9:07 Tipoff? Why So Early??

[BigFish]

This is ridiculous! No wonder kids don't watch sports anymore! A whole hour of crap....with Bill Russell mumbling the entire time!

[Squid kids Dad]

Get used to it..That is how it is for the rest of the games...At least the Celts won..

[Mike P]

Basically, it's so the fans in LA--who have just as much interest in the series as you guys--have a chance to watch it on TV while they're eating dinner, rather than having to listen to the first half on their car radios as they're sitting in a parking lot known as the San Diego Freeway.

The world doesn't revolve around the 495 corridor, as big a surprise as that may come.

[zacs]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Basically, it's so the fans in LA--who have just as much interest in the series as you guys--have a chance to watch it on TV while they're eating dinner, rather than having to listen to the first half on their car radios as they're sitting in a parking lot known as the San Diego Freeway.

The world doesn't revolve around the 495 corridor, as big a surprise as that may come.

yes during the week, but why on Sunday?

[BigFish]

Yup! Used to be a Sunday afternoon game?! 97 degrees in the Garden! I am sure its all about the advertising dollar!

[Clogston29]

because most people (those not in boston and LA with a routing interest in the game) don't watch TV during the day on Sunday in the summer. sunday afternoon game = lost revenue to the league. NBA is a business, not a public service. lots of research goes into when to play these games to maximize profits (i.e. notice there are no saturday night games in the finals).

Alot of people seam to be saying that the superbowl is early on sunday, so why can't the NBA finals? The Superbowl works ealy on Sunday because its more of an event and because its during the winter.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

because most people (those not in boston and LA with a routing interest in the game) don't watch TV during the day on Sunday in the summer.

What about NASCAR? Seems its successful on a Summer Sunday afternoon TV Schedule.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Yup! Used to be a Sunday afternoon game?! 97 degrees in the Garden! I am sure its all about the advertising dollar!

I remember those days too

I remember watching the big shootout between Bird and Dominique on a Sunday(maybe a Saturday...but it was definitely afternoon) afternoon.

It used to be 7:30 games during the week and afternoon games on the weekends in the play-offs.

The big dollar has completely ruined sports.....can't afford to take your kid to a game and can't let him stay up that late on a school night. I hope it bites them in the A$$ some day...this is their future fan base that they ignoring.

[Clogston29]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

What about NASCAR? Seems its successful on a Summer Sunday afternoon TV Schedule.

rednecks are a whole different dynamic. seriously though, nascar has more loyal fans than the NBA does. Part of it is that everyone's favorite driver is in every race, as opposed to the NBA where only 2 teams are in it.

also, I'd bet that nascar's ratings are higher, especially in the NE, in the winter than they are in the summer.

[Van]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

What about NASCAR? Seems its successful on a Summer Sunday afternoon TV Schedule.

Whats Nascar????????



9:00 pm start------I can handle it !!!!!!

I was up at 4:30 yesterday, fished (and hammered bass) in the boat in the heat all day, came in;;;; showered, took the misses out to dinner, loaded up at the supermarket, and still managed to stay up for the entire game.

Got scary in the end though.........I always fear a good run when there is still plenty of time left. They sat back like it was over.....

[fishsmith]

From 24pt lead to a 2pt lead sure got the heart pumping, hopefully it prevents any over confidence going into game 3. Classic boston sports, don't leave the game for a minute.

Winning both in boston was huge, lets get at least one in LA.

Poe (or Pow as Phil Jackson calls him) picked a great day to show his stuff, his bio at halftime, and then playing the game of his life.

GO CELTICS!!!!!!

[BigFish]

Josh....I am betting you are too young to remember those Sunday afternoon battles between the Celts and the Pistons/76'ers/Lakers/Rockets? The good old days.....when it was about the game and not about the money!

[RIROCKHOUND]

Yeah no one cared about money in the 80's...

I hate the late start, but Stern was on EEI and made reasonable arguments re: a national audience. He was actually pretty damn funny about it.. ripping the EEI guys for talking about marketing all week instead of basketball...

Say what you want about 'Russell mumbling' I like hearing what he has to say... he might not be Charles Barkely in front of the camera, but I enjoyed it

Celts in 6.

[Clogston29]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Josh....I am betting you are too young to remember those Sunday afternoon battles between the Celts and the Pistons/76'ers/Lakers/Rockets? The good old days.....when it was about the game and not about the money!

nope, i remember the ones towards the end, probably 85 on (born is 78). used to go to my grandmother's house (a big celtics fan, still is, she's loving this year) and watch the games with the sound down and johnny on the radio. its a different world now. i bet that the NBA looks back on those games now as a lost opportunity to make more money and wishes tgat they knew then what they know now about marketing and maximizing advertising profits.

if we were on the west coast, we'd be complaining right now that the games are too early.

tonight's gonna be a tough one. hope they win, but i'm fishing tonight so I won't see it.