Question about Terps TV schedule

[Three Run Homer]

The Terps-Rutgers game doesn't seem to be on local TV this afternoon (I'm writing from Howard County, Maryland), which is pretty typical for Terp football. We can see Notre Dame football whenever we want, and ESPN shows lots of Big 10 football...ABC and CBS show lots of top 25 games...but Terp football is not shown regularly on local TV, unlike Terp basketball.

Does anyone know why this is? Are the Terps reluctant to sell TV rights because they want to maximize attendance at the games? Does the ACC prevent them from selling the TV rights? Does ESPN get to dictate what games can be shown on free TV versus its premium channels like ESPNU?

[PaulBako]

I can't wait for that field hockey game or womens basketball game Yow spends money on to put on tv instead of this Maryland football!

[DuffMan]

I can't wait for that field hockey game or womens basketball game Yow spends money on to put on tv instead of this Maryland football!

The way Maryland has been playing do you even want to watch them??

[Mackus]

Its a damn embarrassment that the team can't get anyone to carry their games.

[PaulBako]

The way Maryland has been playing do you even want to watch them??

True......

[Three Run Homer]

Its a damn embarrassment that the team can't get anyone to carry their games.

Well, this year nobody would want to watch them, but that hasn't been true in general in recent years. Is that really why they aren't regularly on local TV? Nobody wants to show them? I find that a bizarre explanation; I can turn on Comcast Sportsnet and see Texas versus UTEP or other games that should have a lot less appeal locally then even a bad Terps team.

[Todd-O]

They were on espn360.com.

May not be accessible to some of you... but you could watch the game if you REALLLLYYYYYY wanted to torture yourself.

[Birds of B'more]

I think it has to do with the ACCs contractual obligation to ESPN/ABC. If Maryland had the option of selling the rights to all their games to anyone they wanted, then you'd probably see them on CSN or maybe even MASN. But since ESPN/ABC own the rights to each ACC team's game's that are played at home, then they put the games where they think it will benefit the bottom line the best. The matchups against JMU and MTSU featured opponents that were not a good draw. The Rutgers game was two mediocre BCS teams (actually, mediocre is too kind for MD at this point). So the game gets thrown on ESPN360.com and streamed online to those who can get it (I know that Verizon, Comcast and AT&T internet subscribers get it for free), while the better matchups are shown on ESPN's TV networks.

[SteveA]

I think it has to do with the ACCs contractual obligation to ESPN/ABC. If Maryland had the option of selling the rights to all their games to anyone they wanted, then you'd probably see them on CSN or maybe even MASN. But since ESPN/ABC own the rights to each ACC team's game's that are played at home, then they put the games where they think it will benefit the bottom line the best. The matchups against JMU and MTSU featured opponents that were not a good draw. The Rutgers game was two mediocre BCS teams (actually, mediocre is too kind for MD at this point). So the game gets thrown on ESPN360.com and streamed online to those who can get it (I know that Verizon, Comcast and AT&T internet subscribers get it for free), while the better matchups are shown on ESPN's TV networks.

Almost 100% correct. There is also one ACC game of the week on the Raycom Network at noon each week, which you can get around here I think on WJZ Channel 13. Raycom gets to choose their game after ESPN has chosen games for the 3:30 ESPN, late afternoon ESPN, night ESPN, and 8PM ABC slots (from among the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big10, BE, and Pac 10).

Usually one ACC game is chosen to be a regional ABC 3:30 game shown to some portion of the nation that includes ACC country. Then ABC or ESPN may choose another game for one of the other time slots. THen Raycom gets to choose its game for the noon slot. THEN what is left over gets relegated to ESPN360 (internet only) broadcast.

The choices are made on the Monday 12 days before the Saturday the games are played.

[Birds of B'more]

Almost 100% correct. There is also one ACC game of the week on the Raycom Network at noon each week, which you can get around here I think on WJZ Channel 13. Raycom gets to choose their game after ESPN has chosen games for the 3:30 ESPN, late afternoon ESPN, night ESPN, and 8PM ABC slots (from among the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big10, BE, and Pac 10).

Usually one ACC game is chosen to be a regional ABC 3:30 game shown to some portion of the nation that includes ACC country. Then ABC or ESPN may choose another game for one of the other time slots. THen Raycom gets to choose its game for the noon slot. THEN what is left over gets relegated to ESPN360 (internet only) broadcast.

The choices are made on the Monday 12 days before the Saturday the games are played.

Good catch. I forgot about Raycom's weekly game.