Just when you thought the Big East couldn't have been dumber

[Alsacs]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...-east-tv-negotiations/?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp
Pete Thamel reports that ESPN has the right to match any offer the Big East gets. So if all the Big East could get from NBC was an offer for 20-23 million a year do they honestly expect ESPN to not match and just stick the Big East on ESPN3 and have a cheap product available. ESPN isn't going to give NBC Sports Network a potential rival any programming to compete against them without a fight. The Big East should have leveraged this home on the free agent market. Even if their product sucks which it does ESPN isn't going to let us go if they can have us for cheap. If I am ESPN I realize that the B1G is probably going to FOX atleast partially in 2016 and match this offer just to have cheap content available for that time. The question I have now is why wouldn't the Big East just give the Catholic 7 the name Big East and form a complete new conference so this ESPN match clause isn't available. I wonder if the Big East even has any competent lawyers that could explain this to their leadership.

 

[TexanMark]

Does ESPN have to match exactly the offer of guaranteed appearances? I think if NBC put most of it on their new channel that would equate to ESPNU.

 

[arbitragegls]

Guys, would be best for ACC to have BE go to NBC...for several reasons including ND...ACC does not want ESPN to own rights to BE...trust me on this one! If ESPN does get the BE, it diminishes the bargaining power of the ACC renegotiation...and hurts because NBC then will bid higher for Notre Dame....

 

[nzm136]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...-east-tv-negotiations/?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp
Pete Thamel reports that ESPN has the right to match any offer the Big East gets. So if all the Big East could get from NBC was an offer for 20-23 million a year do they honestly expect ESPN to not match and just stick the Big East on ESPN3 and have a cheap product available. ESPN isn't going to give NBC Sports Network a potential rival any programming to compete against them without a fight. The Big East should have leveraged this home on the free agent market. Even if their product sucks which it does ESPN isn't going to let us go if they can have us for cheap. If I am ESPN I realize that the B1G is probably going to FOX atleast partially in 2016 and match this offer just to have cheap content available for that time. The question I have now is why wouldn't the Big East just give the Catholic 7 the name Big East and form a complete new conference so this ESPN match clause isn't available. I wonder if the Big East even has any competent lawyers that could explain this to their leadership.

I haven't seen the clause, but I would assume that NBC would have to give a "final offer" before ESPN's match clause can be envoked. Otherwise ESPN would offer to match, so NBC would respond by raising the offer, and so on and so on, just like a normal bidding war. If NBC does have to give a final offer, then their offer should be the lowest price at which they think that ESPN won't offer to match, or if they don't think that the BIG EAST is that valuable to them, then they should offer the highest price that they think ESPN will match, so ESPN couldn't get it for cheap. Assuming that NBC had to give a final offer that they are rational (i.e. they did what makes the most economic sense), and that they only offered about $20-$23 million/yr for all BIG EAST sports, then the nBE is just nearly completely worthless.

Syracuse and WVU added value to the ACC and the Big XII respectively, and both the ACC and the Big XII have per school payouts that are roughly equal to the ENTIRE rumored payout for every school in the nBE combined. That doesn't speak well for the TV appeal of UCONN and UC. It also doesn't speak well about either school's chances of moving up to a "Power Five" conference, even if they somehow keep from dropping off.

On the bright side, recruiting in the northeast just got a LOT easier. UCONN is gone, and I'm not sure how much longer RU will remain a factor. No FCS wins and yearly losses to OSU, PSU, Michigan, Nebraska, and Michigan State are not going to help their chances of going to a bowl, the athletic program will be fored to add more sports, most of the TV revenue bump will balance out reductions in student athletics fees, which means the athletic program won't see as much of an increase as many are projecting, the combo of the BTN buy-in, the BIG EAST exit fee, and a year of the nBE's TV contract won't do them any financial favors, and they have fewer games close to home. Throw in the fact that WVU is an island, and when it's all said and done, they aren't projected to have tangibly more TV money than Pitt, who is not an island, and WVU might be running uphill too. BC is a mess, UMD is a mess and broke, and PSU will be down for another 6 years or so, which gives us an excellent window. The ENTIRE northeast consists of Syracuse and Pitt.

