Shhhh! Yes the ACCN Continues to Move Forward

[arbitragegls]

Thought an update from my Jan 21 post needs to be done based on the noise that is out there...have to say the STEALTH side has clamped down on talk of the ACCN...the Ninja was not pleased with comments coming out of FSU. In fact, news, rumors etc about the ACCN are under lock and key. Recently a few members of FSU BOT spoke out about "no movement" as reported by WARCHANT only to be further explained by WARCHANT podcast concerning the fact that aside from Presidents and AD's, nothing is being made public...so as Syracuse moved to ACC and Notre Dame came in as associate member, the NINJA is holding all the cards...and the cards say:

ACCN is going to happen....not if but when and what

As indicated on Jan 21, 201
The Conference Presidents are discussing approval as this is written--moving forward is no longer the issue.
1. ESPN/Raycom working this together with the ACC
2. Monies from Maryland leaving may be used...at least the Conference $$$
3. Fox negotiations are moving forward...to get subleases from Raycom back
4. The leadership of the ACC Digital Network (Raycom) is turning out to be a big component of the plan

--------------
SO Where does this stand now...

Cable unbundling is a factor-- it is not the primary concern. All along the ACC has chosen ESPN because it has the capability to execute and distribute a number of cable, online, streaming and digital means to reach all psychographics of likely viewers. Point is, the delivery system may not be "just" cable...but a combination of numerous offerings...it is these that are being put together as the ACCN is being ready for launch--it will be ALL at ONCE--presume ACCN to be the most diverified college network of all...and yes RAYCOM will be included...but there is more:

ESPN, ACC, and Raycom are not negotiating in public...among themselves and/or other partners.
HOWEVER, IT IS MOVING TO THE CLOSING STAGE...

Also, keep in mind Notre Dame, NBC etc and potential expansion. The potential change in CCG and divisions is important so don't down play; don't believe the ACC proffered it as just to help the Big 12. There are a number of moving parts--and those parts are about to bring in some not typical partners and associates...
1. Notre Dame and NBC...heating up and does make a strange bedfellow for ESPN...
2. SECN...talks have been ongoing...could be a bigger surprise than #1.
3. Projected time frame remains mid to late 2016-signed and sealed.

The outline of the ACCN is just about done...the noise outside is nothing more than that.

Keep the course it is all moving forward and it will be AWESOME!

It's Good to be 'Cuse! The Order of the 'Cuse Orange...

 

[HtownOrange]

Thanks Arb.

NBC working with ESPN? That would be an expasnion in and of itself if ESPN and ABC formed a college sports alliance of some sort.

 

[rrlbees]

Why shouldn't Raycom be a major player? Swofford's kid is an exec there.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Why shouldn't Raycom be a major player? Swofford's kid is an exec there.

I might be wrong but I think I remember something previously discussed about the ACC having to buy the old content from Raycom if they started this new network. :noidea:

 

[cuseguy]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

 

[longtimefan]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

That sounds more factual than some of the above.

Although, if anyone is really desperate for sports content, the ACC non-revenue sports, especially the spring sports, could fill a lot of hours with quality competition.

 

[Calilivin28]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

Pac 12 Network 2.0

 

[MaxwellCuse]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

Mind telling us who told you there is not a lot of support for an AACN from ESPN? No need to name names. You can make up some initials. Titles would be helpful, however.

Could you also provide a hit list of selling points a potential ACCN lacks that other conference networks have. Please be specific. Is ACC women's soccer and ACC golf just not much of a potential draw? Are the ACC coaches too bland for 80 hours of coaches shows?

 

[cuseguy]

Mind telling us who told you there is not a lot of support for an AACN from ESPN? No need to name names. You can make up some initials. Titles would be helpful, however. Could you also provide a hit list of selling points a potential ACCN lacks that other conference networks have. Please be specific. Is ACC women's soccer and ACC golf just not much of a potential draw? Are the ACC coaches too bland for 80 hours of coaches shows?

You can trust my source.

 

[Chip]

Brave Clarice...you will let me know when those lambs stop screaming, won't you?

 

[Bayside44]

Mind telling us who told you there is not a lot of support for an AACN from ESPN? No need to name names. You can make up some initials. Titles would be helpful, however.

Could you also provide a hit list of selling points a potential ACCN lacks that other conference networks have. Please be specific. Is ACC women's soccer and ACC golf just not much of a potential draw? Are the ACC coaches too bland for 80 hours of coaches shows?

Like no one on a Syracuse board would have ESPN ties, and such. :noidea:

 

[SU2NASA]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

Your logic and reason has no place here.

 

[NKR1978]

ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it.

The ACC should grab UConn. We'd then have coverage in lots of Florida, all of NC/VA/CT, Western PA, the most populated chunk of Kentucky and most SC and CNY. The possibility of NYC, Boston and Atlanta along with whatever ND brings seem like it would make the network viable.

Seeing the available networks that I could subscribe to makes me think that an ACC network would eventually be able to get carriage in most of our markets.

 

[orange79]

Pac 12 Network 2.0

Phew! I get the Pac 12 network, and I live outside Boston.

 

[Alsacs]

One thing I can say is that I highly doubt NBC would cooperate with ESPN/ACC. They own ND's FB rights till 2025 I believe and they wouldn't do anything to help ESPN/ACC with their network. I doubt they would even let ESPN/ACC have replay rights to any NBC ND FB game without the ACC paying big bucks.

