ACC Network Thread

[pepband99]

A Boneyarder who got lost.

Hope he enjoys finding FS2 from his cable provider.

I promise i mean no ill will. I'm a UConn alumnus and a TV nerd.

The difference between how this was sold/what was thought, and the reality, is stunning. Everyone, most here included, thought that the ACCN would be a true, national, network - like the SECN, B1GN, etc. It's not. It's essentially the Longhorn Network, but with a multi-state footprint. This potentially impacts the revenue due schools, not to mention the perception of the ACC, in general.

But hey - at least it's better than the Pac12 network, right?

 

[sutomcat]

I promise i mean no ill will. I'm a UConn alumnus and a TV nerd.

The difference between how this was sold/what was thought, and the reality, is stunning. Everyone, most here included, thought that the ACCN would be a true, national, network - like the SECN, B1GN, etc. It's not. It's essentially the Longhorn Network, but with a multi-state footprint. This potentially impacts the revenue due schools, not to mention the perception of the ACC, in general.

But hey - at least it's better than the Pac12 network, right?

In terms of distribution, as the ACCN goes live, it is far ahead of the B1GN, the SECN. or of course the Pac12 network in terms of distribution and subscriptions.

No one (except apparently you) thought it was going start equal to networks established 5 or 10 years before.

The natural time to get carriers to sign on with the ACCN is when their contract with ESPN Disney expires. Some of the contracts will not expire for a couple more years. The ACCN is already exceeds the subscriptions and revenue from the Pac 12 network. Trying to compare the ACCN to the Longhorn network is like trying to compare the Syracuse football program to the UConn football program.

They are on completely different levels.

If you want to be taken seriously, please learn more about what you are trying to post on.

Good grief!

 

[pepband99]

In terms of distribution, as the ACCN goes live, it is far ahead of the B1GN, the SECN. or of course the Pac12 network in terms of distribution and subscriptions.

No one (except apparently you) thought it was going start equal to networks established 5 or 10 years before.

The natural time to get carriers to sign on with the ACCN is when their contract with ESPN Disney expires. Some of the contracts will not expire for a couple more years. The ACCN is already exceeds the subscriptions and revenue from the Pac 12 network. Trying to compare the ACCN to the Longhorn network is like trying to compare the Syracuse football program to the UConn football program.

They are on completely different levels.

If you want to be taken seriously, please learn more about what you are trying to post on.

Good grief!

You're completely misreading what i said.

I'm comparing the ACCN to other networks based on PLACEMENT, not carriage.

When the other conference networks have gone on a given carrier. almost without exception, they've been on a base-level package. The conference gets pennies from every subscriber, but much more in areas that are local. *This* is what most people were expecting to happen.

The ACCN has gone the other way - get a bigger number in-market, but essentially nothing out-of. The reason i compare it to the LHN is because of that - LHN is base in TX, but sports pack everywhere else. Sound familiar?

And yes, i do get that there will be shuffling when contracts come up, but it's a precarious position, given that the ACCN will be entrenched as "regional" at that point.

 

[Hoo's That]

{snip}
I'm comparing the ACCN to other networks based on PLACEMENT, not carriage.

When the other conference networks have gone on a given carrier. almost without exception, they've been on a base-level package. The conference gets pennies from every subscriber, but much more in areas that are local. *This* is what most people were expecting to happen.
{snip}

This is totally incorrect. On Comcast in Delaware, the SEC and B1G Networks are both in a premium sports package, along with ESPNU, not on basic cable. The ACC Network will be in that same premium package once the "negotiations" conclude. The SEC Network is in the premium package in Maryland as well, and the B1G Network is in the same channel location which implies it is a premium channel, too.

The rumor at the outset was the ESPN was going to drop ESPNews or ESPN Classic from the lineup and substitute the ACCN in its place. Most cable systems do not have those channels as part of the basic cable package. The only sports channels in available in the Comcast Delaware basic package are: ESPN, ESPN2, MASN (owned by the Orioles and shows the Washington Nationals as well) and its spillover channel, Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports Washington and its spillover, NBC Sports Philadelphia, the NBC Sports Network, and the Golf Channel. (The last four and Comcast are all owned by NBC Universal.)

