MLB Season Opener vs. Female Final Four

[EagleFan]

Why on earth is ESPN relegating the MLB season opener to ESPN2 while showing the Ladies final 4 on ESPN? I'm sorry, but there is a lot more people who are interested in the season opener, especially since it's Red Sox/Yankees, than the Ladies Final Four. I am getting so sick of women's basketball getting artificially pumped up to be what it isn't. The WNBA rides on the heals of the NBA and the women's tournament in college does the same with the men's tournament.

It's nice that some peoplpe want to watch it, but it is not a headliner.

[Ksyrup]

You've got to be kidding me. I would rather watch a tape-delay of a (theoretical) White Sox-Royals opener than a triple OT women's Final Four game.

[CraigSca]

Probably some contractual thing, but goofy all the same.

[j51]

Does it really matter? Anyone who gets ESPN gets ESPN2.

[CraigSca]

Does it really matter? Anyone who gets ESPN gets ESPN2.
Actually, I think there ARE some cable companies out there who offer ESPN2 either on a different tier or not at all.

[vtbub]

NCAA gets ESPN dough.

The 1.5 rating tonight will be the biggest women's rating of the year.

[Radii]

The season hasn't even started yet but I'd rather slit my throat than watch the yankees or the red sox right now.

[EagleFan]

Does it really matter? Anyone who gets ESPN gets ESPN2.

ESPN2 isn't offered in the same packages as ESPN on some cable companies. Also, ESPN2 isn't High-Def yet either, which may matter to some. ESPN usually carries the bigger event between the two and saying that the MLB opener is less of an event than the women's final four is just insane. I have a pet peave of marketing people trying to act like something is bigger than it is.

[sterlingice]

The season hasn't even started yet but I'd rather slit my throat than watch the yankees or the red sox right now.
I just wish it would be the Reds with Opening Day like it used to be. I don't care if it's Reds/Brewers or Reds/Pirates or Reds/Marlins or something- but it would be good to see them start the season like it should be.

SI

[streetballer22]

Not even close, Sox vs. Yanks easy.

[henry296]

Last year's Women's Final Four was the highest rating college basketball game on ESPN last year. It will be watched by more people tonight than the baseball game.

Postseason games in any sport should get top billing to a regular season game.

ESPN2 is in HD, just not carried by very many cable companies yet.

[Karlifornia]

I think I want to see the womens slam dunk contest

[Arles]

The only reason this sucks is that ESPN is in HD, while ESPN2 is not on Cox cable. So, I will be stuck watching the Sox-Yanks on non-HD TV on 50" Sony LCD :mad:

[Karlifornia]

The only reason this sucks is that ESPN is in HD, while ESPN2 is not on Cox cable. So, I will be stuck watching the Sox-Yanks on non-HD TV on 50" Sony LCD :mad:

....and I thought the Jews had it bad in Auschwitz

[MizzouRah]

No contest for me. Gimme Baseball baby!!


Todd

[Desnudo]

The season hasn't even started yet but I'd rather slit my throat than watch the yankees or the red sox right now.

I have a Red Sox DVD if you would like to borrow it to help you over the hump.

[CamEdwards]

The only reason this sucks is that ESPN is in HD, while ESPN2 is not on Cox cable. So, I will be stuck watching the Sox-Yanks on non-HD TV on 50" Sony LCD :mad:

i just can't stop weeping for you. meanwhile, I'll be trying to watch the red sox/yankees on a 27 inch tv while dealing with two screaming babies.

[Coffee Warlord]

Women's college basketball needs to get with the program. Have them play naked, and the ratings will soar.

[Coffee Warlord]

Better than the WNBA women. Some of the college chicks are not bad.

[Desnudo]

Have you actually seen the women that play college basketball?

[SunDancer]

Have you actually seen the women that play college basketball?

Ahmen...Now, women's tennis is another story.

[Maple Leafs]

I just wish it would be the Reds with Opening Day like it used to be. I don't care if it's Reds/Brewers or Reds/Pirates or Reds/Marlins or something- but it would be good to see them start the season like it should be.
Have they hosted an opener since McSherry died?

