NCAA Basketball Tournament http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com NCAA Basketball Tournament http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Basketball Tournament http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/CBS Having a Good Tournamenthttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/cbs-having-a-good-tournament/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/cbs-having-a-good-tournament/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/26/cbs-having-a-good-tournament/#commentsFiled under:

The NCAA tournament may be chalk to this point. Advertising money may not have been flowing quite so easily. CBS, though, can take some solace that the NCAA tournament is getting plenty of eyeballs over the air and online.

According to CBS Sports, the TV ratings for the first two rounds are up six percent from last year while the online viewing is up a whopping 60 percent with some 5.6 million unique visitors. The amount of time people spent watching the games online is also up nearly 71 percent from last year.

The decision by CBS to go with Microsoft's Silverlight technology to improve the video along with continually upgrading their capacity to provide the streams, seems to have been a rousing success. The complaints have been a lot lower and a lot more enthusiasm about the quality.
"I believe we're all in agreement that March Madness on Demand continues to evolve as one of the most powerful and innovative platforms for basketball fans to follow the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship," said Greg Shaheen, NCAA, senior vice president for basketball and business strategies. "To see the numbers steadily increase reinforces the broad interest in the championship and the convenience MMOD offers fans in accessing every game of the NCAA Tournament."
The opening game between Memphis and Cal State-Northridge -- a noonish start for Thursday -- was the most watched game in the opening two rounds. People were riveted by the possibility of the upset and one of the first games of the Tournament.

The improved television ratings, though, has to be very good news for CBS. Ratings had been slipping the past couple of years. Considering the escalating rates CBS has to pay over the next few years, this will help with advertising sales for next year and beyond.

CBS Having a Good Tournament originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>cbs sportsCbsSportsChas RichThu, 26 Mar 2009 17:40:00 EST FH Podcast 6.2: Eamonn Brennanhttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/fh-podcast-6-2-eamonn-brennan/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/fh-podcast-6-2-eamonn-brennan/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/19/fh-podcast-6-2-eamonn-brennan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


'HouseCast is FanHouse's podcast. Watch out. Or you might just get what you're after.

Can you take any more March Madness inundated into your domepiece? Of course you can. It's the number one reason why you keep coming back to FanHouse's NCAA Tournament Coverage, and it's definitely the reason why you were waiting, desperately, of course, for the second half of FanHouse's NCAA Podcastactular.

In 6.2, Ryan Wilson and Will Brinson chat with FH's own Eamonn Brennan (who moonlights on the very, mucho excellente college basketball blog The Dagger) about nostalgic brackets, hating on North Carolina or Duke, sleepers, whether you should fill out a single bracket or not, and a myriad of other college basketball topics.

Hit the jump to listen to the whole thing in our embeddable player.

FH Podcast 6.2: Eamonn Brennan originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>burningdownthehousedick vitaleDickVitalehousecastWill BrinsonThu, 19 Mar 2009 07:18:00 EST Could March Madness Leave CBS?http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/could-march-madness-really-leave-cbs/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/could-march-madness-really-leave-cbs/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/could-march-madness-really-leave-cbs/#commentsFiled under:

CBS has held the television rights to the NCAA Tournament since 1982. CBS has paid handsomely for them over the years. The most recent extension was for $6 billion over 11 years that runs through 2013.

CBS smartly included digital media rights -- which includes the streaming of the games over the internet. This has created a new revenue stream for CBS. And as it has invested in and improved the live streams, CBS has seen its ad revenue grow from it. This year, CBS expects ad revenue from the online streaming to be around $30 million, an almost 30 percent increase from last year in spite of the recession.

Of course, internet ad revenue is still only a small portion of the overall revenue brought in by CBS. Last year, the total ad revenue for CBS was $643 million. This year, the company admits it will not come close to that number. It will, however, at least break even on the amount it must pay in rights (though, some seem more optimistic than merely breaking even). The contract calls for fees to escalate every year under the contract. This year, CBS pays the NCAA $571 million.