We have a ton of money and shiny new facilities (hopefully including an indoor practice building soon). Don't look now, but if HCSS is as good as I think that he will be, we will be the beast in the east.

Throw in the fact that basketball has the Melo center, and I would imagine that lax will benefit from the renovations/IPF, and we could be looking at the late 80's all over again.

 

[TheCusian]

I haven't seen the clause, but I would assume that NBC would have to give a "final offer" before ESPN's match clause can be envoked. Otherwise ESPN would offer to match, so NBC would respond by raising the offer, and so on and so on, just like a normal bidding war. If NBC does have to give a final offer, then their offer should be the lowest price at which they think that ESPN won't offer to match, or if they don't think that the BIG EAST is that valuable to them, then they should offer the highest price that they think ESPN will match, so ESPN couldn't get it for cheap. Assuming that NBC had to give a final offer that they are rational (i.e. they did what makes the most economic sense), and that they only offered about $20-$23 million/yr for all BIG EAST sports, then the nBE is just nearly completely worthless.

Syracuse and WVU added value to the ACC and the Big XII respectively, and both the ACC and the Big XII have per school payouts that are roughly equal to the ENTIRE rumored payout for every school in the nBE combined. That doesn't speak well for the TV appeal of UCONN and UC. It also doesn't speak well about either school's chances of moving up to a "Power Five" conference, even if they somehow keep from dropping off.

On the bright side, recruiting in the northeast just got a LOT easier. UCONN is gone, and I'm not sure how much longer RU will remain a factor. No FCS wins and yearly losses to OSU, PSU, Michigan, Nebraska, and Michigan State are not going to help their chances of going to a bowl, the athletic program will be fored to add more sports, most of the TV revenue bump will balance out reductions in student athletics fees, which means the athletic program won't see as much of an increase as many are projecting, the combo of the BTN buy-in, the BIG EAST exit fee, and a year of the nBE's TV contract won't do them any financial favors, and they have fewer games close to home. Throw in the fact that WVU is an island, and when it's all said and done, they aren't projected to have tangibly more TV money than Pitt, who is not an island, and WVU might be running uphill too. BC is a mess, UMD is a mess and broke, and PSU will be down for another 6 years or so, which gives us an excellent window. The ENTIRE northeast consists of Syracuse and Pitt.

We have a ton of money and shiny new facilities (hopefully including an indoor practice building soon). Don't look now, but if HCSS is as good as I think that he will be, we will be the beast in the east.

Throw in the fact that basketball has the Melo center, and I would imagine that lax will benefit from the renovations/IPF, and we could be looking at the late 80's all over again.

Lots there... I agree on the NE being ripe. It's going to take the IPF, surprising this year, and being in contention in the ACC in the next 3.

We really need to beat PSU this year too. In NYC.

 

[Alsacs]

I don't want the Big East on ESPN because it would reduce the TV slots for ACC schools. However, my point was that the Big East contract actually gave ESPN the chance to match any offer. What a stupid clause to include in the contract. The 20-23 million per year offer from NBC seems like a legit offer, but I am pretty sure ESPN will want to match the offer just to prevent NBC from getting any inventory for their network. 23 million a year is cheap for ESPN and I am sure the Big East contract doesn't dictate how many games have to be on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU its ESPN's discretion. Thus, ESPN could match the 23 million stick a lot of the Big East game's on ESPN3 and use these games to get more traffic on that platform.

 

[arbitragegls]

I don't want the Big East on ESPN because it would reduce the TV slots for ACC schools. However, my point was that the Big East contract actually gave ESPN the chance to match any offer. What a stupid clause to include in the contract. The 20-23 million per year offer from NBC seems like a legit offer, but I am pretty sure ESPN will want to match the offer just to prevent NBC from getting any inventory for their network. 23 million a year is cheap for ESPN and I am sure the Big East contract doesn't dictate how many games have to be on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU its ESPN's discretion. Thus, ESPN could match the 23 million stick a lot of the Big East game's on ESPN3 and use these games to get more traffic on that platform.

correct and:
Guys, would be best for ACC to have BE go to NBC...for several reasons including ND...ACC does not want ESPN to own rights to BE...trust me on this one! If ESPN does get the BE, it diminishes the bargaining power of the ACC renegotiation...and hurts because NBC then will bid higher for Notre Dame....

