Big Ten and SEC are building a following with their own TV networks
By: Jim Williams
Examiner Sports Columnist
September 25, 2009
If you are a fan of either the Big Ten or the SEC then on Saturday mornings you no longer have to watch a national pregame show. The two "uber-conferences" have their own networks with programs aimed at their fan base.
The Big Ten Network, in its third year, offers at least three day games every Saturday afternoon in the noon - 3:30 p.m. block and a more than a handful of night games throughout the football season.
The coverage starts every Saturday at 10 a.m. with "Big Ten Cookout," a live fast-paced show on location from a game site with tailgaters. There is talk about the day's action in the Big Ten, plus a great feel for the on-campus pre-game food offerings. It is like the Food Channel meets SportsCenter. Melanie Collins hosts the show and Chefs Ben and Julius will give fans a taste of the pre-game tailgating scene in the Big Ten.
At 10:30 a.m. Dave Revsine, Troy Griffith and Gary DiNardo host the "Big Ten Football Saturday Pre-Game Show." It is a very entertaining 90-minute program that takes a look around the Big Ten. After the network's game coverage, the trio returns for the "Big Ten Football Saturday Post-Game Show," complete with more Big Ten highlights, analysis and post-game reaction from coaches and players.
The SEC has their new deal with CBS and ESPN, which offers a number of pre- and post-game programming.
ESPN Regional TV and ESPNU is the home for SEC programming, starting at noon. The pre-game is a very solid program hosted by Rob Stone and analyst Matt Stinchcomb. They, of course, focus on the biggest games that day in the conference and give fans plenty of good information to digest.
At noon, the ESPNU SEC game of the week is handled by the broadcast team of Dave Neal, analyst Andre Ware and reporter Cara Capuano.
At 2 p.m., CBS College Sports Network's "SEC Tailgate" is done live from the SEC game of the week site. This week is at Alabama. The talented Dave Baker hosts "SEC Tailgate," and is joined by CBSSports.com's Lauren Shehadi and, this week, Woodrow Lowe. One of the best studio hosts in the business, Sam Ryan, anchors coverage from New York with former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer and Brian Jones serving as analysts.
Then comes the SEC game of the week on CBS at 3:30 p.m.
After the game of the week, over on CBS College Sports is the "SEC Post-Game Show" with Ryan, Jones and Fulmer.
Fans of the Big Ten and SEC are well served by these networks.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
