Words for Ward Miss What Matters

In the week since Pam Ward's demotion became public, sports media commentators and all those who consider themselves smarter than everyone else (and several people fit in both categories) have taken the opportunity to point out all that's wrong with ESPN's decision to pull Ward off play-by-play duties on college football.

At least they've tackled the issue in general, one-sided terms.

Without using the exact words, it can be surmised that most consider Ward's demotion an affront, an outrage, even a problem for sports on TV in general because it closes the door on an opportunity for women at high levels of sports media.

That's a possible argument, certainly one with merit. At the same time, it's also a generalization and an overstatement.

Ward's work was consistently solid. She was not spectacular on play-by-play of college football, but she was inevitably prepared and mostly mistake-free. With dozens of games televised every week, that's not always the kind of performance viewers get from the professionals in the booth -- and her work was appreciated as a result.

While Ward addressed her situation with several leading national columnists, and did so well, comments from higher ups at ESPN about the move have been generally limited.

According to the preferred message, though, Ward was done a disservice and there's no good reason for taking her off play-by-play duties of major college football.

Ward was one of just two women who held such a role, and her departure leaves only Beth Mowins in the male-dominated field. Ward will remain at ESPN, covering other sports and hoping for another chance to return to college football.

Here's the rub, though, it really does not matter who handles play-by-play of most games.

Aside from people who watch games to comment on them, and die-hard fans who listen for every possible perceived slight against their team, few people really care who's in the booth. On-air talent itself does not drive ratings for games. Those folks might generate reaction, but they do not necessarily "move the needle" in terms of viewership. That's especially true for regular season college football games -- even moreso for games that start at midday or early afternoon on ESPN.

So, an argument could follow that Ward should remain, because it does not matter if it's her or some other supposedly play-by-play talent. Plus, with Ward as one of the lone women as her level, coverage and games are more likely to get comment from media commentators and smart people.

Still, with people in Ward's position so generally interchangeable, her demotion might just simply be a business decision. That's the other side of the argument -- the unspoken part so far.

If on-air talent does not matter -- aside from some clearly A-list assignments -- then it's only reasonable that networks and those who handle assignments might try different things from time to time. Maybe they're looking for a different sound. Maybe they want to try another pairing just to hear and see what happens.

Without Ward, college football fans lose a solid professional. Hopefully she'll get a chance to return. However, her loss is not a loss for the sport in general, nor a loss for women. Many opportunities and on-air assignments remain for hard-working and talented women to get on-air assignments, and to make an impact those that will follow them.

Ward has certainly done that in her role, but to burden her with even more responsibility than simply doing a good job seems unfair.

Draft Format Makes Show a TV Success

As a TV show, the NFL Draft has everything it needs for success and there's no mystery why a sports-related show without on-field competition or a final score perennially produces hefty ratings.

First and foremost, the draft provides something of interest for fans of every team in the most popular sports league in the United States.

It has a larger built-in audience than any regular season game. That sets a strong foundation for interest, ratings and viewership.

Last year, draft coverage on ESPN drew ratings that topped almost everything else on the all-sports network except regular season NFL games.

Beyond that, the show's format, with a pick every few minutes,  provides exactly what sports fans love -- bursts of action followed by several minutes to analyze and speculate about what just happened. It's the kind of program people can consume completely, or use as background noise and pay attention in bits and pieces and still feel informed.

The show comes with known characters, too. That begins with the players who have spent a few seasons building name recognition playing college football and includes the on-air talent in the form of ESPN and NFL Network commentators who capably analyze the action.

An always opinionated and vocal audience at Radio City Music Hall should not be overlooked either. Those die-hard fans provide additional color.

Plus, the event almost annually comes with news (five trades reshaped the draft lineup in just the first 23 picks Thursday night) that generates action and reaction. And that's before teams like the Seattle Seahawks reach on a pick that drives even more angst among the analysts.

Finally, hhanks to savvy scheduling by the NFL, draft coverage can win ratings Thursday night (with the first round), Friday night (with second and third rounds) and even pull big numbers Saturday (with the fourth through seventh rounds).

It's simply solid programming, and it has earned its spot as one of the best and most-anticipated TV sports events of the season.

Big Names Find Some Anonymity on TV

Two hypothetical sports media questions found similar, real-life answers this week:

• What one of the more distinctive voices of a generation conducted his labor of love in relative anonymity?
• What if well-known personality someone produced a sports-talk program on TV and nobody watched?

Veteran Bob Costas has relaunched "Costas Tonight," his usually insightful and top-notch sports-talk show on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), but it continues to go unnoticed by the masses.

The first show as part of the relaunch happened in conjunction with the Super Bowl months ago in Indianapolis. That live show attracted A-list guests (as Costas always does) and it evoked some good information. Even if some segments at the end were rushed, it was still a solid start for a show NBCSN no-doubt hoped would provide something of a regular programing presence.

While Costas has done the show and done it well -- this week's episode focused on the state of college sports from a variety of angles -- it does not seemed destined to become must-see TV.

With NBCSN lost among the high numbers on most cable systems, the show can be hard to find. At the same time, the short attention span of viewers does not match well with the thoughtful work Costas regularly produces.

