Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said that the "clear sentiment" after a meeting with conference ADs and presidents last week was "'to reassess' the increasing control of television in the marquee sports of football and men’s basketball," according to Mark Zeigler of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The MWC on Friday had a semifinal at 9:30pm PT (that actually tipped at 9:52) followed by a 3:00pm final "the next day -- a 15-hour turnaround for athletes" who were playing their third or fourth game in as many days. Football games also have been "kicking off later." Thompson: "We’re playing at 8:15 or 8:30 consistently in football, we’ve even had some 9 o’clock tips in basketball, we had three Sunday afternoon (basketball) games in San Diego this year. What are we doing?" He added, "The question becomes: Is it worth $1 million per school to have all these disenfranchised fans?” Zeigler noted $1M is about what each MWC member "gets annually from a TV contract split between CBS and ESPN." The MWC is "stuck with its current TV deal" through '19-20, and until then Thompson "admits they’re at the mercy of the networks." However, negotiations for a new deal "will begin in about 18 months, and Thompson hinted they might go in a different direction." Thompson: "I have used the word strongly: the alternative." The idea, if the nets "refuse to rescind control over start times, would be to go all digital, which would significantly reduce the rights fees but also eliminate" late games. Thompson: "People are watching the computer now. To be on TV and collect a check, you’re going to play at 8:30 or 9 o’clock on those odd nights. Where’s the sweet spot? Where’s the balance? It’s a challenge, and it’s not comfortable" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/11).
FASHIONABLY LATE: Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said the conference "wouldn't be where we're at today in men's basketball if it weren't for our TV arrangements, which include evening games." Scott: "The improvement of Pac-12 men's basketball that we're witnessing and enjoying this week starts with the new television contracts that we entered into, which required us to be more flexible in terms of when we're going to play." He added, "To say late start times might be hurting Pac-12 basketball does not resonate from my perspective" (TWITTER.com, 3/9).
EAST COAST BIAS? In L.A., Joey Kaufman noted USC coach Andy Enfield contended "East Coast Bias" was "a real phenomenon." Enfield previously spent five seasons as an assistant at Florida State and two seasons coaching Florida Gulf Coast. He said, "I knew it then, but when you’re out on the West Coast, it’s very obvious. Our games start later. A lot of the media and the people that are bracketologists, they don’t even watch our games. They get the internet" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 3/10).
