Manny

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[Manny @MannyzanderUCF]

@ohheyfritz We suck season if over

[UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 @UCF_MBB]

Just curious...which do you prefer?🤔

[Sean Tuohy Jr. @SJTuohy]

Tenders & agendas @jpgilbert

[BYU Cougars @BYUCougars]

“I don’t think teams should ever be punished for playing in a conference championship game.”

… unless of course you’re BYU & the Big 12

[Brian “Wild Bill” Peterson ⚔️ @BrianWPeterson]

As days go, I’m not very happy with @UCF_Football today.

-Fairly mediocre (and small) HS signing day, outside of a QB duo with some promise.
-Coach Frost continuing to complain about the way things are, instead of adapting. I appreciate his honesty, but we want solutions, not rhetoric.
-By contrast, the cows out West with a strategically great HC hire. They will be making some splashes and have declared to be fully funding their rev share. What are we doing??
-Reports of players we want to keep (potentially) entering the portal (Waden Charles?!) tells me that UCF Athletics is either unwilling or (more likely) incapable of paying players. Either way, that won’t fly in today’s sport.
-Meanwhile, BYU and Tech continue to fund multi-million $ rosters and retain coaches and players. We’ve fallen behind our AAC peers, Cincy & Houston.

I try not to be too negative or positive. I like to keep things in perspective, but I’m really struggling to find anything good to say right now. A 5-7 2025 season was given some grace, but that won’t fly for the 2026 season, which effectively started on Sunday. @TerryMohajirAD, you’re on notice. Folks are becoming impatient at an exponential rate.

It’s a good thing I’m a FORMER UCF Trustee, because I’d be asking some serious questions about the fiduciary responsibility of some folks leading our programs, at the moment. Things do not feel like they are trending in the right direction.

[Daren Stoltzfus WESH @DarenStoltzfus]

If #UCF comes back and wins this, it will absolutely be because of all the shirtless dudes in Section 220+

[ucf.football.updates @UCFFBUpdates]

I’m not saying you do this but losing to a 1-9 team at home while being scoreless is a fireable offense for most programs.

[⚔️RBJ⚔️ @RBJHarvey7]

LMAOOO WE CANT EVEN GET ONE FUCKING YARD IN THE ENDZONE

[🔥 @FearThePegasus]

@UCF_Football 4 plays for 1 yard. Embarrassing.

[UCF Knights 🌴 @UCFKnights]

#StillGotIt

[Rick Junior @mrrickjunior]

TNT is treating the Big 12 like a flagship property. Why WBD’s investment is a game changer.

If you’ve been paying attention, it’s clear: WBD/TNT is treating the Big 12 as a premium property, pouring resources into production like it’s their crown jewel.

This is what happens when a network recognizes the value the Big 12 provides. It’s a tease of what could be with future investment.

1. Elite Production Value

TNT has rolled out polished studio shows and dedicated shoulder programming. That’s real value creation for the schools and the Big 12 brand.

The studio pre and postgame show is anchored by Adam Lefkoe, with analysts Victor Cruz, Champ Bailey, and Takeo Spikes. On the broadcast, you’ve got J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr., and Allie LaForce.

Recognizable, trusted names that make every Big 12 broadcast feel like a national event.

2. Shoulder Programming That Screams Investment

TNT built a content ecosystem around the league:

• XII Uncovered — docuseries-style all-access show providing a behind-the-scenes look at the teams and players.
• Field Study — Bleacher Report original with players and coaches breaking down film.
• Alumni Walk — B/R original showing legends at tailgates and gameday culture.
• Inside the 12 — the Big 12’s official weekly show, produced by Big 12 Studios and airing nationally on truTV and HBO Max.

It’s like they’re begging us to notice how undervalued we are.

No one builds this level of original programming for a sublicense. It’s a statement of intent, proof they’re aiming at something bigger.

Just a few years ago, many Big 12 games were buried on ESPN+. Now, TNT is giving us national pregame shows & documentary level storytelling. The shift is dramatic.

3. Promotional Muscle

NFL Opening Weekend ads in front of the biggest audience in sports.
Cross promotion during TNT’s French Open telecast.
Bleacher Report, House of Highlights & HBO Max amplification to millions of fans beyond cable.

