Way back when I said I might get data regarding ACC Conference Games looking at Time Slots and Network. Since this is my first time doing this I am not sure if the methodology I used was the best way to go about it, but I had to start somewhere.
First, I divided the data into three categories - Evening, Mid-Day, and Noon. Then I further subdivided Evening into two sets: Thursday/Friday and Saturday/Labor Day Monday/Thanksgiving Friday.
After getting the totals for each Time Block I then subdivided those blocks by Network.
(NOTE: ACCCGs not included in this data set)
Evening: Saturday/Labor Day Monday/Thanksgiving Friday
36 games total - 110.891 million viewers - average 3.080 million
Of those 36 games;
13 were on ABC - 72.764 million viewers - average 5.598 million
10 were on ESPN - 26.823 million viewers - average 2.682 million
13 were on ESPN2 - 11.304 million viewers - average 0.870 million
Evening: Thursday or Friday night
38 games total - 63.209 million viewers - average 1.675 million
Of those 38 games:
22 were Thurs all on ESPN - 37.510 million viewers - average 1.705 million
16 were on Friday - 25.699 million viewers - average 1.606 million
Of the 16 Friday night games:
11 were on ESPN - 17.978 million viewers - average 1.634 million
5 were on ESPN2 - 7.721 million viewers - average 1.544 million
Interesting side-note to the ESPN2 data set, the Florida State/Boston College game accounts for 41% of the total making the average of the other four games 1.143 million
The same dynamic does not show up in the ESPN Friday night games. However, to a much lesser extent there is a similar situation with the Thursday night ESPN games where the Florida State/Louisville game accounts for 13% of the total making the overall average of the other 21 games 1.550 million which is still respectable for a Thursday night average.
Mid-Day Saturday or Thanksgiving Friday
42 games total - 87.374 million viewers - average 2.080 million
Of those 42 games:
10 were on ABC - 33.354 million viewers - average 3.335 million
16 were Mirror Games split between ABC/ESPN2 - 34.619 million - average 2.164 million
9 were on ESPN - 14.405 million viewers - average 1.601 million
7 were on ESPN2 - 4.996 million viewers - average 0.714 million
Noon on Saturday or Thanksgiving Friday
40 games total - 81.787 million viewers - average 1.955 million
Of those 40 games:
10 were on ABC - 35.648 million viewers - average 3.565 million
5 were Mirror Games split between ABC/ESPN2 - 8.984 million viewers - average 1.797 million
14 were on ESPN - 27.174 million viewers - average 1.941 million
11 were on ESPN2 - 8.734 million viewers - average 0.794 million
(12-26-2018 02:52 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: So if you want exposure you need to be on ABC, regardless of time slot.
True and ESPN more exposure than ESPN2.
But in terms of the ABC games there are potentially 15 slots available in each broadcasting window - noon, mid-day, and evening for a total of 45 games and SEC games cannot be aired in any of them. And I am sure there are clauses in contracts that probably state a minimum of games that will appear on ABC for the Big Ten, ACC, B12, PAC, and AAC.
With the conference's biggest competitor (SEC) unable to have any of those slots and the Big Ten the past two years now being equally divided between ABC/ESPN and FOX, ACC games on ABC remained the same from 2016 to 2017 and actually decreased this year by 3 despite the fact that Big Ten games decreased in 2017 by 4 games and this year by another 3 games. Obviously other conferences have picked up the spots formerly held by the Big Ten. This past year could be easily attributed to the "down" year the ACC had where the American Conference wound up with the missing ACC games and the B12 got the missing Big Ten games. But it doesn't explain 2017. So it will be interesting to follow this in the years to come.
Also it will be interesting to see if the ACCN lowers the number of ESPN2 games. It will obviously reduce the number of ESPNU games (my prediction is it will reduce them by 75-80%) which is why I exclude them now (since I want to be able to compare apples to apples as the years unfold) but not sure what effect if any it will have on ESPN2 games in the future. My prediction is it will cut them down by 20-25%.
