ESPN Announces TV Times for Texas Longhorn Football

ESPN recently announced which games they will televise this upcoming football season.  Here are the pair of Longhorn games that will be televised by ESPN next season.

Oct. 8: Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas: Noon, ABC
  
Nov. 24 (Thurs.): Texas at Texas A&M: 8 p.m., ESPN

As Always, NFL Dominates TV Ratings

Never mind the competition, the fact that it was only Week 1 or even the looming probability of labor strife, the NFL again drew record ratings for several games this past weekend.

It was an especially good week for NBC Sports, which had the season-opening Vikings-Saints game last Thursday and a TV friendly Cowboys-Redskins game on Sunday night.

Specifically, the Vikings-Saints drew 27.5 million viewers -- making it the network's most-watched, regular-season game ever. On Sunday night, 25.3 million people watched the Cowboys-Redskins matchup. In addtion, ratings for the Sunday night game were up 24 percent from the first Sunday night game of last season (Bears-Packers).

Fox Sports enjoyed increased viewership as well. It's late Sunday afternoon game (Packers-Eagles) had a 14 percent higher rating than the game in that timeslot last year (Redskins-Giants).

Football itself does not guarantee ratings success, though. Several college football games drew ratings lower than matchups in similar timeslots last year. Those down included Penn State-Alabama on ESPN (down 36 percent from USC-Ohio State in 2009) and Michigan-Notre Dame on NBC (down 20 percent from when they met on the same weekend in 2009, then on ABC).

Clearly, and not surprisingly, the NFL remains the almost always successful TV sports king. The sport plays quickly and well on TV. It can be enjoyed when viewed casually and as background noise or when watched from the opening coin toss to the final second. Plus, it regularly provides known personalities, teams and traditions.

Brewer's Tools Bring Tech Garage to Life

Amidst all the chatter about NASCAR racing, one of the best and most interesting experts works not in the press box or even in the pits. He has his own garage -- the Craftsman Tech Garage.

Former crew chief Tim Brewer provides the on-air personality for a traveling production team that produced in-race informational segments during Nationwide and Cup Series races. The enclosed studio includes a Chevrolet Cutaway Car as well as displays of engines, transmissions and shock absorbers.

Two tractor-trailer rigs, one with the studio and one as a support trailer, travel the country from race to race to make the Crafsman Tech Garage possible. Along with car parts, the moving garage and studio has mutiple plasma-screen televisions.

Still, it's most important element is Brewer -- who always shares his expertise in a manner that informs without insulting.

For more, see "In Depth: Craftsman Tech Garage" link on upper right of page.

NASCAR Nuances Pose a Problem for Partners

While the on-air types at ESPN insist a NASCAR race that looks boring might not be dull at all, the inability of TV to transfer the nuances of auto racing could be another problem for the sport this week.

After Fox Sports and TNT split coverage of the Sprint Cup Series season since February, ESPN takes over for the final 17 races of the season beginning Sunday with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's an historic venue for racing, but it's also a the type of place -- a big, flat and sweeping 2.5-mile oval -- that rarely produces side-by-side action that best defines NASCAR.

Still, ESPN broadcasters and officials insist (as they must) the race merits watching.

"The history and prestige of the event is enough to make it a great race regardless," analyst Andy Petree, a former NASCAR crew chief, said during a teleconference earlier this week. "But it's also a great watch because it's very tactical how these drivers have to run it -- how they make these passes and how it's tactical for the crews to keep that track position because it is so critical at that track because passing is difficult. It just puts more emphasis on different strategies and that's what I love about it."

Those strategies and tactics rarely transfer well to TV, though, and a wide audience of potential viewers does not love it as much as those who formerly worked in the sport.

At its best auto racing thrives in an action- and personality-driven atmosphere and the Brickyard 400 typically pulls any such emotional momentum down like, well, a ton of bricks. While how drivers set up passes and make the most of what little room exists on the track, it often winds up on TV as a line of cars, nose to tail. For many casual viewers (and NASCAR needs that group for its ratings to ever recover to where they were a few seasons ago), that parade translates to boring racing.

Fellow analyst and former driver Dale Jarrett appreciates the challenges of those on the track. He calls it "very rewarding whenever you can make a pass at a track that is that difficult" while he also admits that from the broadcast booth "what we'll hopefully show is that there is great racing that goes on."

In the midst of a season when dips in attendance and TV ratings have been a big part of the NASCAR story, Indy represents a challenging starting point for ESPN's return.

For years, ESPN was the standard bearer for quality auto racing coverage. Way back in the 1980s, as about the only consistent TV outlet for stock-car racing, whatever the channel tried usually met with a positive response.

As NASCAR's popularity grew more advertisers came to the sport, things such as finding a good time for commercial breaks in an effort to miss as little meaningful on-track action became more difficult. In addition, TV partners changed, and they changed in the middle of the season -- as has been the case for several years.

