On Thu, 4 Apr 1996, MR ADAM C WODON wrote:
 
> -- [ From: Adam Wodon * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
>
> I believe I inadvertantly started this ESPN thing about Bob Norton.
> The original note was talking about the studio host, - you know, the
> clown who said the Final game was an "appetizer to tonight's main
> course, the [basketball] Final Four."  - not Norton.
 
I must preface this post by saying that I did not see the NC$$ Hockey Finals
broadcast on ESPN (I had a friend taping the game, but he set his VCR for
1:00am).  I am only going on what has been written on the list.  Also, I am
in no way shape or form a college basketball fan.
 
So here it goes....
 
I will probably get flamed BIG for this one, but from an ESPN (not a
hockey fan's, but a sports programmer's) perspective, the comment that
the hockey finals were an "appetizer to tonight's main course, the
[basketball] Final Four" is not to far out of line.  Before you tearing
off to rip on me for this, let me try to explain.
 
On a nationwide scale, what is more popular, college basketball or
college hockey?  Answer: college basketball (unfortunately)
 
What event was a sellout over a year ago, with scalpers getting $5000+ per
ticket?  Answer: The basketball Final Four (Thank goodness it was Hockey,
because then I can't afford to go any more.)
 
In general, what event draws more attention in the media nationwide, the
Hockey Final Four or the Basketball Final Four?  Answer: the Basketball
Final Four.
 
So as a sports programmer, ESPN, wants to hype the big sporting events as
much as possible, even if they are not showing them.  Why do they have a
football pre-game show every Sunday morning in the fall, when they don't
show NFL football?  They are promoting themselves as a sports information
center.  If you watch their pre-game and post-game, then they are getting
an audience from an event they didn't even show.
 
The problem was that the comment was made to a hockey fans, who may not
care (like me) about college basketball.  Effectively, the announcer put
down hockey, which they were broadcasting at the time, to hockey fans for
the sake of trying to appeal to the greater popularity of basketball.
Which I agree 1000%, was the wrong thing to do.
 
Just my thoughts/Kevin
 
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