"Ultimate Jeopardy"

[OntarioQuizzer]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 29 2004, 10:21 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Dec 29 2004, 09:16 PM\']Another question...will they be doing this in lieu of a ToC with Ken in the Fall?

I mean, after a $2Mil competition with him, where he has a one in 3 shot at the megabucks, what's the point of a $250K tourney where he has a 1 in 15 shot at a lot less?

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Will there even BE a regular TofC next Fall? Clearly they won't have 13(if Ken is a part of it, and Kermin the college champ is a part of it) or 14 champions who have won four or more games(they've had only one three time champ in the four weeks since Ken lost), with all these weeks of regular games being taken up by this tourney. I don't see a regular TofC happening until May 2006 at the earliest.

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My prediction on the next TOC: November 2006.

[Red]

Well heres to hoping that the ending doesnt leak everywhere.

[Gromit]

So Ken doesn't appear until the end. Not really much chance for over-exposure then.

But then, there's also little draw until the end for the casual fan who just wants to see Ken. I don't foresee huge ratings increases, should be pretty much normal.

[BrandonFG]

If it's done like the Masters tourney from a few years ago, then I think keeping a secret might be fine. Then again, word about this tourney has already hit the press, so it might be a problem.

BTW, did the Masters score any significant ratings?

[Craig Karlberg]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 03:08 AM\']If it's done like the Masters tourney from a few years ago, then I think keeping a secret might be fine. Then again, word about this tourney has already hit the press, so it might be a problem.

BTW, did the Masters score any significant ratings?

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As far as the Masters went ratings wise, I saw no ratings higher than a 7.5 at max.  Keep in mind it was aired in May 2002 & the sun's still in the sky at 7PM in the East(6PM Central)(arbitrary time slot because most stations air it at that hour).  Therefore, many viewers tend to be outside at that point during the late stages of the season.

[goongas]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 04:08 AM\']If it's done like the Masters tourney from a few years ago, then I think keeping a secret might be fine. Then again, word about this tourney has already hit the press, so it might be a problem.

BTW, did the Masters score any significant ratings?

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Not that I remember.  I remember them either being the same or down a little.

[TimK2003]

Here are some of my ponderings on the current thread...


1)  One of the aforementioned press releases I read said that they are going back and selecting the biggest winners over the past 21 years...

My question, for those who won in the earlier days when dollar values weren't doubled and cars weren't 'retiring gifts' for the 5 time winners.  How are they going to adjust their winnings to compare with the winners of the past several years?


2) With this 'Ultimate Tourney' coming on the heels of Ken's reign of terror, and probably coming  about as a result of his reign, I'm starting to see visions of Henry Winkler donning his leather jacket *and* water skis while the beach has just been cleared due to a shark sighting.

Does anyone else share this vision?


3) One of the larger winners in J! was our own Eddie Timanus.  Since he appeared on "Millionaire last month and there was mention of his reign on J! and a Trivial Pursit card about him, to boot, could Eddie's recent TV appearance have played a small role in running this Ultimate J! now -- this, of course if he is indeed one of those tourney qualifiers?

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 09:44 AM\']With this 'Ultimate Tourney' coming on the heels of Ken's reign of terror, and probably coming  about as a result of his reign, I'm starting to see visions of Henry Winkler donning his leather jacket *and* water skis while the beach has just been cleared due to a shark sighting.
Does anyone else share this vision?

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That was one of my first thoughts, Tim. It's too soon for this. That 22 share or whatever it was scattered some thinking atoms. They just had a Masters event a couple of years ago. Ken was just knocked off a month ago. Absence needs to allow the heart to grow fonder a little bit. February-May 2006 MIGHT have been a better time for this. We shall see.

[cmjb13]

Ken's appearance probably coincides with his book & game being released (provide it actually materializes).

Whether J! would let him plug it, I don't know.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 10:02 AM\']That was one of my first thoughts, Tim. It's too soon for this. That 22 share or whatever it was scattered some thinking atoms. They just had a Masters event a couple of years ago. Ken was just knocked off a month ago. Absence needs to allow the heart to grow fonder a little bit. February-May 2006 MIGHT have been a better time for this. We shall see.

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Actually, they should've held out in doing "Ultimate J!" for a few more years to have it coincide with the 25th Silver Anniversary season of the current incarnation of J!.   That would have been classy *and* be a ratings jauggernaut.  

Not to mention that by then, because of the rule change we'd probably have a few more 10, 20 or 30+ game winners that would be a better match-up with Ken.

Then you could seed off those mega-game winners in such a way that in each first round elimination round you'd those people more recent & noteworthy against the lesser known 5-time champs from 5, 10, 15 or 20 some years ago.

[Jimmy Owen]

The way I think it should be done is to have Ken on for all 15 weeks and whomever can beat him would move on to a final week of matches against Ken.  "The Ken Jennings Challenge," if you will.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 09:42 AM\']The way I think it should be done is to have Ken on for all 15 weeks and whomever can beat him would move on to a final week of matches against Ken.  "The Ken Jennings Challenge," if you will.

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What happens if nobody beats him?

Doug

[goongas]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 10:44 AM\']Here are some of my ponderings on the current thread...


3) One of the larger winners in J! was our own Eddie Timanus.  Since he appeared on "Millionaire last month and there was mention of his reign on J! and a Trivial Pursit card about him, to boot, could Eddie's recent TV appearance have played a small role in running this Ultimate J! now -- this, of course if he is indeed one of those tourney qualifiers?

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They are doing it now so they can strike while the iron is still hot, so to speak.  Eddie's appearance on WWTBAM doesn't make much of a difference.  I would be very surprised if Eddie is not invited.  He may even get one of the byes that have been talked about.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 10:54 AM\'][quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 30 2004, 09:42 AM\']The way I think it should be done is to have Ken on for all 15 weeks and whomever can beat him would move on to a final week of matches against Ken.  "The Ken Jennings Challenge," if you will.

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What happens if nobody beats him?

Doug

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Declare Ken the all-time champ.

[uncamark]

I thihnk they're prepared for the opening rounds being lower-rated, although they might prepare for that by having Ken in the studio every day in a seat in between Alex and the players and having him participate in some way (not to mention KW cutting promos that make it look like he's a contestant).

As for security, I see releases being handed out to the audience in line stating that they will not dislcose the outcome of what they are going to see--and you can't get in unless you sign it.  I also see everyone who has a connection to the show signing non-disclosure agreements, tapes being delivered to Media City for post-production in unmarked containers and perhaps not feeding the finals to the stations over the weekend before air dates as per normal, but on the air date--perhaps making the first feed at the earliest time a station airs "J!", making that station put the feed directly on the air.

And the reason I believe they'll stay at home for this tourney, outside of the length, is very simple:  There's a greater chance someone will squeal when you have 3-5,000 in the audience than when you just have 200.