violating its pact with the audience

[Tailbone]

If you ain't BCS, you ain't nuthin'.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/ ... id=4844048

For different reasons, viewers offered the Jan. 6 GMAC Bowl between Central Michigan and Troy as another example of ESPN violating its pact with the audience.

Some comments: "Would it have been too much for the announcers to at least pretend they were interested in the game on the field?" … "The teams on the field became an afterthought to a total onslaught of discussion on the next night's Texas-Alabama game"........

Promotion is the lifeblood of television, but overpromotion is lethal. ...... It's insulting to the audience for announcers to talk incessantly about the upcoming BCS [Championship] Game....in the midst of another [bowl] game. ......The perception is that the announcers had no interest in the game they were covering.

Viewer reaction to both of these telecasts underscores a point ESPN should never forget: The network might own the rights to the events it is telecasting, but it doesn't own the audience. When ESPN deviates from its standard presentation, it can alienate a good portion of its audience. Do it too often, and there's the risk of fraying the vital bond that exists between loyal viewers and the network.

.... Saturating a live event with promotion for an upcoming event is dangerous. For "must-see" events, viewers will put up with almost anything. But they won't forget it.

[kemajic]

And that was a great game. It is even worse for the FCS NC game. They have the whole bowl slate in front of them to promote. It sucks, but it's difficult to criticize ESPN for not knowing the interests of its viewer base. Even if ESPN is only doing these games only to promote its prime time postseason events, who else would televise them? It could be worse next January when the FCS NC game is the night before the BCS NC game.

[AZGrizFan]

And that was a great game. It is even worse for the FCS NC game. They have the whole bowl slate in front of them to promote. It sucks, but it's difficult to criticize ESPN for not knowing the interests of its viewer base. Even if ESPN is only doing these games only to promote its prime time postseason events, who else would televise them? It could be worse next January when the FCS NC game is the night before the BCS NC game.

COULD be?

[JJWooten]

It's a mixed bag, it might really hurt the game because people will make a mockery of it, or it could be pushed as the FCS Championship Bowl Game. I hope it helps more than it hurts, but I think it will either alienate people from FCS even more if they already disliked it, or it will help bring some people over to the championship side.

It's good for FCS fans, but it could hurt some BCS supports (Which is good for us )

[putter]

IF there is no other game on and IF ESPN gives a sh!% enough to promote it then it could get a ratings boost. Treat it like they did this year and good luck...