Big East's Next Media Deal

[WestCoastHusky]

It is almost time for the Big East to start negotiating the next media deal. This year old article has some interesting viewing numbers. Where do you think the Big East will end up?

Big East Financials: How Have TV Ratings Performed?

It’s been 9 years of Big East basketball on FS1 and FOX. What has the return been like on both sides?

painttouches.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The two caveats the writer misses is that A) he is comparing the best big 10 games to all Big East games and B) the Big 10 games likely got the best slots. Even with those caveats, assume the Big East gets about half the Big 10’s $2.5 million/game for hoops. It would still be pretty good. The ballpark estimate would be about $150 million for the league ($1.3 per game x 120 games) based on what the Big 10 made.

Let’s look at the most recent comparable. The PAC 12 ratings were terrible, and by the time the networks are done they will be paying (2x $100 for USC and UCLA, 4 x $31 for Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State; 2 x $50 for Washington and Oregon; 2 x $20 for Cal and Stanford in ACC) &460 a year for the Pac 12 teams, let’s assume 25% is hoops (number is probably greater in streaming) and we have a recent price of $115 million a year for basketball rights to bad programs that will be playing games against non rivals going forward.

Finally, Apple just bid between $25 and $30 million per team for the PAC leftovers, whose ratings were bad.

$150 million a year for the Big East seems like reasonable starting point, even if it comes down a bit. That doesn’t suck. We will see.

 

[uconnyankee]

does UConn start playing the 500lb gorilla it is and demand a bigger share of the pie?
Or does it continue to be the good partner and subsidize the league?

 

[businesslawyer]

does UConn start playing the 500lb gorilla it is and demand a bigger share of the pie?
Or does it continue to be the good partner and subsidize the league?

LMAO. You have to be kidding me. And when we say “pay us more or else,” exactly what do you think the “or else” is that the Catholics are afraid of? That we go back to the American? They know no matter what we make in the Big East if we ever get a P-4 offer we’re done.

 

[noeynox]

LMAO. You have to be kidding me. And when we say “pay us more or else,” exactly what do you think the “or else” is that the Catholics are afraid of? That we go back to the American? They know no matter what we make in the Big East if we ever get a P-4 offer we’re done.

It's also not something healthy conferences do. I wouldn't want them to be the source of creating disharmony.

 

[CL82]

It's also not something healthy conferences do. I wouldn't want them to be the source of creating disharmony.

Far better to leave it unstated, everyone understands the reality of it.

 

[coachcap]

does UConn start playing the 500lb gorilla it is and demand a bigger share of the pie?
Or does it continue to be the good partner and subsidize the league?

From a pragmatic point of view: The answer to your question is NO. As stated above, UConn doesn't want to stir the pot. Should a P5 (P4) invite be offered, UConn has a $ 30M exit fee to negotiate downward. Making unnecessary demands would only create animosity & draw a rigid line in negotiations.

 

[yuckformak]

The two caveats the writer misses is that A) he is comparing the best big 10 games to all Big East games and B) the Big 10 games likely got the best slots. Even with those caveats, assume the Big East gets about half the Big 10’s $2.5 million/game for hoops. It would still be pretty good. The ballpark estimate would be about $150 million for the league ($1.3 per game x 120 games) based on what the Big 10 made.

Let’s look at the most recent comparable. The PAC 12 ratings were terrible, and by the time the networks are done they will be paying (2x $100 for USC and UCLA, 4 x $31 for Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State; 2 x $50 for Washington and Oregon; 2 x $20 for Cal and Stanford in ACC) &460 a year for the Pac 12 teams, let’s assume 25% is hoops (number is probably greater in streaming) and we have a recent price of $115 million a year for basketball rights to bad programs that will be playing games against non rivals going forward.

Finally, Apple just bid between $25 and $30 million per team for the PAC leftovers, whose ratings were bad.

$150 million a year for the Big East seems like reasonable starting point, even if it comes down a bit. That doesn’t suck. We will see.

That's almost $10 Mil a year per team and would be a great number. If they can pull that off and eventually get to a place where football is good they can do a streaming deal and get to a place where they can bring in $20 mil combined. I would just stay as an independent.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That's almost $10 Mil a year per team and would be a great number. If they can pull that off and eventually get to a place where football is good they can do a streaming deal and get to a place where they can bring in $20 mil combined. I would just stay as an independent.

Getting $10+ million/team/year for Big East hoops seems realistic, especially when you include women’s hoops, whose popularity is surging.

For UConn football, I am not that optimistic. I do think UConn needs to figure out a way to start building subscriptions, because that is the only clear way to prove UConn’s value to another conference. Not sure what that would look like.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Getting $10+ million/team/year for Big East hoops seems realistic, especially when you include women’s hoops, whose popularity is surging.

For UConn football, I am not that optimistic. I do think UConn needs to figure out a way to start building subscriptions, because that is the only clear way to prove UConn’s value to another conference. Not sure what that would look like.

I doubt it, but who knows. The one area where we could legitimately ask for a bigger share is WBB.

 

[businesslawyer]

Getting $10+ million/team/year for Big East hoops seems realistic, especially when you include women’s hoops, whose popularity is surging.