 

[nzm136]

I don't want the Big East on ESPN because it would reduce the TV slots for ACC schools. However, my point was that the Big East contract actually gave ESPN the chance to match any offer. What a stupid clause to include in the contract. The 20-23 million per year offer from NBC seems like a legit offer, but I am pretty sure ESPN will want to match the offer just to prevent NBC from getting any inventory for their network. 23 million a year is cheap for ESPN and I am sure the Big East contract doesn't dictate how many games have to be on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU its ESPN's discretion. Thus, ESPN could match the 23 million stick a lot of the Big East game's on ESPN3 and use these games to get more traffic on that platform.

I would imagine that they would. ESPN 3 has higher carriage charges (I think) and less viewers. In other words, although it isn't good for advertisning revenue, it is good forcollecting carriage charges. If ESPN puts a diverse array of content that might lack general interest, but has fanatical fans, then they will make a ton of money. BIG EAST athletics would be perfect. The nBE has a good number of schools (11-13) with a decent number of intense fans, but it only has limited general appeal, so there isn't the temptation to put it on ESPN proper. None the less, my first paragraph still applies. The BIG EAST will be compensated according to their worth. They just won't necessarily be aired in a way that's in the best interest of the schools (depending on the wording of the clause). However, I assume that they agreed to the clause because they received extra compensation for the clause in a previous contract because you're right. They are losing a lot of freedom, which translates into a lot of value, because current exposure = long-term value.

 

[Chip]

So the Big East is a restricted free agent?

 

[Orangello]

more like a has been on the waiver wire

 

[DoctorBombay]

correct and:
Guys, would be best for ACC to have BE go to NBC...for several reasons including ND...ACC does not want ESPN to own rights to BE...trust me on this one! If ESPN does get the BE, it diminishes the bargaining power of the ACC renegotiation...and hurts because NBC then will bid higher for Notre Dame....

Got it.
But what if FOX grabs the BE- what effect would that have on the ACC?
Murdoch's been known to throw money at something just for leverage- would it be a positive or negative for ACC?
Although if NBC loses to either FOX or ESPN, they'd be more determined than ever to re-up with ND, no?

 

[zls44]

The clause is in every sports TV contract except the Olympics and FIFA contracts. That isn't a Big East screwup, its boilerplate.

 

[Btstimpy]

Got it.
But what if FOX grabs the BE- what effect would that have on the ACC?
Murdoch's been known to throw money at something just for leverage- would it be a positive or negative for ACC?
Although if NBC loses to either FOX or ESPN, they'd be more determined than ever to re-up with ND, no?

Fox has no interest at all in the Big East. They want the C7 and were the catalyst to cause the C7 to leave the Big East. Fox will be buying the rights to the C7. They have the PAC 12 and Big XII football already, so they don't want more college football. They want college basketball without college football. The C7 fits that perfect.

This leaves only NBC and ESPN looking at the Big East, which outside of UConn and Temple is basically Conference USA.

 

[Alsacs]

The clause is in every sports TV contract except the Olympics and FIFA contracts. That isn't a Big East screwup, its boilerplate.

it is not in NFL contracts read the ESPN book by James Andrew Mitchell the NFL boxed ESPN by making them overpay for MNF the NFL and Howard Katz did not allow ESPN to match NBC's offer for SNF so it force ESPN\Disney to overpay just to have an NFL property on its network. If the match clause language is standard boilerplate language the conference lawyers negotiating are terrible. I highly doubt they are standard they are probably negotiated on ESPN's behalf by its legal team.

 

[NineOneSeven]

They go and pull a stunt like this...

