ESPN said the network did not have as much input on the start time of today's decisive third game of the College World Series as people believe. The first pitch for Arizona-Coastal Carolina is scheduled for 1:08pm ET on ESPNU, a network that is in 70.6 million homes. By contract, ESPN (89 million homes) has to show Wimbledon and ESPN2 (89 million homes) has to show the Poland-Portugal Euro '16 quarterfinal this afternoon. ESPN would have preferred producing the game in primetime tonight, when it shows taped programming that could be moved easily for the CWS. The net tonight is scheduled to show an updated “Believeland” documentary that incorporates the Cavaliers' NBA title and “BattleFrog Obstacle Race: College Championship.” ESPN in an emailed statement said, “We offered a primetime window on ESPN as a preferred rescheduling option for Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series Finals. The NCAA made the decision to play the game at 1 p.m. ET. ESPN and ESPN2 have previously scheduled Wimbledon and Euro games airing this afternoon. We were able to find a window on ESPNU and look forward to televising the matchup.” NCAA Managing Dir of Championships & Alliances Ron Prettyman in today’s Omaha World-Herald is quoted as saying that ESPN execs “certainly have input on start times.”