As good a deal as this has been for the NCAA, they face an interesting choice. The NCAA can choose to opt out of the current deal with CBS after 2010. No one seems to expect Fox or NBC to be that interested in trying to outbid CBS. It all comes down to the 800-pound gorilla of TV sports -- ESPN/ABC.
Still, the option gives the N.C.A.A. a chance to test ESPN's avidity. Its dual flow of revenue from advertisers and subscribers enabled it to outbid Fox by $100 million in November to carry the Bowl Championship Series from 2011 to 2014, but the economy has worsened since then.

The price for the tournament, even a year from now, may make even the mighty ESPN blanch, especially if it cannot raise its industry-high subscriber fees or charge enough for advertising to justify an enormously expensive deal.
I think they are underestimating ESPN/ABC/Disney on this, even in a bad economy. ESPN has been willing to put up big money for events like this. With their multiple channels, they can saturate this and create lots of advertising streams to make it pay. Their infrastructure to run the tournament is already in place -- unlike any other competitors for the rights.

On the internet streaming portion, this would also work very well for ESPN. The company already has a platform in place in the form of ESPN360.com. The service is free to viewers, as long as your broadband provider has agreed to terms with ESPN for providing it (more subscription fees). The NCAA Tournament would provide ESPN with more leverage in getting broadband providers to pay to be a part. That would be vital, since the giant cable broadband providers, Comcast and Time Warner, have no agreement to show ESPN360.

That would be a major issue for fans, especially if ESPN continued the exclusive deal with DirecTV for a March Madness package to show all the games from the first three rounds, further shutting out the cable companies.

That's not to say anything will change. The NCAA has a year to evaluate how the economy is looking and evaluate whether ESPN would be serious in paying large for the NCAA Tournament. Waiting for the end of the contract with CBS in 2013 would also give the NCAA a chance to evaluate how ESPN handles and promotes the BCS.

Could March Madness Leave CBS? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>cbs sportsCbsSportsespnespn360Chas RichWed, 18 Mar 2009 22:44:00 EST Bob Knight: Ice Skaters Are Best Athleteshttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/bob-knight-ice-skaters-are-the-best-athletes/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/bob-knight-ice-skaters-are-the-best-athletes/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/bob-knight-ice-skaters-are-the-best-athletes/#commentsFiled under:


March Madness is heating up, so if Bob Knight is on ESPN talking about athletes who have impressed him, he must be talking about college basketball players, right? Not quite. In an appearance on ESPN Wednesday, Knight said that, in reality, he believes the best athletes in the country right now are not American basketball players but a visiting troupe of Russian skaters.

While breaking down the brackets on Mike and Mike in the Morning, Knight abruptly stopped and changed the subject.

"Now, before we go into any more basketball, I've got to tell you about the best athletes in the country, and they aren't American, they're Russian," Knight said. "They're Russian ice skaters. I went to see them last night at the Riviera with (wife) Karen, and the title of the show is Ice. This was the most incredible athletic scene for an hour and 20 minutes that I've ever seen. Unbelievable."

Hosts Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg sounded a little taken aback, but they managed to get Knight back on track and talking about basketball -- at least for a little while, and then Knight insisted they talk a little more about Russian ice skaters.

"Don't forget the Russian ice skaters," Knight said. "I'm telling you, these guys, it must be 40 people, men and women, and they are the most athletic people. ... There's a girl that gets 11 hoops going at one time from head to toe while she's skating. ... I've never seen a group of athletes like this."

So there you have it. Between dropping S-bombs on the air and talking about Russian ice skaters, Bob Knight has been a fascinating part of ESPN's coverage of March Madness.

Bob Knight: Ice Skaters Are Best Athletes originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bob KnightBobKnightMike GolicMike GreenbergMikeGolicMikeGreenbergMichael David SmithWed, 18 Mar 2009 18:53:00 EST President Obama's Final Four: Louisville, North Carolina, Memphis, Pitthttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/president-obama-s-final-four-louisville-north-carolina-memphi/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/president-obama-s-final-four-louisville-north-carolina-memphi/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/18/president-obama-s-final-four-louisville-north-carolina-memphi/#commentsFiled under:


Like millions of Americans, President Obama spent a few minutes this week filling out his NCAA Tournament bracket.

The First Final Four: Louisville, North Carolina, Memphis and Pitt. Obama filled out the Presidential Bracket alongside Andy Katz of ESPN.

