As usual CBS coverage of NCAA tourney sucks

[rurallib]

While Memphis looked to be in a fight for their life, I get to watch full coverage of Texas A&M v. BYU blowout.
I am old enough to remember when ESPN covered the first round and they did it right.

[taterguy]

1. What year was that?

Seriously. I've never had ESPN and I've always watched the opening rounds of the tourney.

Was this in the 80s?

[Renew Deal]

2. 1963

Very good year

[rurallib]

3. I think I heard that this is CBS 22nd year, so middle '80s

That seems about right. ESPN really captured the excitement of the early rounds. Then the NCAA went off and grabbed the big bucks. ESPN probably started carrying it in the late '70s.
Dickie V had a 4 day orgasm beginning on Thursday morning. They would flip quickly in and out of games. Having ESPN & ESPN2 to carry games gave at least two options. They would usually show the game that was most fun to watch.

[taterguy]

5. I think you're confused. Really.

NBC did the Tourney before CBS.

It seems much more democratic if it's on broadcast TV.

The fact is that millions of people still can't afford cable

I'm also pretty sure that ESPN 2 didn't exist in the 1980s

[rurallib]

6. Wouldn't be the first time. My memory just hits hilights

I think NBC carried the final four for a couple decades beginning in the '60s. ESPN saw the early rounds as a something they could promote. So they started carrying the first round and treated it like a 3 ring circus. So when the contract to carry the games came up CBS went after them with the proviso that they get the whole tournament.
My main point is that CBS coverage is about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Good point on it being on broadcast TV. Mea culpa.
And you are right about ESPN2 - ever want to pull a thread you started?

[madinmaryland]

7. Actually, you are a bit confused, Francis.

ESPN was started in Sept, 1979.

Regardless, ESPN would not have been covering BB in the mid 80's. I remember going to the bar at lunch to watch the tourney and it was not on ESPN.

Chris Berman is an original there.

[jobycom]

8. He said ESPN2, which debuted in 1993, thus didn't exist in the 80s.

This is a fun discussion. Needs narwhals, but otherwise, I'm luvin it. :)

[jobycom]

9. Yer wrong, he's wrong, everyone's wrong. And everyone's a little right.

Research is a wonderful thing:

"In 1982, ESPN began showing the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, which established ESPN's following among college basketball fans and was the network's first contract signed with the NCAA for a major sport. According to many fans of the tournament, ESPN was easily the best broadcaster of the first round, as six first-round games could be seen on both Thursday and Friday on ESPN, and CBS then picked up a seventh game at 11:30 pm ET. This meant 14 of 32 first-round games were televised. ESPN also re-ran games overnight. ESPN did not (and does not) have regional affiliates, so the entire country had to watch the same game; there was also no ESPN2 or other channels. (Areas with local interest in a game could see the game on a local channel, regardless of which game ESPN televised.) The benefit of this was that ESPN always showed the most competitive games, since that was the best way to gain national appeal.

In 1982, CBS obtained broadcast television rights to the tournament.

In 1991, CBS assumed responsibility for covering all games of the NCAA tournament, with the exception of the single Tuesday night "play-in" game. (The play-in game - between teams ranked 64 & 65 - is televised by ESPN, except for the first one, which was aired on TNN, and used CBS graphics and announcers.)

Currently, CBS broadcasts the remaining 63 games of the NCAA tournament proper. Most areas see only eight of 32 first round games, seven second round games, and four regional semifinal games (out of the possible 56 games during these rounds)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Championship

[DeepBlueC]

4. you can watch any game in entirety on line

at http://mmod.ncaa.com/ They have an excellent HQ (high quality) player so get it set up before gametime. I had both TV and computer following games today.

[jobycom]

10. Shhh. If you tell him, everybody will want to do that!!!