Is ESPN Using GameDay to Promote the SEC?
By Ty Duffy
GameDay chose #16 Auburn playing an unranked Clemson over Iowa vs. Arizona, both ranked. Unless they are going to Boise State, the most plausible destinations next week would be at Auburn again against South Carolina or at LSU who is hosting West Virginia. It’s plausible that Erin Andrews and Co. won’t congregate north of the Mason-Dixon line until Week Seven, when Ohio State goes to Wisconsin and Iowa visits Ann Arbor.
It’s easy to cry conspiracy, but there are logistics to consider. ESPN is a business. Promoting the biggest games they show is natural. Until proven otherwise, the SEC is the dominant conference. Three different teams have won the last four national titles. That has only become more apparent with USC’s downturn. There’s also Herbstreit. He is commenting on a game, this week the Auburn vs. Clemson game. It’s more convenient to have him in Auburn than try to fly him East from Tucson.
Moreover, if ESPN had a sinister agenda, it would show up in past years. It doesn’t. Here are the conference host breakdowns for the last three years.
2009: SEC (4), Non-AQ (3), Big Ten (2), Big 12 (2), Pac 10 (2), ACC (1)
2008: SEC (7), Big 12 (5), Big Ten (1), Pac 10 (1), Non-AQ (1)
2007: SEC (4), Big 12 (4), Big Ten (2), Pac 10 (2), ACC (1), Non-AQ (1)
The 2008 season sticks out. There’s a reason for that. ESPN focused almost exclusively on showcasing the best game. Five SEC teams – Florida, Georgia, LSU, Auburn and Alabama – and five Big 12 teams – Texas, Texas Tech, Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State – were ranked in the Top 11 playing in a GameDay game. The Pac-10 hosted game was USC (1) vs. Ohio State (5) and the Big Ten matchup was Penn State (3) vs. Ohio State (9). Last season ESPN seemingly made a concerted effort to be equitable. They went to BYU, to TCU and to Air Force. They played at non-standard AQ destinations, Boston College and Arizona. Neither motive is nefarious.
ESPN has the power to manipulate the college football landscape in favor of the SEC. Considering the resources at their disposal, it has been their restraint that has been remarkable. Imagine FOX placed in a similar position. ESPN is a dictatorship, but, in most cases, it has been surprisingly benevolent.
[Photo via @ErinAndrews]