This is a preview. WBD is proving to the Big 12 what’s possible, making their case for the next rights cycle before it even begins.

4. Basketball Is Next

TNT will broadcast 15 Big 12 men’s basketball games.

After seeing what they’ve done for football you know what’s coming: high energy broadcasts, elite studio shows & shoulder programming with true national spotlight. Combine that with the Big 12’s dominance on the court & it’s a monster waiting to happen.

No network is better positioned for Big 12 basketball than TNT. They’ve perfected the NBA broadcast model & now they get to apply that magic to the best basketball conference in the country.

5. All-In On Just One Game a Week

Here’s the kicker: this is all for one college football game per week.

Just 13 games. A sublicense.

And yet look at what they’ve built: full studio shows, shoulder programming, cross promotion, HBO Max integration & Bleacher Report delivering content across social, app & YouTube to millions.

No one builds this for a sublicensed package unless they see long-term value.

Imagine what they’d do as a full Tier 1 partner:

Weekly showcases across TNT, TBS, truTV, and Max.
Year-round shoulder programming.
Elite production & promotion across every WBD property.

This isn’t a sublicense. This is a showcase. If this is the floor, imagine the ceiling.

Big picture:

WBD/TNT coming on board is the best thing that’s happened to Big 12 media in years. They’re investing in elite production, storytelling, and promotion, positioning the Big 12 as a strategic asset that deserves center stage with real long-term leverage.

Now it’s on fans to show up, watch & engage with the programming they’re offering.

TNT is all-in on the Big 12, proving this league is worth investing in. And if you’ve ever wondered how powerful the Big 12 could be with true investment, you’re watching it unfold right now. The best part? Fans are finally seeing their conference get the spotlight it deserves. #BIG12onTNT

[Rick Junior @mrrickjunior]

Big 12 fans, with WBD/TNT coming on board this year we now have a lot of new content. I wanted to put together a comprehensive guide to what’s out there and where you can find it:

Big 12 Official Content Guide

Big 12 Today — TuneIn Radio

Monday–Friday, 7–10 a.m. CT
The league’s official weekday radio show with host Ari Temkin and James Westling offering daily coverage of Big 12 football, basketball, and more. Available live and on replay.

Inside the 12 — Weekly Preview Show

Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. CT on truTV, HBO Max, and Big 12 YouTube Channel

Produced by Big 12 Studios and hosted by Pete Sousa & Taylor McHargue. A magazine-style weekly show with interviews, features, and a full preview of the upcoming weekend’s games.

TNT Sports / WBD Shoulder Programming

XII Uncovered — All-access docuseries

Weekly during football season, airing one hour before TNT’s Big 12 game on truTV & HBO Max. An all-access docuseries giving behind-the-scenes looks at the team/s featured that week.

Big 12 Football Pregame Studio Show

Pregame begins 30 minutes before kickoff on TNT with host Adam Lefkoe and analyst Champ Bailey, Takeo Spikes, and Victor Cruz.

Big 12 Football on TNT

Game telecast air on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max. #BIG12onTNT

Big 12 Postgame Studio Show

Immediate coverage following the game with a full studio wrap with entertaining segments.

Bleacher Report Originals

Field Study — B/R app & YouTube
Players and coaches pair up for film sessions, breaking down strategy and giving fans an inside look at the playbook.

Alumni Walk — B/R app & YouTube
Famous alumni Big 12 schools walk through tailgates and campus scenes, capturing the gameday atmosphere.

Bleacher Report Socials — Bleacher Report, B/R CFB, B/R app, House of Highlights

Highlight clips, storylines, and player features around the clock.

Why it matters

ESPN, FOX, and TNT all track viewership metrics for games and shoulder programming. It’s critical that we show up and engage. Watch for at least 6–10 minutes at a time before flipping channels so your view is counted. If you DVR a game, make sure to watch it back within a few days. TNT also tracks shoulder programming continuously, so those views matter too. These numbers directly influence future contracts and negotiations. WBD/TNT has been treating the Big 12 as a premium property and it’s on us as fans to show up and make that commitment thrive. It’s essential that we give the partners our viewership and engagement to keep our momentum strong.

