Stumbled upon this and while Herbie trying to back track and offset SEC bias, is this a backhanded swipe at A&M

Quote:

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"Let me straighten the record on one last thing," Kirk Herbstreit said. "You know, ESPN loves the SEC so much, that we could not have paid for a better Final 4, with Notre Dame and Ohio State and Penn State and Texas. The only one missing is Michigan, if you could somehow wedge Michigan in.

"So like, this idea that we want Alabama and Texas A&M and Auburn, are you kidding me? Like if you're asking us who we would want, uh, we'll take Ohio State every year, Notre Dame. Like this is a ratings bonanza."

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/kirk-herbstreit-sets-record-straight-on-espn-sec-bias/ar-AA1x71lu?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6453ea678b1d45e9b8bc3fac3f64268b&ei=2

Well, at least he admits it.

Didn't Notre Dame have a game this season that was streaming-only (Peacock, I think)?

Every SEC team has one ESPN+ only game each season too. Wouldn't be shocked to see (just no one I follow closely enough to know) the other major conferences having something similar.

Too many still all pushing their individual streaming platforms still.

People in broadcast media like ratings and things that bring in ratings. It's no more or less complicated than that.

So he admits it's all about ratings. Which in turn, increases the TV contract value to the conferences, which drives biases towards certain schools.

It's also 1 year. Of course a conference is going to get a little bias when they've dominated the entire football landscape for 2 decades. It also doesn't mean that other things such as injuries didn't play a part.

Is he going to come out and declare the SEC should get more bias next year if it's business as usual and the SEC once again dominates?

Kentucky? That's a surprise.

Herb is not an ESPN Exec.

12mn95 said:

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I think people have been saying that ESPN wants Alabama & A&M because they are big draws but Ohio State is a huge draw. Not sure why Notre Dame isn't on there since they have about the same # of views for their games as we do. Notre Dame will always get a lot of viewers

This from Nielsen ratings
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/nielsen-shares-college-football-conference-champs-and-overall-top10-based-on-season-viewership-rankings/
Here are the top 10 teams of the 2024 season (average total viewership per game):
[ol]

University of Georgia (8.6 million viewers)

The Ohio State University (6.8 million viewers)

University of Alabama (6.6 million viewers)

University of Texas (6.4 million viewers)

University of Tennessee (5.4 million viewers)

University of Michigan (5.2 million viewers)

Texas A&M University (4.9 million viewers)

Louisiana State University (4.8 million viewers)

University of Kentucky (4.5 million viewers)

University of Florida (4.3 million viewers)

[/ol]

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This seems suspicious. Our highest rated games BY FAR were horn and Notre Dame. Are you telling me ND isn't even in the top 10 and Florida and UK were?

He is Ass My Dude said:

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Herb is not an ESPN Exec.

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No he's a mouthpiece, with a mic, a bully pulpit and 10x the exposure of the CEO of ESPn and Disney CEO combined

Kenneth_2003 said:

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Every SEC team has one ESPN+ only game each season too. Wouldn't be shocked to see (just no one I follow closely enough to know) the other major conferences having something similar.

Too many still all pushing their individual streaming platforms still.

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Because Aggies believe it's evil to pay to watch football in tv conveniently…

ESPN cares about winning teams. Many of their guys have openly admitted this.

If the SEC dominates, they jump on board
If the BIG TEN dominates, they jump over on that wagon.

It's fun and easier to discuss winning teams and amazing athletes than it is of the lesser variety

Yeah, I had this same argument with some family members over the holidays, who were like "well, i'm just glad that a Texas team is in contention. We should root for them..."

To that, I say Ha. And disagree vehemently.

Pet Sounds said:

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He's a Big 10 homer. Not surprised he'd rather see less SEC teams in the playoff picture.

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He's a _____ homer. Fill in the blank. Whoever is paying him to stay on TV and report about their school is who he's a fan of.

Texas A&M needs to start paying him under the table to report about them. Keep people employed. They become your biggest fans.

rootube said:

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12mn95 said:

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I think people have been saying that ESPN wants Alabama & A&M because they are big draws but Ohio State is a huge draw. Not sure why Notre Dame isn't on there since they have about the same # of views for their games as we do. Notre Dame will always get a lot of viewers

This from Nielsen ratings
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/nielsen-shares-college-football-conference-champs-and-overall-top10-based-on-season-viewership-rankings/
Here are the top 10 teams of the 2024 season (average total viewership per game):
[ol]

University of Georgia (8.6 million viewers)

The Ohio State University (6.8 million viewers)

University of Alabama (6.6 million viewers)

University of Texas (6.4 million viewers)

University of Tennessee (5.4 million viewers)

University of Michigan (5.2 million viewers)

Texas A&M University (4.9 million viewers)

Louisiana State University (4.8 million viewers)

University of Kentucky (4.5 million viewers)

University of Florida (4.3 million viewers)

[/ol]

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This seems suspicious. Our highest rated games BY FAR were horn and Notre Dame. Are you telling me ND isn't even in the top 10 and Florida and UK were?

