Figured it would be worth starting a thread on this as the negotiation period is approaching (deal runs through 2019-20 currently)
Original TV Deal:
AAC: TV deal is with ESPN, CBS Sports
The current set up in regards to exposure on ESPN networks is tremendous, especially for UConn basketball. I hope that Aresco is able to find a way to keep that or even expand it, but I would take some better game start times (not 9pm on a Thursday to be able to be on ESPN2) if it meant a few more CBSSN games.
Don't think adding Wichita State does much of anything if anything at all. Think they're purely just a competition add.
Is there a way to negotiate certain announcing crews into a deal? I love when Doris Burke does our games and the CBS family has a ton of great announcers, would make the CBSSN games a lot more tolerable if the announcing crews were better (Ian Eagle anyone?). For football, the CBSSN crews are actually pretty good.
Whatever happens, The American simply cannot leave the ESPN family of networks unless it has a deal that will get games on network tv. If we take a deal with NBC for instance, it can't mean every game is on NBCSN. Need to keep the exposure aspect of the next deal for relevancy in my opinion.
I think we will see a modest bump in the amount being paid to each school, maybe to $3 or $4m. Not only does the conference deserve it but Aresco is negotiating in a much better place than he did with the original TV deal. The games the AAC has had on tv have drew fairly well and the league has proven to be extremely competitive (especially in football). Having The American championship game on ABC the past couple years has been awesome.
Lastly, and this is so minor, but I hope we can find a way to get some of the conference's baseball games on ESPNU/CBSSN. Not sure how many of us are aware but baseball is probably the American's best sport. The league is incredibly competitive this year. Would be nice to have the ability to showcase that product during the 'dead period' of sports after basketball.