[DFaulk_23 @DFaulk_23]

Ok UCF Knight fans who are at the game...did bullying work lol? Have the complaints many of us had involving the gameday experience improved this week? If so we need to give this staff credit as we cannot complain when things aren't good and then stay silent when they improve.

[jeremy taché @jeremytache]

This is why I’m grateful UCF never went back to gold jerseys

[DFaulk_23 @DFaulk_23]

Long UCF Gameday experience rant:

I want to apologize for this long rant, but it has been something I have noticed the last few years while going to UCF games. The entire vibe/allure of the bounce house is gone. I cannot put my finger on one specific reason, but I feel it is a combo of things (this has been for a few years now). Below are just a few things I noticed the last few games the last few years.

1. The near elimination of replays is a joke. I remember being a student when the stadium first opened and we as fans would get replays on nearly every play. When the Knights were on defense we would get a replay of nearly every single tackle, sometimes even highlighting the player (this led to fans getting involved too at times even yelling the players name....BRUUUCCCCEEEEE). Now we do not even get replays on turnovers and barely any on official reviews. The fumble during the first half on the backwards pass was a perfect example. Every fan I was around kept looking to the board hoping to see if it was or wasn't a fumble. Instead not a single replay was played and the fans were stuck trusting the refs. Replays sound like such a minor thing, but students sitting next to the parent section seeing the parents of a player going crazy as their son was on the jumbotron making a play. This energy would then carry over to the fans around them. I am not sure how our in-game stadium experience as it pertains to replays got worse as we got to a better conference.
2. The food in the M3 club level was beyond bland/bad with the selection being extremely underwhelming for what those tickets cost. In the stadium itself, talking to a few fans the beer selections were not even full with taps being empty in some sections and them being out of product before the rain delay even happened. Not only that but so many told me drinks/beer were warm. The prices of the food have risen (which is fine) but the quality/offerings have severely diminished. So many foods that were listed on menus were either already gone before the end of the 1st or were never even carried in the first place. Also asking for tips on a grab-n-go station is laughable imo.
3. Having gone to nearly every stadium in FL the last few years, UCF seems to be the only one who does not have special cups/food containers for the game. This is again something they used to do, but it has once again gone away. When schools like FAU have a better offering as it pertains to game day "collectables", that is embarrassing.
4. Traffic control....Hopefully it was as bad as it was due to the weather, but taking nearly 40 minutes to get off campus is not acceptable and not something you see at other schools.
5. The DJ/music... respectfully, whoever is in charge of this needs to find something else to do. The DJ has one job and that is to keep the energy high at the game. So many times the fans were just sitting there in silence listening to yet another sponsored announcement. On multiple occasions coach Frost was signaling for the crowd to be quiet as Tayven was trying to hear the play call, and the DJ would then just blast loud music as if they were trolling the head coach.

There are a lot more things I could list, but I felt it was time to get this off my chest (filled out many gameday surveys and those seem to be ignored). It is honestly sad that UCF as a school has regressed when it comes to gameday experience from where it was during the C-USA and American days. I do not know why it has become what it has, but the bounce house was once a place UCF fans could be proud to show off. Now it is a place most fans would rather stay home as it is not worth the money. To show less replays now than we used to is inexcusable.

That is the end of this rant, but if you have had bad experiences lately at UCF games. Tell me below what you have experienced and how you feel it can be fixed. Also retweet & like this so maybe it can get to the right people to turn make the UCF GAMEDAY experience fun again.

[Big 12 Conference @Big12Conference]

Interesting. 🐸

[Mac Loudermilk @macmilk15]

He really took the UCF job just to mismanage talent and run our program into the ground to get back at us for beating him in the Peach Bowl…

[Brett McMurphy @Brett_McMurphy]

Former USF coach Jim Leavitt, fired from school in 2010 after investigation concluded he grabbed player by neck & hit him, arrested Monday in Pinellas County for simple battery, domestic battery & grand theft. He's accused of battering his ex-girlfriend, stealing a Louis Vuitton purse, wallet & clutch, valued b/w $5,000-$10,000. He's scheduled to be inducted into USF's Hall of Fame this fall
https://t.co/DND24pWnqq

[STEPHEN LEONARD @SLeonard27]

Nice touch by UCF highlighting how and when each player joined the program