[TroyF]

Guess I'm in the minority. I'll be flipping back and forth. I enjoy the Women's Final Four. Usually some pretty good games.

A year or two ago someone posted about how horrific the game was compared to the mens. More turnovers, lower shooting %, fewer 3's, etc. When I went back and looked at the stats of the two games, the womens was a cleaner game with better shooting. Funny how that works sometimes. :)

And no, I'm not going to say that Women's ball is better than the guy's or that I'll cancel a dinner date to watch it, just that it's fairly entertaining if you just accept the fact you aren't going to see twenty dunks.

[Arles]

i just can't stop weeping for you. meanwhile, I'll be trying to watch the red sox/yankees on a 27 inch tv while dealing with two screaming babies.
Is the TV black and white? :cool:

[sabotai]

Neither, but if I had to choose between painful torture and not-so-painful torture, I'd go with Yanks-Red Sox.

[paperstreetsoap]

I just wish it would be the Reds with Opening Day like it used to be. I don't care if it's Reds/Brewers or Reds/Pirates or Reds/Marlins or something- but it would be good to see them start the season like it should be.

SI
Still, they do keep the tradition of the Reds always opening the season at home, as it should be forever.

[ahbrady]

Guess I'm in the minority. I'll be flipping back and forth. I enjoy the Women's Final Four. Usually some pretty good games.

A year or two ago someone posted about how horrific the game was compared to the mens. More turnovers, lower shooting %, fewer 3's, etc. When I went back and looked at the stats of the two games, the womens was a cleaner game with better shooting. Funny how that works sometimes. :)

And no, I'm not going to say that Women's ball is better than the guy's or that I'll cancel a dinner date to watch it, just that it's fairly entertaining if you just accept the fact you aren't going to see twenty dunks.

I'm with you. I'll be flipping back and forth as well.

[Crapshoot]

What Arlie said - the HD makes a difference.

[General Mike]

The Yankees-Red Sox game is blacked out for me on ESPN2, and I assume it would be the same for people in the Boston area, so I can understand the justification of putting a game that's going to be blacked out in its 2 major markets on the lesser channel.

[Crapshoot]

The Yankees-Red Sox game is blacked out for me on ESPN2, and I assume it would be the same for people in the Boston area, so I can understand the justification of putting a game that's going to be blacked out in its 2 major markets on the lesser channel.

yeah- why is that ? the NCAA ? Its fucking annoying - even NESN won't show it- which plain ol non-HD tv.

[General Mike]

yeah- why is that ? the NCAA ? Its fucking annoying - even NESN won't show it- which plain ol non-HD tv.

The game is on YES for me (DirecTV)

[TroyF]

Well, I flipped back and forth all night. Unless the Red Sox put up an 8 spot in the ninth, there is really no contest as to which was more entertaining for me.

Both of the womens games were fantastic. Baylor had a comeback against LSU and then the Michigan St./Tennessee game was sensational. Michigan St. was down by sixteen with around ten minutes left and came back to win in the final minute.

Just a terrific couple of basketball games if you are a fan of the game.

The baseball? Love the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry and all, but wake me up when both teams make the playoffs and face off again. Wells came out with nothing. There was a nice play by Matsui and he hit the ball well. But it couldn't match up with the intesity or energy of the Women's Final Four.

Just one mans opinion.

[Ksyrup]

Intensity, energy, hustle, determination....but inferior athletic ability. Sorry. I watched about 5 minutes total (switching during the baseball commercials between basketball and arena football) and the quality of play was not good. Maybe it's just that the women's game looks uglier. Like watching women catch and throw a softball, it's just not as natural as a man, even if it's a very high level of play for that sport. Same thing with dribbling and shooting a basketball - it just looks choppy, like I'm watching 12 year old boys.

I know we've had this discussion before, so I'll stop. In terms of drama, I'm sure the basketball games had the Sox/Yankees game beat. But you could probably say the same for All My Children, and I'm not watching that, either.