The big names are back for the 2007 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout.
But you wouldn't know it by ESPN's coverage.
Despite two nationally ranked teams in Gonzaga and Butler, a coaching legend in Bob Knight and the likes of Texas Tech, Michigan and Virginia Tech, the world wide leader in sports isn't showing the Shootout the same love it used to.
The cable network has cut its coverage compared with the previous four years, halving the number of games on its ESPN2 channel to two, while relegating the rest to less popular channels like ESPNU and ESPN360.
Oddly, this year's Shootout packs more punch than the previous two years combined when the tournament lacked a single top-25 team.
"I am surprised they're not televising more games, "said UAA athletic director Steve Cobb. "We have a fantastic field."
The network did expand the total number of games it's broadcasting from five to seven. However, the majority of the coverage will be on ESPN360, which isn't available in Alaska.
ESPN360 is a video content player that can be found at ESPN360.com. The program only fully works through Internet service providers who have signed up and paid ESPN for the programming.
ESPN officials deny the notion the Shootout is getting short shrift by moving the majority of the games from the more conventional ESPN2 to ESPNU and ESPN360.
"I wouldn't say (ESPN2 is) more popular," said ESPN director of programming Ilan Ben-Hanan. "We try to serve the fan by putting as many compelling games on our various networks and platforms as we can."
Being on ESPN360 may not bring the same attention as ESPN2, which is accessible in nearly 90 million homes nationwide. Next to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the Shootout is Alaska's biggest sporting event.
"We've had good years with ESPN and we've had bad years. It's usually related to the people and how we're able to work with them," Cobb said.
"They have the right to do all of them or none of them. We don't have any control."
Earlier this year, UAA and ESPN agreed to a new three-year contract for the Shootout broadcasting rights. Financially, the new deal pales in comparison with the old 10-year deal; the final year of that agreement paid UAA $100,000.
The new deal brings in far less.
"Their original offer was no rights fee whatsoever and we ended up signing an agreement with them for $25,000 per year. We're not particularly pleased with it," Cobb said.
"They're very hard to deal with. They're No. 1. They're powerful. And as the market conditions change from time to time, right now they're holding all the aces."
Many things played a role in why UAA took a pay cut. For starters, the Shootout isn't one of the few exempt tournaments in the country, as it was in its first year of 1978. Today there are 58 holiday tournaments nationwide.
"When supply goes up, price goes down," Cobb said. "It's that simple."
Also, ESPN put itself in direct competition with the Shootout after the network's parent company, Walt Disney, created a pair of exempt tournaments. In 2006, it was the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. This year, it was the Anaheim Classic.
"I don't think it's any coincidence they chose Thanksgiving week to do an exempt tournament," Cobb said. "I think they just looked what we've done here and used their power to get teams to come there."
This year, the Old Spice Classic includes teams such as Villanova, North Carolina State, George Houston, Kansas State, and the Anaheim Classic includes the likes of Southern California, Mississippi State, Southern Illinois and Miami of Ohio.
The Shootout has worked with ESPN since 1985, long before the cable network became a household name.
"We schedule the most compelling matchups across our networks and platforms to best serve the fans, regardless of longevity of the relationship," Ben-Hanan said. "We have had a long and good relationship with the Great Alaska Shootout."
But that relationship and the fact that the Shootout is the second-oldest exempt tournament in the country doesn't mean much.
"Nobody cares what they've done 10 years ago. They care about right now," Cobb said. "Loyalty's not much of a value anywhere any more."
Find assistant sports editor Van Williams online at adn.com/contact/vwilliams or call 257-4335.
Oldies but goodies
Here is a list of the oldest exempt college basketball tournaments. Going into this season, there were 58 around the country:
1964: Rainbow Classic
1978: Great Alaska Shootout
1985: Maui Invitational
1985: NIT Season Tipoff
1988: Puerto Rico Tip-Off
1995: College Basketball Experience Classic
1995: Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
1996: Top of the World Classic
