 so by the time you get to the second game your ratings are typically going to go down and most times substantially. CBS for years has had the premier SEC game and has enjoyed monster ratings because of it but after this season that is about to end.

They shot themselves in the foot years ago when the SEC added aTm and Missouri and wouldn't increase the payout which would have allowed them to negotiate additional years on the contract. Let's say they had added 3 years (which the SEC would have agreed to at the time) they would be staring at one of the best financial decisions in their sports history. Instead, they are going to get Michigan games most weeks.

NBC is the clear winner here as they now have Notre Dame which is a ratings generator to lead into the premier B1G game of the day and get to build a network promotion system around all those eyeballs.

 

[Thiefery]

There was a nugget in the new B1G network deal I didn't realize and that is that NBC is the rights holder to the premier B1G game. When you look at ratings there are really 4 draws in the B1G as far as ratings go:

1. Big OOC games - This is typically true of all conferences
2. Ohio State - They consistently draw
3. Michigan when they are good - When they aren't they fall pretty quickly
4. Games that have big consequences for the national scene like their championship game

For 1 you have to just get lucky and this game be at a B1G stadium and 4 is typically tied to 2 & 3 so by the time you get to the second game your ratings are typically going to go down and most times substantially. CBS for years has had the premier SEC game and has enjoyed monster ratings because of it but after this season that is about to end.

They shot themselves in the foot years ago when the SEC added aTm and Missouri and wouldn't increase the payout which would have allowed them to negotiate additional years on the contract. Let's say they had added 3 years (which the SEC would have agreed to at the time) they would be staring at one of the best financial decisions in their sports history. Instead, they are going to get Michigan games most weeks.

NBC is the clear winner here as they now have Notre Dame which is a ratings generator to lead into the premier B1G game of the day and get to build a network promotion system around all those eyeballs.

ehh CBS should still get a good game.. Especially with Riley being at SC. I'm assuming that the UT vs UM game next year will be a primetime NBC game? I'm all for that since I hate attending 11am/Noon kickoffs.

 

[Red_Alert]

Meh. If it's on broadcast TV it'll get decent ratings because......

It's free

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

There was a nugget in the new B1G network deal I didn't realize and that is that NBC is the rights holder to the premier B1G game. When you look at ratings there are really 4 draws in the B1G as far as ratings go:

1. Big OOC games - This is typically true of all conferences
2. Ohio State - They consistently draw
3. Michigan when they are good - When they aren't they fall pretty quickly
4. Games that have big consequences for the national scene like their championship game

For 1 you have to just get lucky and this game be at a B1G stadium and 4 is typically tied to 2 & 3 so by the time you get to the second game your ratings are typically going to go down and most times substantially. CBS for years has had the premier SEC game and has enjoyed monster ratings because of it but after this season that is about to end.

They shot themselves in the foot years ago when the SEC added aTm and Missouri and wouldn't increase the payout which would have allowed them to negotiate additional years on the contract. Let's say they had added 3 years (which the SEC would have agreed to at the time) they would be staring at one of the best financial decisions in their sports history. Instead, they are going to get Michigan games most weeks.

NBC is the clear winner here as they now have Notre Dame which is a ratings generator to lead into the premier B1G game of the day and get to build a network promotion system around all those eyeballs.

With USC and UCLA in the mix, it's possible (if not likely) that they'll be a ton more "great" games to put on CBS

 

[Thiefery]

BTW CBS didn't screw up.. it was the SEC.. they short changed themselves with the CBS deal.. they tried to re-do it after expansion of aggy and Mizzu but CBS didn't want to pay more just to be nice lol

SEC got great exposure at the cost of millions (market price), CBS had a terrific run since the SEC became the premier CFB conference and had a must see game every week that they got dibs on.

Now it's going to be interesting to see how well they do when they go head to head with the SEC at that same time slot on ABC

 

[WhosYourDawggy]

With USC and UCLA in the mix, it's possible (if not likely) that they'll be a ton more "great" games to put on CBS

I mean neither UCLA or USC has a recent history of generating large viewership.

- USC is 14th, with a little over 2.1 million in 2022.
- UCLA was 25th with about 1.5 million.

In the SEC, would be 7th in viewership, UCLA would be 12th out of 16.

