Basketball
The West Virginia men’s basketball game versus No. 10 Houston had an interesting start on Wednesday night.
The game broadcast on ESPN+ had a bunch of issues right off the rip, from the broadcasters not realizing the camera was on them instead of a shot outside of the arena for their intro to the camera being flipped around, upside down, and every which way after the intro.
But it gets better.
The stream remained with that camera and viewers watched them walk to their seat under the basket while the view was picking up the ceiling of the Fertitta Center, fans in the crowd (while the game was going on), and even the person picking up the cord to the camera as they made their way to their seat.
For the first five minutes or so of the game, the shot remained with the camera under the basket, making it difficult for fans to see what was happening on the other end of the floor. Not to mention, the only scoreboard available was the one up in the rafters of the Fertitta Center. It was an embarrassing look for the Big 12 – a league that constantly pounds its chest as the best in all of college basketball.
I’ve had a firm opinion on ESPN+ for a while, but after last night, it’s evident that the Big 12 must seriously reconsider its TV strategies. Well, they already are, to some extent.
Recently, it was announced that 13 Big 12 football games per year will move from ESPN+ to TNT or TBS. ESPN will also sublicense 15 Big 12 men’s basketball games to those same channels. It’s a small step in the right direction for Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yorkmark. Games on ESPN+ should be designed for lower-tier games or late-night action that can’t be on one of the main channels, such as ESPN, ESPN2, or CBS.
The “best league in college basketball” shouldn’t be buried on ESPN+. And don’t get me wrong, I think the idea of ESPN+ is great. Every team should have all of their games available to watch, but the No. 10 team in the country (Houston) and West Virginia – who sits just outside of the top 25, shouldn’t be on a streaming hub. The Big 12 doesn’t have complete control of this, however. The TV networks ultimately choose what games they air and when, but the Big 12 should be pounding the table for more games on ESPN.
No disrespect to the broadcasters that are doing these games because I think, for the most part, they do a fine job, and they have to get their experience somewhere, but I’m sure others can share my wish to see Fran Fraschilla and the other Big 12 “regulars” on West Virginia games a little more often. With the league expanding from 10 to 16, it does make it more challenging to get the majority of games on national TV, but again, two top 30 teams in the best conference in basketball should be there.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Mountaineer Postgame Show: Houston 70, WVU 54
What Darian DeVries Said Following the Loss to No. 10 Houston
West Virginia Battles but Falls Short against No. 10 Houston
Four Initial Takeaways From West Virginia’s Loss to No. 10 Houston
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