[gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] GatorNews from the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, courtesy of JunoGator

On May 24, 2013, at 8:14 AM, JunoGator wrote:

Hurricanes, Gators will kick off at high noon on Sept. 7

by Jorge Milian

The game between UM and Florida appeared perfect for an evening kickoff at Sun Life Stadium but the powers that be — television — have ruled that it will start at noon on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The game will be shown on ESPN. Why won't the game be played at night? Because ABC is televising a NASCAR race and ESPN is broadcasting Notre Dame-Michigan.

Tail-gaters will have to wake up early and Sun Life figures to be an oven for what figures to be a sellout crowd.

UM and Florida have not played since 2008.

The Hurricanes will open the 2013 season on Aug. 30 at 8 p.m. against FAU. The game will be shown on ESPNU.

I'd dig a little deeper than buying that line of malarkey. There is always ESPNU, ESPN2, and the 3:30 ABC game after all.

ABC chose Oregon-Virginia (Pac-10 vs. ACC) for the 3:30 game - two conferences ABC carries.

Choosing UF-Miami would have been promoting the SEC - a conference CBS carries. 

Placing the game at noon - to bring fans away from the 12:30 SEC Game of the Week is a calculated move not to maximize ABC's revenue but to harm CBS.

-Zeb