ESPN put up solid ratings for its telecast of the first two BCS games of '12. Oregon's 45-38 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl posted a 9.9 rating, which is down 15% from TCU's win over Wisconsin in last year's game. That matchup drew an 11.7 rating. Oklahoma State's 41-38 OT win over Stanford in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl registered a 9.0 overnight, up 34% from last year's 6.7 rating for Oklahoma's blowout of Connecticut. Taken together, the first two BCS games on ESPN have averaged a 9.4 rating, up 4% from the first two BCS games in '11 (John Ourand, THE DAILY). In Oklahoma City, Mel Bracht writes ESPN turned in “a stellar performance” in capturing Oklahoma State’s win. Play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough and analyst Matt Millen “were on target most of the night with their comments” (NEWSOK.com, 1/3). Westwood One's Kevin Kugler wrote on his Twitter feed, "Sean McDonough is about as good as there is in the biz. Prepared, enthusiastic, dry humor." But the Hartford Courant's Jeff Jacobs wrote, "Forgive me I'm old. Is there technology available where I can only hear Sean McDonough on Fiesta Bowl telecast." Meanwhile, ESPN's SkyCam crashed to the field during Friday night's Oklahoma-Iowa Insight Bowl, and Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde wrote, "Sean McDonough handling SkyCam crash with classic droll humor. Fantastic."
COTTON BOWL STAYING PUT: In Dallas, Bill Nichols reports the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic "will stay with its prime-time Friday spot in 2013," as Fox officials noted next year's game will take place on Jan. 4. The '13 Cotton Bowl "will be the third straight played on the Friday night after New Year's Day." Fox has televised the game since '99, and the LSU-Texas A&M matchup last year "was the highest rated Friday night program on Fox all year" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/3).
IN THE BUSINESS OF BUYING: In Portland, John Canzano wrote the practices for Oregon and Wisconsin leading up to the Rose Bowl were open to the media, and when the “15 minutes expired, the journalists were shooed out,” but ESPN's people “stayed on.” Canzano: “That's what $500 million buys in a bowl week.” The net has “gravitated away from great reporting, and writing, and substance, and instead is in the business of buying up events and exclusivity and passing it off to the consumer as journalism.” As part of ESPN's “exclusive deal, the personalities associated with the cable network get to hang out at practice, tweeting about the Ducks' practice music selection as Erin Andrews did this week.” They are “buying exclusive access to players and coaches before the bowls and exclusive rights during the games.” Canzano: “ESPN isn't covering the Rose Bowl. ... The corporate giant is packaging the thing, prettying it up, and presenting it to viewers. But not covering it like journalists” (Portland OREGONIAN, 12/31). ESPN VP/Communications Mike Soltys in a statement to THE DAILY said of Canzano's column, "His premise was not supported by fact and an insult to the hundreds of people at ESPN who deliver strong journalism every day" (THE DAILY).
LONGING FOR YESTERYEAR: ESPN’s Steve Bunin’s “Parting Shot” during Sunday's episode of "The Sports Reporters" referenced the bowl season. He said, “Call me old-fashioned, but there was something about waking up on New Year's Day and being able to see bowl game after bowl game after bowl game and knowing that by the time that New Year’s Day was done so was the college football season. That’s not the case anymore when money dictates sports. It would have been nice to see a handful of meaningful bowl games today. Instead, that’ll wait as the NFL takes center stage and money wins again” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 1/1).