From what we know so far, Obama doesn't seem to be very big on Cinderellas, picking three No. 1 seeds and a No. 2 seed in his Final Four. We can also see from the above photo that he's picking favorites Duke, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Wake Forest, Kansas and Michigan State to win the games they're supposed to win.

A segment showing Obama's full bracket will air Wednesday on SportsCenter.

President Obama's Final Four: Louisville, North Carolina, Memphis, Pitt originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithWed, 18 Mar 2009 08:18:00 EST FH Podcast 6.1: ESPN's Doug Gottliebhttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/fh-podcast-6-1-espns-doug-gottlieb/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/fh-podcast-6-1-espns-doug-gottlieb/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/17/fh-podcast-6-1-espns-doug-gottlieb/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Burning Down the 'House is FanHouse's podcast. Watch out. Or you might just get what you're after.

FanHouse brings the podcast pain once again this week with a focus on, well, what else but the NCAA Tournament? On Tuesday's episode, Will Brinson, Michael David Smith, and Ryan Wilson are joined by ESPN's own college basketball expert and radio host, Doug Gottlieb (old-school shot of Doug in the middle, above). It's obviously one of his busiest times of the year, so we were thrilled to talk college hoops with him for nearly 30 minutes.

Hit the jump for downloadable segments, or to listen to the whole thing in our embeddable player.

(Quick aside: if you notice any disruption during the podcast, it's because Doug was bouncing back and forth between live Sportscenter segments and chatting with MDS and myself. Which, frankly, is even cooler.)


(Gentle reminder: Right-click on the segment links to download them directly to your own 'puter.)

Segment 1: Doug discusses why San Diego St. -- and not St. Mary's -- got screwed out of a tournament bid.

Segment 2: MDS asks Doug if the Big Ten was good enough to get seven bids.

Segment 3: Will gets Doug's thoughts on "first-round bracketbusters" before the conversation turns to colleague Jay Bilas, who was on ESPN radio at the time of our interview disagreeing with Gottlieb's argument for SDSU.

Segment 4: Doug continues his crusade for the little guy and uses University of Arizona as the perfect counterexample. Then Will asks about former NC State coach-turned-success-story at Arizona St., Herb Sendek. We even manage to get in a Jay Cultler reference.

Segment 5: MDS gets Doug's thoughts on the Big East and their three No. 1 seeds, and the discussion expands to include Memphis getting a second seed even though they went undefeated in their conference. Will also asks about Syracuse's chances after their Big East tournament run. And, yes, we have Devendorf.

Segment 6: Doug shares his Final Four and picks a winner.

FH Podcast 6.1: ESPN's Doug Gottlieb originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Will BrinsonTue, 17 Mar 2009 15:27:00 EST GM Plans Low Profile at NCAA Tourney Site Locationshttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/13/gm-plans-low-profile-at-ncaa-tourney-sites/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/13/gm-plans-low-profile-at-ncaa-tourney-sites/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/13/gm-plans-low-profile-at-ncaa-tourney-sites/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

While General Motors did not give up its commitment to television advertising for the NCAA Tournament, it is not going to make the same commitment to on-site advertising and promotion at the NCAA Tournament. Even with the Final Four set to play in the automaker's city, mere blocks from their corporate headquarters.

Everything from dealer-incentive trips to the Final Four, to billboards around the site locations are being slashed or eliminated. GM estimates they will spend at least 60% less than they did the year before on that aspect.
General Motors also has its sponsorship agreement with the NCAA coming up for renewal after this season. The company may have to drop its 25-year relationship.

The company is wary of bad publicity and being hammered by politicians, after pleading for and receiving billions in federal loans and looking for more. If they pay a huge contract for a sponsorship deal, they will be a very easy and large target for doing such a deal.
"If it's not mission critical, we're not doing it," [Steve] Tihanyi, GM's general director of media operations, branded entertainment and marketing alliances, said in an interview. "We can't be stupid about how we do things here."
Both for bad publicity and the best way to use their advertising budget.