Fans have become a bit more demanding an cynical in recent years, and broadcast partners inevitably hear from those fans. To their credit, the braodcasters take what they hear into consideration, but balancing what older fans might want to see on TV with finding ways to appeal to 18- to 34-year-old males (a desired demographic because of their purchasing power) cannot always be done easily.

"What we talk about is serving the NASCAR fan as a whole, first and foremost," said Julie Sobieski, ESPN vice president for programming and acquisitions. "ESPN has a ton of events but we have news and information programming that tends to skew to that younger demographic, so there is an opportunity there. We think if we cover the race and cover the product as we think NASCAR fans in general do, regardless of their specific demographic, that demographic will continue to climb."

So far this year, that 18- to 34-year-old male demographic is down 30 percent for races on Fox Sports and TNT. It's hard to believe ESPN's approach will differ in any significant level that might change that trend.

In fact, ESPN's planned changes to NASCAR coverage hardly seem monumental. They include broadcasts of "SportsCenter" directly after races -- allowing for more race-related news coverage -- and a deal with driver Carl Edwards as a standing guest after each of the races on ESPN.

Combine those ho-hum changes with a race that has more going for it in terms of strategy than sheer speed, and it might be another tough week for viewership.

Logical Moves Reshape 'College GameDay'

Recently resigned A-list sideline reporter Erin Andrews got a bigger role Monday when ESPN announced changes to one of its best studio shows, "College GameDay."

Beginning Sept. 4, the popular and well-down show that usually originates from the site of the week's best or most interesting college football game, will expand from two to three hours every Saturday.

The first hour, beginning at 9 a.m., will air on ESPNU with Andrews hosting several segments. She will also serve as sideline reporter for the game from which "GameDay" originates -- as long as the game is on the ESPN family (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2).

ESPN also announced that it Andrews would provide "select reports" for "Good Morning America" on ABC throughout the year. That's a sensible extention of her duties beyond sports, and it's something that can happen easily within the ESPN/ABC family. It's also the kind of opportunity that probably made it appealing for Andrews to remain with ESPN, despite her overall visibility increase after participating in "Dancing with the Stars" and rumors that she might be exploring other TV options.

At 10 a.m. on Saturdays, the typical "GameDay" crew -- host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard -- takes over with the show on ESPN as always. In an smart move, ESPN Radio will simulcast "GameDay" from 9 a.m. to noon and "College GameDay on ESPN Radio," which airs from noon to 7 p.m., will originate from the same site as the TV show.

In the past the two shows (TV, radio) had separate travel schedules -- which allowed the network to have a presence at different locations but provided some challenges. With both shows at the same site, some duplication of effort can be eliminated -- although the radio folks (host Ryen Russillo and analysts Trevor Matich and Brad Edwards) might not get as many of their own original interviews or access to team personnel as a result.

Among the other personnel moves for college football, Fowler and John Saunders will pick up a few more studio shifts for "College Football Live," which should be interesting with Fowler's already busy schedule.

Unfortunately, he was replaced on Thursday night play-by-play duties. If he wanted the change to limit travel, OK. If not, it's a shame to lose an engaging and smart person on TV. Whatever the reason, it's a loss for viewers.

Grade A Move as Andrews Remains at ESPN

Popular and talented ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews, who appeared on "Dancing with the Stars" this spring, has agreed in principle to remain at ESPN, according to a report by USA Today's Michael Heistand.

That's a good move for Andrews, and for ESPN.

While the "Dancing" gig broadened Andrews' popularity beyond sports (as the show did with racecar driver Helio Castroneves) and sparked speculation that Andrews might try to ply that popularity into a different on-air opportunity with her contract expiring this week, staying with the all-sports network should be a good move for both parties.

For Andrews, it allows her to remain as perhaps the best and most recognizable sideline reporter in sports. Those assignments are always difficult simply because it's tough for the reporter to make valuable contributions, but she usually does well.

Had she gone to some entertainment-type reporting or non-sports gig, she would've been just another made-for-TV face. On sports, she brings credibility because she has worked so hard to do her job well throughout her career. She's not the first person who comes to mind in terms of breaking news or reporting controversy, but on the field she asks questions that must be asked and at least makes those sometimes unbearable on-field situations watchable.

Staying put also gives Andrews room to grow. She has a safe base in sideline reporting, but ESPN might find ways for her to test other on-air opportunities if she wants them. Those might include studio work, chances to do long-form reporting or, who knows, even a lifestyle-type show. Because the people at ESPN know and trust Andrews, the opportunity to avoid being typecast as only a sideline reporter should come.

Maybe she'll succeed in those endeavors if they come, or maybe not. Still, testing the waters -- or maybe just remaining happy doing what she's doing -- can be done much more easily from "home" at ESPN than as the new face of some network or program.

ESPN, NFL Films Keep 'NFL Matchup'

Hard-core NFL fans who enjoy "NFL Matchup," which has aired since 1994 on ESPN, got good news when SportsBusiness Daily and profootballtalk.com reported that the show would return for the coming season.

