I’m obviously a huge sports fan. I’ve had TiVo for more than two years. I have never recorded a single game to be watched later until I attempt to do so this weekend.
This is why sports programming is the best value in television advertising. Games are just “un-TiVoable.” You pretty much have to watch it live. Why?
- The adrenaline that you experience when watching a game has a lot to do with it happening live before your eyes.
- If you’re a fan, most of the time, another live alternative like radio or even setting the automatic reload on your phone will do.
- If you’re a fan, one of your fan buddies is going to call you or e-mail you about what’s going on.
Unlike an episode of “Gossip Girls” or “CSI,”--finding out about the plot of the latest installment of sitcom doesn’t ruin your ability to watch it--a sporting event that you had planned to watch goes poof once you find out the score.
So while everyone focuses on the Super Bowl as such an incredible value because people actually watch the commercials, not enough attention is focused on the value of every day games.
I have a lot of errands to run this Saturday so I definitely can’t watch the game live. And I just thought about the ridiculous amount of work I’ve put into TiVo-ing my game. The Northwestern Wildcats are 4-0 and I really want to watch the full game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. But I’m not going to be home until around 10 pm on Saturday, which is about six and a half hours after the actual game concludes.
This is what I’ve done so far. I’ve set the TiVo to ESPN Classic, which is broadcasting the game beginning at noon ET. I’ve called all my Northwestern buddies, who will be watching the game, not to call me or text me. I’ve told my friend who graduated from Iowa (ESPN.com’s Wayne Drehs) not to communicate with me in any manner.
I’m going to try not to look at my BlackBerry for fear of anyone who I didn’t think of talking to inadvertently sending me a note and I’m not going to listen to the radio while I'm driving in the car. I think I can do it, but I’m not 100 percent confident.
Questions? Comments? SportsBiz@cnbc.com