GM Plans Low Profile at NCAA Tourney Site Locations originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chas RichFri, 13 Mar 2009 13:53:00 EST ESPN's Bob Knight Swears on Airhttp://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/espns-bob-knight-swears-on-the-air/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/espns-bob-knight-swears-on-the-air/http://ncaatournament.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/espns-bob-knight-swears-on-the-air/#commentsFiled under:


When ESPN hired Bob Knight as a college basketball analyst, some questioned whether the coach with the legendary temper would be able to work as a TV commentator without dropping any four-letter words.

As it has turned out, in his year with the Worldwide Leader, Knight has been great on the air at breaking down basketball games, and doing it without employing any obscenities. At least until today.

On Wednesday's Mike and Mike in the Morning, Knight called in (on the Subway hotline, as the sponsor-heavy show calls it) to talk some college basketball. Things were going fine until a moment during the show when Knight suddenly seemed to think he had been cut off and said, "Oh, s**t. I lost you."

With that, Knight hung up his phone, while co-host Mike Greenberg scrambled to try to get him back on topic, saying, "No, we got it. Bob Knight, we're still there, we hear you. Bob, do you hear us? I think Bob Knight may have just lost us there, so we'll try and get him back here. I was able to hear him."

So was everyone else.

Overall, as on-air slip-ups go, muttering the S-word is a fairly minor one. In fact, Knight has seemed like such an easygoing fellow on TV recently that it was kind of refreshing to hear some of the old profanity again. Even if Subway probably didn't like it.

UPDATE: I got the following response from ESPN: "It was an unfortunate slip and we apologize."

What Did They Say?

    "Oh, [expletive]. I lost you."
    Coaching legend Bob Knight made the slip-up during an appearance on 'Mike and Mike in the Morning'. ESPN called it an "unfortunate slip."

    Jamie Squire, Getty Images

    "I'd Take One Bullet, and Put It Right in Him ... "
    Sounding harsher than he probably meant to, Cris Carter states that Dallas should part ways with Terrell Owens, then compares the act to shooting the brash wide receiver.

    Brian Ach, WireImage

    "With All These Chinese People Around..."
    Richard Boxall was one of two Sky Sports commentators that made racial remarks about golfer Anthony Kim during the HSBC Champions tournament. Click through to see more slip-ups from the broadcasting world.

    Warren Little, Getty Images

    "Ya know, Hitler was a great leader too."
    ESPN College Gameday personality Lou Holtz somehow compared the leadership skills of Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez to Adolf Hitler during a telecast this season.

    Joe Raymond, AP

    "Please Pick Up My Dry Cleaning Tomorrow"
    ESPN personality and Monday Night Football commentator Tony Kornheiser responds to a play broadcast in Spanish with an attempt at a joke translation. He ends up apologizing for his comment.

    Paul Sakuma, AP

    "You Always Fag Out"
    College hoops announcer Billy Packer has upset many with abrasive remarks over the years. For example, he went on the Charlie Rose Show in March 2007 and complained to the host, "you always fag out."

    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Bernstein's Palestinian Connection
    ESPN reporter Bonnie Bernstein issued a public apology after appearing on a radio broadcast and saying "People in Palestine are taught to think that dying in the name of God is a good thing ... They grow up wanting to be suicide bombers."

    Brian Ach, WireImage.com

    "... Looks Like the Guy Who Cleans Tiger's Swimming Pool"
    NBC Sports golf analyst drew the ire of U.S. Open watchers in June when he said contender Rocco Mediate "looks like the guy who cleans Tiger's swimming pool." Miller apologized for his description, saying it had "absolutely nothing to do with his ethnicity."

    John Shearer, WireImage.com

    "We've Gotta Do This ----ing Thing Over"
    The ever-salty Bert Blyleven, pictured here after winning the 1987 World Series, cursed up a storm on live television during a Minnesota Twins pregame show in September 2006.

    Getty Images

    "Lynch Him in a Back Alley"
    Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman gained notoriety during a 2008 PGA Tour telecast when she suggested young golfers might want to take Tiger Woods and "lynch him in a back alley."

    Getty Images

ESPN's Bob Knight Swears on Air originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bob KnightBobKnightMike GreenbergMikeGreenbergMichael David SmithWed, 11 Mar 2009 10:35:00 EST