Nov 19 - KU Sports: Game Day and Keegan explains the TV deal (sort of)
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Last week we got to hear about everything except the game thanks to Duke Vitale
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If KU truely is increasing national exposure it’s not in basketball. Going to the Orange bowl in football was good national exposure that did no good. All that happened was the same in recruiting and a coach fired shortly later. How does showcasing one of the worst teams in the big 12 help? And does anyone watch any of the non-major sports? Swimming, tennis, track, golf, soccer? The only teams/sports I watch are (used to be every) KU basketball game and (still every) chiefs game and occasionally a KU football game. I guess what I’m saying is there are more loyal fans that will be upset over missing games than loyal fans gained.
KU is not going back to the Missouri Valley Conference and if they did the MVC would become relevant again. If conference realignment is your justification for this, then a much better contract that didn’t involve blocking out Kansas homes could’ve been brokered given the current stability offered by the grant of rights. Zenger had several years to hash out a sweerheart of a deal before any threat of conference realignment and still have a few years to establish your “national” brand (since KU is so unknown nationally).
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I don’t need to have the announcers tell me how to watch a game. I can handle that myself. Mute Dick. If you like Gurley turn on the radio, but I want to SEE the game.
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Zenger should have explained things in a different way and should have avoided the comment about never alienating anyone in our fan base. It was one of those lines that if he said it in public around the wrong crowd he would hear an earful.
But on the flip side… the deal he made was sound and a good way to increase the Jayhawk brand. We all know the quality of education at Kansas is high, and KU Med is impressive… but at the end of the day, in a media world feeding only on sound bites (or bytes) and imagery what will save KU more than anything is our unique bird! Hard to believe it, but the uniqueness of our mascot has always played a vital role in our identity and by getting it out there more it will only enhance the position of the university, so one day we may not remain a member of the “forgotten five.”
Less than 6 months ago you could go on all these websites and read how realignment is finally over because of all the penalties and rules levied by conferences. Hogwash! I said it back then and I’ll say it again, realignment is NOT finished… it may be the only thing remaining as constant from here on out. What sounds like a mountain of money today and impossible to climb over will be chicken change in the not-to-distant future. The money involved in college sports is not only astronomical, it is growing exponentially. Just remember that. Do the math and you’ll see that there will always remain the potential for schools to move.
Kansas has everything going for it in basketball, but we need to have a better presence in other sports, primarily football! The biggest shot in the arm we can have is to get more national exposure. And we need more academic exposure. This contract helps give us more academic exposure because we get academic commercials within the programs.
Zenger has it right, but he could use some work on his delivery. He should first apologize to all the fans who were alienated from those games, and explain he’ll do everything he can to prevent this situation from happening again. And then he should go into how this TV deal helps KU.
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Dylans - if your children are deciding on what school to go to or, as parents, you are persuading your child’s choice based on not being able to see 4 non conference regular season basketball games then either your child is dumb and not a fan or you are a bad parent. I can also say, as a non in-state graduate, that by NO MEANS does living in Kansas mean you are more likely to give the school money. I, personally, would say it is probably less - as a KU grad making a salary in a bigger city is much more likely to have disposable income then someone making a salary in a rural setting. I understand this is not always the case - but by-in-large it is. And, lastly, your argument that these are the fans that are more likely to go to the game… uh… if they can’t see the game on tv aren’t they MORE likely to go to the game? If jumping on frontrow.eu is too difficult and it’s easier to complain and become a k-state fan then good riddence.
This isn’t really directed at you dylans, either. More to all the fanbase I’ve heard saying the same thing. There are more KU fans outside Kansas than in and the money the University can make on this is astronomical which will be good for everyone in Kansas. Not to mention we now have every KU game televised in Canada due to this deal. Which, if you are forgetting, is the country that will probably have 2 consecutive #1 picks. Raptors fans are absolutely RABID fans and, as someone who follows the NBA closely, they have been looking for a college team to cheer for. This contract will pay off exponentially. Thank goodness Zenger had the foresight and tough skin to pull the trigger.
