Game advances

I don't understand why newspapers don't do more advances, as long as they're for significant games and provide an interesting read. It's one of the few ways we in print can actually get ahead of something, instead of being behind the curve. It's also one of the few ways a good print reporter is likely to provide much more personality, color and in-depth reporting than any TV, radio or internet outlet usually provides before a game.
For big games like the one aforementioned, I bet you're likely to have more folks interested in the lead-up to the game and more who will read an advance start-to-finish. Chances are, if the folks care about the game they will know the results that night, either through TV, internet, radio or being there, and are less likely to read the next-day gamer with as much interest.

 

I think on a beat that matters, we need to have a story every day because we need to be the authority on that beat, and that would include some kind of feature advance. The question is, does UCF matter? They had 4,805 for Memphis; they're averaging 2,571 with three home crowds under 1,000. That's a rather small portion of the OS circulation. I'd probably throw them a bone and advance this one on the cover, but it's hardly a screwup if they didn't.

 

Orlando sure as hell has a lot more thing competing for the sports front than Memphis. That's for sure.

 

Well, just to clarify one last time, I wasn't even asking if it was a screwup, really. More about what place advances have in sections, big games and small.

 

Calipari is one of the last remaining Americans who think newspaper publicity matters. In the early days at UMass, he was always bitching about how the Globe and Herald wouldn't staff games at Amherst. Then he'd play Temple there at 9:45! to get on ESPN.
After one such game, Calipari asked me, "what can I do to get you to more of our home games?
My answer was "move the campus 30 miles closer to Boston."
The point is, John didn't say, "wiseass". In a few years, he began scheduling at least one UMass home game in Worcester, 30 miles closer to Boston.
If Calipari was the coach at UCF, he'd be figuring out ways to get his team advanced on the front for every game. That, and how to hide their SAT scores.

 

Understood. I don't think we should base it on the game being big or small, but whether the beat is big or small. Lots of fans = advance. A few thousand fans = capsule box. In general. As I said, I'd probably toss them a bone on this one, but that's just based on informing readers that a near-sellout was expected, so they shouldn't delay buying tix. But that story likely would be several days before the game. To me it's the same as the entertainment section would do on a band coming to play in a 500-seat club vs. a 15,000-seat arena, unless you are telling readers to catch this band at the club this week because they'll have to pay $90 per ticket to see them at the arena next year. On minor beats, I'd base it on what's good for the readers, not the team. Advance, maybe not. News story about hot tickets, yes. Cause it won't be a hot ticket for the next game.

 

Calipari has suddenly surged from the low 300s to the top 50 on my list of favorite Division I coaches.

I can't identify the other 49, but I'm sure there's 49 coaches whose relative dearth of sleaziness compensate for their lack of interest in the newspaper industry.

 

Are you saying that Calipari has a dearth of sleaziness?

 

I'm strongly inclined to go to mega-preview boxes for everything on our college beats starting next year.

 

Well, if Calipari bitches about coverage, <a href="

">here's one way to respond</a> that is sure to get his attention!

 

Yeah, the guy Calipari was dissing should have started screaming, "I'LL KILL YOU!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

 

It loses the effect without the unbuttoned sweater, though.