Ch. 28 picks Ohio State-Michigan over USF

USF's Nov. 21 home football game against Louisville will not be broadcast locally on WFTS Ch. 28, as originally announced Monday. The local ABC affiliate has opted to show the Ohio State-Michigan game at noon instead, which means the USF game will be shown locally on Bright House Sports Network.

It's bad news for local Bulls fans who don't get their cable from Bright House -- the game should be available as part of ESPN's GamePlan premium package, but Ch. 28's decision puts USF in fewer households in the Tampa market.

It could just be that Ch. 28 simply doesn't like Louisville -- they opted not to show USF-Louisville last season, choosing to air the Florida State-Virginia Tech game in the same window instead.

I think I know how the decision will be received here, but does it concern Bulls fans that a local TV station might specifically choose not to show the local team's home game? USF's biggest fans will be at Raymond James Stadium, but some fans who were planning to watch at home are now left to watch a Big Ten game instead.

-- USF basketball has made two commitments official on the first day of the fall signing period: Guard LaVonte Dority and center Waverly Austin have signed with the Bulls, as expected.

Comments

[Absoluta-Bull]

gobulls32,

Is the crack good. No way USF has been on TV more than UF, FSu, and maybe Miami. ESPECIALLY nationally.

[Mike]

GA, Would it be possible for you to get a quote, or any background info on why this decision was made?

They are business people, and this was a biz decision (maybe not a good one?), but I really am really curious why they went this way.

[Steve O'Neal]

Done with the Jim, not all fans are season ticket holders. Why are you such a jerk all the time? I guess you just enjoy being an idiot!

[Hernando]

Channel 28 has extra 'sub-channels' like 28-2 that they show weather on 24 hours a day. Why can't they broadcast both games, one on channel 28-1 and the other game on 28-2?

[gobulls32]

USF should be 1AA,
I'd bet if you check the numbers from the last 3 years USF has been on TV more than any other team in Fl. And definitely had more national broadcast games.

[USFshould be 1-AA]

That's whats happens when your just a wannabe program. You need more JUCO transfers to add to your collection.

[Done with the Jim]

Just digusted by this decision. I, for one, will be sure all my friends and family know about this...and we'll either be watching on Brighthouse or ESPN360.com. Screw ABC!

Posted by: JB | November 11, 2009 at 09:13 PM

**************

Since you, your family, and all your friends are such big USF fans, why aren't you season ticket holders????

[T. Bever]

First, I was shocked that USF/Louisville was the Game of the Week. Not much to choose from w/ WVU, Cincy and Pitt all on bye weeks.

I've kept BrightHouse despite spotty service just because of BHSN - to watch USF football and basketball.

My letter won't just be to ABC, but USF and the Big East. The only reason for a noon kickoff would be TV - doesn't help attendance - and then to get snubbed in Tampa. Wow.

[JB]

I'm appalled by this. Here we have a legit BCS Top-25 team struggling for every bit of publicity they can get...trying to grow, trying to improve, trying so hard to gain some sort of advantage in the recruiting game...and our own local ABC affiliate won't even air our game locally. Do you honestly think something like this would happen in the home market of any of the other BCS Top-25?

Just digusted by this decision. I, for one, will be sure all my friends and family know about this...and we'll either be watching on Brighthouse or ESPN360.com. Screw ABC!

[Done with the Jim]

Oops! Correction...Brighthouse is my provider

[Done with the Jim]

The question is...does anyone get their cable from Bright House? I dont know a single person who doesnt either have Directv, Verizon Fios or Dish Network.

Posted by: jg233 | November 11, 2009 at 04:35 PM

************

I is my provider for cable TV, Internet, and telephone.

[Chris]

I feel compelled to write the local ABC affiliate to voice my displeasure. It's one thing for the Bay Area to have a love affair with the University of Florida, that's understandable; but to turn your back on the local program in favor of a couple of teams from the mid-West is down right appalling. I certainly have a choice of which local news broadcast to view, and it won't be Ch. 28.

[Ugi]

I wrote my letter to 'em.

wfprogrammingweb@wfts.com

[Ken]

That's just awful. I sure hope USF Athletics does what it can re. the TV packages and pickups, and that the administration of the university expresses our displeasure to their counterparts at Ch. 28. I, of course, expect to be at the game--initially, I wrote "will be at" but how do I know--one of us might get sick or who knows, and we'd want to be able to watch it here (and won't, as we're Verizon customers). Very very disappointing.

[Rich]

Ohio State is the most over-rated team out there. They don't deserve to be ranked - they play a bunch of nobodies all year long. They are 0-9 against SEC teams - 'nuff said...

[G.A.]

Cat's right -- if SNY picks up USF, that's one way to get around ESPN Game Plan if you have some kind of satellite sports package.

Bright House says they have more than one million customers in the seven counties they serve in Florida.

[Cat]

So since it's the Big East GOTW, will the game be on SNY on Directv? I sure hope so or I'll be stuck listening to it again.

[Pancho]

Concerning the basketball team, for what it is worth, the Bulls, with Famous and Gilchrist, should have a height advantage over most Big East teams in the starting lineup. A few teams (Louisville, ND, and WVU) don't have anyone over 6'9" on their roster.

For the teams that will have guys over 6'9" in their lineup, only Georgetown boasts a player (Greg Monroe) that has stats from last year to match Famous' and Gilchrist's stats.

This could be good sign if Mercer, Jones, and Howard can match the play of the other team's 3 guys.

[G.A.]

Bright House has a good presence in Pinellas County. I'm not sure what percentage of the homes in the Tampa area get their cable from Bright House.

[Flatus]

Good business, 28, but lousy support for the home troops. I hope y'all get a lump of coal for Christmas.

[Matt N]

I will be at Ray Jay so it doesn't matter to me. There are lot of Michigan and Ohio State fans living here. It makes sense to me. If the game was at 7, ABC wouldn't be broadcasting it anyway. Get over it people and listen on the radio or go to the game.

[Joe]

You can let folks know that it will most likely be on ESPN360 so people can watch it live online.

[jg233]

The question is...does anyone get their cable from Bright House? I dont know a single person who doesnt either have Directv, Verizon Fios or Dish Network.

[ryan]

I no longer live in the immediate area but, when my supposedly local Orlando providers chose to snub USF for an ACC or Big 10 game, I usually don't watch any of the games at all...opting to either listen to USF on the radio or follow the game on Gamecast. Not that I would watch Ohio State-Michigan this year anyway, even if USF wasn't on at the same time. Pryor was dreadful in the few games I watched of Ohio State earlier this year and Michigan is at least another year away from being respectable.

On a side note, I don't know if USF is still looking for another kicker to sign, but Daytona Beach Mainland has a guy that boots it 10 yards past the back of the endzone with consistency.

[Steve Stacy]

That is bush league stuff. If I still lived in Tampa I'd organize a protest and boycott ABC's local advertisers after sending letters to them all (strongly-worded, of course)

[941]

Just stupid on 28's part.