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Well stated slayr, however I disagree about the penalties being to light to deter scools from bailing on the Big12. It doesn’t matter how big the contract is given the grant of rights for the next several years, in the last couple years it’s not such a big deal. If you get a shiny new huge contract that you have to give all the money back except teir 3 rights you’d think twice too.
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@Iowajayhawk2005 I don’t think I’ll call your children dumb. I don’t make my schooling decisions based upon sports. I will make no assumptions about your income. It’s a 6 1/2 hour drive each way for me so I’m not going to more games and Allen Fieldhouse has been sold out for years. I don’t think there are more basketball tickets to sell do you? Do they still let you into Hilton Melvin?
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dylans - an attorney I use regularly has a framed statement over his desk, “Never say Never!” I asked him about that the first time I visited him and he told me anything was possible through legal channels. I hired him after that comment.
The threat of realignment creates strange bedfellows. I’m actually supporting Baylor football this year because they are ranked higher than any other B12 team. I shouldn’t feel so desperate to have to do that, but I do.
What happens if B12 football continues it’s decline in the coming years? What happens to our conference?
The problem has been that the world keeps moving, but the B12 stood still. We couldn’t survive losing any additional quality schools, like Oklahoma. I support OU football, too. I’ll support any B12 team that is ranked.
I hate it, but football is what calls the shots. We need to build a quality team, update our stadium, and have some kind of framework in place to guarantee football never sinks down to the level it has been. From what I understand, this contract helps spread a wider viewership of Kansas football. That will be great if we can start winning. I’m encouraged that we finally broke our B12 losing streak. At least we don’t have to constantly hear that on the tube every time we watch KU play.
Zenger walked into a tough position at KU. So far I like what he’s done and how he has approached his job. The decisions are tough, and it all starts with attitude. I like Zenger’s attitude.
Maybe we’ll get some relief when we discard the BCS system? I don’t know… I hope some of you in here can explain that one to me.
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Another night of not watching the Jayhawks. So if we are real fans we’ve been told to shut up and realize that by missing these 6 games that we are helping the University. Or, maybe next year, rather than extort the largest area of the KU fan base they could allow the purchase of KU Basketball by other outlets and line their pockets that way rather than telling us to pay the cost of another full months cable bill for the 4 months we are being extorted. I hope Time Warner lets all of their new KU Basketball customers know about the low price for the first year and the double price the second year on their 2 year contract.
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@drgnslayr And to think I once wanted to be an attorney. I can’t stand the lying, condescending, judgmental jerks and that’s the good ones who’ve won for us…
You are right the University of Kansas could ill afford to stand still, but alienating the local fans, your neighbors, is the last thing I’d do. Maybe I’m wrong, but there has to be another way.
I wish we’d get a KU guy in as admin at KSU and cut a few football games in Kansas in favor of showing more basketball games in Alaska and see how long he lasts.
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I feel bad for many fans in and around Lawrence that can’t watch the game through traditional means.
It’s a conundrum for the University because there are many more people outside of the zip codes of 66XXX and 64XXX, etc. than within those areas.
The density of fans is greatest there, but the potential is outside of there. And the university has to grow it’s audience.
You can’t grow in a market that you saturate, so they have to get exposure outside of the core.
It’s painful, but necessary. And it’s not without risk.
However, I do respect the courage of the administrators to make a tough decision.
I don’t like the result, and neither do many other fans. It may have some collateral damage, but hopefully it’s short-term and limited. Perhaps, the administrators can find a way to mitigate the risk.
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I feel the only way KU will attract more fans is to get good in football. Not better, but GOOD in football for a number of years. That fixes all the problems. Instead of selling you soul for more TV sets, they come crawling to you and I can watch KU basketball in SW Kansas.
A good football team can generate much more revenue than a good basketball team. The NCAA makes sure of that thru various policies. If KU could get properly compensated for its basketball team in March it would relieve a lot pressure.
