Why Not?

[mantonio]

I am curious as to why a major Network wouldn't want this game in Television above all others on Saturday?

You have the #1 team in America playing a tough team who beat them the last two matchups, one of which eliminated them from the NCAA Tourney.

This has the makings of a very interesting matchup, & even if Syracuse blows them out, you have the revenge angle. which works very well in this situation.

 

[Frozen]

These TV arrangements are made before the season starts. It's not like college football where there is more flexibility.

 

[PoppyHart]

1. The only "major networks" that can show the games are the ones that have the contractual rights to show BE basketball. That narrows it down to CBS and ESPN.

2. Both CBS and ESPN have contractual obligations which limit the number of BE games they can show and the number of times a particular team can be shown on its network.

3. CBS is the most limited in their abilities, and can only show about 5-6 games each season. Regardless, for years and years now CBS has used the weekends of the NFL playoffs to "showcase" their commitment to women's basketball. In other words, they know the ratings are essentially zero when they go up against the NFL, so they use the time to fulfill whatever contractual obligation they have re: the women's game.

4. Schedules are made up well in advance. To change it now would require displacing other games on those networks. I'm not sure that's a great precedent to set, and what goes around is bound to come around.

 

[mantonio]

You can't blame CBS for making the best out of their contractual Obs...