Mountain West future on line as TV talks take place (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

[huskymedic]

Background: Analysis: Plenty of questions, issues and options as Mountain West negotiates new TV deal

Mountain West future on line as TV talks take place

>>Sports media expert Joel Lulla, a lecturer at Texas, said he thinks a marriage between the Mountain West and the growing ESPN-Plus digital service makes sense.

The American Athletic Conference agreed to a 12-year, $1 billion deal with ESPN that includes a major portion of games being played on the digital format, setting the precedent of what’s expected to come. It’s about four times what the American made on its previous ESPN deal, but AAC fans who want to see their favorite team must pay $4.99 per month to watch.

“The number the American Athletic Conference got, it’s a little misleading because the AAC is going to have to produce a lot of events, and that’s going to cost millions of dollars,” said Lulla, the former head of ABC Sports’ legal and business department and a lead counsel at IMG. “But if ESPN-Plus and ESPN are not interested in the Mountain West, they’ve got a big problem because I don’t know who else is going to step up in any real way.

“They’re currently between the CBS deal and the ESPN deal somewhere in the $16, $17 million-a-year range. If ESPN-Plus is interested, they could double that easily. If ESPN is not interested, they could be looking at a 50 percent haircut.”<<

>>The Mountain West’s current deals with CBS Sports, ESPN and AT&T SportsNet expires in 2020, paying each school about $1.1 million each year. CBS Sports had the first negotiating window.<<

 

[huskymedic]

Then why bother to click on the thread - there was no cute headline - It was pretty clear what the topic was about?

 

[Purple Stein]

Holy gypsum. When are we getting that downvote button?

 

[CL82]

We do, because of this nugget
“The number the American Athletic Conference got, it’s a little misleading because the AAC is going to have to produce a lot of events, and that’s going to cost millions of dollars,” said Lulla, the former head of ABC Sports’ legal and business department and a lead counsel at IMG.

 

[Fishy]

Knock it off.

 

[Ha Who]

The quote from Lulla was new to me. Shows what experts are thinking. Should I attach the SDSU AD info?

 

[Ldandy]

Uconn was in a unique situation where there was a viable alternative on the table to consider if ESPN presented The AAC with a bad deal. Obviously that alternative did not come without risk, but it was an alternative never the less. Most schools in G5 Conferences don't have anything approximating the alternative The Huskies pursued. There are really no other non football sponsoring regional conferences, besides maybe The WCC, for MWC Programs to stash their basketball and Olympic Sports that would rival the one in which they currently are located. Short of some other real bidders stepping in, ESPN has them by the balls.

 

[noeynox]

Uconn was in a unique situation where there was a viable alternative on the table to consider if ESPN presented The AAC with a bad deal. Obviously that alternative did not come without risk, but it was an alternative never the less. Most schools in G5 Conferences don't have anything approximating the alternative The Huskies pursued. There are really no other non football sponsoring regional conferences, besides maybe The WCC, for MWC Programs to stash their basketball and Olympic Sports that would rival the one in which they currently are located. Short of some other real bidders stepping in, ESPN has them by the balls.

Exactly. ESPN has all of these G5 leagues over a barrel. Yes our alternative carries a significant amount of risk but we almost had no choice but to exercise it because they have shat on us for so long. It was nothing to ESPN to let us keep our SNY deal, but yet again they shat on us.

 

[Hoophound]

Exactly. ESPN has all of these G5 leagues over a barrel. Yes our alternative carries a significant amount of risk but we almost had no choice but to exercise it because they have shat on us for so long. It was nothing to ESPN to let us keep our SNY deal, but yet again they shat on us.

They actually needed all of our content you’ll, see that soon when the AAC deal becomes even worse.

 

[noeynox]

They actually needed all of our content you’ll see that soon when the AAC deal becomes even worse.

I get this point of view from the league's standpoint, i don't get it from ESPN. They have stuck it UConn at every turn, letting them keep the SNY deal should have been one of those "the least we can do" moments for them.

 

[Hoophound]

I get this point of view from the league's standpoint, i don't get it from ESPN. They have stuck it UConn at every turn, letting them keep the SNY deal should have been one of those "the least we can do" moments for them.

Theoretically, yes. However, the AAC provides almost no good content. Now it is good for a few football and men’s bball games. The worst football school (us) has the biggest fan base. The UConn women will probably outdraw almost every AAC event ESPN will now broadcast. It’s a big loss. ESPN had to have it.

 

[noeynox]

Theoretically, yes. However, the AAC provides almost no good content. Now it is good for a few football and men’s bball games. The worst football school (us) has the biggest fan base. The UConn women will probably outdraw almost every AAC event ESPN will now broadcast. It’s a big loss. ESPN had to have it.

