Let’s Talk About the Raycom RSN Deal for ACC Content

[sutomcat]

We all know Raycom got some ACC football and basketball games to control as part of an ill fated deal while Swofford was still trying to be the ACC commissioner.

They sold them to regional sports networks, which didn’t seem like a big deal initially, but this became a major headache for ACC fans over time, as millions cut the cord and RSNs became problematic to access for cord cutters. Lots of issues for ACC fans outside the core ACC areas too.

And we know Diamond Sports terminated the agreement in June, so control for the tier 3 ACC content they controlled went back to Raycom.

And we know Raycom is going to sell that content again. The question is, who is going to buy it?

Raycom being Raycom, they will probably pick the highest bidder. You know ESPN is going to want that content back. When the ACC network was started, ESPN tried to buy that content, which they would have loved to show on ACCN, and Raycom said no. EPSN has surely heard the cries of anger and outrage from ACC fans who pay for access to ESPN and ACCN and still can’t get all the games..

It has been a few weeks since Raycom got control of this ACC content back and no word yet on where it is going.

Is it possible someone else has expressed interest? If so, who?

I read some speculation one of the streaming options might be interested. Someone like Apple TV, Google or Amazon Prime. Really hope ESPN gets the content to make things easier for ACC fans to do one stop shopping for ACC content. Read some speculation that if ESPN does get it back, some of the content could go to ESPN+. Would hate to see that happen too. ESPN+ is for the unwashed tier 3 leagues without their own network, Ivy, B12, MAC, AAC, etc

But would ESPN buy up this content just to do a solid for ACC fans and not get any additional revenue in return? Can we expect them to not act in their own self interests?

This should be close to the hearts of SU fans because whatever ends up happening, it likely going to determine who broadcasts the first two games of the SU football season. Both look like they were going to be RSN games. And I bet we end up getting one more football game on the RSN replacement this year. And 3 or 4 basketball games too.

I know we have industry experts on the board. What is going to happen? Please speculate below….

 

[kcsu]

We all know Raycom got some ACC football and basketball games to control as part of an ill fated deal while Swofford was still trying to be the ACC commissioner.

They sold them to regional sports networks, which didn’t seem like a big deal initially, but this became a major headache for ACC fans over time, as millions cut the cord and RSNs became problematic to access for cord cutters. Lots of issues for ACC fans outside the core ACC areas too.

And we know Diamond Sports terminated the agreement in June, so control for the tier 3 ACC content they controlled went back to Raycom.

And we know Raycom is going to sell that content again. The question is, who is going to buy it?

Raycom being Raycom, they will probably pick the highest bidder. You know ESPN is going to want that content back. When the ACC network was started, ESPN tried to buy that content, which they would have loved to show on ACCN, and Raycom said no. EPSN has surely heard the cries of anger and outrage from ACC fans who pay for access to ESPN and ACCN and still can’t get all the games..

It has been a few weeks since Raycom got control of this ACC content back and no word yet on where it is going.

Is it possible someone else has expressed interest? If so, who?

I read some speculation one of the streaming options might be interested. Someone like Apple TV, Google or Amazon Prime. Really hope ESPN gets the content to make things easier for ACC fans to do one stop shopping for ACC content. Read some speculation that if ESPN does get it back, some of the content could go to ESPN+. Would hate to see that happen too. ESPN+ is for the unwashed tier 3 leagues without their own network, Ivy, B12, MAC, AAC, etc

But would ESPN buy up this content just to do a solid for ACC fans and not get any additional revenue in return? Can we expect them to not act in their own self interests?

This should be close to the hearts of SU fans because whatever ends up happening, it likely going to determine who broadcasts the first two games of the SU football season. Both look like they were going to be RSN games. And I bet we end up getting one more football game on the RSN replacement this year. And 3 or 4 basketball games too.

I know we have industry experts on the board. What is going to happen? Please speculate below….

Tom will this increase payouts.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Hopefully it's a streaming service I already subscribe to.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

BTW: The Colgate game is already on ACC Network Extra.

 

[sutomcat]

BTW: The Colgate game is already on ACC Network Extra.

True. There are three games completely up in the air right now that were penciled in as RSN games.

As I understand it, those games are

Week 2 Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Week 2 Western Michigan at Syracuse
and
Week 3 VMI at N.C. State

Was thinking Colgate at Syracuse might eventually end up a week 1 RSN game but maybe they are just not planning to have an RSN game that week.

That would be strange.. I believe the Raycom contract allows RSNs to televise 17 football games a year. The first few weeks of the season have way more home games for ACC teams (those are the only ones Raycom can select).

Who knows? Maybe this is one of the reasons the RSNs are going bankrupt?

 

[qdawgg]

BTW: The Colgate game is already on ACC Network Extra.

Is this good? I can’t remember with every game on a different freaking network and have to look through all my cord cutting apps I have to see if I can watch it.

 

[Chip]

Hopefully it's a streaming service I already subscribe to.

Same here.

Sort of on topic, about a year ago, I decided to go through bank statements/credit card statements make a list of every subscription I pay for. It was eye opening, and not in a good way. I turned a bunch of them off, it was like getting a raise.

Anyone who wasn't keeping good track should go through this exercise. Cry it out. Then start wacking them.

Ok, back to your regulary scheduled thread.

 

[MSOrange]

I am going to have to make a decision in the next month. My Spectrum promo period will be ending. If I didn't have the RSN issue, I'd definitely look to YouTube TV. Might look into Fubo also.

 

[Chris02M]

you can always cheat the system cancel for like a month and then spectrum will give a new customer bundle

 

[cusefan88]

ESPN+ is tremendous value and I wouldn't mind if Cuse games landed there.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

On game day I generally check, ACCN, YES, then ACCNX. Most of the time it falls onto o e of those 3 channels.

