Why no TV? ESPN has Softball??

[Booyakasha!]

ESPN has had softball on for a couple weeks now, why can't we get any baseball? I'm sure there is a good explanation, but why can't we even get any regional coverage on FSN or FSSW? Does it have to do with money - cause I would think a lot more people would want to watch regional baseball over women's softball.

 

[Oilfield]

No disrespect to the girls but that is one boring sport.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

ESPNU is showing that thrilling FSU/OSU game - now 17-0 in the 3rd.

 

[Dewbrewer]

FSU 20 - ohio sluts 0 in 3rd inning....even more exciting now!

 

[iowahorn11]

Alright guys lets use the brains here. WCWS: Obviously ******* retarded, but it brings in a new viewership to ESPN, thus the opportunity for more advertisers, plus showing 8 hours of TV each day filmed on the same 10 cameras by one or two broadcast teams is cheaper than having 5 cameras to show the big games at each baseball regional.

As for why they aren't doing "regional" regional coverage. First of all, the NCAA Baseball tournament is ESPN's, so FSN can't show it. Second, ESPNU doesn't get nearly enough funding to have broadtcasts at a ton of different sites. There are many reasons they chose the ones they did. First, the time difference. They can show the East Coast regional early and the West Coast regional at night. They also chose the toughest regional (Irvine) with the big time up and comer (UCI) in the LA area, the #1 prospect in a long time (national must see), an East Coast team with a large fan base, and the defending national champions (nor-cal, national interest). They chose the Tally region because FSU has one of the biggest baseball fan bases in the country, Georgia has another huge fan base, Ohio State has one of the biggest fan/alumni bases of any of the 3 seeds in the tourney.

Contrast that to Texas, which basically cancels out FSU, Texas State (virtually no name recognition), BC (pro sports town and smaller alumni base than tOSU), and Army (not exactly a baseball school). The Forth Worth regional actually would have gotten a fair amount of viewers, but TCU is probably somewhere between 13-16, and I'm sure ESPNU was looking for more of a contender than that.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

So I'm supposed to put down my torch and pitch-fork just because you're the voice of reason??

 

[Booyakasha!]

Thanks Iowahorn, that makes sense. I knew the reason had to be something other than just wanting to piss me off.

 

[COmountainhorn]

Yeah, torch and pitchforks! All the people who care about women's softball, that being the parents of the softball players, are already at the game. Show some damn baseball! Damn that Title 9!
Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Garbage]

In regards to softball, I guess I'm weird.

It is, by far, the best girl's sport, IMO. The field being smaller than a baseball field helps to speed up the game. No disrespect to the ladies, but they can't run as fast, or throw/hit as hard/far.

Basketball would do well to do the same. Think about how much more exciting it would be if they lowered the goals to 9' and made the court shorter to make up for speed and jumping abilities. With the women playing on the same size court, the game just seems slow and boring...just my 2 cents.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

Womens softball is the only female sport that I enjoy watching. Alot has to with watching Jennie Finch and Kat Osterman for a number of years. It is better than all of that Little League coverage.
That ASU vs. Alabama game last night was great.

I do wish there was more Men's College Baseball, they do show alot more games as the tournament moves along and the number of locations shrinks as mentioned above.

 

[Fievel121]

Whats with all the softball hate?

They're in the final four right now. Even if it wasn't going on, I doubt that ESPN would have the means to provide coverage for all the regionals anyway.