OP's point is very valid ... CBS screwed itself back in 2012 when it pissed off the SEC. The second best B1G game will be a good one, for sure. But, it's not likely it will come close to the SEC's best game, especially of the SEC goes to 9 IC games.

 

[WhosYourDawggy]

BTW CBS didn't screw up.. it was the SEC.. they short changed themselves with the CBS deal.. they tried to re-do it after expansion of aggy and Mizzu but CBS didn't want to pay more just to be nice lol

SEC got great exposure at the cost of millions (market price), CBS had a terrific run since the SEC became the premier CFB conference and had a must see game every week that they got dibs on.

Now it's going to be interesting to see how well they do when they go head to head with the SEC at that same time slot on ABC

You and I really don't know that. Assuming that CBS could have kept the SEC's no. 1 game, whatever the delta was in what they paid then SEC v. what the SEC wanted to get paid will probably pale in comparison to 12 years of B1G no. 2 v. SEC no. 1 game. That said, I think that the SEC is just fine with ESPN controlling all the inventory. There are some real schedule advantages with that.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I mean neither UCLA or USC has a recent history of generating large viewership.

- USC is 14th, with a little over 2.1 million in 2022.
- UCLA was 25th with about 1.5 million.

In the SEC, would be 7th in viewership, UCLA would be 12th out of 16.

OP's point is very valid ... CBS screwed itself back in 2012 when it pissed off the SEC. The second best B1G game will be a good one, for sure. But, it's not likely it will come close to the SEC's best game, especially of the SEC goes to 9 IC games.

Because they're in the Pac12 playing at stupid times against stupid teams. Shocking, P12 at night wasn't super popular when games were ending at 3am ET.

 

[Thiefery]

You and I really don't know that. Assuming that CBS could have kept the SEC's no. 1 game, whatever the delta was in what they paid then SEC v. what the SEC wanted to get paid will probably pale in comparison to 12 years of B1G no. 2 v. SEC no. 1 game. That said, I think that the SEC is just fine with ESPN controlling all the inventory. There are some real schedule advantages with that.

what? lol They didn't even want to talk to CBS on having a new deal.. SEC was done with them, it was a bad contract for them and CBS didn't even attempt to make it fair.

 

[Red_Alert]

BTW CBS didn't screw up.. it was the SEC.. they short changed themselves with the CBS deal.. they tried to re-do it after expansion of aggy and Mizzu but CBS didn't want to pay more just to be nice lol

SEC got great exposure at the cost of millions (market price), CBS had a terrific run since the SEC became the premier CFB conference and had a must see game every week that they got dibs on.

Now it's going to be interesting to see how well they do when they go head to head with the SEC at that same time slot on ABC

Looking at a US population density map answers that.

Big 10 country gonna watch Big 10 games.
SEC country gonna watch SEC games.

Population Big 10 country = 108 million
Population SEC country = 105 million

Some of those SEC teams will also be sharing airtime with ACC teams (Clemson, Miami, FSU, Louisville, Georgia Tech) and Big 12 teams (Okie Jr, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, Houston, UCF).

The Big 10 will share airtime with Big 12 (Cincy and Iowa St.) and ACC (Syracuse, Boston College, Pitt, Notre Dame).

 

[Red_Alert]

I mean neither UCLA or USC has a recent history of generating large viewership.

- USC is 14th, with a little over 2.1 million in 2022.
- UCLA was 25th with about 1.5 million.

In the SEC, would be 7th in viewership, UCLA would be 12th out of 16.

OP's point is very valid ... CBS screwed itself back in 2012 when it pissed off the SEC. The second best B1G game will be a good one, for sure. But, it's not likely it will come close to the SEC's best game, especially of the SEC goes to 9 IC games.

Wait until they've got Big 10 country eyeballs on them.

 

[Red_Alert]

SEC's game of the week on CBS was in my rotation, but I'd typically only go to it when another game (FOX, ABC, ESPN) was on commercial.

 

[Thiefery]

Looking at a US population density map answers that.

Big 10 country gonna watch Big 10 games.
SEC country gonna watch SEC games.

Population Big 10 country = 108 million
Population SEC country = 105 million

Some of those SEC teams will also be sharing airtime with ACC teams (Clemson, Miami, FSU, Louisville, Georgia Tech) and Big 12 teams (Okie Jr, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, Houston, UCF).