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AH, ughm; Melvin?..ouch! Call it a spade, but this is about revenue only. So if it keeps down tuition costs & amenities I’m all for it. But even BWW in OP can’t (as of the FT Hays Game) can’t get TWC & Direct, Dish, Century Link, ATT, & countless others are screwed into blackouts. Could be a good thing for the half full glass, or completely different for the working man’s tired, overworked rear-end (I could’ve rhymed, but keeping it civil). IMO Davis & Gurley just don’t bring it this early in the season for a lesser caliber opponent. Today & tonight may be the last decent weather for the next few days, so I’ll try to explore options out & about. Last time I looked at Front Row the US Govt had seized the site & the UK site was flagged by McAffee for false security cert issues. Must be a damn conspiracy guys, ya think?Surely no one would admit a freaking faux pa?
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@globaljaybird I’m not sure if it will work to stream espn3 yet, but it may have found a work around. Google and Install anonymox you have to use Firefox as your browser also. This will change your IP address to somewhere not blacked out. You may have to delete the cookies also (there is an option in the program to do so). Look for the blue x in the top right corner of your screen after installing. This is not an endorsement I have no clue if the program is full of spyware, but I’m out of options here.
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Zenger is increasing the number of TV sets for Kansas without actually increasing the number of TV sets in Kansas.
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“And to think I once wanted to be an attorney. I can’t stand the lying, condescending, judgmental jerks and that’s the good ones who’ve won for us…”
Ha… hope you don’t mind that I quoted you, dylans… I did it because it was worth repeating!
Here is what another one of my business associates told me years ago, and believe me, it rings true:
“Your best shot at a positive legal remedy is to only get screwed by your own attorney.”
You can mount that one on your wall…
You are right, that we have to become GOOD in football for years… but how do we do that? To be truthful, through all of this realignment junk that has already devastated our conference, I’ve never been more optimistic about Jayhawk football.
I wasn’t one of those fans that was screaming up and down when we hired Charlie. I thought Charlie would just use up KU and then split to a better job. Who knows… it could still happen. But by observing him and KU football closely, I’m finally coming around to Charlie. Charlie has made it clear that this is a process that will take time. I know we have heard that before, but I do see a difference playing out on the gridiron. Our record does not indicate the level of play this year. Most of the games we played we could have won if a few things happened differently and our team remained poised. We are crawling before we can walk… but I’m convinced eventually Charlie will have them running. I still think we are a few years away from becoming a real threat. I don’t care… as long as I see us moving in the right direction.
Charlie not only needs to overcome the recent reputation of Jayhawk football, he has to overcome selling a conference many view as being on the way down. And a team that has been running track around the gridiron. Steps are happening… the track will be gone, and hopefully we’ll get a stadium update that takes Jayhawk football out of the 20’s!
If I’m not mistaken, Memorial Stadium is the largest memorial monument in the world! It was dedicated to the students who died in WWI. If the administration in charge of updating the stadium use their intelligence, they will feed off of the memorial aspect. We should do what we can to take advantage of the history of Kansas football, just like we are taking advantage of the history of Kansas basketball with our addition of the rules.
Last year I sat behind Gale Sayers in Memorial. He is one of the most precious human examples in the entire game of football.
There is so much to build on for Kansas football… if people open their eyes and their souls.
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slayr-My Pop ran track & vaulted in the 24’-26’ KU Relays at Memorial Stadium. As the Hag proclaimed, “The Roots of my Raisin’ Run Deep.” I have one of his letter sweaters complete with suede elbow patches & several precious metal, track medals.
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Really nice, global! Thanks for sharing about your dad!
…and awesome link! Yes, the history is there, and track and field was a part of Memorial, and should always be enshrined in the history of the stadium, because it wasn’t all about football!
Imagine if we keep the original stadium bones intact and we expand and wire in some technology. Imagine going to a game and running down to buy a hotdog and on your way, in the corridors, you spot a big screen and see your dad vaulting in Memorial?
The right philosophy is to step into modern times while preserving the history that brought us to where we are today. Memorial could be developed into more than just a stack of bleachers… it should become a destination in itself! Just like AFH. There is more history at Memorial!