(12-26-2018 02:52 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: So if you want exposure you need to be on ABC, regardless of time slot.
True and ESPN more exposure than ESPN2.
But in terms of the ABC games there are potentially 15 slots available in each broadcasting window - noon, mid-day, and evening for a total of 45 games and SEC games cannot be aired in any of them. And I am sure there are clauses in contracts that probably state a minimum of games that will appear on ABC for the Big Ten, ACC, B12, PAC, and AAC.
With the conference's biggest competitor (SEC) unable to have any of those slots and the Big Ten the past two years now being equally divided between ABC/ESPN and FOX, ACC games on ABC remained the same from 2016 to 2017 and actually decreased this year by 3 despite the fact that Big Ten games decreased in 2017 by 4 games and this year by another 3 games. Obviously other conferences have picked up the spots formerly held by the Big Ten. This past year could be easily attributed to the "down" year the ACC had where the American Conference wound up with the missing ACC games and the B12 got the missing Big Ten games. But it doesn't explain 2017. So it will be interesting to follow this in the years to come.
Also it will be interesting to see if the ACCN lowers the number of ESPN2 games. It will obviously reduce the number of ESPNU games (my prediction is it will reduce them by 75-80%) which is why I exclude them now (since I want to be able to compare apples to apples as the years unfold) but not sure what effect if any it will have on ESPN2 games in the future. My prediction is it will cut them down by 20-25%.
Cheers,
Neil
I count that the ACC Network would have needed 6 games from ESPNU or ESPN2 in 2018 to ensure that it had full triple headers every Saturday, of which 3 could have been made available from games otherwise shown on ESPNU. For 2017, it would have needed 5 games, of which 3 could have come from ESPNU.
Of course, this ignores the potential to use early season basketball to fill some of these windows in November. Eliminating November windows after the start of basketball season, the need for 2018 would have been 4 games, 2 of which could have been filled by games from ESPNU, and the need for 2017 would have been 3 games, 1 of which could have been filed from ESPNU.
With this few open windows, scheduling adjustments to move some non conference games otherwise played the first or second week of the season to Saturdays later in the season could also be used to fill 39 available windows (13 weeks x 3 games). Moving some of those early season games to Thursday or Friday night, which is already done by some schools, would also provide more windows. Even if no effort were taken to fill these windows, 2 to 4 open windows should not have any real effect on the success of the network.
(This post was last modified: 12-27-2018 09:30 AM by orangefan.)
(12-26-2018 02:52 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: So if you want exposure you need to be on ABC, regardless of time slot.
True and ESPN more exposure than ESPN2.
But in terms of the ABC games there are potentially 15 slots available in each broadcasting window - noon, mid-day, and evening for a total of 45 games and SEC games cannot be aired in any of them. And I am sure there are clauses in contracts that probably state a minimum of games that will appear on ABC for the Big Ten, ACC, B12, PAC, and AAC.
With the conference's biggest competitor (SEC) unable to have any of those slots and the Big Ten the past two years now being equally divided between ABC/ESPN and FOX, ACC games on ABC remained the same from 2016 to 2017 and actually decreased this year by 3 despite the fact that Big Ten games decreased in 2017 by 4 games and this year by another 3 games. Obviously other conferences have picked up the spots formerly held by the Big Ten. This past year could be easily attributed to the "down" year the ACC had where the American Conference wound up with the missing ACC games and the B12 got the missing Big Ten games. But it doesn't explain 2017. So it will be interesting to follow this in the years to come.
Also it will be interesting to see if the ACCN lowers the number of ESPN2 games. It will obviously reduce the number of ESPNU games (my prediction is it will reduce them by 75-80%) which is why I exclude them now (since I want to be able to compare apples to apples as the years unfold) but not sure what effect if any it will have on ESPN2 games in the future. My prediction is it will cut them down by 20-25%.
Cheers,
Neil
I count that the ACC Network would have needed 6 games from ESPNU or ESPN2 in 2018 to ensure that it had full triple headers every Saturday, of which 3 could have been made available from games otherwise shown on ESPNU. For 2017, it would have needed 5 games, of which 3 could have come from ESPNU.
