Jon Rothstein livid that ESPN preempted Duke game for TGL

Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils are about as blockbuster as it gets by college basketball standards. It should be no surprise, then, that the Blue Devils are frequent residents of ESPN’s most coveted weeknight time slots.

Monday’s game against in-state rival NC State was no different. Flagg and Co. were scheduled to tip-off against the Wolfpack at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN’s Big Monday. But viewers may have been surprised when they turned to ESPN to find Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy duking-it-out in the new simulator golf league TGL.

Monday’s TGL match, featuring the league’s two aforementioned founders, was neck-and-neck, becoming the first match in league history to reach overtime. Unfortunately for college basketball fans, that meant the match overran its scheduled window on ESPN, forcing the beginning of Duke-NC State over to ESPNU.

One prominent college hoops reporter, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, wasn’t pleased with the decision.

I’ve never played Golf.

So why is it on my TV INSTEAD OF DUKE-NC STATE?!

“Inconceivable.” – Vizzini, The Princess Bride, circa 1987

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 28, 2025

“I’ve never played golf,” Rothstein, the prolific X poster began. “So why is it on my TV INSTEAD OF DUKE-NC STATE?! ‘Inconceivable,'” the post read, quoting Vizzini in The Princess Bride.

For hoops fans, the preemption was surely shocking. After all, it was only TGL’s fourth match and many aren’t yet familiar with the league, or even know of its existence. However, college basketball viewers might well become more accustomed to the league considering its Monday and Tuesday night windows on ESPN will regularly lead into or out of college hoops.

And for now, ESPN is right to favor the TGL broadcast — even over a Duke basketball game.

During TGL’s opening match earlier this month, the league increased ESPN’s audience by 22% versus a lead-in from Duke. The following week, TGL served as the lead-in for a Duke basketball game and drew 70% more viewers than the Blue Devils. Overall, the league is outpacing comparable college basketball windows by 50% so far this season.

I've never played Golf.

I've never had a glass of wine.

I've never had a cup of coffee.

I've never been to Hawaii.

I'm 41.

I don't intend to start now! https://t.co/dP9ceiaA1H

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 28, 2025

So while primetime simulator golf running into college basketball games might seem weird, there’s a method to ESPN’s madness. Jon Rothstein and others will just have to get used to seeing tip-offs on ESPNU occasionally.