Here is Exhibit A of why we started this blog. An astute reader, in the comments to our USC-NC State post, mentioned that Charlotte will NOT be getting the Georgia-Oklahoma State game at 3:30 on Saturday.
We had not checked the TV schedule, because we had not fathomed this would be possible in a fair and just world -- especially one featuring an SEC-Big 12 matchup between two top-15 teams.
What game do the football fans of Charlotte get instead?
Wake Forest-Baylor.
We confirmed this with WSOC-TV. Here's the official ABC coverage map, where you can see that the only places getting Wake-Baylor are a stretch of ACC country, plus Waco. (Note to ABC: If your game is not big enough to show in 99 percent of the HOME STATE of one of the teams, it's probably not a big game.)
Now then. Nothing against Wake Forest -- they've been fun to watch the past few years and I always root for them to pummel Florida State. As fellow expat Steve Harrison says, if it were Wake-Nebraska, or even Wake-UNC, maybe.
But Wake-BAYLOR? UGA-OK St is the second-biggest game of the weekend (behind Bama-VT), and I suspect the number of SEC football fans in Charlotte is bigger than the number of Wake football fans.
Not to mention that UGA's starting quarterback is FROM Charlotte, and is known to use his secret skills on all who oppose him.
We live, thank the Lord, in a wired world now. It looks like we'll be able to buy the game on ESPN GamePlan (which I haven't used before -- any tips from users?), or just head to a sports bar. But while we're having this long national debate on universal health care, isn't it time to address the basic human right of free SEC games for all?
It's like turning on the TV to watch Cirque du Soleil, and finding out all you can get is a dog catching a Frisbee.
-- Tommy Tomlinson
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wake Forest-Baylor? Really?
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13 comments:
I'm a Wake alum, and although I love watching the Deacs, the decision to show Wake vs. Baylor instead of UGA vs. OK State is ridiculous.
By the way, Go Deacs!
Ill be watching this game on one of the 37 Plasma TVs at Bikinis in University Area!
I checked this morning and the UGA Ok State game was scheduled to be shown on ESPN2. That was according to the guide on the cable box. (Well it said that game or Michigan vs Wester Michigan)
I've actually called and emailed regarding this same thing before and received some nasty responses from both WSOC and ABC for the decisions of which game to show. I have been told on multiple occasions that ACC fans would rather watch a bad game in the ACC than a top 10 match up.
I'm not surprised nor mad at ABC. They know (as do all the networks) that the Charlotte affiliate is desparate to help make the ACC appear relevant.
This will be a much bigger issue later in the season when a monster CBS SEC game is not being shown while 2 pathetic ACC teams go into triple OT in their noon game and we have to suffer through the awful football while real football is preempted.
Go Deacons!!!!
Well, maybe if enough SEC fans (and just plain-old-rational people call or email WSOC we could make a bigger show than the supposed collection of ACC fans who would rather watch a bad game. I doubt a real football fan would prefer that. But anyway, all the uproar about the weather interruptions during the ACC basketball tourney a few years back made a difference, so we might as well give it a shot. Maybe we're not as big, but we could try to be louder.
I'm a Baylor alum in Lenoir, and NEVER get to see the Bears play, despite being in the Big XII South -- a major powerhouse. I think the Bears will beat the 'Deacs, too.
No one should question that the Wake game should be broadcast here. Winston-Salem is only an hour and 15 minutes away. There is a large Wake alumni base here in Charlotte. Of course that game would be broadcast here. Would you not expect the UGa game to be broadcast in Atlanta? If you want to complain, complain that there is a contractual obligation to show the Michigan/W. Michigan game as the 'mirror' game on ESPN2 instead of the UGa/Oklahoma St game.
www.auburntron.com should be added to the sec blog roll... great site
War Eagle!
Wonder what ruckus would occur if instead of WFU and Baylor it was UNC-Citadel?
It's an ACC game, and this is an ACC state. Same reason Michigan and some of the surrounding area get Michigan - Western Michigan instead of the better Ga-Ok St game.
WSOC-TV and ABC/ESPN are all ridiculous. Surely the world-wide leader should be able to figure out a better way to allow EVERYONE to see a game between two nationally ranked teams without having to pay extra for it - regardless of where you live.
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