Of course, this ignores the potential to use early season basketball to fill some of these windows in November. Eliminating November windows after the start of basketball season, the need for 2018 would have been 4 games, 2 of which could have been filled by games from ESPNU, and the need for 2017 would have been 3 games, 1 of which could have been filed from ESPNU.
With this few open windows, scheduling adjustments to move some non conference games otherwise played the first or second week of the season to Saturdays later in the season could also be used to fill 39 available windows (13 weeks x 3 games). Moving some of those early season games to Thursday or Friday night, which is already done by some schools, would also provide more windows. Even if no effort were taken to fill these windows, 2 to 4 open windows should not have any real effect on the success of the network.
Good stuff! I can't remember, but isn't 2019 a double-bye year (i.e. 14 weeks)?
(12-26-2018 02:52 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: So if you want exposure you need to be on ABC, regardless of time slot.
True and ESPN more exposure than ESPN2.
But in terms of the ABC games there are potentially 15 slots available in each broadcasting window - noon, mid-day, and evening for a total of 45 games and SEC games cannot be aired in any of them. And I am sure there are clauses in contracts that probably state a minimum of games that will appear on ABC for the Big Ten, ACC, B12, PAC, and AAC.
With the conference's biggest competitor (SEC) unable to have any of those slots and the Big Ten the past two years now being equally divided between ABC/ESPN and FOX, ACC games on ABC remained the same from 2016 to 2017 and actually decreased this year by 3 despite the fact that Big Ten games decreased in 2017 by 4 games and this year by another 3 games. Obviously other conferences have picked up the spots formerly held by the Big Ten. This past year could be easily attributed to the "down" year the ACC had where the American Conference wound up with the missing ACC games and the B12 got the missing Big Ten games. But it doesn't explain 2017. So it will be interesting to follow this in the years to come.
Also it will be interesting to see if the ACCN lowers the number of ESPN2 games. It will obviously reduce the number of ESPNU games (my prediction is it will reduce them by 75-80%) which is why I exclude them now (since I want to be able to compare apples to apples as the years unfold) but not sure what effect if any it will have on ESPN2 games in the future. My prediction is it will cut them down by 20-25%.
Cheers,
Neil
I count that the ACC Network would have needed 6 games from ESPNU or ESPN2 in 2018 to ensure that it had full triple headers every Saturday, of which 3 could have been made available from games otherwise shown on ESPNU. For 2017, it would have needed 5 games, of which 3 could have come from ESPNU.
Of course, this ignores the potential to use early season basketball to fill some of these windows in November. Eliminating November windows after the start of basketball season, the need for 2018 would have been 4 games, 2 of which could have been filled by games from ESPNU, and the need for 2017 would have been 3 games, 1 of which could have been filed from ESPNU.
With this few open windows, scheduling adjustments to move some non conference games otherwise played the first or second week of the season to Saturdays later in the season could also be used to fill 39 available windows (13 weeks x 3 games). Moving some of those early season games to Thursday or Friday night, which is already done by some schools, would also provide more windows. Even if no effort were taken to fill these windows, 2 to 4 open windows should not have any real effect on the success of the network.
Great job. In 2018 I have only 2 ACC conference games on ESPNU but they also had six OOC games belonging to the ACC TV contract as well. Two of them definitely would have been ACCN candidates.
So that accounts for 4 possible games from ESPNU to get the three missing slots - VT vs UNC (week 7) and VT vs Pitt (week 11) as well as Army vs Duke (week 1) and Temple vs BC (week 5) depending upon what else was scheduled those weeks.
So maybe no real impact on ESPN2 games at all?
Again, great job.
Cheers,
Neil
(This post was last modified: 12-27-2018 10:27 AM by OrangeDude.)
(12-27-2018 10:27 AM)OrangeDude Wrote: Great job. In 2018 I have only 2 ACC conference games on ESPNU but they also had six OOC games belonging to the ACC TV contract as well. Two of them definitely would have been ACCN candidates.