 

[pepband99]

This is totally incorrect. On Comcast in Delaware, the SEC and B1G Networks are both in a premium sports package, not on basic cable. The SEC Network is in the premium package in Maryland as well.

They're nationally base tier on national carriers. Individual cable headends vary too much to be 100% on, but there is a clear difference on the national ones.

 

[Hoo's That]

They're nationally base tier on national carriers. Individual cable headends vary too much to be 100% on, but there is a clear difference on the national ones.

So you're saying Comcast isn't a "national carrier". If they're not, who is?

 

[pepband99]

So you're saying Comcast isn't a "national carrier". If they're not, who is?

Comcast is national. What channels comcast carries in a given market, isn't. That's why using DirecTV is more useful - it's truly national (and sports-centric)

 

[Hoo's That]

Comcast is national. What channels comcast carries in a given market, isn't. That's why using DirecTV is more useful - it's truly national (and sports-centric)

Oh, now I see what you're doing. You're basing your argument on the one system that backs it up rather than on cable (which more people have than any of the dishes) that doesn't. OK.

 

[pepband99]

Oh, now I see what you're doing. You're basing your argument on the one system that backs it up rather than on cable (which more people have than any of the dishes) that doesn't. OK.

No, I'm basing it on the one type of TV that isn't constrained for tiers by bandwidth.

Example: Spectrum "has the ACC network," but it's a business decision whether or not it's carried in a given market. If they get enough demand, it will get on a basic tier, and take a piece of their (somewhat limited) bandwidth.

DirecTV doesn't have that limitation at all. It's a switch flip for them. It gives the truest measure of how the channel is carried.

I could just as easily use a cable company, but then i get some jabroni from Delaware telling me he's getting it.

 

[sutomcat]

You're completely misreading what i said.

I'm comparing the ACCN to other networks based on PLACEMENT, not carriage.

When the other conference networks have gone on a given carrier. almost without exception, they've been on a base-level package. The conference gets pennies from every subscriber, but much more in areas that are local. *This* is what most people were expecting to happen.

The ACCN has gone the other way - get a bigger number in-market, but essentially nothing out-of. The reason i compare it to the LHN is because of that - LHN is base in TX, but sports pack everywhere else. Sound familiar?

And yes, i do get that there will be shuffling when contracts come up, but it's a precarious position, given that the ACCN will be entrenched as "regional" at that point.

The B1G didn't have any distribution with Time Warner or Comcast until a year after it went on line. Their initial agreements with those companies, and everyone else, except DirectTV, which was owned by it's partner Fox, were not base level agreements.

They have systematically improved their positioning over time.

The same is true of the SECN. There are lots of posts out there from when the SECN went on line from SEC fans outside of SEC footprint states , unhappy because they have to buy a higher tier package to get the network.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. The ACCN is the most successful rollout of a conference network in history. Get over your hatred, upgrade your cable subscription and start watching ACC sports. You know you want to.

 

[pepband99]

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. The ACCN is the most successful rollout of a conference network in history. Get over your hatred, upgrade your cable subscription and start watching ACC sports. You know you want to.

You are completely wrong, yet you throw around the above, for the second time? I'm trying to be somewhat cordial on an opposing site.

SECN: 90 million homes , including national base tiers on both DBS providers
B1GN: 30 million at launch, with Dish coming on 2 weeks after (again, national tier on both)

...and the ACCN? They won't say specifically, except that they beat the B1G number from launch, but the VPI AD can't get it on Comcast. LOL. He also notes he can get the BTN and SECN.

 

[sutomcat]

You are completely wrong, yet you throw around the above, for the second time? I'm trying to be somewhat cordial on an opposing site.

SECN: 90 million homes , including national base tiers on both DBS providers
B1GN: 30 million at launch, with Dish coming on 2 weeks after (again, national tier on both)

...and the ACCN? They won't say specifically, except that they beat the B1G number from launch, but the VPI AD can't get it on Comcast. LOL. He also notes he can get the BTN and SECN.

