Latest news with #CollegeGameday
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
LSU schedule: Kickoff times for two more LSU football games revealed
LSU schedule: Kickoff times for two more LSU football games revealed Kickoff times for two more games on LSU football's 2025 schedule were revealed on Thursday. LSU will play Louisiana Tech at 6:30 p.m CT in week two and face Florida at 6:30 p.m. CT in week three. The Louisiana Tech contest will be streaming only on ESPN+. The Florida game will be nationally broadcast on ABC. LSU now knows the kick times for the first three games of the season. The Tigers begin the season at Clemson in week one. The game is scheduled for 6:30 PM CT on ABC. Two of LSU's first three games are the SEC's Saturday Night Slot on ABC, so don't be surprised if LSU lands on ESPN's College Gameday in that span. Few homefield advantages are as strong as LSU's. Tiger Stadium under the lights is among the best atmospheres in the sport. LSU fans are pleased with the first two home games receiving evening kickoffs.
Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Fox's Indy 500 broadcast hit 17-year high. What happens next is important for IndyCar's growth
INDIANAPOLIS — IndyCar's TV ratings smash success for this year's Indianapolis 500, the first time the average audience for a broadcast of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing has topped 7 million since 2008, is premier evidence that a sport that has in many ways been on slow but consistently downward-trending spiral since "the split" 30 years ago can once again rise to national prominence. But the Month of May showed, too, that bold, radical change — not the sport's historically business-savvy, penny-pinching mindset that has helped keep it afloat or riding minuscule single-digit gains of late — are needed to get it there. Michael Andretti, publicly and privately scolded for his bold, on-the-record quotes 15 months ago that the sport needed a $100 million influx in funding to tackle IndyCar's myriad issues, didn't then, and doesn't now, seem so far off. Because after my rewatch this week, Fox's broadcast of the Indy 500 was most successful in its moments where it felt the most different to editions in recent years: the pre-race show. It felt at times as if I had time-traveled to a cool, fall Saturday morning set of ESPN's "College Gameday," featuring multiple intricate sets, a deep cast of knowledgeable on-air talent with diverse backgrounds and specialties, a raucous, sometimes seemingly unending crowd flanking them and sprinkles of both live, in-person interviews and pre-taped feature pieces that ran the gamut of emotions. It was everything Fox's Super Bowl pre-game show was earlier this year, with the benefit of being a reasonable length that someone actually might want to sit all the way through and absorb. It was subtly educational — from features on fans and the blue envelopes to drones flying all over and showing just how stinkin' big the place is — without dumbing down the content. It spoke to and highlighted, either in short live hits, segments of thematic features or full-blown profile segments — well over a dozen drivers, some of them at enough length that had you not known them at all before, you might have reason to root for them now. Was it all a slam dunk? With the over-the-top spots with Gronk, the multiple messed up row-by-row factoids and the unnecessary AI "Michael Strahan the racecar driver" segment, certainly not. But for those not at the track that morning, it made you feel as if you were right in Pagoda Plaza, told stories that kept a variety of levels of race fans engaged and helped build both the tension and the pageantry that showed full and well why the 500 is regarded as the biggest race in the world. It properly set the stage in a way that made someone like me who's so deeply ingrained in the sport that this show was for a sport that for years now has only fielded $20 million to $25 million annually in rights fees and one that through five previous races in 2025 had only two draw average audiences on network TV above 715,000. And with a pre-race audience that neared 3 million, it helped build a base that saw this year's 500 finish with an audience of 7.087 million — one that topped the corresponding year's Daytona 500 (albeit one that featured a rain delay of more than three hours) for just the second time in 30 years and drew the largest U.S. motorsports audience in more than two years. That audience figure, too, represented 40% growth year over year, the type of leap in audience the 500 has seen only two other times in more than 20 years: 2005, for Danica Patrick's rookie race (60% increase, 6.08 million to 9.74 million); and 2021, for the post-COVID-19 race (53% increase, 3.67 million to 5.63 million). And for a race that hadn't sniffed an average of audience above 6 million since 2016 and that saw just an 11% year-over-year audience increase from ABC (2018) to NBC (2019) that delivered a much less-radical broadcast overhaul, Fox's all-out blitz, from its promotional plan that began last fall to its out-of-the-park pre-race show can be the only thing that would reasonably