Yes, network commits to ESPNU, and then swtches to ESPN2 at the last minute. I expect same thing Friday night.
Kinda weird to me that MD-G'Town is the 5 pm match on Friday. I figure that'd be a better TV draw for all sorts of reasons.
They're on ESPNU. They're on WatchESPN if you have that. Maryland-Georgetown is on ESPN3 for everyone; Indiana-Creighton is on ESPN3 if you live in the Mountain or Pacific time zones (plus Alaska and Hawaii).
I guess it depends what you're comparing it to. In wrestling, you've got two conferences that combine to win the national title every year, and in most men's non-revenue sports, the balance of power is concentrated in a small number of conferences, typically the majors. Soccer almost certainly more spread out than most.
Understandable..........don't know if soccer spread out ANY MORE than baseball, swimming, track, etc, where major conferences do dominate. BTW, 21/40 top 4 seeds in the last 10 years have made it to the College Cup ( 52.5%) ..........will try to go back more, but NCAA seeding info before 1988 sketchy at best...........
In comparison to men's soccer, where 14/31 ( and possibly 15/32) champions have come from one conference ( ACC ), here are some results from other sports during the same time frame (since 1981)............... Football: SEC 10 , Big 12 6, Big Ten 5, ACC 3 Baseball: SEC 9, Pac 12 8, Big 12 4 Basketball: ACC 10, SEC and Big East 6 apiece Outdoor Track: SEC 17 ( Arkansas 11), Big 12/SWC 6 Indoor Track: SEC 23 ( Arkansas 19) Wrestling: Big Ten 21, Big 12 8 Swimming: Pac 12 11, SEC and Big 12 10 apiece Lacrosse: Big East 11, ACC 9 ( Princeton 6, Johns Hopkins 5 ) Volleyball: Pac 10 16 Tennis: Pac 10 23 Golf: Big 12 9, Pac 12 8 I would say ACC soccer compares favorably to other one-conference dominated sports............
Great stuff, padg. To go along with your info, I looked up the most recent champion from outside the "major" conferences in a bunch of sports. Unless otherwise noted, I'm counting "majors" as the Big Ten, Big East, ACC, Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12 (or MPSF in non-Pac-12 sports). 2012 Lacrosse - Loyola (only non-major winner ever, counting Ivies and Hopkins as major in lax) 2011 Golf - Augusta St 2010 Soccer - Akron (also 2006 UCSB) 2008 Baseball - Fresno St 2006 Tennis - Pepperdine 2003 Volleyball - Lewis (only non-major winner ever, others are all MPSF and Big 10) 1996 Indoor track - George Mason 1990 Basketball - UNLV 1988 Wrestling - Arizona St (only majors in wrestling are Big 10 and Big 12) 1986 Outdoor track - SMU 1984 Football - BYU (ND is major, Big East not) 1981 Cross country - UTEP 1953 Swimming and diving - Yale never Water polo - (I believe that the MPSF has won all of them) In addition to the titles won by Akron and UCSB, they each lost a final on PKs in the past decade. Also, Creighton has made back-to-back final fours, Charlotte made last year's final, and New Mexico made the 2005 final. Taking all that into account, I think it's clear that schools from outside the majors have a lot more success in soccer than in most other sports.
Now, back to the main event........I see the IU-Creighton match as a battle between Creighton's ability to possess, create, and push forward for goals vs IU's reliance on (1) Zavaleta to create and score, and (2) making things happen off set pieces. Discuss.........
And for those travelling to Alabama this weekend........... Friday 68 and partly cloudy/ low 54 Saturday 72 and partly cloudy/ low 54 Sunday 73 and mostly cloudy No rain in sight / wind at 10mph or less all weekend...... The soccer gods are smiling
I know this is a guys forum, but last Sunday the announcers for the game beamed UNC women's soccer has now won 21 of the last 31 championships. Regardless of the sport, that's simply phenomenal.
I heard a while back from one of last year's Creighton players that the field was okay except along one of the end lines. Apparently (last year, anyway) the goal that is on the 3rd baseline is in the dirt of the baseline, so there is a small drop where the infield grass meets the running path. The two areas where it causes problems are for the GKs, especially on crosses, corners, etc., where the awkward step can disrupt, and the for players taking the ball to the endline for a cross. Don't know that it mattered last year, but hopefully the field crew has corrected this from last year. The useful news for those travelling to the Cup (based on my trip last year): If driving from the north, stop in Decatur, AL, to eat at Big Bob Gibson's BBQ. I've heard about this place for years--esp. the chicken and ribs--and it was better than I'd been told. In Hoover, good Mexican food at Iguana Grill--the mesquite-grilled quail was great. In Birmingham, Niki's West is good, old-style cafeteria with good Southern fare. My 11-year-old loved the fried chicken and pies, and you don't find fried okra and fried green tomato like theirs in Nebraska. (I asked a local for a place to eat that locals know but tourists don't, and was told to try here.) For culture, go to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Outstanding museum, and located across the street from sites of major events in Civil Rights (inc. 16th Street Baptist Church that was bombed in 1963). Enjoy the trip. Wish I could make it this year. Go Jays!
It's possible that ESPN knows how to play their own game.. why put the viewership draw game at the best spot when your intent is to show that soccer isnt a draw sport.....
Maybe they actually figure more people will be watching at 5pm on Friday than at 7pm. Very few people watch TV friday evening. They usually go out. So perhaps the earlier time slot is actually more prime time for a friday.
Is it possible that the decision has to do with IU and Creighton being on Central Standard Time? A 4pm CST start time will be harder for fans who don't travel so plan to watch the match televised. I also don't agree that MD-G'town will be a significantly bigger draw than IU-CU. It may draw more, but I suspect that [(viewership MD-Gtown @ 5pm eastern/local) + (viewership IU-CU @ 7pm eastern/6pm local)] will be greater than [(viewership IU-CU @ 5pm eastern/4pm local) + (viewership MD-Gtown @ 7pm eastern/local)]. My assumption is that the decision makers are looking at total viewership for both matches.
i would think that those who are watching the final four for college soccer are going to watch it whenever they schedule the games, wives' plans be damned. and it's not like college soccer is going to draw channel surfers regardless of time slot.
indiana is on eastern time. maybe they gave the early game to the higher seeds to give them maximum competitive advantage?
My mistake. I was at IU in the early 1990s, and we never switched our clocks since Indiana didn't follow daylight savings time. Part of the year we were with the Eastern time zone, and part we were with Central. Is it still that way? (I still wouldn't be surprised to hear that Creighton being farthest west and in Central time factored into the decision.)
nope. we're on NY time year round now for the most part. some of the area up toward da region is on central time.
Yes. I think you have the way of it. IU is classic Big10 smash mouth direct play. They rely heavily upon re-starts. Zavaleta is a bad man beast. Does he play F in the pros? No. CU is a much more fluid style, with abundant short passing. Based on their early season draw, I have maintained all year that Creighton and Akron are very similar stylistically. I prefer the Blue jays’ style to Hoosiers’. Since Creighton come from a non-BCS football conference, I will root for them. Not necessarily rooting against Hoosiers, but it would be nice to see Creighton finally get theirs.
http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page1403.htm 6 "experts" 4 pick Maryland 2 pick Georgetown No love for the other semifinal teams.