For UConn football, I am not that optimistic. I do think UConn needs to figure out a way to start building subscriptions, because that is the only clear way to prove UConn’s value to another conference. Not sure what that would look like.

Here's the thing about subscriptions for football -- it only covers home games. Are there really that many diehard UConn football fans that don't go to home football games that this is going to work? I'd have to see it to believe it.

 

[August_West]

does UConn start playing the 500lb gorilla it is and demand a bigger share of the pie?
Or does it continue to be the good partner and subsidize the league?

We just showed our hand falling for the big12 bait and switch, and you think that gives us leverage in the BigEast?

 

[hoopsfan22]

$6 million per year per school and a free jelly of the month club membership.

 

[uconnyankee]

We just showed our hand falling for the big12 bait and switch, and you think that gives us leverage in the BigEast?

Those schools know what brings value to the league. It ain’t Butler or Depaul

 

[CL82]

From a pragmatic point of view: The answer to your question is NO. As stated above, UConn doesn't want to stir the pot. Should a P5 (P4) invite be offered, UConn has a $ 30M exit fee to negotiate downward. Making unnecessary demands would only create animosity & draw a rigid line in negotiations.

Lol what makes you believe that exit fee would be negotiated downward? If anything it would be "negotiated upward" to allow us to leave sooner than whatever the normal notice period is. That said keep in mind that in 2026 the $30 million exit fee drops to $15 million and, I think, by 2029 it drops to $10 million.

 

[ZooCougar]

$5.5M and a free bagels for the women’s soccer team at Dunkin’.

 

[August_West]

Those schools know what brings value to the league. It ain’t Butler or Depaul

We definitely add some good value to the BigEast, but they were a pretty thriving league without us. Honestly I was surprised, because when the C7 split and they did their additions I thought they were destined for the dust. But they proved everyone wrong. They built a nice little niche of a hoops league that has garnered a ton of respect.

 

[ZooCougar]

We definitely add some good value to the BigEast, but they were a pretty thriving league without us. Honestly I was surprised, because when the C7 split and they did their additions I thought they were destined for the dust. But they proved everyone wrong. They built a nice little niche of a hoops league that has garnered a ton of respect.

They are nothingburger without us now that Jay Wright is retired.

 

[CL82]

We just showed our hand falling for the big12 bait and switch, and you think that gives us leverage in the BigEast?

Lol, what does that even mean? Do you think anyone who has fired off even a single neuron thinking about this is surprised that Connecticut wants to be in a power conference? Do you truly believe that Val Ackerman is sitting there going "well, Connecticut running up tens of millions of dollars in annual deficit, but I'm sure they'd rather take four or $5 million a year as a Conference distribution then $50 million a year"? Ever wonder why we are the only school in the conference who has a $30 million exit fee. Everyone knows we're going to leave, if the opportunity presents itself. No one in the big east offices was clutching their pearls over the fact that the big 12 expressed interest in us.

( For the record, Connecticut never indicated it was leaving. The leaks came from the big 12 side.)

 

[CL82]

$6 million per year per school and a free jelly of the month club membership.

I hear the persimmon is surprisingly good.

 

[uconnyankee]

Here's the thing about subscriptions for football -- it only covers home games. Are there really that many diehard UConn football fans that don't go to home football games that this is going to work? I'd have to see it to believe it

If program is making noise at the national level, yeah people will watch.
That means Top 25 ranking, playing Top ranked teams, etc….

Given all the consolidation, will UConn get locked out from playing those big games. Going 12-0 agai st CCSU, Yale and Army is great, but not exactly going to make noise at the national level.

Scheduling is going to become more difficult, especially home games.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

$5.5M and a free bagels for the women’s soccer team at Dunkin’.

Cream cheese excluded of course because then it makes it a meal, not a snack.

 

[CL82]

$5.5M and a free bagels for the women’s soccer team at Dunkin’.

Dunkin' Donuts bagels are pretty bad. Still, they're not the crime against humanity that supermarket bagels are.

 

[ZooCougar]

Lol, what does that even mean? Do you think anyone who has fired off even a single neuron thinking about this is surprised that Connecticut wants to be in a power conference? Do you truly believe that Val Ackerman is sitting there going "well, Connecticut running up tens of millions of dollars in annual deficit, but I'm sure they'd rather take four or $5 million a year as a Conference distribution then $50 million a year"? Ever wonder why we are the only school in the conference who has a $30 million exit fee. Everyone knows we're going to leave, if the opportunity presents itself. No one in the big east offices was clutching their pearls over the fact that the big 12 expressed interest in us.

( For the record, Connecticut never indicated it was leaving. The leaks came from the big 12 side.)

They literally added us with the idea in mind that we would keep shopping around.

Nobody cares if we talk to other conferences. It’s expected.

I don’t hate the Big East. It’s a solid place to hold up for a while.

But it’s not a winning long term solution.

 

[CL82]

Cream cheese excluded of course because then it makes it a meal, not a snack.

Lol, that rule is, in microcosm, everything that's wrong with the NCAA.