I know the ACCN had more distribution than the SECN did at the same time a couple of weeks before it went live. Maybe the SECN passed it at the last moment. That is the one thing you might have right in your post.

The SECN was not national from day one on DirectTV. There is no question on this.

SECN on Directv ?

The SECN was not national from day one on Verizon. There is no question on this.

Verizon FiOS Upgrades SEC Network to HD Format

B1G was not national on all carriers when it started. It started with far fewer subscribers than ACCN. And even today, it is not national with Dish. You have to go for a tier above basic to get it.

DISH Channel Lineup - See Channels by DISH Package | DISH

I don't have time to link all the rest of the evidence that shows you know not of what you speak.

But good try.

 

[pepband99]

Your SECN link is about ESPN Classic. This one is better, and actually has a comment about it being national (and also mentions LHN as the alternative - hmmmm)

Verizon isn't DBS, plus it's a niche carrer, so not sure what you're on about. "National on Verizon" doesn't mean much.

B1GN is national on Dish: Big Ten Network Channel on DISH | GoDish.com

Why are you so hellbent on screaming that I'm wrong, when you're clearly talking completely out your keyster?

 

[Moontan]

One more thing, I don’t get the Yukon Notwork either... no matter which tier of service I subscribe to.

Is ACCN distribution perfect? No.
However, if you want it you can get it. Yes, it may cost more and/or require another or an extra provider. It will get better over time. Once my current agreement runs out we’ll be re-exploring an OTA+YouTubeTV/DirecTV Now/PS Vue solution.

The bandwidth issue that you’re harping on is slowly fading as well as providers move to streaming as well (e.g. see Charter’s AppleTV client as an alternative to STB deployment).

 

[sutomcat]

Your SECN link is about ESPN Classic. This one is better, and actually has a comment about it being national (and also mentions LHN as the alternative - hmmmm)

Verizon isn't DBS, plus it's a niche carrer, so not sure what you're on about. "National on Verizon" doesn't mean much.

B1GN is national on Dish: Big Ten Network Channel on DISH | GoDish.com

Why are you so hellbent on screaming that I'm wrong, when you're clearly talking completely out your keyster?

Sigh.

You apparently don't even know how to read. Follow the first link in my first link. If you don't know how links work, I pasted it for you below.

Find out what channel SEC Network will be on DirecTV, which package you need to get it

B1GN is 'national' on Dish with a package that costs extra. I thought if you had to pay extra, it was not national? Do you even try to follow your posts?

Regarding Verizon, you posted about the SECN and B1GN being national everywhere. Again, wrong.

Changing your argument to satellite carrier companies only now is a little late...

 

[pepband99]

One more thing, I don’t get the Yukon Notwork either... no matter which tier of service I subscribe to.

Is ACCN distribution perfect? No.
However, if you want it you can get it. Yes, it may cost more and/or require another or an extra provider. It will get better over time. Once my current agreement runs out we’ll be re-exploring an OTA+YouTubeTV/DirecTV Now/PS Vue solution.

The bandwidth issue that you’re harping on is slowly fading as well as providers move to streaming as well (e.g. see Charter’s AppleTV client as an alternative to STB deployment).

Yeah - I'm with you on exploring other avenues - every time i've looked, there's always a hangup. 4K might be the next one, but let's see where the streaming services go (not to mention bandwidth caps) - it's going to be interesting.

It's good to see ESPN pulled you guys off of TSN.

 

[pepband99]

Sigh.

You apparently don't even know how to read. Follow the first link in my first link. If you don't know how links work, I pasted it for you below.

Find out what channel SEC Network will be on DirecTV, which package you need to get it

B1GN is 'national' on Dish with a package that costs extra. I thought if you had to pay extra, it was not national? Do you even try to follow your posts?

Regarding Verizon, you posted about the SECN and B1GN being national everywhere. Again, wrong.

Changing your argument to satellite carrier companies only now is a little late...