explain such a leap. More 500s like this in the future will undoubtedly represent notable, impactful paydays for IndyCar teams from a sponsorship standpoint. Indy 500 partner programs that might've required budgets from $1.2 million to $1.5 million, or even $2 million for teams not overly looking to run an extra car, could transform over the next few months as budgets are prepared for 2026 and, for the first time in several years, teams might be able to seek higher sponsorship dollars for reasons other than covering steeply rising costs. But until the rest of the calendar and the sport can transform in the ways in which IndyCar seemingly did for more than six hours Sunday, it will continue to fall short of its potential. Outside a home run of a season opener that drew more than 1.4 million viewers across Fox's race broadcast, IndyCar had yet to reach even 920,000 (Barber was second highest at 914,000) until the 500 in a season that, heading into Sunday, was riding a 15% year-over-year boost almost entirely attributed to that big-hit season opener and a Long Beach broadcast that only barely topped a dismal 550,000, but came in the wake of one a year prior broadcast on cable (NBC's USA Network) that only marginally even topped 300,000 and that in 2023 surpassed 1 million on NBC. In short, its gains from one truly notable win, along with another couple marginal wins and notable losses had painted an uncertain picture as to where exactly the sport's momentum was trending. Insider: He played hooky to attend the Indy 500, owns a bar outside IMS and leads Fox's coverage At-race attendance for several years now has been trending upwards at several of the sport's biggest races — indicative of both a growing diehard fanbase as well as more casual fans willing to give IndyCar a shot when it rolls through town — but with average network TV audiences largely stagnant over the course of the NBC-only era, the latter suggested the sport wasn't doing enough to create buzz and give an increasing number of fans a reason to make the sport a weekly priority. If IndyCar was the only thing on, or it was the opener, or a finale, or a race with a great lead-in or the first at a new track, you could count on solid returns. But up against stiff competition and without a pressing reason to tune in — or a marketing campaign that ever really broke into mainstream culture, until this year — there continued to be far too many races that suggested in those instances it was for little more than its aging diehard fanbase. Not that IndyCar need expect any other race to even sniff 500 numbers, but other races making, and holding onto, year over year, similar annual increases is where this sport has an opportunity turn the corner and be one where teams aren't merely grinding to break even. And what does that look like? Fox's game plan of practice and qualifying on cable TV, along with incorporating IndyCar into the core of its news, sports and entertainment programming is a notable start, but it's more than that. Each race needs to feel like an event, like something special. You can't have a 17-race schedule where half of them feel as if they're a Wednesday stop on a concert tour. 'Come on man': Indianapolis 500 viewers aren't happy with the amount of commercials on Fox If you ask me purely as a viewer of both, Formula races continue to pretty consistently out rate IndyCar broadcasts because each and every one feels big and important, from the length of pre-race shows to the grid walks, the storytelling and the extensive post-race broadcast that makes the achievement of the winning team and driver and their podium-mates feel grand. And in between, the broadcasts are proactively finding the battles on track and creating storylines. Not only is the timing and scoring technology a storytelling tool in and of itself, but its … reliable. And elsewhere in The CW's fresh take on the NASCAR Xfinity series and Amazon Prime's debut with the Cup series' Coca-Cola 600, the broadcasts have felt fresh, sleek and grandiose. In IndyCar, this looks like far more tentpole events on the calendar, beyond the addition of next year's Grand Prix of Arlington. It means Mexico City and Denver and perhaps a rethink of IndyCar's stops in central California or the Pacific Northwest. It means a race at a major venue in the northeast. It means more ovals that come with even a quarter of the importance that Sunday's 500 came packaged with. It means nighttime oval races in primetime, like the one we're getting in two weeks at World Wide Technology Raceway, but one that notably wasn't scheduled until it became clear IndyCar was struggling mightily whenever it faced NASCAR competition. It means a wholesale new car completely redesigned with the future in mind, ideally one not only capable of holding onto Honda but attracting a third manufacturer that has visions of longevity in the sport and a history of motorsports success, even if the price tag is high. Together, all of that contributes to a sport that's far more exciting than the current product on track and one that feels important and grandiose off of it, which leads to a growing fan base that triggers increased