Saturday, January 15, 2011

TV Schedule, Sunday January 16

AHL Hockey: Toronto @ Abbotsford 1pm on NHL Network

College Basketball:

Big 10:

Michigan St. @ Ohio St. (women's) 11am on Big 10 Network
Purdue @ West Virgina 12:30pm on CBS
Indiana @ Iowa (women's) 1pm on Big 10 Network
Illinois @ Penn St. (women's) 3pm on ESPN2
Iowa @ Minnesota 5pm on Big 10 Network

Big 12:

Oklahoma @ Texas (women's) 12:30pm on ESPNU
Kansas @ Nebraska (women's) 2pm on FS Midwest & FS North

Missouri Valley:


Creighton @ Indiana St. 12pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS Midwest
Missouri St. @ Bradley 7pm on ESPNU

National Games:

Central Florida @ SMU (women's) 1pm on ESPN2
Holy Cross @ Bucknell 1pm on CBS College Sports
Marquette @ South Florida 2:30pm on ESPNU
Arizona @ Arizona St. (women's) 4:00pm on FS Midwest & FS Wisconsin and JIP on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
North Carolina St. @ Georgia Tech 6:30pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FS Midwest, and FS Wisconsin, JIP on FS North
Washington @ Cal 9pm on FS Midwest & FS North

College Hockey: Boston College @ Maine 6pm on CBS College Sports

Golf:

European PGA Tour 8:30am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour (Sony Open - Final Round) 6pm on Golf Channel

NBA Basketball: Denver @ San Antonio 8pm on ESPN

NBA D-League: Erie @ Iowa 4pm on Mediacom Channel 22

NFL Playoffs:

Seattle @ Chicago 12pm on Fox
NY Jets @ New England 3:30pm on CBS

NHL Hockey:

Vancouver @ Minnesota 5pm on FS North
Nashville @ Chicago 6pm on NHL Network

Tennis: Australian Open 5:30pm & 11pm on ESPN2

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Mediacom has started to roll out the national feed of YES Network

Last Summer, I had wrote that Mediacom had a deal in place to carry the national feed of the YES Network (the NY Yankee owned regional sports network) and at the time, I wasn't aware of any Mediacom markets that carried YES Network.

That's changing as i've seen some Mediacom markets in Eastern Iowa that has added YES Network to the digital sports package. Before you Yankee fans get all excited thinking that you'll be getting Yankee baseball games this Summer, think again. The national feed of YES Network will carry the pregame and postgame shows, but not the games itself, you'll still need MLB Extra Innings to do watch the game itself).

So is this a good idea or a bad idea? I've got mixed feelings on it, sports programming fees are extremely high (ESPN charges over $4.00 per subscriber), but yet if YES Network is in the optional digital sports package, what could be the harm in Yes Network growing their overall viewership?

Friday, January 14, 2011

TV Schedule, Saturday January 15

College Basketball:

Big 10:

Northwestern @ Michigan St. 12pm on Big 10 Network
Illinois @ Wisconsin 2pm on Big 10 Network
Penn St. @ Ohio St. 4:30pm on Big 10 Network
Michigan @ Indiana 7pm on Big 10 Network

Big 12:

Texas A&M @ Missouri (women's) 11am on Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS Midwest
Missouri @ Texas A&M 12pm on ESPN2
Texas Tech @ Kansas St. or Oklahoma St. @ Colorado 12:30pm on Big 12 Network*
Nebraska @ Kansas 1pm on ESPNU
Oklahoma @ Texas 3pm on Big 12 Network*
Baylor @ Iowa St. 5pm on CTN*

*Check local listings for game availability and channel number in your area.

Missouri Valley:

Northern Iowa @ Drake (women's) 2pm on Mediacom Channel 22
Evansville @ Illinois St. 6pm on FS Midwest
Southern Illinois @ Northern Iowa 7pm on WOI's digital subchannel 5.2 (Ames/Des Moines) and KWWL (Waterloo)
Wichita St. @ Drake 7pm on Mediacom Channel 22

National Games:

Marquette @ Louisville 10am on ESPN2
Georgetown @ Rutgers 11am on ESPNU
Clayton St. @ South Carolina (Aiken) 11am on CBS College Sports
Vanderbilt @ Tennessee 11am on ESPN
Maryland @ Villanova 12pm on CBS
Duquesne @ Dayton (women's) 1pm on CBS College Sports
Loyola-Chicago @ Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Virgina @ Duke 1pm on ESPN
Arizona St. @ Arizona 1:30pm on FS Midwest & FS North
Jackson St. @ Texas Southern 2pm on ESPN2
Austin Peay St. @ Tennessee St. 3pm on ESPNU
Montana St. @ Northern Arizona (women's) 3pm on Fox College Sports Central
New Mexico @ San Diego St. (women's) 3pm on CBS College Sports
Oregon @ UCLA (women's) 3:30pm on FS Midwest & FS North
South Carolina St. @ Morgan St. 4pm on ESPN2
Boston College @ Miami, FL 5pm on ESPNU
San Diego St. @ New Mexico 5pm on CBS College Sports
Vanderbilt @ Tennessee (women's) 6pm on ESPN
Florida Atlantic @ Western Kentucky 7pm on Fox College Sports Central
Dayton @ Xavier 7pm on CBS College Sports

