Not what I was referring too. If and when the ACC network becomes a reality, they can use SU students to man the booth, produce the content, etc., coming from this corner of the world. Great experience for the students and good man power for the network.
ESPN has been investing in it's online presence for some time and recently announced that every ESPN game broadcast can be also be streamed. So they obviously think this is the future ... although right now cable's their bread and butter. Personally, I hate streaming.
Protecting/expanding our 2nd and 3d tier rights; positioning us for better exposure in the ACC NW; moving on from TWC; getting rid of Raycom; and working towards better control over broadcast rights so idiots like FOX can't steal our games and put them on MSG3.
Right now, SU has a contract with Time Warner Sports to distribute its tier three c0ntent that ESPN doesn't want. This includes the coaches show, a few home men's basketball games each year, most women's home basketball games, home games for soccer, field hockey, softball, and many home lacrosse games.
They need to get him on the horn with the Pegulas. I wonder if hockey and basketball will conflict too much for that to work but that channel would have a lot of content and be a lot more appealing than just Syracuse only. it would also help market the team further outside the area where they draw for attendance
My guess is that Charter's acquisition of TWC included rights to TW's 3d tier deal with SU (its an asset). If Charter wants out of the local sports market, it won't matter. But if it wants to use SU (as TW did) to retain subscribers and stop the bleeding to Direct TV, then I imagine it would continue the 3d tier deal in some form or another.
Interesting point. Our brand in Buffalo is in need of some burnishing. It's a pro sports town, but the college grads/fans there represent a largely-untapped market for SU. As you mentioned, the Pegulas/BIlls have a presence in Pittsford and have been marketing Rochester for some time hoping to expand East into central NY. Of course, they could do this by signing some SU Players .. (duh). But there are other possibilities .. SU/Bills events, etc. Not sure about sharing a channel with them as their audience demographic is different than ours.
This is the only reason I'm still with Time Warner.
Charter now owns TWC, so they absorb everything TWC had
Can't wait for the first ACC conference meeting. For a change, our AD will actually BE THERE. Second, when Swoberg (or whatever his name is) starts some palaver about ESPN media rights ... our guy will be so on top of it ...it'll be silly.
So John, you want my advice on media negotiations and more specifically with ESPN - let's talk first what you're going to do for Syracuse University.
It may exist today but with Time Warner being phased out, at the least, it will be called something else down the road. Like reedny says, they are unlikely to give the rights back to Syracuse.
This is my guess also .. big company so this will take some time. Once changes start, I don't see Charter/Spectrum voluntarily surrendering any of the SU 3d tier rights that it purchased from TWC. Those rights are a big selling point for cable subscribers pretty much everywhere in upstate NY. At contract expiration/renewal, of course, SU will have some options to renegotiate consistent with its conference contract with ESPN. Whatever goes down, with Wildhack guiding this process, we're in great shape. Bringing his level of media rights expertise to the ACC on behalf of SU will be invaluable.
