Courtesy Miami Herald

(November 6, 2009) For years, major colleges from lower-profile conferences have bent over backward to accommodate ESPN, scheduling basketball games at midnight, football games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and asking ``How high?'' when ESPN says jump.

But what's happening Nov. 17 takes ESPN's power over college sports to unprecedented levels.

Determined to air 24 consecutive hours of live college basketball for the first time, ESPN went looking for schools willing to play a regular-season men's game at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

It didn't take long to find takers.

St. Peter's agreed to play host to Monmouth at 6 a.m. that day (a Tuesday), and Drexel agreed to play at Niagara at 8 a.m. It marks the first time ESPN will air a live college game at 6 a.m. or 8 a.m.

Clemson will play at Liberty at 10 a.m. The 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. games will start at 11 p.m. in the states they're being played (California and Hawaii).

There are two ways of looking at the ridiculously early start times: Either it's great for the schools because it provides national exposure and gives the students a unique experience. Or it's lousy because it inconveniences lots of people on a work/school day.

``This can capture the imagination of the campus,'' said Monmouth athletic director Marilyn McNeil, whose players will take the 45-minute bus ride to St. Peter's campus sometime after 3 a.m. that day. ``Our coach thinks people are getting up at that hour to go to work and turning on their televisions, and why not see Monmouth on ESPN?''

Drexel athletic director Eric Zillmer said alumni have told him ``you'll do anything to get on ESPN.'' And Zillmer said, ``That is pretty much correct. It's great exposure. Why turn this down?''

St. Peter's, the home team in that 6 a.m. game, will invite students to ``an all-nighter in our tennis bubble'' featuring food, music and games, athletic director Patrick Elliott said.

Though none of the schools are receiving an appearance fee, Niagara athletic director Ed McLaughlin cited another incentive: Many schools are struggling with enrollment, and high school students might flip on a game ``and say that looks like a fun place to go to college.''

The athletic directors in the early-morning games said they have received no complaints, and ESPN programmer Nick Dawson said he sees no downside, even if some fans are inconvenienced and some students miss classes.

So does ESPN have too much power over college sports? ``I'm not sure they do,'' McLaughlin said. ``They don't tell you who your starting five is.''

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