The fairly intense and enjoyable Xs-and-Os show will air at 7:30 a.m. Sundays during the regular season on ESPN. Late in the season and during the playoffs it will re-air at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN2.

Hosts Merril Hog, Ron Jaworski and Sal Paolantonio will return to the show that allows Hoge and especially Jaworski to showcase their film study skills and truly analyze one game each week.

The show is taped at a studio at NFL Films in New Jersey. According to reports of the deal, ESPN will sell the show's ads.

TV Success Set to Spur Soccer? Sorry

With the United States in the knockout round of the World Cup, Saturday's match against Ghana should emerge as the most-watched soccer game in U.S. history, and some might argue it could serve as the latest launching point for a nationwide popularity surge for the sport.

These arguments come every four years or so, usually in conjunction with the World Cup (or the Women's World Cup, which the United States won in 1999). Before that, there was the 1970s uptick in popularity sparked by the North American Soccer League, home of the New York Cosmos and its roster of international soccer stars such as Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia.

All too often, those "next big moments" play out and little follows -- which might be the case this time as well.

On-field standouts and quality play need something more to produce a watershed moment for a sport. They need attention and a public response.

Luckily for soccer at this time, ESPN provides just such an enthusiastic partner with its endless promotions and quality coverage and production. And viewers have responded in record numbers.

Some 13 million watched the U.S. team's first match in pool play vs. England on ABC and this week's final match of group play vs. Algeria drew 6.1 million viewers to ESPN on Wednesday morning, making it the most-viewed weekday morning event in the all-sports network's history. (Yes, there must be some perspective with that because the number of quality, ratings-drawing morning programming has been limited, at best, through the years. Still, it's impressive.)

So, the stage would seem set for a big moment for soccer because of a rare combination of nationalistic attention and interest. Other sports have parlayed those things into turning point moments, but it's just not that simple for soccer in the United States.

When it Worked
1958: The first TV moment that validated a sport came Sunday, Dec. 28, 1958. In the NFL championship game (years before there was Super Bowl), the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants played to a tie through four quarters and the game entered sudden death overtime for the first time in league history.

After New York took the opening kickoff and was forced to punt, Baltimore pounded the ball down the field. They reached the 8-yard-line when the game was interrupted as a man ran on the field. (In another example of the power of TV, that man was an NBC employee who was told to create a distraction so the network could repair its feed, which had just gone dead.) When play resumed a few minutes later, the Colts continued their drive and Alan Ameche eventually scored the decisive touchdown on a 1-yard run.

Some 45 million people in the United States watched the game (even though it was blacked out in New York City), and it was credited as the event that launched the NFL into public consciousness -- spurring a growth trend that has pretty much continued for 50-plus years.

1979: On Monday, March 26, 1979, Indiana State with Larry Bird and Michigan State with Earvin "Magic" Johnson met in the championship game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. It was the final act of the Final Four -- and the first act that helped spur college basketball and the NCAA Tournament to previously unimaginable heights.

Interest in the game was unparalleled, and the game remains the highest-rated basketball game, college or professional, in U.S. history. Some 35 million people watched as Michigan State won, 75-64. Bird and Magic were the focal points, as they had been throughout the tournament.

In the years that followed, the NCAA Tournament expanded from 40 to 64 teams and became a cash cow for the NCAA itself -- because the TV rights that CBS and its partners now pay ($10.8 billion through 2024) to carry the tournament help support every other championship sanctioned by the NCAA.

Also, it's probably fair to argue that the game, as the kickoff and first in-person meeting for the the Bird-Magic rivalry, helped the NBA as well. Both players went pro the following year and their rivalry eventually made pro basketball a TV successful staple again.

1987: The most-watched college football game of all time took place Jan. 2, 1987 when top-ranked Miami met No. 2 Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship. Officials at NBC had moved the game to Friday night, making it the first bowl game ever contested after New Year's Day, and expected people across the nation would watch.

They were correct, and surprised, as nearly 70 million people watched a good game with a great storyline -- hard-working simple and solid Penn State against brash, colorful and loud Miami. The game was close from start to finish. In the final minute, a late Pete Giftopolous interception stopped a Miami drive and secured Penn State's 14-10 victory.

After that, college football once again emerged as more of a national sport. Big games, including bowl games, moved more regularly to accommodate TV. Also, New Year's Day was no longer a sacred or secure date and many bowl games moved to Jan. 1 or later.

Still, it's Soccer
Those success stories make the combination of compelling athletic competition and widespread attention with millions of TV viewers sound like a sure-fire blueprint for success, but that's not always the case. The formula often fails with Olympic sports or quadrennial events, such as the World Cup.

For example, while 41 million people watched Olympic figure skating on Feb. 25, 1994, most were interested in what would happen to Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. Kerrigan had been attacked at U.S. nationals and was sent to the Olympic games with her recovery uncertain.

