Re: Maine PBS to expand basketball coverage

["Sean Smyth" <ssmyth@suscom.net>]

Dan Billings writes:
> The Portland Press Herald reported today that Maine PBS will broadcast
Class
> A boys' and girls' basketball regional final and state final games in
March,
> in addition to its traditional coverage of Class B, C, and D regional
> semi-final and final games and state final games.  Maine PBS had wanted to
> broadcast Class A regional semi-final games as well, but failed to secure
> the necessary funding.
>
> I have always found it curious that Maine PBS gave extensive coverage of
the
> smaller schools but do not cover Class A tournament games.  Does anyone
know
> how this came about?
>
> In the past, there has been some coverage of the Class A regional finals
and
> state finals, but coverage has been inconsistent and there has not always
> been statewide coverage.  In some cases, stations picked up the
championship
> game only after it was determined what teams were in the game.

That would make no sense to me, since I would presume that the state
championship games are probably played all on the same day (or two days) at
the same arena, correct? How much more would it cost to crew 2 extra games
once you already have the people down there? Camera operators making
$10/hour, announcers maybe making $100/game, the crew in the truck...you
telling me they couldn't have come up with the $3-5k? It's not like they
wouldn't have had setup and breakdown anyway.