What ESPN wants

[Eddy from Austin]

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[b1gdon]

BSPN Ideal Standings

Eastern Conference W L W-L% GB PS/G PA/G SRS
Atlantic Division
New York Knicks (3) 36 21 .632 — 100.1 96.4 3.08
Miami Heat (4) 34 26 .567 3.5 95.0 94.9 0.17
New York Knicks (7) 31 27 .534 5.5 96.1 95.9 -0.05
Miami Heat (9) 23 35 .397 13.5 92.0 95.7 -3.71
New York Knicks (10) 23 38 .377 15.0 97.5 99.3 -1.98
Central Division
Miami Heat (2) 38 22 .633 — 94.0 89.6 3.59
New York Knicks (4) 34 26 .567 4.0 92.7 91.3 1.10
Miami Heat (8) 30 28 .517 7.0 98.5 99.2 -1.10
New York Knicks (11) 23 39 .371 16.0 94.6 97.8 -3.39
New York Knicks (12) 20 40 .333 18.0 97.6 101.1 -3.79
Southeast Division
Miami Heat (1) 44 14 .759 — 103.6 96.3 7.12
New York Knicks (6) 33 26 .559 11.5 97.4 96.7 0.24
Miami Heat (13) 19 39 .328 25.0 91.9 95.4 -3.32
New York Knicks (14) 17 44 .279 28.5 94.2 100.4 -7.02
New York Knicks (15) 13 47 .217 32.0 93.3 103.3 -10.00

Western Conference W L W-L% GB PS/G PA/G SRS
Northwest Division
Los Angeles Lakers (2) 43 16 .729 — 106.7 97.4 9.38
Los Angeles Lakers (5) 39 22 .639 5.0 105.5 101.6 4.15
Los Angeles Lakers (8) 32 28 .533 11.5 98.7 98.7 0.07
Los Angeles Lakers (10) 28 31 .475 15.0 97.6 99.8 -2.27
Los Angeles Lakers (12) 20 37 .351 22.0 94.9 97.9 -2.59
Pacific Division
Los Angeles Lakers (3) 43 19 .694 — 100.6 94.0 6.55
Los Angeles Lakers (6) 34 27 .557 8.5 101.3 101.8 0.01
Los Angeles Lakers (9) 30 30 .500 12.0 102.3 101.1 1.64
Los Angeles Lakers (13) 21 39 .350 21.0 94.6 99.7 -4.48
Los Angeles Lakers (14) 21 40 .344 21.5 98.5 104.9 -6.07
Southwest Division
Los Angeles Lakers (1) 47 14 .770 — 104.8 95.7 8.78
Los Angeles Lakers (4) 39 19 .672 6.5 93.5 89.5 4.15
Los Angeles Lakers (7) 33 28 .541 14.0 107.0 103.7 3.85
Los Angeles Lakers (11) 26 33 .441 20.0 101.0 102.6 -1.35
Los Angeles Lakers (14) 21 40 .344 26.0 94.4 97.8 -2.64

[katyspursfan]

Why wouldn't ESPN promote tonight's game as a possible 1st round matchup?

If the Lakers were playing the Spurs, they'd have the same premise... Possible 1st Round Matchup! Last time these play until maybe... the Playoffs!
Seriously, if the Rockets were playing the Clippers, you'd see the same thing.

OKC is likely to end up anywhere from 1-3 in the West. LAL is likely to end up in the 6-8 position, assuming that they make it. Perfectly plausible.

[Kager]

People are over sensitive about the fact that we are a small market team that doesn't get the coverage that the best team in pro sports deserve....

While that might be true fact is the big cities have more people with more screens tuned in, and the flow over is people from small cities then get bright light fever and also follow the big city teams.

Now while they have very little good journalism involved ESPN are a good business, they are promoters, and as such they hype to the larger markets to make better money... which is what any business does.

10 years ago that was a problem as we could not see our Spurs play, especially this side of the world, but now there is league pass at the cost of 4 tickets to one game. If we want to show ESPN they are wrong we should be putting money where our complaints are and subsribe to the Spurs package and show some reason for them to focus on that to draw us back.

