JB to Calhoun: Very Interesting Quote from ESPN

[arbitragegls]

Interesting and telling quote. What was the final tally on the media contract. Which schools voted against...I know Pitt came around and voted for at end...Cuse voted for...Rutgirls voted against...how did other schools vote:

"The two coaches, both Hall of Famers, sat side by side on the bleachers at a New Hampshire prep school. They were there to watch a recruit, but as they sat passing the time, the conversation stretched and wandered.

"The one thing Jim [Boeheim] said to me was, 'How the hell did we pass up on all that money?'" Jim Calhoun recalled.

The question, concerning the reported $1.2 billion television deal the Big East turned down, was posed by the Syracuse coach on a Wednesday. "
ESPN

 

[zeekay]

From what I remember most of the Providence Cabal (the bball schools) voted against, including Notre Dame. The fact that bball schools have any say on TV deals that affect the football schools shows how screwed up this stupid conference was.

 

[rrlbees]

From what I remember most of the Providence Cabal (the bball schools) voted against, including Notre Dame. The fact that bball schools have any say on TV deals that affect the football schools shows how screwed up this stupid conference was.

And lets not forget as has been mentioned before, rutgers also voted against. The only reasons I can come up with are;

1. They wanted to go for the gusto in hopes of getting a bigger del and allowing them to back off from the state money they need to pay for things they can't afford and the biggest contract being paid to the worst coach in the BE or...

2. They are stupid or...

3. They voted no to be in line with what ND voted in an attempt to brown nose them so that they can hopefully ride ND's coattails into the B10 if ND goes there. Kind of making up for telling ND to stick the Meadowlands games up their arse.

Any of the 3 says they aren't their own "man" and/or are stupid and do things to placate others thus admitting they are everyone's little brother.

 

[bevosu]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I swear I can remember many on the old board saying things like..with NBC (Versus) and possible some others getting into the act, that it was to the BEC advantage to wait and we'd probably end up with a larger TV contract (and it would put the old ACC deal to shame). The refusal putting the BE into a better bargaining position.

I don't have an opinion either way, but now it seems like those memories might be a figment of my imagination. Anyone else recall those posts?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I swear I can remember many on the old board saying things like..with NBC (Versus) and possible some others getting into the act, that it was to the BEC advantage to wait and we'd probably end up with a larger TV contract (and it would put the old ACC deal to shame). The refusal putting the BE into a better bargaining position.

I don't have an opinion either way, but now it seems like those memories might be a figment of my imagination. Anyone else recall those posts?

That was the sentiment on the UConn board. I think the consensus was to stay with ESPN, but if NBC Sports was involved in the bidding, the price would have gone up significantly.

In retrospect, it was a horrible decision.

 

[arbitragegls]

and lets not forget...Notre Dame's media contract is with NBC...so Notre Dame voting against ESPN is a double whammy...in bed with NBC and not a football playing school in the BE...wow; did we get hammered.

 

[PeteCalvin]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I swear I can remember many on the old board saying things like..with NBC (Versus) and possible some others getting into the act, that it was to the BEC advantage to wait and we'd probably end up with a larger TV contract (and it would put the old ACC deal to shame). The refusal putting the BE into a better bargaining position.

I don't have an opinion either way, but now it seems like those memories might be a figment of my imagination. Anyone else recall those posts?

Regardless of the opinion on the board, many of the people to whom it really mattered thought differently. I think that the bball only schools may have thought that the success of bball would have some kind of positive impact on how the new contract was negotiated, thus giving them a bigger chunk of the pie. So they decided to hold out for the bigger money gambling the stability of the football side. Think about it. Do you think GTown, SJU, etc, thought in a million years that SU would leave the BE? I bet they all thought that after the 2004 fiasco SU was all in, never to think about leaving again. Well guess what? Not even the best bball conference in the country can stand up to the rolling juggernaut of football. If the Providence Mafia had simply understood how thin of a rope they were standing on, they would have listened to people like Daryl Gross, grabbed the dough and stabilized the core of the conference. Instead they listened to ND and now find themselves scraping the bottom of the barrell to remain solvent. Marinatto should have rallied the troops, taken the TV deal, grabbed KU, KSU, etc., when the Big 12 was in flux, renegotiated the contract and gone for broke. Instead...well, we know the rest.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

Link, please?

 

[DoctorBombay]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I swear I can remember many on the old board saying things like..with NBC (Versus) and possible some others getting into the act, that it was to the BEC advantage to wait and we'd probably end up with a larger TV contract (and it would put the old ACC deal to shame). The refusal putting the BE into a better bargaining position.

I don't have an opinion either way, but now it seems like those memories might be a figment of my imagination. Anyone else recall those posts?

In retrospect, & hindsight being what it is... ie; 20/20, they should've taken the deal.
But, I too remember a general consensus that waiting on the Versus & Fox proposals was the better play, especially after the PAC12 contracts were announced.
Marinatto tooted his own horn & had all those TV execs at BE Media Day eating out of his hand...or so he thought. Maybe if he'd stayed quiet & worked behind the scenes, the outcome might've been different.
He was trying to score points in the media by showing what a great position the conference was in, but he didn't realize the cutthroat nature of the game being played.
Of course ESPN influenced the ACC overtures, & of course SU/Pitt accepted- that possibility shouldn't have come as a shock, if he'd gone over every possible scenario.
Why Marinatto still has a job...of any kind, is beyond me! :bang:

 

[arbitragegls]

Link, please?

Here you go:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/2011BigEastMediaDay/2011-big-east-media-day

 

[BlackSquirrels]

But, I too remember a general consensus that waiting on the Versus & Fox proposals was the better play, especially after the PAC12 contracts were announced.

I also remember this. I think the prevailing feeling was that ESPN's offer was fairly low compared to what the PAC 12 received.

I wonder what would have happened if the Big East took ESPN's offer? Would that have prevented SU, Pitt and West Virginia from leaving? IMO probably not.

 

[orange79]

I also remember this. I think the prevailing feeling was that ESPN's offer was fairly low compared to what the PAC 12 received.

I wonder what would have happened if the Big East took ESPN's offer? Would that have prevented SU, Pitt and West Virginia from leaving? IMO probably not.

I think it may have taken the administration longer than a weekend had we signed a much better deal than the current one. But I agree, in the end, we would have left anyway.

 

[arbitragegls]

I think it may have taken the administration longer than a weekend had we signed a much better deal than the current one. But I agree, in the end, we would have left anyway...orange79

Not so sure...I think two other big mistakes that led to the leaving were:
1. Vill to football--too much effort spent on a weak football program without a stadium
2. Not moving faster after TCU coming aboard and picking up another school...maybe Boise St for example...

So my view...if we signed contract and had options about adding new teams and markets like every other conference has in contract, and taken another team like Boise St or UCF or Houston...we would have had a larger contract in end (like ACC is doing) and we may have stayed together. But the bball only teams and ND were wielding too much power...so we got out