Goodbye ROOT, Hello... Scripps

[CelticCat]

https://scripps.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... 2.2.21.pdf

[msubobcat]

I am not so sure this great. ROOT did a great job with production, announcers, etc. We will lose exposure in Seattle and Portland areas where we recruit.

[CelticCat]

I'm happy that every game will be on ESPN+. But I'm pretty concerned we are going from a local company that put out a halfway decent production (SWX) to... a company that doesn't do sports, or hasn't for a while? I'm fuzzy on that.

Let's say some of us here on BN remember the "Beefaroni" commercials on Omega TV era of Bobcat football television.

[grizzh8r]

I am not so sure this great. ROOT did a great job with production, announcers, etc. We will lose exposure in Seattle and Portland areas where we recruit.

Agreed. The only Scripps I know is a freaking prescription drug handling provider. Overall, this may be a step back. But now I may just drop cable...

[grizzh8r]

Can anyone dumb down what this means for us?

It means that instead of complaining about the Root Sports announcers and broadcast, we can go back to complaining about the local TV announcers and broadcast.

I recall very few complaints about ROOT's announcers or broadcast. Tom Glasgow's call of "The Stuff" is right up there with Dean Alexander's call of the 2002 streak breaker. Maybe the single most memorable play call of my lifetime, which says a lot since Deano was my window into Bobcat football as a child - only voice talent who has come close was Attebury. The ROOT production quality was by far and away the best that Big Sky football has ever enjoyed. Sure, Taylor Barton was a bit annoying at times, but all the other members of the broadcast crew were very good and we were lucky to have their talent. Sad day, really hope I'm eating crow this fall.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Channel 13 ABC in Las Vegas, a “local” station for me, is a Scripps station. I guess that’s still no guarantee that they would broadcast Big Sky programming.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I am not so sure this great. ROOT did a great job with production, announcers, etc. We will lose exposure in Seattle and Portland areas where we recruit.

ROOT was really uptown. I’ll miss their quality.

[Montanabob]

I am not so sure this great. ROOT did a great job with production, announcers, etc. We will lose exposure in Seattle and Portland areas where we recruit.

ROOT was really uptown. I’ll miss their quality.

I'll miss not being able to watch ROOT in New Mexico.

[stevo]

Question? It looks like Billings only has one scripts channel. ktvq 2. Cats and Griz play a lot at the same time so who do they put on?

[CelticCat]

Question? It looks like Billings only has one scripts channel. ktvq 2. Cats and Griz play a lot at the same time so who do they put on?

Maybe these are the instances where the other game can be picked up by SWX?

Lots of questions with this deal.

[coloradocat]

Question? It looks like Billings only has one scripts channel. ktvq 2. Cats and Griz play a lot at the same time so who do they put on?

Maybe these are the instances where the other game can be picked up by SWX?

Lots of questions with this deal.

I think this is also why both teams will have a home night game in-conference. I don't know if we've ever played a conference game at night so this way MTN will be able to show both teams on the same day.

[CelticCat]

I'm going to miss having Cat/Griz on ROOT, they did such a good job with that game, and having it broadcast on a decently sized regional sports network was a great showcase for MSU, UM and even the Big Sky Conference.

[SLC_Cat]

I'm going to miss having Cat/Griz on ROOT, they did such a good job with that game, and having it broadcast on a decently sized regional sports network was a great showcase for MSU, UM and even the Big Sky Conference.

I totally agree with your comments on quality... Big Sky Football would be hardpressed to get the same production quality anywhere else. The frustrating part was trying to explain to people what ROOT was and how to find it... if they weren't already a huge sports fan.

Also, with ROOT taking on the Trailblazers and the Kraken, the writing was on the wall. I mean even look at last year ROOT only took 4 games? They were phasing #BigSkyFB out already.

IMO this package shows the league's effort to align with ESPN/ABC more and increase that chance of getting games elevated to ESPN2/ESPN U... or maybe someday a Gameday visit.

Thanks for the memories ROOT

[AFCAT]

Maybe they can hire Tom Glasgow just for the Brawl. Nobody is better than Glasgow.

[MSUBRONCO]

Not happy with this move loved root, no scripps in Seattle area

[tdub]

Assuming I understand it right, I think this is a big win for MSU and UM fans. Not so much for the rest of the conference, until we see the details of additional broadcast contracts for the other schools. This deal gives access to the vast majority of the fan base of both schools, which is in-state, while not sacrificing the streaming options for those outside the state. Hopefully this is the right formula to give the optimize access to the widest audience possible.

Scripps is a bigger company than when the MTN stations used to have the griz contracts. So hopefully improvement of technology has come with it. While not maybe the quality of Root, I’d expect it at least on par with SWX.

[coloradocat]

The big question is if we have to share the money with the conference. The BSC was promoting the deal but it's really only for two schools so hopefully none of the money leaves the state.

If other schools want traditional tv money they can try to get their own deals and see how that works out for them. Montana might be a small market in general but MSU and Missoula football have to be bigger advertising draws than any of the other schools, regardless of where they are on the map.

[CodyCat]

Question? It looks like Billings only has one scripts channel. ktvq 2. Cats and Griz play a lot at the same time so who do they put on?

Maybe these are the instances where the other game can be picked up by SWX?

Lots of questions with this deal.

I think this is also why both teams will have a home night game in-conference. I don't know if we've ever played a conference game at night so this way MTN will be able to show both teams on the same day.

Maybe the primetime games will be the ESPN/ESPNU?

[coloradocat]

Question? It looks like Billings only has one scripts channel. ktvq 2. Cats and Griz play a lot at the same time so who do they put on?

Maybe these are the instances where the other game can be picked up by SWX?

Lots of questions with this deal.

I think this is also why both teams will have a home night game in-conference. I don't know if we've ever played a conference game at night so this way MTN will be able to show both teams on the same day.

Maybe the primetime games will be the ESPN/ESPNU?

The articles specifically state that both schools will play one home and one road game as part of the deal so while those games might also be on ESPNU they would be covered by Scripps networks as part of the agreement. The agreement also applies only to conference games so we'll finally have a night game outside of Gold Rush.

[nodak651]

The big question is if we have to share the money with the conference. The BSC was promoting the deal but it's really only for two schools so hopefully none of the money leaves the state.

If other schools want traditional tv money they can try to get their own deals and see how that works out for them. Montana might be a small market in general but MSU and Missoula football have to be bigger advertising draws than any of the other schools, regardless of where they are on the map.

UND has RFP's out for new TV and Radio deals so this announcement by the Big Sky surprised me, because it seems like they hijacked what should be your local tv deal (think NDSU with WDAY and UND with Midco). Now, if the scripps games will be simulcast nationally on something like ION television, that would make more sense to me, as ION television is available nation wide with rabbit ears (similar to how Stadium takes over networks to air football games) https://www.groundedreason.com/how-to-w ... _Available IMO, the Big Sky should only be negotiating national tv deals and they should leave local deals up the the individual schools. I don't see any reason why CBSSN couldn't air some Montana or Montana State games either, would maybe require some scheduling flexibility but if they air Ivy games and college hockey I don't see how a game in Montana would be out of the question.

Montanta and Montana State should be allowed to negotiate their own local TV deals and you could probably get a better deal with Root if they weren't forced to air non Montana school Big Sky games.