Skating officials connected Harding (and her husband, bodyguard and other accomplices) to the attack before the Olympic Games in Norway and attempted to remove her from the U.S. team. But she threatened legal action and stayed on the team. Kerrigan eventually earned the silver medal while Harding finished eighth. She later had her U.S. title stripped was banned for life from U.S. figure skating events as a competitor or coach.

It was reality TV before networks created the genre, and it did nothing for figure skating popularity.

Concrete Comparison
Perhaps the most fair comparison for World Cup impact and ratings can be found in Olympic hockey -- especially the United States-Canada matchups just this year in Vancouver.

The teams met twice, first in the preliminary round and then in the gold medal game.

In the preliminary round, which was shown live only on MSNBC, 8.2 million people watched the United States earn a 5-3 victory.

More than a week later in the gold medal game, Canada recorded a 3-2 overtime victory that attracted an average of 27.6 million viewers on NBC. At its most-watched moment, some 32 million people were watching.

If soccer matches those numbers (and it has a way to go because the 8.2 million watching on MSNBC trump the 6.1 who watched this week on ESPN), it would be an interesting progression for the sport -- and a major victory.

For anyone to discuss or expect that the soccer team's success in the World Cup this year would propel the sport to more mainstream status in the United States is a bit optimistic at best and simplistic at worst. Even with a favorable formula, any "next big step" remains far away and unrealistic.

Soccer might eventually emerge as a more mainstream sport in the United States with a verifiable major professional league on U.S. soil that people care about at watch, but that's more likely to be the result of years of little steps as opposed to one big leap.

Proper Perspective
ESPN Radio host Erik Kuselias was spot-on with his analysis of the U.S. victory that pushed them out of pool play. He called Landon Donovan's goal the most important in U.S. soccer history and he was correct.

Had the U.S. endured another draw and not made the knockout round, it would've been a disappointment and ended the sport's chances with casual fans -- again. Or at least for the next four years.

Instead, the program got an emotional lift and a chance to play more meaningful matches.

TV Partners' Hopes Bound to Tie, Too

When Michael Bradley scored in the 82nd minute of the U.S. match Friday against Slovenia, it knotted the score at 2, kept alive the team's hopes of advancing in the World Cup and helped some ESPN executives breathe a little easier.

Had the United States lost to Slovenia, the team's chances of reaching the elimination round of the tournament would've been damaged almost beyond repair. The chance of ESPN of continually attracting casual soccer fans here in the United States would've decreased as well.

Instead, the team remains alive and ESPN has a breathless, come-from-behind tie to promote leading up to next Wednesday's match against Algeria.

Through two games, the U.S. team has attracted abundant TV attention, which will again show in ratings for Friday's match as well as information about the number of viewers/visitors at ESPN3.com for streaming coverage online.

And, while the team on the field has been entertaining, the broadcast crew has been even better.

Ian Drake provides a reason to listen, watch, whatever. He's emotional, entertaining and insightful. While some fret about the lead announcer/play-by-play man not being born and bred in the United States, they represent a misguided minority because Drake is great.

Even better, he makes former U.S. standout John Harkes strong as color commentator because they banter and Drake asks questions or creates room for Harkes to make points. They're a good broadcast crew -- and sound like they've been working together longer than they have.

From a broadcast point of view, ESPN has used its own cameras and people to complement the international TV feed well. Plus, the story during games has been the story of the games themselves -- spiced with appropriate statistics at the right times (Drake mentioned early Friday that the U.S. team was 0-15-3 all-time when giving up the first goal) and enough context and criticism to work well.

Specifically, neither Drake nor Harkes pulled punches when addressing the officiating during the game. But, ironically, Drake, often sounded more critical and almost like a homer, even though he's not from the United States. Because of that, his points mean more. He's coming from a good-of-the-game, overall-soccer perspective and it just works.

Conversely, ESPN's Bob Ley and former U.S. player Alexi Lalas sounded angry (and Lalas certainly was) when analyzing what had happened. Their analysis/criticism fell a little short -- despite the fact that emotion and opinion are necessary -- mainly because they sounded as if this game had happened in a vacuum. But international soccer has a reputation for poor officiating, and that context was missing.

Despite UT Windfall, SEC Remains Strongest

Continued financial support from TV partners -- the most important of which was ESPN -- put a halt to the destruction of the Big 12 Conference and provided powerhouse Texas millions of reasons to stay home and stop the carousel of conference realignment this week.



With the Big 12 down to 10 members because of moves by Nebraska and Colorado to the Big Ten and Pac-10, respectively, ESPN told conference officials it would maintain payouts according to its contract that runs through 2016. It's a bigger commitment for ESPN than fellow TV partner Fox Sports Net just because FSN's contract with the Big 12 ends in 2012. So ESPN will continue paying for 12 schools and getting 10 for a longer period of time.



Also, the remaining members of the Big 12 get "buyout" money from the two programs leaving the conference and Texas has a green light to create its own, school-specific television network.



