CBS decided the final 3:50 of Arch Madness didn’t quality as broadcast-worthy March Madness.
At the under-four timeout of Sunday’s championship game between top-seeded Creighton and No. 2 Wichita State, CBS pulled the plug on that broadcast in select markets — Evansville included — to ensure Indiana’s regular-season game at Michigan aired in full.
Creighton, then leading by eight points, saw that deficit narrowed to one with 21 seconds to play. Wichita State eventually had a 3-pointer rattle off at the buzzer of a 68-65 Bluejays win.
At least in markets where the Missouri Valley footprint overlaps with the Big Ten, news of Creighton’s Arch Madness victory came via CBS’ bottom line and a brief mention from Jim Nantz.
Disrespectful, rude and a bit unprecedented? Most on Twitter thought so.
Disgraceful on CBS to pull plug on last 3 minutes of MVC title game. #archmadness
— Jim Benson (@Pg_Benson) March 10, 2013
Judging by my Twitter feed, the cutaway has happened all over the Midwest. If this weren’t a work feed, I’d be dishing out some profanity.
— Todd Golden (@TribStarTodd) March 10, 2013
. @cbssports with its first big mistake of March. Took B1G country off MVC final for IU/Mich with no alternative to view Jays and Shockers.
— Andrew Robinson (@robinsonandrew) March 10, 2013
Wow, a slap in the face for the MVC. CBS pulls coverage from end of Valley title game to show all of Indiana/Michigan.
— Bo Ryan (@TheRealBoRyan) March 10, 2013
One point game in MVC and I’m watching a regular season game. #CBSFail
— Lance Wilkerson (@LanceWilkerson) March 10, 2013
Mark Adams, the color commentator for MVC games on ESPN as well as MVC TV Network games, also weighed in as he traveled from Arch Madness to the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Sunday afternoon.
The Valley deserves better than what CBS gives. CBS for the 2nd year left the end of the Valley game to watch the tip off of a Big Ten game.
— Mark Adams (@EnthusiAdams) March 10, 2013
ESPN always gives you options to watch a game ending or starting. Far superior network and I’m not brown nosing. It’s the truth!
— Mark Adams (@EnthusiAdams) March 10, 2013
Adams noted that this was the second year in a row CBS cut away from the championship early to show a major-conference game in its entirety.