 

[Hoo's That]

BTW: The Colgate game is already on ACC Network Extra.

Is this good? I can’t remember with every game on a different freaking network and have to look through all my cord cutting apps I have to see if I can watch it.

If you subscribe to a provider that has the ACC Network (like YouTube TV), you get automatic access to any game on ACCN Xtra through the ESPN app. You may have to go through some extra steps so the app "knows" your device is authorized, but you will get the game at no additional cost.

 

[kingtidge]

ESPN+ is tremendous value and I wouldn't mind if Cuse games landed there.

This.

ESPN+ already gets most of these games in regions that aren't blacked out by RSN.

I have found that my laptop with VPN and a 1st gen chromecast stick on my TV let me cast all games directly to my TV from my laptop.

Occasionally, I get buffering issues, but rarely.

You can get a 1st gen chromecast stick on ebay for like 7 or 8 bucks.

 

[cusefan88]

This.

ESPN+ already gets most of these games in regions that aren't blacked out by RSN.

I have found that my laptop with VPN and a 1st gen chromecast stick on my TV let me cast all games directly to my TV from my laptop.

Occasionally, I get buffering issues, but rarely.

You can get a 1st gen chromecast stick on ebay for like 7 or 8 bucks.

Being a college sports fan and dabbling with soccer, it is the best. Plus the 30 for 30 library.

 

[qdawgg]

If you subscribe to a provider that has the ACC Network (like YouTube TV), you get automatic access to any game on ACCN Xtra through the ESPN app. You may have to go through some extra steps so the app "knows" your device is authorized, but you will get the game at no additional cost.

I’ve missed more games in the last 3 years with YTTV than I had in the previous 15+ with spectrum. Between BB and FB. Blackouts, channel not on YTTV, early BB games especially I miss a lot of. Never did on Spectrum.

If I wasn’t too lazy to call and have to be home for a spectrum person to show up, I’d have switched back after last year.

 

[FloridaCuse]

This.

ESPN+ already gets most of these games in regions that aren't blacked out by RSN.

I have found that my laptop with VPN and a 1st gen chromecast stick on my TV let me cast all games directly to my TV from my laptop.

Occasionally, I get buffering issues, but rarely.

You can get a 1st gen chromecast stick on ebay for like 7 or 8 bucks.

I thought games on RSNs but are not on in certain areas are on ESPN3 which is free, not ESPN+. Did that change this past year?

 

[Hoo's That]

I thought games on RSNs but are not on in certain areas are on ESPN3 which is free, not ESPN+. Did that change this past year?

That's what makes the blackouts. I live in an area that does not have an RSN that carries the ACC games. The nearest one to me is MASN, the network of the Orioles and Nationals. While Comcast in our area does have it, YouTube TV doesn't. Because we are considered to be outside their jurisdiction, we can watch RSN games on ESPN3.

 

[SWC75]

Whatever is least convenient will happen.

 

[cusefan88]

That's what makes the blackouts. I live in an area that does not have an RSN that carries the ACC games. The nearest one to me is MASN, the network of the Orioles and Nationals. While Comcast in our area does have it, YouTube TV doesn't., Because we are considered to be outside their jurisdiction, we can watch RSN games on ESPN3.

Local blackouts at this point in sports to me is silly. Make it available how you want and let people access it. Maybe it makes sense for long seasons like NBA or MLB but not here

 

[Hoo's That]

Local blackouts at this point in sports to me is silly. Make it available how you want and let people access it. Maybe it makes sense for long seasons like NBA or MLB but not here

They're designed to create demand. They hope that you'll fire off an angry email or call your provider to put X channel into the lineup at the full level demanded by the station. Either that or buy a ticket and go to the game.

I prefer the benign explanation of the Raycom stupidity. Raycom and its predecessors have been a broadcast partner of the ACC since forever. That's gotta count for something, even now. IDK if it's still true or not, but for the longest time the games broadcast by that network were on local TV stations, spreading advertising money and opportunities around locally. Now it's mostly the RSNs like YES that have the games. The whole fiasco started when Fox decided to sell off all its RSNs and Sinclair overpaid for them.

 

[sutomcat]

Local blackouts at this point in sports to me is silly. Make it available how you want and let people access it. Maybe it makes sense for long seasons like NBA or MLB but not here

Agree. Hopefully ESPN buys the rights back.

Even if they end up on ESPN+ and a lot of ACC fans have to start buying for that, it will be a lot easier on people having one stop shopping.

Especially the cord cutters and expatriates from upstate NY.

 

[MSOrange]

Agree. Hopefully ESPN buys the rights back.

Even if they end up on ESPN+ and a lot of ACC fans have to start buying for that, it will be a lot easier on people having one stop shopping.

Especially the cord cutters and expatriates from upstate NY.

Agree about ESPN+. I kind of laughed at my friends here in Big 12 country when they initially landed on that, but looking at it today, it's really not a bad situation from a fan perspective.

 

[cusefan88]

Agree. Hopefully ESPN buys the rights back.

Even if they end up on ESPN+ and a lot of ACC fans have to start buying for that, it will be a lot easier on people having one stop shopping.

Especially the cord cutters and expatriates from upstate NY.

I have family and friends in several different states and it's always a giant headache for everyone to get the games (moreso during basketball season).

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[UpstateSM]

ESPN+ is tremendous value and I wouldn't mind if Cuse games landed there.

As an alum of a mid-major, general college sports junkie and big golf fan ESPN+ is awesome. The $10 or whatever per month I pay for it now is beyond worth it.