Check your link, and check my link. Tell me again that I don't read, or create links. RIF

The next-to-lowest channel package on Dish is really "costs extra" in your mind? I guess FIOS is giving you ACCN on lifeline cable? You can't see the difference between being in a "normal" TV package, and needing to add onto the comparable normal package +13.99 / month on DirecTV?

I posted:
B1GN: 30 million at launch, with Dish coming on 2 weeks after (again, national tier on both)

"Both" meaning both dbs providers, like i said in the link directly above that one. again, RIF.

 

[pepband99]

I don't have time to link all the rest of the evidence that shows you know not of what you speak.

But good try.

I'll guess I'll just keep posting this peach, until you come up with a > 90M ACCN launch number:

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. The ACCN is the most successful rollout of a conference network in history.

 

[JimBoston]

Everybody understood that the cable bundle business has changed dramatically since the BTN and SECN launched, which is why the expectations for the ACCN launch were always tempered. Nobody ever expected the ACCN to generate similar revenues as the BTN or SECN. The BTN launched at one of the best possible times and the SECN launched right as traditional cable subs were peaking. Since the SECN was launched, traditional cable subs have declined by ~10% and are in a secular decline. The last thing a cable company wants today is a new network to add to their bundle so it is a battle to get carriage, especially at an in-market rate.

The other issue that was always going to impact the ACCN vs the BTN and SECN was the smaller number of state flagship universities in the conference which meant fewer potential full priced in market subscribers. If the ACC had a vision of an ACCN 10 years ago, they would have grabbed Rutgers and done everything in their power to keep Maryland. Adding those two schools produced a huge windfall for the Big Ten.

Bottom line, there will be an ACCN that shows ACC games and it will be available for people to watch, although you may have to change your cable provider. But, over time, as cable subs continue to decline, the BTN and the SECN will have to change their business models to maintain revenues. My prediction is that all of these conference networks will be primarily streaming networks in 10 years.

 

[pepband99]

...
Bottom line, there will be an ACCN that shows ACC games and it will be available for people to watch, although you may have to change your cable provider. But, over time, as cable subs continue to decline, the BTN and the SECN will have to change their business models to maintain revenues. My prediction is that all of these conference networks will be primarily streaming networks in 10 years.

I'm with you there. If anything, this launch looks more and more like the top of a tail end of a curve.

 

[Moontan]

If the ACC had a vision of an ACCN 10 years ago, they would have grabbed Rutgers and done everything in their power to keep Maryland. Adding those two schools produced a huge windfall for the Big Ten.

Unfortunately, Maryland athletics is/was in a financial mess and was desperate for additional $$$. Methinks everyone would’ve preferred to keep Maryland in the conference instead of picking up Pitino & co..

 

[ForCuseSake]

I'll guess I'll just keep posting this peach, until you come up with a > 90M ACCN launch number:

You're quoting 90M subscribers from the FS1 launch?

Because the only reference to that number in the link you posted is this:

FYI - the SEC Network had 62M subscribers at launch.

 

[pepband99]

You're quoting 90M subscribers from the FS1 launch?

Because the only reference to that number in the link you posted is this:

View attachment 168969

FYI - the SEC Network had 62M subscribers at launch.

Nope. 92+

The link i posted updated in the middle of it

That sounds like typical hyperbole, but the SEC Network is indeed on pace to have by far the most successful launch of any conference network. It's now likely met its goal of 75 million subscribers.

Update: Charter announced that it will carry the SEC Network, meaning it will now be available in 90 million homes.

but also had the following tweet too:

 

[ForCuseSake]

Nope. 92+

Yup!

You posted a tweet of how many homes the network was available.

I posted the number of subscribers at launch.

 

[pepband99]

Yup!

You posted a tweet of how many homes the network was available.

I posted the number of subscribers at launch.

I posted a link to number of homes and had the text in my link of "homes"

...but I can't read, apparently.

I'm being polite by posting homes available, too. If you go by subscribers, the inclusion on *only* the sports pack on DirecTV will cut the ACCN number substantially.