NCAA, ESPN Sell Out VB Fans To ESPNU

The NCAA reversed its flirtation with CSTV (which was just
acquired by CBS) and sold the regional finals to ESPN...
at a crushingly heavy price. The four regional finals
_AND_ the national semifinals are scheduled for ESPNU,
a new cable channel even less visible than CSTV.

Since we lost Chris Marlowe for a basketball broadcaster
with zero volleyball knowledge and lost the ESPN replay
of the national finals, I believe only one match will be
shown off ESPNU... the national finals on ESPN2.

Three of the four regional finals have been scheduled...
they'll be carried live at 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 11:00
PM on Sunday, December 11th (all times Eastern).
The fourth will be carried on tape delay after the
11:00 PM regional.

Since the NCAA would probably not start a regional
final in Omaha or College Station at 10:00 PM local
time, the regional at Maples will begin at 8:00 PM
local time on a school night... the one kid-unfriendly
time of the bunch. No wonder Stanford is trying to
sell the season ticket holders a month in advance...
those with kids might not buy.

I may not get to see the Card between the Cal match
and San Antonio (if they get there)... three of last
year's regional hosts were sent out of town for
sub-regionals and I have conflicts on the 10th and
11th (but not on the 9th, when _Stanford_ would
choose to schedule the regional semis).

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