Those factors make Texas the king of the conference by almost every possible measure -- especially because several of the remaining Big 12 schools agreed to take a smaller portion of the buyout money so UT could have more. They did so to keep Texas in the conference, and ensure that the conference remains alive for them.



Still, the Big 12 itself lags behind the just-enhanced Big Ten and Pac-10 as a top-to-bottom national TV draw. And everyone trails the Southeastern Conference, at least in terms of what other entities are willing to pay to broadcast games.



That's because the SEC makes more with less. It has deals with ESPN and CBS that total $3 billion and run through 2024 -- and it earned that kind of support despite having fewer major TV markets in its region than other conferences. So, people clearly must be interested across the nation.



At least the people signing the checks believe viewers are interested. Or, maybe ESPN and CBS overbid three years ago when they signed the deals, hoping to prevent the formation of an SEC Network similar to the already successful Big Ten Network.



Either way, TV money pumps essential financial life into the SEC despite the fact that it has just two top-15 TV markets in the region (No. 8 Atlanta and No. 13 Tampa). Even crediting Florida markets to the SEC, which might be a reach because of competition from the Atlantic Coast Conference which has Florida State and Miami, the SEC's other big makets are all outside the top 15. They are -- No. 16 Miami, No. 19 Orlando, No. 27 Raleigh-Durham and No. 29 Nashville.



Conversely, the Big Ten and revamped Pac-10 can each claim seven top-25 markets. Had the Pac-10 completed the Texas acquisition, it would've had 10 top-25 markets but that did not happen.



With realignment seemingly slowing down, the real impact of the moves might not be felt until the Big 12 attempts to update its existing TV deals. When that happens, the conference will find out of the comparative windfall continues. It's hard to imagine the Big 12 will ever be a more valuable TV property than the SEC, though.



Meanwhile the Big Ten makes up for its slightly lower payout from outside networks with its own Big Ten Network. The revenue from that entity, whose financial model includes a portion of cable subscribers' bills coming directly to the BTN, helps the Big Ten reap bigger per-school TV revenues than the SEC.

World Cup Ratings Score for ABC/ESPN

Lots of people are watching World Cup soccer, which has become a TV ratings giant in less than a week. Still, it's what people are hearing that has created more reaction than what they're watching.

Not surprisingly, Saturday's United States-England tie on ABC was the most-watched first-round World Cup match since 1994. After all the hype as well as an appropriate nationalistic curiosity, it would've been a surprise if it did not draw a big number and lots of eyeballs. With a 7.3 rating, it attracted about 13 million viewers -- and those are great numbers for almost any sporting event, especially one that airs on a Saturday afternoon in mid-June.

According the ABC/ESPN, the three-hour window for the telecast (including a one-hour pregame show) drew more than 10.7 million viewers and the telecast ranks as the fifth-most-watched soccer event ever -- behind three World Cup finals (including the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final) and a round of 16 game (United States-Brazil) in 1994 -- in the United States. All of those matches were televised on ABC.

Through five matches of World Cup coverage, ESPN and ABC were averaging 3,427,000 households and 4,937,000 viewers -- up 95 percent and 108 percent, respectively -- versus the first five games of the 2006 World Cup (1,754,000 households and 2,379,000 viewers).

“The 2010 FIFA World Cup is off to a tremendous start for ESPN,” said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president-content, said in a statement. “Strong viewership on television and other platforms -- including the best first round rating in 16 years -- and the overwhelmingly positive reaction we are receiving from fans demonstrate the enormous popularity of this global sports event and how ESPN is uniquely positioned to cover it.”

For soccer aficionados, that's good news -- probably opening the door for more soccer on TV, at least on the ESPN family, in the future because it's hard to imagine the numbers going down as the World Cup progresses.

The early morning weekday start times for the two remaining U.S. matches in pool play (9:30 a.m. Friday, June 18 vs. Slovenia and 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 23 vs. Algeria) might not be ideal, but even if people watch in fewer numbers than for the opener the matches will still shatter ratings for typical weekday mornings. And, the remaining U.S. matches could draw ratings similar to the opener as more people jump on the once-ever-four-years soccer bandwagon.

About the only thing that has not gotten universal approval from TV viewers during the World Cup are "vuvezelas" used by soccer fans in South Africa. The plastic horns, a tradition among fans in the country, create a buzzing sound that gets picked up loud and clear by ambient microphones at the matches.

According to several ESPN sources, the topic has been discussed by network officials -- including possibly using technology to mute the sound -- but it has not been the subject of loud or regular complaints from viewers in the United States. Not surprisingly, English fans (perhaps as a product of the 1-1 tie their nation's team endured in the first round against the United States) have been a bit more vocal with their complaints.

An Associated Press report from London said the BBC had received 545 complaints from viewers and the broadcaster was working to minimize the noise during its broadcasts. In fact, the BBC is considering a service that would allow viewers to must ambient game noise and still be able to hear the commentary of announcers.