[b1gdon]

Originally Posted by Kager

People are over sensitive about the fact that we are a small market team that doesn't get the coverage that the best team in pro sports deserve....

While that might be true fact is the big cities have more people with more screens tuned in, and the flow over is people from small cities then get bright light fever and also follow the big city teams.

Now while they have very little good journalism involved ESPN are a good business, they are promoters, and as such they hype to the larger markets to make better money... which is what any business does.

10 years ago that was a problem as we could not see our Spurs play, especially this side of the world, but now there is league pass at the cost of 4 tickets to one game. If we want to show ESPN they are wrong we should be putting money where our complaints are and subsribe to the Spurs package and show some reason for them to focus on that to draw us back.

This is a chicken and egg problem. First as far as Spurs fans putting eyeballs on the TV, there is no fan base in the league that does a better job...and it's not even close:



The Spurs two years ago had double the TV ratings of the next closest team. Of course, that takes into account the Spurs small market size, but what about compared total...well, the Spurs punch way above their weight in that department as well being the 5th most watched team.

You might say that was two years ago, what about last year? Well, there was a slight drop off, but again the Spurs led the league in local TV ratings:

Top 5

Team RSN Avg. rating Change Avg. households

San Antonio FS Southwest 8.00 -21.5 70,000

Miami Sun Sports 6.59 27.0 104,000

Oklahoma City FS Oklahoma 6.58 131.7 47,000

Chicago CSN Chicago 5.85 38.6 204,000

L.A. Lakers FS West 4.64 -2.7 258,000

As you said, BSPN (and the NBA) is the king of promotion and as such, should be able to promote a team with such an incredibly loyal fan base.

[Kager]

Good response b1gdon, I didn't know all that, but maybe the other thing connected to it is the ease of marketing the team.... and when no player or coach cares too much for the lime light they may see it as too much hard work.

Let me stress again I wouldn't follow any other team and I love watching us assist on 40 + scores a game and destroy teams but unfortunately the average watcher is really only noticing the NBA.com 2 and a 1/2 minute highlight package and all our brilliant passing ends in more scores just not more dunks.

[b1gdon]

So, the Lakers lose OKC by 17 points failing to score in the final 6 minutes of the 4th quarter, so what is BSPN's top headline?



In case you were wondering, ESPN just hired the former North Korean Minister of Information as it's new headline writer.

Now imagine what kind of casual following the Spurs would have if BSPN provided that kind of propaganda night in and night out for the last 10 years?

[exit7]

Originally Posted by b1gdon

So, the Lakers lose OKC by 17 points failing to score in the final 6 minutes of the 4th quarter, so what is BSPN's top headline?



In case you were wondering, ESPN just hired the former North Korean Minister of Information as it's new headline writer.

Now imagine what kind of casual following the Spurs would have if BSPN provided that kind of propaganda night in and night out for the last 10 years?

True, but if they gave the spurs that kind of love, there would be no time to talk about Dwayne Wade's new nickname. Or can you imagine if they didn't cover every Lebron James pregame shot? I don't know what I would do...

[alh1020]

Originally Posted by exit7

True, but if they gave the spurs that kind of love, there would be no time to talk about Dwayne Wade's new nickname. Or can you imagine if they didn't cover every Lebron James pregame shot? I don't know what I would do...

I tend not to watch ESPN anymore, my wife says it's not good for my health (blood pressure issues). Instead, she has me watching "The Young and the Restless' with her.

[Eddy from Austin]

Originally Posted by alh1020

I tend not to watch ESPN anymore, my wife says it's not good for my health (blood pressure issues). Instead, she has me watching "The Young and the Restless' with her.

Well, it could be worst. At least you're not watching The Bachelor.

[Eddy from Austin]

A lot of what happens tonight can determine if BSPN gets its wish.

[Mombear]

Originally Posted by alh1020

I tend not to watch ESPN anymore, my wife says it's not good for my health (blood pressure issues). Instead, she has me watching "The Young and the Restless' with her.