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I think that has to do with the fact that ND played a pretty boring schedule this year. Your brand matters, but so does your opponent's.

12mn95 said:

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I think people have been saying that ESPN wants Alabama & A&M because they are big draws but Ohio State is a huge draw. Not sure why Notre Dame isn't on there since they have about the same # of views for their games as we do. Notre Dame will always get a lot of viewers

This from Nielsen ratings
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/nielsen-shares-college-football-conference-champs-and-overall-top10-based-on-season-viewership-rankings/
Here are the top 10 teams of the 2024 season (average total viewership per game):
[ol]

University of Georgia (8.6 million viewers)

The Ohio State University (6.8 million viewers)

University of Alabama (6.6 million viewers)

University of Texas (6.4 million viewers)

University of Tennessee (5.4 million viewers)

University of Michigan (5.2 million viewers)

Texas A&M University (4.9 million viewers)

Louisiana State University (4.8 million viewers)

University of Kentucky (4.5 million viewers)

University of Florida (4.3 million viewers)

[/ol]

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Wait until tu has a bad year or two, those viewing number will drop. I've seen the tu stands empty quickly by haltime when they are getting their butt bruised!!!!

12mn95 said:

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I think people have been saying that ESPN wants Alabama & A&M because they are big draws but Ohio State is a huge draw. Not sure why Notre Dame isn't on there since they have about the same # of views for their games as we do. Notre Dame will always get a lot of viewers

This from Nielsen ratings
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/nielsen-shares-college-football-conference-champs-and-overall-top10-based-on-season-viewership-rankings/
Here are the top 10 teams of the 2024 season (average total viewership per game):
[ol]

University of Georgia (8.6 million viewers)

The Ohio State University (6.8 million viewers)

University of Alabama (6.6 million viewers)

University of Texas (6.4 million viewers)

University of Tennessee (5.4 million viewers)

University of Michigan (5.2 million viewers)

Texas A&M University (4.9 million viewers)

Louisiana State University (4.8 million viewers)

University of Kentucky (4.5 million viewers)

University of Florida (4.3 million viewers)

[/ol]

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8 of 10 SEC.

This woke ******* had to start bringing his dogs on TV with him to get people to like him again.

Michigan? The Big already had 4 teams in the playoffs, and he thinks it needed Michigan too?

Muy said:

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Michigan? The Big already had 4 teams in the playoffs, and he thinks it needed Michigan too?

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That's not what he said at all. He is saying if ESPN only cares about the SEC then they would not be ecstatic about having notre dame, ohio state and penn state...add Michigan and that is a HUGE ratings bonanza for ESPN. But instead of michigan they got Texas which has a huge viewer following. this scenario was the best they could hope for.

If anyone should be upset, it should be Clemson he calls them a small market team. They don't bring the eyeballs that these other brands do.

Texas A&M need to join the B1G.

It's the only opportunity to offset what is set in motion for the next 10 years.

Does OP know what backhanded means?

Inappropriate use of parentheses. ***kin rediculous.

Inappropriate attempt at "ridiculous". But carry on.

At least he said the quiet part out loud. ESiPN has clearly had a tu bias ever since they went into bed with each other in 2011 and it carries forward to this day. There's not really much way to deny it

NM.

aeon-ag said:

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12mn95 said:

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I think people have been saying that ESPN wants Alabama & A&M because they are big draws but Ohio State is a huge draw. Not sure why Notre Dame isn't on there since they have about the same # of views for their games as we do. Notre Dame will always get a lot of viewers

This from Nielsen ratings
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/nielsen-shares-college-football-conference-champs-and-overall-top10-based-on-season-viewership-rankings/
Here are the top 10 teams of the 2024 season (average total viewership per game):
[ol]

University of Georgia (8.6 million viewers)

The Ohio State University (6.8 million viewers)

University of Alabama (6.6 million viewers)

University of Texas (6.4 million viewers)

University of Tennessee (5.4 million viewers)

University of Michigan (5.2 million viewers)

Texas A&M University (4.9 million viewers)

Louisiana State University (4.8 million viewers)

University of Kentucky (4.5 million viewers)

University of Florida (4.3 million viewers)

[/ol]

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Wait until tu has a bad year or two, those viewing number will drop. I've seen the tu stands empty quickly by haltime when they are getting their butt bruised!!!!

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I don't know about that, I for one will switch channels to watch tu get a butt whipping.