It's good TV, something that can hopefully survive. With Costas' gravitas, as well as the ability to parse the show afterward for excerpts or online audiences, it probably can survive for a while. It's just not something that many people might watch, and that's a shame. It's good TV.

Much like Costas, another big sports name returned to TV this week -- albeit in an even more obscure role. Radio and TV veteran Jim Rome launch his self-named program on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) following ample promotion while CBS carried the NCAA Tournament and before the network's coverage of The Masters.

With CBSSN still not rated, although company officials have said it's available in 99 million homes, Rome's initial work has gone unnoticed. In fairness to Costas, the work of the two men differs greatly, but they both have legions of fans.

For me, missing Rome is not as concerning as missing Costas and how the respective networks treat the two shows could be interesting. Neither program should be expensive to produce, but sports networks typically thrive on live programming. Without that option, finding a show hosted by a personality could be helpful, and either network would like its show to become a popular staple with viewers.

Still, neither show seems destined for a consistent prime-time spot, either. After all, if sports programming becomes available, most games or matches would play out in prime time and bouncing a talk show could be an easy decision.

In the end, sports typically matters more than sports-talk for TV networks. So, while Costas and Rome are certainly valuable for the respective network brands games matter most. If games become available and viewers remain sparse, it'll be interesting to see how well the commitment of the networks to the shows holds up.

One Reason, Two Gaffes, Two Sports

Two different networks carrying major sporting events over the weekend forgot to simply serve viewers and stumbled as a result.

First up was CBS Sports, which lost its handle on the Final Four game between Kansas and Ohio State on Saturday night by using an inconsistent approach that led to missed action and non-existent context.

The problems started on consecutive trips down the floor for Kansas -- when an apparent foul by Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger was left alone on one trip and a different foul, which appeared a little less harmful than the first, drew the attention of game officials. Unfortunately, even with a stoppage in play CBS did not provide a replay of either incident.

It was in interesting choice because the broadcast team had done such a good job earlier in the game of detailing how a Kansas foul was whistled on the wrong player, and then detailed that the use of video to correct the mistake was not allowed under NCAA rules.

That seemed like an interesting and strong start to the broadcast. Unfortunately, the end of the game did not live up to those standards.

Most egregiously, the confusing final seconds of the game were totally whiffed. As OSU guard Aaron Craft committed a lane violation when trying to quickly launch and rebound a free throw, CBS went to a replay of what happened rather than sticking with live action as KU inbounded the ball and ran out the clock.

There was no controversy on the floor -- the referees made the correct call in that instance -- but CBS missed the action. There was plenty of time for a replay and some context about what happened after the game ended. It's a shame that's not how it happened for viewers.

Context was where another TV partner failed Sunday afternoon. Fox Sports provided coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race in Martinsville, Va., and it got ratings and viewership gold with a competitive short-track race until the final laps.

When Clint Boyer drove hard into the bottom of the first turn and got underneath leaders Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson during a late-race restart, the outcome seemed obvious -- an ugly wreck was about to happen. That's exactly what followed, cars were all over the track, and Ryan Newman eventually survived after another restart to get the victory.

Still, an earlier incident, when David Reutimann stopped on the front stretch, forcing the restart when Boyer made his calamitous move, was where Fox Sports failed.

The network's commentators offered all kinds of opinions, even ''oohs" and "aahs," regarding the accident. That might not have been good work, but it was certainly expected.

Conversely, even with Reutimann's team owner (Michael Waltrip) as part of the broadcast crew, any insights about what happened with that car were missing. Waltrip told viewers it's never clear or easy to know what might be happening in a car during a race, but that was not enough. C'mon, he's the team owner. It was interesting that he did not vehemently defend his driver while some speculated what could've happened. Even if he was not in the pits or on the radio, he's the owner, he's a proven driver in the series, something more was expected.

Thankfully, Fox did get a post-race interview with an emotional and defensive Reutimann who said he had hoped to get his car off the track, but that it broke before he could. Best of all, he provided the necessary context, that he was still running, even nearly 60 laps down, in an effort to gain points and remain among the top 35 in series points -- a cutoff point that guarantees a team a starting spot from week to week.

You'd have thought that context would've crossed the mind of Waltrip, who was already sitting in the broadcast booth. It's a shame that viewers could not have gotten that sooner.

Jeff Van Gundy: An Analyst with an Opinion

As a coach in New York, he had to be strong and tough but from afar Jeff Van Gundy often looked like droopy dog.

Sure, he was successful, but it was difficult to gauge his passion and personality, perhaps because he worked so hard and guided the Knicks teams under his tutelage as far as they could go. Maybe farther.

He looked like a basketball lifer who had no time for fun. Or anything funny.

As a TV analyst, though, Van Gundy's opinions and personality resonate. He's often funny. He's regularly insightful. And when he has something to say, he's not afraid to share it.

The latest came Wednesday night during a matchup between Orlando Magic and New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden. When Magic star Dwight Howard remained in his seat on the bench during a timeout. Neither he nor Jameer Nelson ever joined their teammates and coach Stan Van Gundy (Jeff's brother, so the criticism of Howard must be kept in some perspective) during the break. The opinions that followed were clear and pointed.

