CBS Finally Learns About "Internets"

Almost all of America shuts down for the first round of March Madness. With people calling in sick, watching at work, taking vacation days, organizing company pools and online brackets, productivity is probably lower than any other weekday except for Hangover Monday after the Super Bowl.  But you know who probably loathes the first week of March Madness?

Housewives, the unemployable, and retired people are missing their soap operas. Instead they're force fed images of crowds, who are not all of their children, painted in team colors and screaming in celebration as their classmates attempt to bring glory to their institution of higher learning.  Imagine the frustration your grandma feels when she settles down for an afternoon nap on her flower patterned sofa and can't drift off to dreamland during another dramatic exercise in futility on “Guiding Light”.  Or think about the expression on your neighborhood meth dealers face as he realizes he won't be able to catch up on his stories until Monday.

 
 

A slight difference. But nothing that can't be fixed by adjusting the tint on the television.

For the rest of us, this year's tournament offers exceptionally great entertainment because CBS has finally invested some money in R&D to learn about “internets”.  Now the public is no longer limited to the regional broadcasts or the choices of the man behind the curtain, who swaps games in the middle of the second half.  Watching online gets even better when you realize that there's not ten commercials a game for CSI.  What a deal.

You mean I get to view whatever game I want and don't have to suffer through dismembered corpses, dead hookers, or witty one-liners from the once relevant film star now slumming on network television?  Where can I sign up?  That's not to say there's no commercials, somebody has to foot the bill.   Remember America, nothing is free and if someone tells you otherwise they're trying to sell you a mortgage, sign you up for a credit card, or solicit your vote.

Five more reasons why America loves March Madness.

Hopefully this type of sports-on-demand can become standard for networks.  ESPN's 360 service is already one of the best options for watching almost any sport the network broadcasts, either live or taped.   However your internet provider must supply the service.  Setanta carries numerous European sports that can be viewed on-demand with just a broadband connection, but it's only available with a monthly subscription.  The Sunday Ticket package could have broken up the archaic television restrictions of the NFL years ago, if it wasn't a monopoly held exclusively by Direct TV.

CBS and the NCAA have become sports innovators on the internet.   Offering programming similar to television, with commercials and for free.  There's nothing new about this business model, just the added freedom of choice for the viewer.  And American's love freedom of choice... almost as much as March Madness.

Posted by W.H. Patton at Thursday, March 19. 2009
Categories: Rants and Raves

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