FIFA president Sepp Blattner has said the sanctioning body would not ban the vevuzela from stadiums.

By midday Tuesday, the company that provides the world feed for matches, Host Broadcast Services, said it would provide additional audio filters for the buzzing sound created by the horns.

That's a shame, because the horns are part of the atmosphere in South Africa. ESPN Radio hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic are among those who believe the sound should stay.

Weekend Pre: A Traditional TV Threesome

Many options exist for TV sports viewing this weekend -- especially with the World Cup and college baseball on the ESPN family of networks -- but three events stand out. Tradition plays a role in the reason for watching each.

First, England-United States in the World Cup at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC. It's the most tradition-rich sporting event in the world, and while many here in the United States will be watching here only for nationalistic purposes, it should still be worth watching.

There will be no recommendation in this space to watch all 64 games of the World Cup, or even a quarter of them, but an effort to take in the U.S. team seems appropriate.

Second, baseball's best tradition -- a dominant pitcher -- provides the reason to watch Washington Nationals rookie Steven Strasburg face the Cleveland Indians at 1 p.m. Sunday on TBS. Another interleague game (Phillies-Red Sox) was scheduled in that spot, but TBS asked to change and Major League Baseball wisely OK'd the switch so Strasburg's second big league start could be televised. People will tune in to see Strasburg. There's just something appealing about a good pitcher.

Third, Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics tips off at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC. It has become a solid series, worth watching. In addition, the NBA has provided a nice proving grounds for the use of instant replay and Jeff Van Gundy continues to emerge as a solid color commentator.

Short Waves
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll chimed in on the USC sanctions from a safe distance, and without dealing with any reporters. Video of his statement carried by ESPN was credited to PeteCarrollTV. What's that? Why the personal YouTube channel for the coach, of course. ... Ratings for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals were the highest in more than 35 years. The Blackhawks' clinching game against the Flyers in Philadelphia attracted more than 8 million viewers -- the most for an NHL playoff game since 1974.

After All the Hype, World Cup Set to Start

It's here, the day ESPN and all its outlets have been telling us about for months, encouraging us to care -- or at least watch.

According to all official ESPN references, including whenever it's noted in the Bottom Line (that crawl of information across the bottom of your TV set), its the 2010 FIFA World Cup (TM). Yes, ESPN has been religious, or at least required, to even use the little trademark logo in every reference to the event.

ESPN paid $100 million for U.S. rights to the tournament, less than the $325 million Univision paid for rights in Spanish-speaking countries but still a sizable investment. Along with cash, ESPN has tied the launch of ESPN 3D to the tournament, with 25 World Cup games broadcast in 3D during the next month.

Before games begin and regardless of how popular the broadcasts will be, it seems ESPN has done several things correctly. Most notably, ESPN has not tried to force U.S. broadcasters onto games. Instead, people who call the sport regularly and call it well will work the games. Soccer fans want to hear people who know what they're doing and, honestly, casual fans will turn in for the athleticism, and mostly, games featuring the United States -- and they'll only be worried about some nationalistic pride and the score in those instances.

The announcers will also work on site in South Africa, unlike some World Cup games four years ago when announcers called games from studios in the United States while the event itself took place half a world away.

When the U.S. team plays, ESPN should draw good ratings, especially for its opening game, England vs. United States at 2 p.m. Saturday. That game will air on ABC. A weekend timeslot against England should mean all kinds of casual interest.

Still, the World Cup seems a bit like college football recruiting -- at least in terms of how some network officials and soccer supporters want to position it. Many, as usual with the once-every-four-years Cup, believe it can be a "flash point" or "starting point" for some great influx of soccer interest in the United States. Or at least an interest in soccer on TV.

Even if the World Cup draws good ratings -- and it likely will because of changing demographics in the United States and, honestly, overall ratings are typically low enough that a slight increase in viewership will make any ratings boost seem huge -- the impact of the event will not be able to be measured at the end of the summer or next year.

Maybe more soccer will show up on TV at a result of the World Cup, but if the ratings do not hold for international games or the MLS (and that league has never drawn eyeballs on TV), then ESPN, no matter how much it invested in promoting and providing the World Cup this year, will back away for a few years before ramps up the hype machine in advance of the 2014 World Cup.

College Football Analyst Misses the Obvious

A full-time, paid analyst about college football sounded more uninformed than a former analyst turned coach when they popped up on separate ESPN platforms during the past 18 hours.

First, former Florida QB and ESPN college football analyst Jesse Palmer, part of "College Football Live," added an off-hand remark about the importance of academics in the whole conference expansion mess. As if on cue, or on payroll from the Big Ten Conference, Palmer said people should not underestimate the importance of academics as the Big Ten considers which schools to invite for membership.