Outdraw the fb games? Really? AAC wasn't doing too bad with it's fb.

 

[CL82]

Theoretically, yes. However, the AAC provides almost no good content. Now it is good for a few football and men’s bball games. The worst football school (us) has the biggest fan base. The UConn women will probably outdraw almost every AAC event ESPN will now broadcast. It’s a big loss. ESPN had to have it.

That's why they should have hybrid the deal and sold SNY T3 live broadcast rights with rebroadcast on +. They make a quick buck on the rights. UConn doesn't have production costs. UConn keeps their NYC metro exposure. ESPN keeps us as content. Everyone wins.

 

[hank970]

That's why they should have hybrid the deal and sold SNY T3 live broadcast rights with rebroadcast on +. They make a quick buck on the rights. UConn doesn't have production costs. UConn keeps their NYC metro exposure. ESPN keeps us as content. Everyone wins.

Yeah, Randy Edsall is so happy he's doing hand-springs at the Rent. Meanwhile, UConn has forever forfeited any possibility of achieving P5 status, permanently grouping itself with that exclusive state flagship club whose membership includes Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, et al.

 

[CL82]

Yeah, Randy Edsall is so happy he's doing hand-springs at the Rent. Meanwhile, UConn has forever forfeited any possibility of achieving P5 status, permanently grouping itself with that exclusive state flagship club whose membership includes Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, et al.

Yeah, not so sure about that Hank. I think we still have a shot if we put together a more intriguing schedule, get decent home and homes, and of course win. I was heartened by AD Daves comment that he is receiving a lot of interest in playing us. I think we still have a shot. Is it a more difficult path and staying in the American? Well, They are both so minuscule that any difference is probably irrelevant.

 

[Guapo]

Yeah, not so sure about that Hank. I think we still have a shot if we put together a more intriguing schedule, get decent home and homes, and of course win. I was heartened by AD Daves comment that he is receiving a lot of interest in playing us. I think we still have a shot. Is it a more difficult path and staying in the American? Well, They are both so minuscule that any difference is probably irrelevant.

This is the most salient I’ve this point made. Well done.

 

[huskymedic]

In an interview with The Athletic’s Vannini, Mountain West Commish Thompson went into more detail about the league’s media rights negotiations with CBS and ESPN, with whom the league expects to reach respective deals this fall. As part of the expected agreements, Thompson noted that the MWC is looking at a comparatively shorter term deal than the AAC, citing a desire to better gauge the changing media landscape. He also noted: “There’s a lot of hidden things in that (AAC) agreement as I’m understanding, like production costs for a lot of sports. A billion dollars grabs your attention. But the trade-off of having a few less years is probably of more importance for us right now.” Asked whether the conference would seek earlier kickoff times, Thompson intimated that TV officials continue to reiterate that the later MWC teams play, the more valuable they are. “It’s that fourth window, when the Pac-12 and Mountain West are playing at 8:30, 9 in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. That’s the value we bring. We just have to get the trade-off, because the later you play, the less people necessarily want to attend.” He did note, though, that the league would negotiate for fewer non-Saturday starts. Full interview. (link)

 

[whaler11]

The commissioner floated contraction. SJSU and Hawaii you are on notice.

 

[SubbaBub]

$5/Mo x 12 months = $60 per subscriber.

Why do these schools need ESPN again?

You attach your streaming channel to the local cable outlet and a team like UConn can pull north of $30M if they attach it to their cable bill with a 50/50 split. Cord cutters would pay the $5 directly to the school, in lesser numbers of course.

Share your games with out of market providers within your conference footprint for a nominal cost to help fill out their programming. Voila, BTN without the straight cable overlay, but everyone who cares about your games can get them.

Yes. ESPN is feeding its own demise.

 

[whaler11]

$5/Mo x 12 months = $60 per subscriber.

Why do these schools need ESPN again?

You attach your streaming channel to the local cable outlet and a team like UConn can pull north of $30M if they attach it to their cable bill with a 50/50 split. Cord cutters would pay the $5 directly to the school, in lesser numbers of course.

Share your games with out of market providers within your conference footprint for a nominal cost to help fill out their programming. Voila, BTN without the straight cable overlay, but everyone who cares about your games can get them.

Yes. ESPN is feeding its own demise.

you should totally take that proposal to the local cable cos and let us know how that conversation goes. i like how the magic network has no costs.

 

[SubbaBub]

you should totally take that proposal to the local cable cos and let us know how that conversation goes. i like how the magic network has no costs.

You underestimate the power of the government when it wants something and that even $15M is more than $7M

 

[Alum86]

The commissioner floated contraction. SJSU and Hawaii you are on notice.

Home and home with the Rainbow Warriors!!!