I’d love to see us step up and make the investment. It would be one more area where we step up for the university and the direction moving forward.
Few universities have the potential we have in Memorial. Few have stadiums going back that age. I get goosebumps every time I enter Memorial because I feel the history.
I think Zenger gets it. I do.
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What is wrong with this picture?
I live Olathe, Ks and I have Surewest as my cable/internet/phone provider. Time Warner is not available in my area, only Comcast and Surewest. I used to have Comcast and as soon as Surewest was available I bolted from Comcast; any one that has used Comcast would know why.
Every game that KSU has played in football and basketball has been available on TV.
Every game that MU has played in football and basketball has been available on TV.
Every game that UK has played in football and basketball has been available on TV.
Most every Big Ten game has been available on TV
I get games both football and basketball of schools I have never heard of.
I am a Kansas resident and taxpayer ad I cannot get, IN KANSAS, football and basketball games for the State’s flagship school and the #2 ranked basketball team in the country, unless I change providers to the one endorsed by the Athletic Department…
I have ESPN3 through my cable/internet provider but it is blacked out in Kansas, even when the game has been sold out and there are no tickets available. Every MU fan can watch every KU games. but I, a Kansas resident, taxpayer and Jayhawk fan cannot. The contract could have very easily modified to indicated that Kansas households that do not have access to the “endorsed” provider will not be blacked out by ESPN3.
The audience blacked out, just in the Kansas City metro area, for one basketball game is greater than the audience for all other programs combined for an entire year that are now available on ESPN3.
The money that the Athletic Programs receives from this contract does not go the school’s general fund, it goes to the Athletic Department fund. While the Scholl at large might benefit from some programming, the bulk of the programming is about sport that very few people care and even fewer people watch. How many people have actually said: tonight I am going to schedule time to watch the the women’s rowing team compete against no-name University? On the other hand, how many people have cursed Mr. Zenger when they found out they could not watch their beloved Jayhawks on TV, while the KSU and MU games were readily available? My guess is that the second number is orders of magnitude larger.
This contract is a de-facto paid endorsement of one cable provider at the expense of KU fans; I am not sure if this is even legal. The Athletic Programs derives a much larger amount of money from Adidas but I don’t have to wear Adidas gear to attend a KU athletic event or watch the teams on TV.
Again, what is wrong with this picture?
Mr. Zenger indicates “I would never do anything to alienate anyone in our fan base…” while at the same time admitting that this is exactly what he did. You can’t have it both ways, Mr. Zenger.
I am now very weary of what will happen if the Stadium is ever remodeled. Will be have to buy a special sports package to watch KU games? Maybe we will be required to buy a specific brand of TV or car and show a check from the “endorsed” fast food chain. This contract is the beginning of a slippery slope where money talks and fan loyalty walks.
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@JayHawkFanToo laid it out nicely.
But I come from the perspective that I want pay per view. At least then, I could get the game at home. I have ATT. Comcast, as was mentioned, is the worst provider. That’s the option I have. It’s an arm twist to shift providers. Not going to happen. I’ll pay the local bar/grill 5 times the money in food, etc., to watch the game vs. having my arm twisted to change cable providers.
I’d love a PPV system for these 6 games. I understand the need for revenue. I’d at least like that option. But I sure as heck am not buying Comcast cable because of this. Actually, the arm twist tactic makes me far less likely to consider switching back; and I’ll actively discourage folks from using Comcast, for whatever that’s worth.
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slayr-Where can I mail the check!? jayhawkfanntoo-You should also recognize that your local city govt has franchise (fees) agreements with whom ever the service providers are, but one option would be the BWW at 119th & I-35. The BWW at 135th & Metcalf did not get their connection in time for the Ft Hays game, but Tanners just to the South of them were wired. When weather is a consideration none of the above will be an option for me as I am rural South of the metro, so lrt’s just say we feel the pain, but part of it is squarely on politicians also. As always the working people pay the way for a spendthrift govt that does not share the tax liability equitably within a tax base. For the past 30+ years, schools cannot be completed fast enough virtually anywhere in the Johnson Co areas. That’s why we finally moved out of the race 10 years ago, but still keeping up with the changing times is alive & well virtually every where except for on the misery side of the line. Then again, I think they may even have meth available over the counter there in the not too distant future. LOL
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@jayhawkfanntoo-I actually do have a friend who’s daughter is on the women’s rowing team, but the # of those people is minute. If Mama is game, I’m heading out to catch the show, like HEM, at the bar.