sponsorship interest and eventually a flywheel that feeds itself. Because even Sunday, as many people clearly felt the Indy 500 was worth tuning into, represented a largely uneventful back half of a race with miniscule amounts of passing up at the front — most notably a lead pack of drivers with the fastest cars in the field underneath them who couldn't pass the 14th- and 15th-place challengers that had qualified 18th and 22nd and survived a race that featured exceedingly high levels of attrition. And so 8.4 million fans, both diehard and exceedingly casual, were drawn to a down-to-the-wire 500 finish that featured as little drama as the race has seen in years, in many ways because of a car that has received piecemeal updates for 14 years. How many of them were so compelled by what they saw that they'll make Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix appointment viewing? Perhaps a better question: How many times, if ever, was the next race on the calendar plugged? I'll be happy to be told I somehow missed several instances, but none immediately come to mind. After all, how successful, ultimately, is a restaurant's highly publicized grand-opening that featured commercials and fliers and social media ads and a live band out front to coronate the occasion, if the food alone isn't good enough to pack the place for weeks to come? Without question, this Indianapolis 500 lived in another stratosphere than it's occupied, outside his 100th running, than any in recent memory. From sold-out trendy, high-quality pieces of merch from mainstream brands to a Carb Day crowd that may never have been so big to the grandstand sellout and the historically high TV numbers, the 109th Indy 500 should be seen as nothing other than evidence IndyCar can go to battle with its rivals. And though it took an ill-timed February storm to do it, the fact more folks made the IndyCar's 500 appointment TV than NASCAR's is something that can't and shouldn't be ignored.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Saban Reveals Plans For Taking Over Lee Corso's Headgear Picks
With Lee Corso on his way out the door after 38 seasons as part of ESPN's College GameDay, the television program's mascot headgear picks tradition won't be the same. It's not likely that former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban takes over in that department. But he didn't completely rule it out, either. Advertisement "Emmy Award-winner Nick Saban on whether he will take over headgear picks from Lee Corso on College Gameday: 'I hope not ... But that's probably not my decision,'" Bama 247's Mike Rodak wrote Tuesday on X, referencing Saban's interview on "The Rick Burgess Show" last week. Corso, a former collegiate head coach, has become a beloved personality to those passionate about the sport. 'Lee Corso is a phenomenal person,' Saban said. 'A real professional, has been a part of the show and the tradition of the show for 20-something years. We're all gonna miss him.' Nick Saban spoke during the NFL Draft on his biggest recruiting Sports Corso has made 430 mascot headgear selections, sporting a 286-144 record. He's chosen the Ohio State Buckeyes 45 times and Alabama 38. A bulk of the latter came during Nick Saban's time in charge of the program. Advertisement Along with his television duties, Saban could soon have something else on his plate as the powers that be try to figure out how to solve college football's issues. "I know there's been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever," Saban said Tuesday. "I don't think we need a commission. I've said that before. I think we need -- we know what the issues are, we just have to have people who are willing to move those and solve those and create some solutions for some of those issues. "I'm all for being a consultant to anybody who would think that my experience would be beneficial to helping create some of those solutions." Related: Nick Saban Sends Blunt Message About Expectations for Alabama in 2025
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'NHL On TNT' Studio Director Shares How The Show Balances Hijinks With Sharp Analysis
Next Tuesday, the 46th annual Sports Emmy Awards will be handed out in New York City. This year, the studio team at the NHL on TNT received its first-ever nomination for its coverage of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. They're up against some heavy hitters: ESPN's College Gameday, the road to the Final Four on CBS and TNT, and the studio shows for the NBA and MLB post-seasons. With the 2025 NHL playoffs currently in full swing, it's unclear right now whether the TNT crew will be able to make it to the ceremony. 