Fox will sell back RSN games that Raycom subleased them, but the ACC is going to have to pay a lot of money for them. With all the muscle ESPN has spent launching the SEC network I think ESPN is in a wait an see mode for the ACC. The ACC has better programming potential after the FB season than the SEC does, but the ACC needs its FB to improve to get the cable providers to accept carrying the network with threats from ACC fans.

The ACC owns NC, VA. They could get the ACCN on FL, SC, GA, KY, CNY, WPA, MA but ESPN wants more from the ACC on the field to get this ball more rolling.

 

[Alsacs]

The ACC should grab UConn. We'd then have coverage in lots of Florida, all of NC/VA/CT, Western PA, the most populated chunk of Kentucky and most SC and CNY. The possibility of NYC, Boston and Atlanta along with whatever ND brings seem like it would make the network viable.

Seeing the available networks that I could subscribe to makes me think that an ACC network would eventually be able to get carriage in most of our markets.

The Big Ten which already has the BTN has not made a move for UConn I doubt they see the value of CT. I wouldn't add another mouth to feed unless ND committed full-time if I were the ACC.

 

[Lawrinson14]

The ACC should grab UConn. We'd then have coverage in lots of Florida, all of NC/VA/CT, Western PA, the most populated chunk of Kentucky and most SC and CNY. The possibility of NYC, Boston and Atlanta along with whatever ND brings seem like it would make the network viable.

Seeing the available networks that I could subscribe to makes me think that an ACC network would eventually be able to get carriage in most of our markets.

I still believe the ACC made a mistake by not taking Rutgers and Uconn. That would have locked the ACC into an even 16 teams. It also would have completed the ACC's east coast footprint. The B1G would have absolutely no claim to NYC.

 

[SU2NASA]

The ACC should grab UConn.

It's infinitely funnier watch them descend into total irrelevance.

 

[PhatOrange]

Why not just go the streaming route then. Create an online channel/service ala Netflix, charge 9.99 a month for the content.

 

[Lawrinson14]

Why not just go the streaming route then. Create an online channel/service ala Netflix, charge 9.99 a month for the content.

WWE network, which has a way larger following than the ACC, went this route. They are still in the red even with 1,000,000+ subscribers. It's very expensive and not very lucrative. Also, getting subscribers to pay 9.99 per month is not as easy as it seems.

 

[NKR1978]

The Big Ten which already has the BTN has not made a move for UConn I doubt they see the value of CT. I wouldn't add another mouth to feed unless ND committed full-time if I were the ACC.

They would more than pay for themselves with the entire state of Connecticut and possibly much of Southern New England into Vermont and New Hampshire with ACC Network carriage.

It's infinitely funnier watch them descend into total irrelevance.

It is fun...for now. but I think they'll be in the B1G sooner than later. And while I don't think that will hurt us at all, it wont be good for us.

 

[Alsacs]

They would more than pay for themselves with the entire state of Connecticut and possibly much of Southern New England into Vermont and New Hampshire with ACC Network carriage.



It is fun...for now. but I think they'll be in the B1G sooner than later. And while I don't think that will hurt us at all, it wont be good for us.

My family lives in RI. UConn doesn't move the needle anywhere in NE except in CT. Western MA and RI don't care about them. NE is all about pro sports.

 

[Btstimpy]

One thing I can say is that I highly doubt NBC would cooperate with ESPN/ACC. They own ND's FB rights till 2025 I believe and they wouldn't do anything to help ESPN/ACC with their network. I doubt they would even let ESPN/ACC have replay rights to any NBC ND FB game without the ACC paying big bucks.

Fox will sell back RSN games that Raycom subleased them, but the ACC is going to have to pay a lot of money for them. With all the muscle ESPN has spent launching the SEC network I think ESPN is in a wait an see mode for the ACC. The ACC has better programming potential after the FB season than the SEC does, but the ACC needs its FB to improve to get the cable providers to accept carrying the network with threats from ACC fans.

The ACC owns NC, VA. They could get the ACCN on FL, SC, GA, KY, CNY, WPA, MA but ESPN wants more from the ACC on the field to get this ball more rolling.

One of the respected sources from NC State was suggesting a month ago that NBC has looked at the possibility of buying Raycom Sports. If NBC does this, then they will get cozy with ESPN in a hurry regarding the ACC. I'm not sure if this is what is being implied, but if something like this happens, then it could get interesting regarding Notre Dame.

 

[TexanMark]

One of the respected sources from NC State was suggesting a month ago that NBC has looked at the possibility of buying Raycom Sports. If NBC does this, then they will get cozy with ESPN in a hurry regarding the ACC. I'm not sure if this is what is being implied, but if something like this happens, then it could get interesting regarding Notre Dame.

stimpy...what is your take on the PackPride guy spouting ND to the ACC, etc...about a month ago?

 

[Btstimpy]

stimpy...what is your take on the PackPride guy spouting ND to the ACC, etc...about a month ago?

He was a reliable source in 2012 regarding Notre Dame to the ACC similar to Arb. He knew about it 5 months before it happened. He was trying to find out more the last I checked last month. He got what he reported last month from a Notre Dame booster he knows. This Notre Dame booster also named school number 16 candidates that Notre Dame would want to come too (Texas, Penn State, Navy, Cincinnati) in that order. Who knows if it will happen? Cincinnati would join within an hour. The others, I'm not so sure.