The First College Football Game On TV
July 18, 2007
The first televised college football game occurred during the “experimental” era of television’s broadcasting history, when a game between Fordham University and Waynesburg College was broadcast on September 30, 1939. One month later, on October 23, 1939, Kansas State’s homecoming contest against the University of Nebraska was the second to be broadcast. The following season, on October 5, 1940, what is described as the “first commercially televised game” between the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania was broadcast by Philco. Fairly sporadic broadcasts continued throughout World War II to brodcast games whenever they could.
By 1950, a small number of prominent football schools, including the University of Pennsylvania (ABC) and the University of Notre Dame (DuMont Television Network) had entered into individual contracts with networks to broadcast their games. In fact, all of Penn’s home games were broadcast regionally on ABC during the 1950 season under a contract that paid Penn $150,000. However, prior to the 1951 season, the NCAA – alarmed by reports that indicated television decreased attendance at games – asserted control and prohibited live broadcasts of games. Although the NCAA successfully forced Penn and Notre Dame to break their contracts, the NCAA suffered withering attacks for its 1951 policy, faced threats of antitrust hearings and eventually caved in and lifted blackouts of certain sold-out games. Read More….
Comments
One Response to “The First College Football Game On TV”
Got something to say?
another reason why the NCAA should DIAF.