'With conference finals starting next week, right now we're really in the grind with getting ready,' said Morgan Weinbrecht, who has been the show's studio director since its inception. A former associate director at TNT's acclaimed Inside the NBA, Weinbrecht is already a nine-time Emmy winner. She has also worked on the network's March Madness coverage and previously at ESPN. An Atlanta native, Weinbrecht caught the hockey bug after her puck-loving husband took her to a Nashville Predators game. Now, she's at the forefront of a studio show that balances hijinks with sharp analysis, amid a heavy dose of unpredictability that often leads to viral moments that break the internet. Last Sunday, the Florida Panthers' 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs served up a golden opportunity to throw a post-game birthday party for Brad Marchand – much to the chagrin of unabashed Leafs supporter and panelist Paul Bissonnette. Bissonnette's fearlessness and willingness to let himself be the butt of the joke makes for entertaining and unpredictable television. But that's not all he brings. 'You can't teach somebody to be that kind of personality and be genuinely one of the kindest, sweetest human beings,' said Weinbrecht. 'That's something that endears us all to him more, and I truly believe it comes across on camera. Not a day goes by that he doesn't come into the studio and fist-bump every single crew member and ask them about their family or some conversation that he remembered that he had with them weeks ago. 'I would copy and paste that across all of our crew, but when you have someone that wild… I jokingly asked him, two years ago at the Winter Classic, 'Can we hang you from the Space Needle to do a hit?' He was, like, 'Yeah, let's do it.' And I was like, 'I was kind of kidding, but now that you're in, maybe we need to look into this.' He's game for anything.' Over four seasons, Bissonnette has become an astute analyst. 'He's also probably one of the most particular while watching the game,' Weinbrecht said. 'He wants specific camera angles. He wants to say specific points. His breakdowns are flawless and very, very thorough. I think people don't give him enough credit for his hockey knowledge.' The NHL on TNT is a collaborative effort. Anyone can pitch an idea, then the group will ideate to make it the best that it can be. Weinbrecht has been on board since Day 1 in 2021. She helped create the look and feel of the show and has been hands-on as studio director for regular-season and playoff games, Winter Classics, the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2023 Stanley Cup final. 'When you're sitting down and watching a studio show, or a game, everything you physically see is my job, and every story that you hear is the producer's job,' she said. 'And then, those two things come together. 'We don't use a lot of graphics on our show. We like to think of ourselves as a bit more talk show/entertainment. That allows me to really get in with the cameras and how we shoot the guys – and you don't always see the talking head. Sometimes Hank (Henrik Lundqvist) is making fun of Biz, so I'm taking a shot of Biz because you want to see his reaction – you want to see him take the jab that's being thrown at him. 'It's so collaboratively creative. It takes all of us together to make the final product.' Pushing the envelope and being unpredictable can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes. 'Every time that any of them have broken the set, it was never intentional,' she said. 'I think a lot of people are like, 'Oh, you guys set that up,' and I'm, like, 'No, I really don't want them to break thousands of dollars' worth of technology equipment for fun'. There's plenty of things we can break for fun. That isn't it.' Looking ahead to the rest of the playoffs, the studio team will remain in Atlanta for TNT's conference final games, then move onsite for the Stanley Cup final, with Wayne Gretzky once again joining the panel. 'There's nothing like taking the show and putting it down among the fans and being able to watch the guys interact with the fans,' Weinbrecht said. 'Wayne Gretzky is just one of the kindest people you will come across – he stops all the time, and he takes photos, and he loves being in front of a crowd. It's great to bring it out there and be able to bring all that energy and excitement and connect with the fan bases.' The 46th annual Sports Emmy Award ceremony will be streamed live on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. ET on
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kickoff time for LSU football's week one battle vs. Clemson reported
LSU football will be under the lights when it takes the field for the first time this fall. The Tigers week one battle with Clemson is set for 7:30 PM ET, according to Brett McMurphy. LSU has gotten used to playing Sunday openers after the Tigers began 2022, 2023, and 2024 on Sunday evening. This year, LSU returns to the traditional Saturday spot. LSU will be looking to snap a season-opener losing streak that dates back to 2020. The last time LSU started the year 1-0, Joe Burrow was throwing to Ja'Marr Chase. Putting an end to that streak won't come easy, though. Clemson, coming off a playoff appearance, is shaping up to be one of the best rosters in the country. Dabo Swinney's group returns QB Cade Klubnik along with a trio of All-ACC caliber wide receivers. On defense, TJ Parker and Peter Woods form one of the best defensive line tandems in the country. With a primetime kickoff on ABC, LSU vs. Clemson is a strong candidate to host ESPN's College Gameday. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle
