http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61982

ESPN sees the decline in value of Classic vs. the rise of ESPNU and wants to get the U on more tiers. Classic has very little value, except for some of the live soccer that it has been airing.

ESPN Classic has been a complete disappointment IMO...

everytime the bowl season starts, NFL playoffs start, March Madness starts, any type of sporting event with national/world recognition gets underway, ESPN Classic should be cranking out previous seasons non-stop, 24 hours...it happens a little, but often there's crap on ESPN classic

like right now, ESPN classic should be cranking out previous final four classic match-ups non-stop...it should be a historical orgy

As of today, they're showing:
something on bowling...wow...
OReilly NHRA spring nationals
4:00 pm: '85 National Championship: Villanova vs. Georgetown!!!!!!!!!
SoccerNet press pass
7:00 pm: 2002 World Series game 6
2008 classic boxing
Sportscentury - Bobby Bowden
AWA Wrestling lol

Seriously...who makes a TV schedule like that? and they wonder why their ratings suck? The channel should be oozing previous college bball games at this moment in time

(03-30-2009 01:27 PM)EvilVodka1 Wrote:  ESPN Classic has been a complete disappointment IMO...

everytime the bowl season starts, NFL playoffs start, March Madness starts, any type of sporting event with national/world recognition gets underway, ESPN Classic should be cranking out previous seasons non-stop, 24 hours...it happens a little, but often there's crap on ESPN classic

like right now, ESPN classic should be cranking out previous final four classic match-ups non-stop...it should be a historical orgy

As of today, they're showing:
something on bowling...wow...
OReilly NHRA spring nationals
4:00 pm: '85 National Championship: Villanova vs. Georgetown!!!!!!!!!
SoccerNet press pass
7:00 pm: 2002 World Series game 6
2008 classic boxing
Sportscentury - Bobby Bowden
AWA Wrestling lol

Seriously...who makes a TV schedule like that? and they wonder why their ratings suck? The channel should be oozing previous college bball games at this moment in time

Don't forget about all of those World Series of Poker re-runs.

I think this easily sums it up:

"The channel, which launched in the spring of 2005, has been at the center of ESPN’s most recent media deals. ESPNU will pick up a significant part of ESPN’s SEC schedule and is expected to run shoulder programming that supports ESPN’s BCS package."

This is obviously a BCS and SEC driven move.

Or some ancient boxing match.

They should just convert Classic into ESPN3 and make it fully HD as well. If they want to run classic sports blocks during the day and keep it consistent with what the main sport of the time of year is great. Otherwise use it to showcase more live sporting events like European Soccer, MLS, College Baseball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Hockey, Football, Basketball, Minor League Baseball (AA and AAA clearly), hell get some NHL games back on there too.

If ESPN puts SEC games on ESPNU, any provider not giving ESPNU with their basic package will lose the south very quickly...

I never liked ESPN Classic. The programming has always been substandard, and those programs that approach the ideal of what the station could be are just rehashes of the same propaganda that ESPN always spouts. If you aren't a long-time historically known national power, your school doesn't have any game worthy of being aired...

I thought I read somewhere that ESPN was thinking about re-branding ESPN Classic as ESPN 3...they would still show classic stuff during the morning and day and show live sports at night.

The Classic Sports Network was actually pretty cool before ESPN took it over and ruined it.

works out good for the BE fb.

(03-30-2009 12:32 PM)mattsarz Wrote:  http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61982

ESPN sees the decline in value of Classic vs. the rise of ESPNU and wants to get the U on more tiers. Classic has very little value, except for some of the live soccer that it has been airing.

I see this a great news for college fans.

Concerning Classic... Why doesn't ESPN show "classic sports" most of the time and live college football on Saturday weekends (either ESPN+ games, or games not showcased in markets?)

(03-31-2009 08:23 AM)chess Wrote:  

(03-30-2009 12:32 PM)mattsarz Wrote:  http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61982

ESPN sees the decline in value of Classic vs. the rise of ESPNU and wants to get the U on more tiers. Classic has very little value, except for some of the live soccer that it has been airing.

I see this a great news for college fans.

Concerning Classic... Why doesn't ESPN show "classic sports" most of the time and live college football on Saturday weekends (either ESPN+ games, or games not showcased in markets?)

They kinda do. I remember seeing a lot of Army Football on ESPN Classic this past season.

(03-31-2009 02:23 PM)Murph1 Wrote:  

(03-31-2009 08:23 AM)chess Wrote:  

(03-30-2009 12:32 PM)mattsarz Wrote:  http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61982

ESPN sees the decline in value of Classic vs. the rise of ESPNU and wants to get the U on more tiers. Classic has very little value, except for some of the live soccer that it has been airing.

I see this a great news for college fans.

Concerning Classic... Why doesn't ESPN show "classic sports" most of the time and live college football on Saturday weekends (either ESPN+ games, or games not showcased in markets?)

They kinda do. I remember seeing a lot of Army Football on ESPN Classic this past season.

Over the past 2 or 3 years I've seen Army games on there with the occasional MWC or CUSA matchup snuck in as well. Personally they were getting warmer with that idea.