The only money ESPN makes on those ads is if people actually buy the
products!  With the exception of the Paul Michael Glaser debt ad, not sure
how that one works.

The reality is there were no paid sponsors for the ads, which is
disappointing on two fronts.  First that no one is seeking us out, and
secondly that ESPNU expended no effort to sell any of these locally.  I am
sure if they had gone through the list of supporters for each of the teams
that they could have made a few dollars with local advertisers, but they are
content to drop tomatoes, cat scratchers and debt consolidators.  Easy for
them on a production value.  Would think with this audience we would have
had Viagra (so we can be thankful we did not get that) gold investments and
rosetta stone language videos (learn to speak French Canadian 'eh).

What is most disappointing is that not a single hockey advertiser thought we
were worthy prospects!  Being in the advertising business I know how tough
things are, but I am confident I could have sold a few ads!

Bob Fitta
U. Maine '83


On 3/29/10 10:50 AM, "Hampton, Nathan E." <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> About the TV ads. They cast a VERY sad shadow on college hockey, because
> advertisers pay to have their ads shown on TV, and the amount they pay is
> based upon the viewing audience. The set of TV ads during the regionals was at
> best the late-night (after midnight!) type of ads - the ones that show up just
> before the national anthem and test pattern. No one better (liquid bath soap
> for men, strong and absorbent paper towels, etc.) cared about us. We are small
> fish in a big pond. So we either better stick together or be very feisty. In
> fact, I am thinking of buying three cat claw scratchers and hope you all do
> the same thing so that the advertising industry think we are very important
> (high Q-rating or whatever it is advertisers want). I just hope ESPN made
> enough money this year to continue picking up all the regional games. It was
> nice to have all the games on one channel.
> 
> Nathan
> 
> 
> On 3/29/10 9:27 AM, "Moller Edward N" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Paul Michael Glaser (a Newton native) hasn't aged a day since Starsky and
> Hutch.  I'm just glad that I'm not one of the millions of Americans who owe
> tens of thousands of dollars to the IRS.  If you don't believe me, just
> perform a background check.  You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.