So that accounts for 4 possible games from ESPNU to get the three missing slots - VT vs UNC (week 7) and VT vs Pitt (week 11) as well as Army vs Duke (week 1) and Temple vs BC (week 5) depending upon what else was scheduled those weeks.
So maybe no real impact on ESPN2 games at all?
Again, great job.
Cheers,
Neil
I would assume that ESPN will want to place some high value games on the network to justify the price they are charging the cable companies. This will likely involve moving some games currently placed on ESPN2. However, I think my chart shows that they won't have to do it to ensure basic inventory.
(12-27-2018 10:27 AM)OrangeDude Wrote: Great job. In 2018 I have only 2 ACC conference games on ESPNU but they also had six OOC games belonging to the ACC TV contract as well. Two of them definitely would have been ACCN candidates.
So that accounts for 4 possible games from ESPNU to get the three missing slots - VT vs UNC (week 7) and VT vs Pitt (week 11) as well as Army vs Duke (week 1) and Temple vs BC (week 5) depending upon what else was scheduled those weeks.
So maybe no real impact on ESPN2 games at all?
Again, great job.
Cheers,
Neil
I would assume that ESPN will want to place some high value games on the network to justify the price they are charging the cable companies. This will likely involve moving some games currently placed on ESPN2. However, I think my chart shows that they won't have to do it to ensure basic inventory.
Yes. Interesting you use the term "basic inventory" which is what I suppose your chart was about. Any insight on multiple games (2 instead of one) in the same timeslot? It does happen in both the BTN and SECN, according to mattsarz site. I suppose different areas get one or the other game. Also, both SECN and BTN had a Thursday night game prior to the Labor Day weekend. I suspect Syracuse might be interested in that time slot.
(12-27-2018 10:27 AM)OrangeDude Wrote: Great job. In 2018 I have only 2 ACC conference games on ESPNU but they also had six OOC games belonging to the ACC TV contract as well. Two of them definitely would have been ACCN candidates.
So that accounts for 4 possible games from ESPNU to get the three missing slots - VT vs UNC (week 7) and VT vs Pitt (week 11) as well as Army vs Duke (week 1) and Temple vs BC (week 5) depending upon what else was scheduled those weeks.
So maybe no real impact on ESPN2 games at all?
Again, great job.
Cheers,
Neil
I would assume that ESPN will want to place some high value games on the network to justify the price they are charging the cable companies. This will likely involve moving some games currently placed on ESPN2. However, I think my chart shows that they won't have to do it to ensure basic inventory.
Yes. Interesting you use the term "basic inventory" which is what I suppose your chart was about. Any insight on multiple games (2 instead of one) in the same timeslot? It does happen in both the BTN and SECN, according to mattsarz site. I suppose different areas get one or the other game. Also, both SECN and BTN had a Thursday night game prior to the Labor Day weekend. I suspect Syracuse might be interested in that time slot.
Cheers,
Neil
My guess is that the practice with respect to scheduling multiple games will be the same as the SECN, as the network will be run by the same folks. Some would be regionalized but most would be shown only on ACCN Extra.
Syracuse has frequently played a Friday night opener. It seems likely that they would continue that practice if asked by the ACCN, since the games tend to be relatively well attended. Wake has played a few Thursday night openers. They may also be interested in continuing that practice. For 2019, though, I believe that ESPN and the ACC are planning to place conference games on opening Thursday.
It absolutely drives me crazy when there are 14 games involving ACC teams in week 2 (all OoC, mostly vs. FCS teams) then only 5 games in week 8 (all conference games, with the other 4 teams on bye).
(12-27-2018 03:13 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote: It absolutely drives me crazy when there are 14 games involving ACC teams in week 2 (all OoC, mostly vs. FCS teams) then only 5 games in week 8 (all conference games, with the other 4 teams on bye).
Does anyone know if this is true of other conferences as well? I ask mainly because we all know this isn't exactly the most well-run conference but I don't want to "ding" them more if other conferences do the same thing.
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ACC Conference Games Time Slot Data 2013-2018