 

[arbitragegls]

okay, the written offer from NBC has been made. It is for $20-$23 million a year for football and bball for entire BE...ESPN has one week to match inorder to keep the BE...there is no further bidding. It is either NBC-WE SHOULD ALL HOPE-or ESPN. ACC better off with this going to NBC

 

[Btstimpy]

okay, the written offer from NBC has been made. It is for $20-$23 million a year for football and bball for entire BE...ESPN has one week to match inorder to keep the BE...there is no further bidding. It is either NBC-WE SHOULD ALL HOPE-or ESPN. ACC better off with this going to NBC

Reading on the UConn site, they are saying that NBC is including a Thursday night game every week in Football as well as a good number of Saturday 3:30 games on the NBC networks. They also say that there is some room in the NBC deal for CBS to buy some games for their sports network. NBC also plans to show quite a few basketball games. There are some advantages with NBC for the Big East that ESPN/ABC won't offer them as far as game times and visibility.

 

[arbitragegls]

Reading on the UConn site, they are saying that NBC is including a Thursday night game every week in Football as well as a good number of Saturday 3:30 games on the NBC networks. They also say that there is some room in the NBC deal for CBS to buy some games for their sports network. NBC also plans to show quite a few basketball games. There are some advantages with NBC for the Big East that ESPN/ABC won't offer them as far as game times and visibility.

All above may be true, and I hope BE goes with NBC...HOWEVER, IT IS CONTINGENT ON ESPN NOT MEETING THE OFFER($$$)...that is in the contract for ESPN..meet the dollars and get the BE...we as 'Cuse fans do not want this to happen...let BE go to NBC (it no longer is a negotiated decision...if ESPN meets dollars, ESPN gets the BE)

 

[BlazeOrange]

Is it just a matter of matching dollars, or do they also have to match terms?

 

[TexanMark]

All above may be true, and I hope BE goes with NBC...HOWEVER, IT IS CONTINGENT ON ESPN NOT MEETING THE OFFER($$$)...that is in the contract for ESPN..meet the dollars and get the BE...we as 'Cuse fans do not want this to happen...let BE go to NBC (it no longer is a negotiated decision...if ESPN meets dollars, ESPN gets the BE)

The big if: Does ESPN have to offer the same exposure? Thursday night games, etc...?

 

[SU2NASA]

The big if: Does ESPN have to offer the same exposure? Thursday night games, etc...?

Plenty of room on the ESPN family of networks.

 

[DoctorBombay]

All above may be true, and I hope BE goes with NBC...HOWEVER, IT IS CONTINGENT ON ESPN NOT MEETING THE OFFER($$$)...that is in the contract for ESPN..meet the dollars and get the BE...we as 'Cuse fans do not want this to happen...let BE go to NBC (it no longer is a negotiated decision...if ESPN meets dollars, ESPN gets the BE)

Devil's advocate, Arb- what if ESPN matches & grabs the BE? What does that signal for the ACC, ND, re-alignment, and so on?

 

[arbitragegls]

Devil's advocate, Arb- what if ESPN matches & grabs the BE? What does that signal for the ACC, ND, re-alignment, and so on?

As indicated previously, this will not be "good" for the ACC renegotiation.
1. ESPN gets content over and above ACC at 100%
--even if not as good places a competitior to times and channels
2. NBC becomes even hungrier to keep Notre Dame
3. If taking BE "cools" in any way $$$ that ESPN may be willing to throw at the ACC and/or slow the ACC network than it will be a negative for teams that are concerned about $$$

This would dampen to a degree the path the ACC is following insofar as renegotiation with ESPN; what ND may do; and what may happen to the ACC network moving forward. Lot's of pieces, but prefer ESPN TO NOT SIGN BE...that would be a very positive signal for the ACC rather than ok so now ESPN has the BE too.

 

[retro44]

to me it doesn't really matter what network takes the big east as I will be busy raking leaves when syracuse isn't on or playing

 

[TexanMark]

Mark Blaudschun thinks ESPN will have to meet all particulars...I don't see it happening.
Saturday 3:30pm TV slots, Thursday night games, etc...
http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=5173

But it looks like ESPN can raise the bid $$$ wise with less exposure and see ifthe nnnnnBE will take it. We should know in a week.