College Hockey: Minnesota @ North Dakota 7pm on Fox College Sports & FS North

High School Basketball:

DeMatha (MD) vs St. Anthony (NJ) 3pm on ESPN
Milton (GA) vs Oak Hill Academy (VA) 7pm on ESPNU

Golf:

European PGA Tour 8:30am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour (Sony Open 3rd Round) 6pm on Golf Channel

NBA Basketball: Miami @ Chicago 7pm on NBATV & WGN

NFL Playoffs:

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh 3:30pm on CBS
Green Bay @ Atlanta 7pm on Fox

NHL Hockey:

NY Rangers @ Montreal 6pm on NHL Network
Chicago @ Nashville 7pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
St. Louis @ San Jose 9:30pm on FS Midwest

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Breaking down the RSN's in Iowa - Who gets what

As much of a hodge podge state Iowa is for sports, the same can be said for how we watch sports. With all 6 of the Midwest MLB teams claiming all of Iowa as part of their home TV market and all other Midwest pro teams (expect the Milwaukee Bucks) claim all of Iowa as their TV market it as well, it can be confusing as to were find the games.

Let's start with satellite TV and here's how carriage of the RSN's are broken down with basic programming packages:

Dish Network

Southwest, Central, and South Central Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago and FS Midwest
West Central Iowa and Northwest Iowa*: Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FS Midwest, and FS North
North Central Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago and FS North
Eastern Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago

*Some parts of NW Iowa, based on zip code search for programming packages on Dish Network's website has all 3 of the RSN's, while some zip codes only show Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS North

DirecTV

Southwest Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS Midwest
West Central, Northwest, and North Central Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS North
Central, South Central and all of Eastern Iowa: Comcast SportsNet Chicago

With a subscription to the Dish Network & DirecTV sports pack, you will have access to all three of the regional Regional sports networks. On DirecTV, even though FS Kansas City & FS Wisconsin have their own channel location, these two are substations of FS Midwest & FS North and are only active during game programming.

Cable TV

It's a little more cut and dry as to what RSN you receive because for the most part, cable TV providers only carry one RSN, however, alot of the teleco providers do carry all three of the RSN's, but here's a breakdown using Mediacom:

FS North: Along and north of US Highway 20
FS Midwest: Southwest, West Central, Central, and South Central Iowa
Comcast SportsNet Chicago: Eastern Iowa

Thursday, January 13, 2011

TV Schedule, Friday January 14

Boxing: Friday Night Fights 8pm on ESPN2

College Basketball:

Fairfield @ Loyola, MD 6pm on ESPNU
Butler @ Detroit Mercy 8pm on ESPNU

College Hockey:

Ferris St. @ Michigan 6:30pm on CBS College Sports
Denver @ Minnesota St. 7pm on Mediacom Channel 22
Minnesota @ North Dakota 7:30pm on FS North & Fox College Sports Central
Army @ Air Force 9pm on CBS College Sports

College Wrestling: Illinois @ Northwestern 7pm on Big 10 Network

Golf:

European PGA Tour 8:30am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour (Sony Second Round) 6pm on Golf Channel

High School Basketball: St. Patrick (NJ) @ Winter Park (FL) 6pm on ESPN2

NBA Basketball:

Chicago @ Indiana 6pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Dallas @ San Antonio 7pm on ESPN
Portland @ Phoenix 9:30pm on ESPN

NHL Hockey: Vancouver @ Washington 6pm on NHL Network

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NBA telecasts outside of Iowa.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

TV Schedule, Thursday January 13th

College Basketball:

Big 10:

Iowa @ Michigan St. (women's) 5:30pm on Big 10 Network
Purdue @ Minnesota 6pm on ESPN
Purdue @ Wisconsin (women's) 7:30pm on Big 10 Network

National Games:

Old Dominion @ Drexel 6pm on ESPNU
Providence @ West Virgina 6pm on ESPN2
Rhode Island @ Richmond 6pm on CBS College Sports
Gonzaga @ Pepperdine (women's) 8pm on CBS College Sports
Louisiana Tech @ Fresno St. (women's) 8pm on ESPNU
Mississippi St. @ Ole Miss 8pm on ESPN2
Virgina Tech @ North Carolina 8pm on ESPN
USC @ Oregon 9:30pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FS North, & Mediacom Channel 22
Loyola Marymount @ Portland 10pm on ESPN2

Golf:

European PGA Tour 8:30am on Golf Channel
PGA Tour (Sony Open - 1st round) 6pm on Golf Channel

