Georgia has elected to broadcast the Idaho State game on WSB TV instead of going the pay-per-view route.
“This free-of-charge broadcast is a way to give back to our fans throughout the state,” Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity said in a statement. “We believe making the game available on WSB TV and its coverage area is a way to show our appreciation to Bulldogs around our state.”
Well played, sir.
Get The Picture 
Agreed, although I’m sure my in-laws in Augusta won’t be thrilled about it.
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If they have Knology cable, they ain’t thrilled already.
Saturday, I recorded channel 28, which is and has always been ESPN2. What I got was E. Carolina/Memphis on CSS (CCS?).
They are so confused by the new SEC package, they also substituted CSS for all ESPN2’s U.S. Open tennis coverage.
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+1.
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McGarity – best hire for UGA in 30 or more years.
Regardless of what happens to Mark Richt, UGA will challenge for championships b/c of this man.
Buy your tickets and enjoy the ride.
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Guess that the sentiment in Bulldog Nation is so low right now that we couldn’t even guarantee a minimum number of PPV subscriptions. Pretty sad state of affairs.
Hey, at least they put a good spin on it. Good on McGarity.
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Right. What do you figure this week’s attendance at Sanford Stadium will be – 30,000-40,000 tops?
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Oh, come on Senator, let’s be serious here. Of course the game will sell out Saturday.
I think it is a fantastic gesture by UGA to throw a bone to WSB.
In fact, I had no idea that schools had the leverage to just go out and pick their TV partner from game-to-game.
Sort of makes me wonder why any games would ever be on PPV?
I am not well-versed in how the university is paid. I guess that they get a cut of all PPV buys, and that the deal with WSB will give UGA a percentage of in-game advertising?
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They get to choose a broadcast partner one game a year. The reason it’s almost always PPV is because there’s more money in that than for an open air broadcast.
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Chuck Dowdle made it happen.
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Sorry Scott, didn’t see your post.
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Remember Chuck Dowdle was the sports guy there if I’m not mistaken.
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See also: We’re forced to compete with Vanderbilt for recruits because Bobo sucked at calling plays in the Oklahoma State game. We’re going to the Outback Bowl after 2007 because Florida will make the Sugar Bowl somehow because Richt hasn’t hyped the program enough. And on and on and on.
Love me some DownerDawg conspiracy theories.
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Because ALL ‘real’ fans live in metro ATL. Since when does Atlanta qualify as ‘throughout the state’?? I’ll be at the game, but this is a bad move imo.
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Local cable affiliates may be able, in turn, to buy the broadcast from WSB?????
WSB is available on cable systems in Albany, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Chattanooga, Tenn., Greenville, S.C. and Tallahassee, Fla.
Read more: http://dawg-extra.blogspot.com/2010/09/tv-time-set-for-idaho-state.html#ixzz0zWOC59mO
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Actually, my mother gets WSB-TV, and she’s in Thomasville. So, yeah, I think “throughout the state” would apply.
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I’ll take your word for it. Nothing within miles of Augusta though. I guess we’ll see if Comcast or Knology tries to pick it up. I’m sure it’s more to do with avoiding the PPV arrangements and kissing up to WSB than pure generosity… Oh well.
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I think it has more to do with the fact that the administration fears that PPV buys will generate less MONEY than the astronomical ad rates that each local WSB affiliate will now be charging for that time slot.
The game is on November 6. Small companies have been tight on budgets all year, and now there is only one month left and they still have 50% of their ad budget remaining. Should be a good weekend for the local ad salesmen.
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agree
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Will it be available on the GameDay pkg for those of us outside of GA? (DC Metro)
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I live in SW FLA and I was wondering since WSB is an ABC affilliate would the feed be available to ESPN Gameplan or ESPN3. I E-mailed WSB and asked, no answer as of now.
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Michael Adams might have something to say about that. Why would anything associated with UGA not try to do whatever they can to leverage more money?!
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Why shouldn’t he? UGA is not a publicly funded institution, it is publicly assisted.
There’s a difference.
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Not throughout the state Greg. Looks like Augusta and other parts are out of luck. Maybe something will be worked out between now and then. Dang.
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Wow. That’s really nice! Thanks UGA Athletics!
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Douglas, Coffee County picks it up also.
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As if i weren’t a big enough fan of McGarity already. Very nice gesture for the fans across the state.
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Listen, we don’t get CSS in Albany. I can’t believe I am saying this twice in one year, or even saying it at all, but thanks DR Adams!
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Chill out here, folks. There’s lot’s of time between now and the game. Lots of cable outlets in the state (and probably the sat providers) will have this game on one of their sports alternate channels. My dad, who lives in rural SE GA, pitched high holy hell about the Braves on Peachtree TV. Now he just looks for it on one of the alternate channels on Dish since they worked out a carriage agreement. Looks like the mtn. sports channel has already picked it up for folks out west according to mattsarz sports (and he’s really on top of this stuff): http://mattsarzsports.com/2010/week10.aspx
I think that very few people in GA will not get this game. ESPN3 is also a strong possibility, too.
Worry about Mallett, not if you’ll get to see this game. You will.
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