Throughout the process, and dating to 1989 when conference presidents added Penn State, Big Ten members have also been members of the Association of American Universities. The broad-based research schools that are members of that AAU (not the typically sports related Amateur Athletic Union) do have reason to consider themselves better or different from some other colleges and universities. It's a nice standard to have.

Plus, it's generally accepted that any new Big Ten members will be AAU members as well. Newcomer Nebraska is an AAU member, but it ranks lower than any other Big Ten school in most academic and research ratings.

Still, when Palmer and other analysts parrot lines about academics and that membership being a driving force in any decisions regarding conference expansion they're just wrong. It's not about academics, it's about athletics and money. Analysts need not be overly critical or cynical, but to continually offer the academics-first line is insulting to viewers.

Conversely, the calming, wise tones of Bill Curry's voice were a welcome sound Friday on "Mike and Mike in the Morning." The current Georgia State football coach (that program launches this fall) and former ESPN college football analyst just brings great perspective to everything he talks about.

With Greenberg and Golic on "Mike and Mike," Curry addressed the NCAA sanctions for Southern California and conference expansion. He put things in perspective well and offered the opinion that expansion was bad for college football. Because Curry brings experience as a player, Georgia Tech then a pro career with the Green Bay Packers, and coach, with stops in Alabama and Kentucky, his thoughtful perspectives are worth hearing. Not once in the conference expansion discussion, and granted his time was brief, did he mention academics. Then again, he knew better.

Here's just one reason he knew better -- the Big Ten cannot get its most-sought-after new member and maintain its academics-first, AAU-membership requirement. That's because cash cow Notre Dame -- which could still survive and maybe thrive as an independent football power depending on how things play out -- is not an AAU member.

It would be nice if some analyst, preferably someone with a full-time job, could just point out little things like that. That would include acknowledging that the Irish have a great academic reputation, but at the same time acknowledging that the school (in terms of enrollment and as a private school) is more different from most Big Ten members than it is the same.

That means the expansion efforts come down to money -- not academics.

Closed Zone: New Home for 'Sports Reporters'

"The Sports Reporters," a Sunday morning staple on ESPN since 1988, will have a new home -- with weekly tapings set to shift from New York City to Bristol, Conn., the all-sports network's main campus.

The show with a panel of national sportswriters addressing issues of the week has been taped in New York City at the ESPN Zone in Times Square since 1999. But, ESPN announced this week that its chain of restaurants would be closed by June 16.

So, colorful, spacious, but unprofitable locations in Baltimore, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York City and Washington, D.C., will be shuttered. Several of those restaurants served as on-location studios for ESPN radio or TV shows. Most prominent in that group was "The Sports Reporters" in New York City.

If the June 16 date remains firm for all locations, "The Sports Reporters" would be taped for the last time this Sunday in New York. In subsequent weeks, the show will originate from ESPN headquarters.

From 1988 to 1999, the show was taped at a different location in New York.

The change in location also might impact who serves as guests on the show, or shakeup how often guests appear on the show. After all, it's not as easy to get to Bristol as it is New York, and if the network already has somebody on site it will be interesting to see if they keep that person around for another assignment, such as "The Sports Reporters," or now.

Also, it's certainly easier for Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, one of the critical, opinionated anchors of the show, to work in the Big Apple than travel to Connecticut each week. So it'll be interesting to see how the move impacts him and all the show's contributors.

Strasburg's Performance Prompts Praise

Rookie pitcher Steven Strasburg struck out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates batter Tuesday night -- and struck a chord with former ballplayers as well as full-time broadcasters in the process.

Pick the network, venue and expert/host and the reaction to the right-handed pitcher's debut was unanimous. It was awesome, impressive, an overwhelming success. All those adjectives, praise and more, were heaped on the 14-strikeout effort.

Some of the praise, especially that from proven and trusted sources, sounded so over-the-top it would've been considered silly coming from anyone else.

But, when baseball voices such as Bob Costas, Orel Hershiser and Jayson Stark agree (and they represent just a small sampling of a unanimous chorus of praise), sports fans probably feel they should listen.

Costas, working with Jim Kaat and John Smoltz (two pitchers who amassed 496 victories during 46 years combined years in Major League Baseball), sounded almost reverential at times during the game broadcast on the MLB Network.

Afterward, as experts made the rounds on shows after the game and early Wednesday, Cy Young Award winner and former NLCS and World Series MVP Hershiser, who pitched a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings in 1988, offered some of the highest priase.

"It's going to be a possible Cy Young as soon as he pitches a full season," he said. "That's the kind of performance and talent that can go for innings without giving up runs."

Likewise, ESPN expert Stark, one of the best in the business covering baseball, said he changed his schedule to see Strasburg's debut -- something he never does. And he was happy he did, calling the effort more impressive than he expected.

Completing the sweep of praise was some from unusual sources, among them Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio. Often an appropriate and reasoned critic of some things baseball, he admitted he was on the Strasburg bandwagon and encouraged Major League Baseball to promote the pitcher -- simply because: "It's so rare when the performance meets or exceeds the hype."