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Hey, if you didn’t notice in the comments section of this article posted on KU Sports a comment from Mike Payne regarding how to watch the game at home:
“For those in the Blackout - To Stream ESPN3 during a blackout here is a little trick… Use Google Chrome. Once you have Chrome on your machine go to the Chrome App Store. Download a free app called “ZenMate”. And boom you can now watch ESPN3 on your computer during a blackout. – What this app does is change your IP address on your computer to some other place in the country. I live in Johnson County but ESPN3 Thinks I am in NY.”
And another tip:
“Here is the URL to watch the game after you install and run Chrome with ZenMate - http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/channel/espn3”
I’m going to give it a try. Good info to have, IMO.
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Here is a link that might work…
As always, be careful and be sure not accept any downloads or “plugins needed” to see the feed; essentially all of them are loaded with viruses.
After each game I run Malwarebytes antivirus including the anti rootkit version.
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Global… I know I’ll be writing a check. I’m psyched at the concept and I am optimistic it will happen!
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I appreciate the chance to reply to this story. I have lost 6 games this year for 30 pieces of silver because I refuse to be blackmailed into changing cable providers. What if I do switch to TW then I only encourage Comcast to outbid TW and black out 12 games next year. I tried to ppv with my provider, I tried Apple TV and I’m not upset with my cable, it is not their fault they are shut out. If you haven’t been affected by losing 6 games then you really don’t have standing to reply to this story. If this happens to us next year it could happen to you. Since we are going to sell audience loyalty then go for the big bucks allow only Ford drivers to get the games, enter your vehicle number on line to get your cable access, if you drive a Chevy then tough it out for the good of the program or buy a ford. Sound stupid doesn’t it, yet that it what happens when you discriminate. My parents live in very small town in western Kansas and they live for the Royals and KU basketball, mom said she doesn’t know what she did wrong to not get some of the games. I live in affluent JoCo and don’t have one friend that gets TW. When I asked if any of them will convert, happily they all reply no way, if we switch for 6 games think what they will do to us next year. I said what if TW was free would you switch and 100 % said not now or ever. Maybe this is good for KU yet hard to see how it breeds customer loyalty for new business. KU plays Iona tonight and I’m watching Marcus Smart shoot lights out for Okie State, is that the Zenger plan to run away patrons. I and my pals will not now and not ever purchase TW cable, especially now that they shut me out of KU Ball.
I recall when JoJo was our point guard, attended many final fours and had season tickets for 18 years both BB and Football and gave thousands to Williams Fund. I was wrong to think that if KU had loyal viewers the more of us the better now I realize that having fewer viewers and less of a fan base is better for Zenger. I thought our loyalty was a valuable product and now realize we are not the product but the chumps. I have many VHS tapes of Calvin and Ronnie and have to come to terms that KU doesn’t want me as a viewer on some games. I will never forget the president that gave away the Panama Canal and the President that took away my health insurance and the AD that took away my access to KU basketball. I have been invited to a suite this Saturday for State vs Sooners for the first time in my life I will wear purple in tribute to Zenger. Lions sleeping with lambs.
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POTUS said you could keep your insurance if you like it period and KUAD said he wouldn’t harm the loyal KU fans, birds of a feather.
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POTUS said you could keep your insurance if you like it period and KUAD said he wouldn’t harm the loyal KU fans, birds of a feather.
PHOF!!!
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I donated 6 games from my home cable system for the good of the program what are you willing to donate? I am too old for the sports bars. Can I come to your house to watch?
Wimps!