NBA Basketball:

Orlando @ Oklahoma City 7pm on TNT
Washington @ Minnesota 7pm on FS North
Miami @ Denver 9:30pm on TNT

NHL Hockey:

Philadelphia @ Boston 6pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago
St. Louis @ Los Angeles 9:30pm on FS Midwest

Disclaimer: Check local listings for game availability in your area. All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NBA & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

TV Schedule, Wednesday January 12

College Basketball:

Big 10:

Ohio St. @ Michigan 5:30pm on Bing 10 Network
Northwestern @ Iowa 7:30pm on Big 10 Network

Big 12:

Oklahoma St. @ Texas A&M 7pm on Big 12 Network
Kansas @ Iowa St. 8pm on ESPN2
Colorado @ Kansas St. 8pm on ESPNU

National Games:

Louisville @ Villanova 6pm on ESPN2
Pitt @ Georgetown 6pm on ESPN
Syracuse @ St. Johns 6pm on ESPNU
Wyoming @ TCU 6:30pm on The Mtn.
UMASS @ Richmond (women's) 7pm on CBS College Sports
Duke @ Florida St. 8pm on ESPN
Colorado St. @ New Mew Mexico 9pm on The Mtn.
UNLV @ San Diego St. 9pm on CBS College Sports
Nevada @ Idaho 10pm on ESPN2
UC Davis @ Long Beach St. 10pm on ESPNU

NBA Basketball: Oklahoma City @ Houston 7:30pm on NBATV

NBA D-League: Rio Grande Valley @ Erie 7pm on VERSUS

NHL Hockey:

Washington @ Tampa Bay 6:30pm on NHL Network
Colorado @ Chicago 7:30pm Comcast SportsNet Chicago
St. Louis @ Los Angeles 9:30pm FS Midwest

Disclaimer: Check local listings for Big 12 Network availability. All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

ESPN's BCS TV Ratings

Okay, I know that it's been the trendy thing today to bash ESPN today and it's low ratings when at least compared to the ratings that Fox Sports had last year.

The Nielsen ratings have never been a true gauge of those watching a particular big sporting event because the ratings don't account for those watching at sports bars, private game watch parties and now in 2011, the ratings don't reflect those who watch online, which according to an ESPN press release, over 600,000 watched last night's BCS Championship game on ESPN3.com.

I was always skeptical of the digital media platform until I received a Blu-Ray player for Christmas and within the box was a discount to an online subscription service that gave me the opportunity to web stream HD movies from the internet right to my Blu-Ray player.

"Cable Cutting" is going to be the hip & trendy phrase for 2011 and services like ESPN3.com will allow sports fans to cut the cord and yet with a HSI (high speed internet) provider not miss out on the big sporting events.

There's no question that watching the big sporting events on TV will always remain, but the digital platforms in the coming years will further give a sports fans another avenue to watch the big games.

Monday, January 10, 2011

TV Schedule, Tuesday January 11

College Basketball:

Auburn @ Kentucky 6pm on ESPNU
Rutgers @ Syracuse (women's) 6pm on CBS College Sports
Texas @ Texas Tech 6pm on ESPN2
Wisconsin @ Michigan St. 6pm on ESPN
Illinois St. @ Missouri St. (women's) 7pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago & FS Midwest
Nebraska @ Iowa St. (women's) 7pm on Mediacom Channel 22
Florida @ Tennessee 8pm on ESPN
Illinois @ Penn St. 8pm on Big 10 Network
North Carolina St. @ Boston College 8pm on ESPNU
South Florida @ DePaul (women's) 8pm on CBS College Sports

NBA Basketball:

San Antonio @ Minnesota 7pm on FS North
Phoenix @ Denver 8pm on NBATV

NBA D-League: Springfield at Utah 1:45pm on NBATV

NHL Hockey:

Philadelphia @ Buffalo 6:30pm on VERSUS
Toronto @ San Jose 9:30pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts may apply for regional NBA & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

TV Schedule, Monday January 10

College Basketball:

UCONN @ Notre Dame (women's) 4pm on CBS College Sports
Bethune-Cookman @ North Carolina A&T 6pm on ESPNU
Notre Dame @ Marquette 6pm on ESPN2
Alabama A&M @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8pm on ESPNU

College Football: BCS Championship Game Auburn vs Oregon 7:30pm on ESPN

NBA Basketball:

Houston @ Boston 6:30pm on NBATV
Detroit @ Chicago 7pm on Comcast SportsNet Chicago

NBA D-League:
Iowa vs Utah (at South Padre Island, TX) 1:45pm on NBATV

NHL Hockey:

Boston @ Pittsburgh 6:30pm on VERSUS
Phoenix @ St. Louis 8pm on FS Midwest

Disclaimer: All times are Central and blackouts are likely for regional NBA & NHL telecasts outside of Iowa.