White Plains CitizeNetReporter - ESPN Throws Fast Pitch Fans a Change-Up: To TV Championship on Tape Delay.

WPCNR PRESS BOX. by John Bailey. May 26, 2003: The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, better known as ESPN was advertising the Women's Fast Pitch NCAA Softball Championship Game to be telecast at 4:30 PM Monday, Memorial Day, however, the network for some reason yet to be determined is televising it on Tape Delay. The Telecast according to a recorded message on the ESPN Programming Information Number will be cablecast at 8 PM on Monday.

In the hunt for the Women's Championship Monday afternoon, my daughter watched two hours of a meaningless ESPN News segment hoping the game would come on. My wife yelled at me to call ESPN, or call someone in town to see when the championship was on.

Meanwhile the talking heads on ESPN News went on and on about Roger Clemens' meaningless 300th victory; Larry Brown's latest contract jumping, and the French "Who Cares?" Open. On the annoying ESPN "crawl" the network was advertising "Women's NCAA Softball, ESPN, 4:30 to 6 PM." This was an outrage to softball fans, because at no time did the "talking sports idoits" say, the NCAA Softball Championship was going to be shown at 8 PM.

Change-up!

When I called ESPN's Programming info at 1-860-766-2236 approximately 4:45 PM, the line did not mention anything either, and when I punched up the "blackout" option on hunch they might not be showing it in the New York area, I just heard a long taped message about blackout policy.

Game Being Played!!!

My wife exasperated at the domestic violence ensuing in front of the television set downstairs between father and daughter about where the game was on the gazillion channels ESPN has, went on the NCAA website where to her horror the game between California and UCLA was being recounted via box score and pitch-by-pitch action.

Softball Fans and Girls. Women Everywhere Jobbed by the Geniuses at ESPN

At 5:30 PM I called back the ESPN Information Line, and suddenly a hastily recorded message was heard, explaining that the softball championship was being televised at 8 PM.

Bozos in Bristol Pull Another Heidi

Obviously an overload of calls to Bristol prompted by the absence of the game at 4:30 across the country, had made it necessary for the "Bozos in Bristol" to add the hasily record message.

What a bad job.

On the station's own live ESPNews program, they were still running the crawl about softball on at 4:30, while their infoline was saying the game was on at 8 PM.

The utter disregard for live telecasting of the championship is another example of the disrespect towards women's sports. Not only was there no report on ESPNews for TWO HOURS about this being the day of the softball championship, not even a preview, but they never explained when it was going to be on.

For the NCAA to allow the women's softball championship to be disrespected by ESPN in this manner, is inexcusable.

This is reminiscent of the NBC "Heidi" game back in 1968, when NBC cut out of the last two minutes of the Jets - Raiders game to start "Heidi" on time.

California Prime Time Is No Excuse

The decision to show the championship on tape to, in theory capture the California audience on a holiday, which can be the only possible reason for the tape delay telecast is inexcusable. It is a holiday. It should have been televised live when they said it would be televised.

ESPN has three channels, why not use one to televise the softball championship live?


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