The TV schedule for the first round of the playoffs

[StevenHW]

Here is the TV schedule for the first round of this season's playoffs.
(click below):
http://www.wnba.com/schedules/playoffschedule05.html

Unfortunately, the Monarchs-Sparks series will be shown only on NBA-TV or at the live webcast on WNBA.com.

If you choose the latter, go here:
http://www.wnba.com/broadband/webcast_schedule05.html


As for the Finals, I only remember seeing on a promo spot that ABC-TV will be showing Game #3 of the Finals, but I didn't see anything about how the other games will be shown.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Let me get this straight....the league could not bring itself to schedule the Western Conference #1 seed on ESPN...they had to have them both play on the same day but not so they could both play on ESPN? And ours is the ONLY series not to get on ESPN at least once?

 

[NothinButHoops]

Pretty sad ...i agree. Top seed Western conference, does that count for anything? I like NBATV's coverage. Sadly not everyone carries that station!

That's why i'm lobbying for a season tix. viewing party. I e-mailed my tix rep. Jason already. No word yet.

 

[GiulianaTichafan]

there is a viewing party wed at arco for the first game...i rec a ticket to activate to go to watch it at arco..

 

[GeorgeofSacramento]

Is that only for Season Ticket holders? Seems kinda tight, considering how they open Arco to all the fans for the Kings playoff games.

 

[nancgo]

It was just for the STH who renewed their tickets by the renewal date...But they really should open it up for everyone....

 

[NothinButHoops]

$87 bucks a game for my playoff seat & i'm not invited! Don't get me started...

 

[RoyalDiva]

I think it is ridiculous that they will not open up this event to the public. The Kings draw far more of a crowd and more money, and yet they open up these same kind of events to the public!! The WNBA and the M's are still very much in the marketing phase, and they need to draw as many fans as possible. The fact that they wouldn't do that by drawing in more fans with a free event like this is mind-boggling.

 

[NothinButHoops]

Maybe if we all e-mail our reps. & or call the arena they'll change their minds?
We can have a big pot-luck! You make a good point, the exposure would be great for marketing. This would also make a difference in helping get everyone interested in Fridays home game. I just bought 3 additional tickets for family & friends, for Fridays game.

 

[luvinyo]

Wednesday's Arco viewing event

Just got off the phone with my Rep. We discussed the event on Wednesday that is open only to MVP's. I encouraged her to open the arena to anyone. She said it is a private party for people who bought season tickets for next year as a way of saying thanks for renewing.

She then had me talk with Danette, the person in charge of media/broadcasting of the games. I talked at length with her about our disapointment that the games will only be aired on NBATV for the first round. She explained that the cost of televising games on CSN and News10 comes from the Monarchs budget. NBATV picks up the "feed" from an arena and then broadcasts the game on TV. NBATV does not have any cameras at the games, they only broadcast games from the in-house cameras. Thus the crappy viewing of some games.

She thinks that round 2 of the Western Conference will be aired on National TV ie. ABC/ESPN2. The WNBA Championship series also will have national coverage. In the event that there is a game 5 of the series, and Sacramento is playing in that final game, Arco Arena will be open to the public for viewing of the game.

As for next season, there may be 1 or 2 more games broadcast, but we as a community may want to make sure our favorite bars subscribe to the WNBA portion of the NBATV package. Danette said she would get someone in her staff to check around town to see what Sports Bars are broadcasting the game on Wednesday...for those who can't get into the "party" at ARCO.

P.S. Danette also said Kara should be ready for Wednesday's game, but not DeMaya until at least the second round.

 

[RoyalDiva]

I thought that some of the games for the first round were going to be televised?? No, and not even CSN? This is not cool...

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I get what they are trying to do...add more benefits for STH's but it's unfortunately more exclusive than it needed to be for all STHs. I would like to think they'd relax it and let more STHs come to it so I would suggest that you keep calling your rep and the head of ST services.

I don't get the sense that they will open this particular viewing party to the public tho. However, with that said, had they known that they were going to the get the royal [blank] from the league in terms of scheduling and their lone away game in the first round would be on NBATV or the Internet, instead of ESPN they might have thought differently about how they structured this event.

We *hope* that they will have additional opportunities to have viewing parties down the road this postseason and if that's the case I'd be willing to bet that the deeper the M's advance more of them will be opened to the public.

 

[NothinButHoops]

I would have loved to pay off my playoff pkg of $6oo + and pay off my total for next seasons tickets for over $1,400 at one time....Ha! However i'm not rich!

I don't like how they arranged this gig at all.Reward some season ticket holders & leave the others out...the mighty dollar speaks again.

I basically have to not call in sick all year to afford my courtside seat....can i get some violin music while i cry!

 

[luvinyo]

Violins

Hey HOOPS,
I think you may have been mistaken about having to pay off the entire next season to eligible for the "thank you/viewing party" on Wednesday. I will be paying for our season tickets over the winter months.
I think we all agree that the majority of Monarch STH's are women and face it we don't make as much money as the average Kings STH. We do make sacrifices to pay and to be in "hotter than hedes" Sacto all summer long.
I think you need to contact your rep and get invited to the "party" Wednesday.
My rep said the thank you party was arranged initially to be a pre-game party this Friday, but became a viewing party. The viewing party was set before the TV schedule was announced. It was not known at that time that there was going to be a lack of TV coverage.

 

[NothinButHoops]

I'm totally confused now! Is this just for NEW season ticket holders? Not us old timers who have been ticket holders since 97! O.k wow great planning.

Sorry for the sarcasm, i couln't resist. Only way i'm gonna feel better is to win in L.A!