The Big 10 will share airtime with Big 12 (Cincy and Iowa St.) and ACC (Syracuse, Boston College, Pitt, Notre Dame).

i get that but depending on the matchup it'll be interesting... But ultimately I don't really care for the ratings anymore. There's no need now that UT is in one of the top 2 money making conferences. Just need to continue to get better on the field and they will get back to the ratings they dominated in of the 2000s

 

[Red_Alert]

i get that but depending on the matchup it'll be interesting... But ultimately I don't really care for the ratings anymore. There's no need now that UT is in one of the top 2 money making conferences. Just need to continue to get better on the field and they will get back to the ratings they dominated in of the 2000s

Hard to believe Nebraska is still Top 16 in average viewership after this 6 year disaster...



Even Maryland was Top 20 in average viewership.

 

[Wild Turkey]

BTW CBS didn't screw up.. it was the SEC.. they short changed themselves with the CBS deal.. they tried to re-do it after expansion of aggy and Mizzu but CBS didn't want to pay more just to be nice lol

SEC got great exposure at the cost of millions (market price), CBS had a terrific run since the SEC became the premier CFB conference and had a must see game every week that they got dibs on.

Now it's going to be interesting to see how well they do when they go head to head with the SEC at that same time slot on ABC

You're nuts.

CBS played hardball with the best deal they had and passed up a golden opportunity to expand that deal by years. To answer your other questions they are going to get smoked if the SEC goes head-to-head with them. There is a reason the other networks have worked their big games around the 3:30 time slot and it wasn't because they feared CBS.

 

[Wild Turkey]

I mean neither UCLA or USC has a recent history of generating large viewership.

- USC is 14th, with a little over 2.1 million in 2022.
- UCLA was 25th with about 1.5 million.

In the SEC, would be 7th in viewership, UCLA would be 12th out of 16.

OP's point is very valid ... CBS screwed itself back in 2012 when it pissed off the SEC. The second best B1G game will be a good one, for sure. But, it's not likely it will come close to the SEC's best game, especially of the SEC goes to 9 IC games.

The initial year USC and UCLA will draw because of the excitement but it will be hindered because TX and OK are going get killer ratings when they join the league. I won't be surprised if both schools are in the top 5 of most watched that season because everyone is going to watch the first SEC games. I'm excited to just see the schedule at this point and see who gets to play them.

 

[Thiefery]

You're nuts.

CBS played hardball with the best deal they had and passed up a golden opportunity to expand that deal by years. To answer your other questions they are going to get smoked if the SEC goes head-to-head with them. There is a reason the other networks have worked their big games around the 3:30 time slot and it wasn't because they feared CBS.

Bro they didn't screw up man.. they were never going to get a deal like they did with tier1 rights. They established themselves as the go to channel for 3:30pm games.. they even own a well known jingle as a theme for their games. They knew they had a lotto ticket and exploited it ($55 mil/yr).

Now they'll be paying market at $350 mil/yr for the BiG.. They could have offered it to the SEC but they knew the SEC was done with them after exploiting them with a bad deal for like 20 years.

If CBS tanks then yes it would have been the biggest mistake, but let's face it.. it won't tank..they may not get the same ratings but it won't be terrible either, especially with picking the top game of the BiG

 

[NinerSpartan]

Team SEC, brother

 

[Thiefery]

The initial year USC and UCLA will draw because of the excitement but it will be hindered because TX and OK are going get killer ratings when they join the league. I won't be surprised if both schools are in the top 5 of most watched that season because everyone is going to watch the first SEC games. I'm excited to just see the schedule at this point and see who gets to play them.

UT is getting it's shit together on the football field will also boost it.. Sorta the way SC is doing right now.. ou will be lapping UCLA ratings too

 

[Red_Alert]

The initial year USC and UCLA will draw because of the excitement but it will be hindered because TX and OK are going get killer ratings when they join the league. I won't be surprised if both schools are in the top 5 of most watched that season because everyone is going to watch the first SEC games. I'm excited to just see the schedule at this point and see who gets to play them.

If going by Top 5 most watched games week-to-week, ESPN was dwarfed by the combined broadcast networks ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC.

Sure the SEC will own the ABC ratings, but tying themselves to ESPN for all others isn't going to be all that impressive.

The Big 10 will have games on 3 different broadcast networks (FOX, CBS, NBC).

Broadcast networks get better ratings because they're $$ FREE $$.

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