Said Jeff Van Gundy:

"When did it become alright, I was watching the Magic at that timeout where Howard and Nelson didn’t join the huddle. Last night (the Lakers) Andrew Bynum doesn’t join the huddle. When did it become acceptable that you just aren’t a part of it when it’s not going well, and you separate yourself like, 'This is not my problem' or you don’t support your teammate. The least you can do is just get up. I don’t understand. I read that (Lakers coach ) Mike Brown said he didn’t have a rule that Bynum has to get up. Should you need a rule?"

Accurate and on the point. And exactly what a game analyst should provide. Sure, it's beyond Xs and Os, but it was what viewers saw themselves. Additionally, the game's producer and director complemented his work with appropriate camera shots.

It was good, albeit typical, moment for the solid analyst, made even better by the effort of the entire broadcast team.

Best of all, Van Gundy did not paint it as only a Magic problem -- so that helped limit possible complaints that he was protecting his brother. (Although it does seem a lot of his more public moments do relate to the Magic.) Still, his ability to frame such disinterest as a league-wide situation made the matter more appropriate.

A Wonderful Week for Sports TV

Three of the most powerful players in sports television shared the spotlight the past several days, making the next-to-last weekend in March interesting and meaningful.

First, meet the "players": the athlete, Tiger Woods; the league, the NFL; and an event that has had more impact on the U.S. sports landscape than any other in the past two decades, the NCAA Tournament.

Woods recorded his first PGA Tour victory in two-and-a-half years Sunday, capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and pulling TV ratings to heights that matched his spot atop the leaderboard. Ratings were up 53 percent over coverage of last season's tournament, which went off without Woods.

If he's ready to again compete at a high level on a regular basis, golf broadcasters -- especially CBS Sports, which covers The Masters in two weeks, when Woods will return to action -- justifiably have reason for enthusiasm. Without Woods, golf ratings were OK, at best. With him, those numbers often double, because his presence and success give people a reason to watch the sport on TV.

When it comes to the NFL, almost everything translates to must-see TV. The combine and draft have become TV staples, and this week league meetings moved to that level, too.

With fallout from the league's punishment of the New Orleans Saints still unsettled, viewers got often unfiltered access to suspended Saints coach Sean Payton. Every possible sports TV show provided a hefty focus on the ongoing situation. And even that coverage was muted compared to the focus on Tim Timbow's arrival in New York as the Jets' backup quarterback.

Just as important, the league unleashed its usual approach to off-season news, building anticipation and creating discussion by parsing out information with its own coordinated, fits-and-starts approach. That means scheduling details, including that the defending champion New York Giants would open the season Wednesday, Sept. 5, vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

As we move into April, fans are just a couple weeks away from knowing the full NFL schedule -- which will merit its own live TV shows on NFL Network and ESPN. And, of course, another testament to the league's power.

Powerful brands with a plan can pretty much set the schedule when it comes to sports television, and the NCAA Tournament does that quite well, too. We're at end of the tournament, and that leads to its most important moments at the Final Four. As tournament tradition merits, things will end with "One Shining Moment" late Monday night, but the tournament's structure and terminology mean just as much to the sports landscape.

As a result of the tournament's presence as a cultural happening the past two decades, the men's basketball championship has made tournament action important in every other sport. Years ago, baseball had its postseason leading to the World Series, the NBA had playoffs and even the mighty NFL simply referred to its postseason as the playoffs.

In recent years, though, media members who cover those leagues have regularly referred to those respective postseasons as tournaments. Or even discussed how team have "made the field." When one sporting even impacts how others go about their business, that's true power.

First Fan's Interest Drives TV Appearances

President Barack Obama gets multiple network March Madness visibility Tuesday night as ESPN shares his national semifinal predictions for the men's and women's basketball tournaments, and truTV airs an interview with Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

With the president and prime minister in Dayton, Ohio, CBS Sports analyst Clark Kellogg will conduct the interview with the two heads of state at halftime of the Mississippi Valley State-Western Kentucky game, which tips off at 6:40 p.m.

Obama's appearance with Andy Katz and Doris Burke on ESPN marks the fourth consecutive year he has filled out brackets for the all-sports network. His interview with Katz will air Wednesday, when his national championship pick is revealed, and his women's picks will air on Friday.

The joint interview with Kellogg marks the only such appearance for the heads of state during Cameron's visit stateside. It is Kellogg's third exclusive opportunity to interview/work with Obama, though. Obama sat in on game coverage of a 2010 Duke-Georgetown game and the president was the focus of a feature segment when he played H-O-R-S-E with Kellogg during the 2010 Final Four.

With college basketball at the forefront of U.S. cultural conscience at this point, the appearances make political sense for Obama.

Still, it's more about his fandom than exposure to any large number of viewers or voters. After all, last year's First Four games averaged 1.2 and 1.35 million fans, respectively. They're certainly an interested and passionate group, but they pale in comparison to the 37.75 million fans who watched the State of the Union Address across 14 broadcast and cable networks in January.