 

[6th]

I was told when I renewed my season ticket for next season that one of the "perks" of my early renewal (committment) was an invitation to a party hosted by Ruthie Bolton that would be held prior to the 1st playoff game. It mentioned that prominently in my renewal package. I renewed (even though I committed to making payments and did not pay all at once). I received a ticket to the "private party". It was advertised, so I really do not see the problem.

I may get my hands on a ticket or two tomorrow from people who cannot go. Anyone interested? PM me immediately.

 

[Still JD]

I have nothing against rewards for STH, but I wish they distinguished between rewards and events. The playoffs are an event, and to generate as much excitement for the playoffs (and even to sell more tickets for Friday), this viewing party should be open to EVERYONE who wants to come. As for STH rewards, exclusives like attending a practice next season, etc. are nice rewards. Just my $.02

 

[NothinButHoops]

You are so right on....can you forward your comment to the the front office!

 

[slugking50]

Dammit! I dont get NBATV!!!!!!!

 

[luvinyo]

NBATV local listings

The media relations gal at Arco researched the Sac area for venues that have the WNBA subsciption of NBATV.
Here's the short list, including some research we all did last week for the Seattle game:
Mandago's on Fulton Sacto
Mandago's on N.Sunrise Roseville
Mark and Monica's Family Pizza on Manzanita Carmichael
Hoppy Brewing Co. on Folsom Blvd. Sacto
Players Sports Pub & Grill on Sunrise Rancho

Does anyone know if Hangar 17 has NBATV with the WNBA package?
Anyone know of a place in Elk Grove?

GO MONARCHS! BEAT LA!

 

[RoyalDiva]

I'm also wondering if the Palm Street Pub & Grill on Fair Oaks Blvd. just down the street from me has it, also. I know, just give them a call! But I also wonder-just because the venue has the package, do they turn their TV's to it at game time? Or does the TV get turned to whatever the majority of the patrons want? Because if the WNBA game is going up against something with more fanfare, it might lose out. I would hate to think that people go all the way to the place only to find that they're watching MLB or something else instead.

 

[luvinyo]

Venues

We called ahead to Hoppy Brewing Co. last week and told them we had a group coming and they set aside a section of the bar and tuned in the game on their biggest screen. It wasn't the choice of the majority of patrons, but our enthusiasm did pull in people who would not have watched other wise. There was a preseason football game that night, but there are usually many tv's in any given sports bar and if you request a station the management usually is willing to keep it's patrons happy.
Calling ahead helps! The more a venue knows there is interest the more they are going to make it a sound business choice to air the games. Who knows...maybe someday there will even be banners in bars that have the Monarchs logo on them.
Make the phones ring!
GO MONARCHS! BEAT LA!

 

[kennadog]

So is anybody going to go to any of the above locales for tonight's game? I don't get NBATV, so I was going to watch the webcast. I would have paid to wath it at Arco (at a cheap price). It's just more fun to watch with other fans. It's awful hard to gain fans when a team is so hard to watch.

 

[6th]

I have two tickets to the reception/viewing party for Wed. night that my friends can not use. kennadog has requested one. Would anyone like the other?

 

[#11ErinFan]

Maybe Sac'to needs to take a marketing lesson from LA. The Sparks are offering half-price tickets to tomorrow's game, to try to fill the place up.

 

[6th]

Maybe Sac'to needs to take a marketing lesson from LA. The Sparks are offering half-price tickets to tomorrow's game, to try to fill the place up.

Marketing? I call it desperation. They know that they must win game 1 to have a snowballs chance in h....(well, you know where). So, they are trying to fill the Staples Center to give them an edge. The Monarchs have the best record at home in the WNBA this year at 15-2. The Sparks cannot afford to come up to Sac down a game.

 

[#11ErinFan]

Tickets?

The attendance for both of the Monarchs' games at Staples was pretty decent, so I'm not sure it's desperation. Maybe they're just so thankful to have made the playoffs at all, that they consider this game "icing on the cake" for ticket sales, and if they can pack the house maybe they'll get a win. Just a guess there.

Since I don't live anywhere near Sac'to and can't attend many (if any) games there, I'm just wondering what attendance is like at Arco. (The last time I was there was in 2000, I think, when Stacy Clinesmith was on the team.) Has attendance increased since last season, and increased more during this season (considering the team's record-making success and ultimate #1 seed in the West)?

 

[6th]

The attendance for both of the Monarchs' games at Staples was pretty decent, so I'm not sure it's desperation. Maybe they're just so thankful to have made the playoffs at all, that they consider this game "icing on the cake" for ticket sales, and if they can pack the house maybe they'll get a win. Just a guess there.

Since I don't live anywhere near Sac'to and can't attend many (if any) games there, I'm just wondering what attendance is like at Arco. (The last time I was there was in 2000, I think, when Stacy Clinesmith was on the team.) Has attendance increased since last season, and increased more during this season (considering the team's record-making success and ultimate #1 seed in the West)?

The highlighted portion is my point exactly.

I cannot answer all your questions, but I figured the average attendance for this year's regular season. It is 8,542, and I do not know how it compares to last year.

 

[VF21]

Reserving the viewing party just for STH is lunacy. If you want to draw in new fans, you open Arco to everyone. Excitement is in the air; a Sacramento team is in the playoffs after an excellent year.

I am reasonably sure the STH who are going to attend would have no problem if there were MORE fans in the house to cheer with.

Someone needs to go back to school and learn a little bit more about marketing and supporting your fan base IMHO.

 

[nancgo]

Jammin' Jo will be hosting an impromptu viewing party at Hangar 17 in case anyone wants to go there too.....