The first week of March is one of the greatest weeks of the year for any college basketball fan. Nearly every conference in the country is having their tournament to decide who will get an automatic bid to the national stage.
Unlike the major conferences, however, the MAC struggles to put its teams in the TV spotlight during tournament time. The mid-major conference just cannot compete with the ACC's of the world.
Fans in the Buffalo area will not see much of the MAC men's and women's basketball tournaments - which will be played in Cleveland's Gund Arena. Only the men's championship game and the two women's semifinals will be shown locally.
The men's championship game is arguably the most high-profile MAC event of the year, and each year the game is broadcast on ESPN2. This season is no different, the MAC showcase game will be shown live on ESPN2 - part of ESPN's "Championship Week" - Saturday, March 9 at 7 p.m.
Absent from the local programming schedule are any men's games in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. The Empire Sports Network, Western New York's Fox Sports Net affiliate, would be the only local channel that would consider showing the games. Unfortunately for local fans, Empire will be broadcasting Buffalo Sabres - who act as the station's main source of revenue - hockey games on both Thursday (quarterfinals) and Friday night (semifinals).
Empire did show conference games from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament over the weekend. Local rivals Canisius and Niagara - who has reached the championship game and will face Siena tonight at 9 p.m. (ESPN) - each compete in the MAAC conference.
The women's side of the draw will have two games broadcast locally on Empire. On Friday, March 8, the network will use its Fox Sports Net feed to broadcast the MAC women's semifinals at noon and 2:15 p.m.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
