ESPN interested in bidding for the rights to March Madness

[OUHoops]

Source: USA Today

By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — If the NCAA opts out early next year from its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS for the men's basketball tournament, ESPN would be interested in bidding for the rights to March Madness, said Burke Magnus, ESPN's senior vice president of college sports programming.

CBS' contract runs through 2013. But the NCAA has the right to opt out by July 31, 2010. If it does, it would leave CBS's annual rights fees, according to NCAA numbers, of a little more than $2.2 billion for 2011-2013 in search of a bigger payday from another TV partner.

"We do 1,100 college basketball games a year and they all lead to one thing and that's the NCAA tournament," Magnus told USA TODAY Wednesday. "If it were to become available, and fit the definition of a business decision for us, I'm quite certain we'd be interested."

Mike Aresco, executive vice president of programming for CBS Sports, declined to comment on whether the NCAA might opt out early: "We have a great relationship with the NCAA. We expect to be in business with the tournament for a long time."

ESPN annually carries the play-in game on Tuesday night of the tournament's first week. Prior to the current contract, ESPN carried some early round men's games.

But it has been under the CBS banner that March Madness took off in popularity, virtually dwarfing the regular season.

If ESPN were to get the Big Dance, nobody would be happier than analyst Dick Vitale, who is reduced to studio duty in March instead of being courtside.

"I know Dick would be the first one on line there. It would be great for him and great for the sport," Magnus said.

ESPN already has the NCAA women's basketball tournament, is taking over the Bowl Championship Series games next year and has said it would be interested in the Olympics.

The NCAA released a statement through spokesperson Stacey Osburn: "We have regular discussions with CBS focused on our long-term relationship that benefits our membership. With that said, there is nothing to report."

 

[j2d2]

I hope those bastages dont ever get to do the tournament. espn has too much - way too much - sway in all sports as it is.

 

[coolm]

they have done ncaa games before.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I hope those bastages dont ever get to do the tournament. espn has too much - way too much - sway in all sports as it is.

there coverage would be so so much better than cbs

 

[SoonerfanTU]

there coverage would be so so much better than cbs

How so? They'd have the same talking heads doing that as they do every other major sporting event they cover.

I agree with the above poster, ESPN has too much right now as it is. I could list 100 reasons that MM is better off staying with CBS.

 

[campbest]

How so? They'd have the same talking heads doing that as they do every other major sporting event they cover.

I agree with the above poster, ESPN has too much right now as it is. I could list 100 reasons that MM is better off staying with CBS.

We're not going anywhere...

 

[Sooner23]

I could put up with ESPN as long as they utilize all of their stations to show all four games at the same time. I will be a happy man if I never have to suffer through another CBS "live look-in" to see how Duke is fairing against Alabama A&M while the OU game is going on.

 

[JBaker]

I've been praying that ESPN would get March Madness for years now.
Rather than 5 simultaneous games on one channel, we could get every game on a different channel.

 

[w0lfe]

I want it to stay with cbs. Always seeing that blue cbs label and hearing Greg Gumbels voice associates me with the NCAA tourny. Forget ESPN

 

[SoonerNorm]

I really dislike the way CBS airs March Madness. I would love for ESPN to have a chance to show how it should be done. If they don't perform (which I doubt) they could always go back to CBS.

 

[Bk2X]

I could put up with ESPN as long as they utilize all of their stations to show all four games at the same time. I will be a happy man if I never have to suffer through another CBS "live look-in" to see how Duke is fairing against Alabama A&M while the OU game is going on.

Exactly how i feel, I was so pissed when I had to watch games by their scores at the top of the screen. Im all for ESPN cause atleast they have multiple channels that can air ALL of the games.

 

[IndySooner]

This is ONE case where I would like ESPN to win. Unlike football, they can't influence the outcome of the tournament. In football, they have WAY too much influence because it's only two teams. In a tournament, the "best" team wins.

They could broadcast all four games (as noted above) and make the experience even better. I would love to be able to sit in my living room and watch all four games (without lag) at once!

 

[BoulderSooner]

This is ONE case where I would like ESPN to win. Unlike football, they can't influence the outcome of the tournament. In football, they have WAY too much influence because it's only two teams. In a tournament, the "best" team wins.

They could broadcast all four games (as noted above) and make the experience even better. I would love to be able to sit in my living room and watch all four games (without lag) at once!

they also would get the schedule right ..

right now in the round of 16 cbs can't even show 4 games in one day .. it is crazy ..

 

[Sawyer]

CBS > ESPN

It'd be nice if CBS could find a way to show all games... but I'll take having just one over having to deal with all the crap that comes with ESPN. With every single thing ESPN does, they make themselves the story. CBS doesn't. I don't care about the announcers. I don't care about the analysts. I don't care about any of the crap ESPN loves to push. I care about the games, and IMO CBS does a good job of putting the REAL story on the forefront.

 

[DenverSooner]

there coverage would be so so much better than cbs

I agree. I think you would get coverage on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and/or ESPN News. I think it woudl be much better for the first and second round weekend because of the multiple channels.

I really wish CBS would put out multiple signals on the first weekend. I love the tournament but I hate that they pull away from a game you may like or you can't see the game you want in your market because of a local team.