For Strasburg to meet the hype and praise that have been heaped on him in just the past 18 hours might be difficult, though.

Blown Call Again Exposes A Perfect Problem

A perfect game became a one hitter for Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga on Wednesday night when veteran umpire Jim Joyce clearly blew a call at first base.

It was not 27 up and 27 down. Insted, it was another huge strike for baseball, which has refused to use TV replay to its full potential despite the ability of the technology to help the sport.

For some, the discussion in the aftermath of the blown call -- and it will begin to intensify Wednesday morning with sports-talk shows across the nation -- will focus the baseball side of the argument. A lost perfect game lost does matter.

For others, the focus will be on the use of replay in baseball. Problems with the integrity and practice of the sport matter more.

While baseball has replay, its limited scope does not include safe-and-out calls like that at first base in the Indians-Tigers game. So, Joyce's obvious mistake was not reviewable. And instead of an appropriate ending (with Galarraga hustling over and cover first base to close out his perfect game) the sport got a black eye.

Immediate kudos to ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian, though. His reaction segment used television and online showed why he's one of the best baseball experts in the business. He was accurate, honest and measured.


If Major League Baseball can take this aggregious error and build from it any way that's half a appropirate as Kurkjian's work here, it would certainly be a positive step for the sport.

World Cup Worth More Internationally

While ESPN plans saturation coverage of the World Cup over multiple mediums -- including a significant move into 3D -- as the event begins this month, the all-sports network obtained rights for U.S. coverage of the tournament for much less than some international outlets.

Specifically, ESPN paid $100 million for the rights to aid the World Cup here in the United States. Meanwhile, Univision shelled out $325 million for Spanish broadcasts.

Weekend Pre: AFL, Auto Racing and Softball

Sure, we're getting closer to the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals (with a potentially interesting storyline involving the Philadelphia Flyers) but my remote might skip over the respective conference finals in those sports to find some even more niche events this weekend.

First, there's the Arena Football League on the NFL Network (8 p.m. Friday) -- just because I miss football that much. Plus, this game marks the on-air debut of former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, who seems destined to find a TV assignment with the real league once the fall rolls around.

We'll see how he sounds doing arena games, and he should be as well suited as anyone because the much-told and retold story of his career was how he started with the Iowa Barnstormers. He's working the Arizona Rattlers-Barnstormers game, and his Iowa jersey will be retired during the night.

Auto racing also merits a look this weekend, with Saturday as the big day. It includes pole qualifying for the Indy 500 on Versus (11 a.m. Saturday) and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star (9 p.m. Speed). Of the two, expect the NASCAR event to produce more drama, because it's a race and because of a not-so-simple qualifying process for the Indy 500.

While Indy qualifying used to produce "bumping," as one driver's top speed would put him into he field for the race and push another out, that's not going to happen this year. Still, it will determine where some drivers start and the technology of racing, with on-screen graphics that usually convey necessary information well, provides a nice technological highlight.

Finally -- and it's not an afterthought -- there's college softball. As it has with the Little League World Series, ESPN has latched onto college softball in a big way. It has expanded its popular coverage of the Women's College World Series back to regional and then super regional events. Regional play begins this weekend.

Game coverage works on TV because its fast-paced and the smaller diamond puts viewers closer to the action. Plus, the college competition comes with a bit more energy and enthusiasm than other events on the tube.

While we get a push of college softball at this time of year simply because it's a fairly empty TV window that ESPN can fill, the games usually are competitive. This weekend's regional action might not be quite the quality of the eventual super regionals (May 27-30) and College World Series (June 3-9), but they'll still be OK and they serve an even bigger purpose for ESPN because they provide familiarity with the coaches, players and teams involved -- giving any viewers who follow the action from the regionals to the World Series some relationships and rooting interests.

Assuming and Pronouncing About the NFL

Sometimes even a portion of a show can make an impact or provide some interesting moments and that was certainly the case Tuesday with "NFL Live" on ESPN.

As part of a lead segment on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during a series of spring practices, some insights from an ESPN analyst and former Steelers player seemed to overlook the obvious -- or at least prompt some questions.

Analyst Merril Hoge was brought into the show by phone to provide an update on a golf tournament his foundation had hosted and in which Roethlisberger had participated. According to Hoge, the suspended quarterback interacted well with fans during the event and was making steps toward being more accountable.

Hoge said the quarterback knows he's in trouble because of his own actions and only his subsequent actions can change the perceptions of fans.

Still, while the ever-positive Hoge set the stage for an eventual return to acceptance of Roethlisberger by fans, the overlooked aspect was whether or not Big Ben actually is a good person. After all, not every professional athlete gets that message or practices that approach. From Hoge's perspective, though, it was a foregone conclusion that the quarterback would change his ways.

Meanwhile, Roethlisberger's actual actions/motives/personality remains in question -- and those are not things that can be proven because some former player believes that's the case.