The single biggest misconception in conference realignment is the notion that football in and of itself is what drives value. That's absolutely incorrect. Brand names are the ones that drive value. Sure, a top level football program is going to be much more valuable than top level basketball program. There's no question about that. However, the mistake is in thinking that a league of low level football brand names would be more valuable than a league of top level basketball brand names. Even if you were to argue that a bad football game gets better ratings than a good basketball game, that only tells you a fraction of the story. A football game is expensive to produce and there are only a limited number of time slots that you can play that game in, while basketball is relatively inexpensive to produce and you can place it in virtually any time slot on any day of the week. Those massive dollar amounts for football are in exchange for the expectation that you are drawing extraordinary ratings that few programs are able to garner these days. If you're not getting extraordinary ratings, though, then your value in football goes down. A 1.0 rating for basketball is much more profitable than a 1.0 rating for football. So, what networks need for football are numbers at the 3.0 level or higher for 1st tier games or else you're not going to get a premium for them.
Beyond that, McMurphy pointed out something VERY important in his Tweets last night: Fox approached the Catholic 7 BEFORE they decided to split off. So, if you think that the C7 is getting overpaid, then you might be correct. However, Fox HAD to overpay them in order to make the decision to split. The C7 wouldn't have split if they were merely going to get the same amount that they would have received in a hybrid. It's pointless to try to compared the value of the C7 offer to the Big East offer because the C7 offer was specifically made big enough as a catalyst to get a group of 7 schools to defect from a league, while the Big East offer is a "normal" run of the mill TV rights offer. As a result, you have a situation where (1) Fox actually effectively paid the Big East to split up, so they're not interested in the "New Big East" and only want the C7 and (2) ESPN's interest in the New Big East has been tepid at best. Regardless of whether you go line-by-line and say the Big East *should* be worth more than the C7, the fact is that there's only one suitor here with NBC... and despite what people might wish, NBC has absolutely zero incentive to bid against itself and bid up the price of the Big East as a charitable measure. It's simple market forces - only one network wants the Big East here, so they're going to get paid as if though only one network wants them and there wasn't a bidding war for the rights.
Do you think ESPN matches?
On NBC Sports Network now.....go-kart racing....what an awesome lead in to UConn-SMU that would be!!
I'd rather add Louisiana Tech than go with NBC.
really, RU beat UCF a couple years ago and that makes them better? UConn beat USC and ND within the past three years...UCF better than RU? That's funny.
RU has had more winning seasons and been to more bowl games over theast 10 years than UCF has. RU also spanked UCF head to head in the St. Pete's Bowl a few years ago. RU has been rankd more times in the top 20 then UCF, and been in the top 10 twice in that time period. UCF has no appearances in the top 10.
But sure, if it makes you feel better to say UCF is better, have at it.
You guys look like absolute morons trying to discredit the Rutgers Football program.
Rutgers won the Big East this season, plays in the largest DMA in America, has fertile recruiting grounds and just joined the most prestigious athletic conference in America.
Yet, you guys are going to sit here and proclaim Central Florida has been just as good. Based on what? Beating a 6-7 Georgia team in a bowl game 3 years ago?
Look, I hate Rutgers Football and loved the rivalry with them, but to have to read through this drivel is painful.
Stop being an arse. Did you read my post? I said RU shouldn't have been included on my list. Nonetheless, you're not going to sit here and tell us about the greatness of RU, are you? That was a pure Penn State play for the BTN through and through. And NYC can give 2 s less about college football. In fact, they don't stand a chance in hell of adding BTN to NYC cable. Not a chance.
really, RU beat UCF a couple years ago and that makes them better? UConn beat USC and ND within the past three years...
Rutgers has a long history. That's it. How many Big East titles do they have?
You guys look like absolute morons trying to discredit the Rutgers Football program.
Rutgers won the Big East this season, plays in the largest DMA in America, has fertile recruiting grounds and just joined the most prestigious athletic conference in America.
Yet, you guys are going to sit here and proclaim Central Florida has been just as good. Based on what? Beating a 6-7 Georgia team in a bowl game 3 years ago?
Look, I hate Rutgers Football and loved the rivalry with them, but to have to read through this drivel is painful.
Four honest questions on TV deal:
1. If this ends up being the deal, what options are there to get rid of Aresco. His salary would almost be the same share as UConn's and as a percentage higher than probably any other league commission;
2. Do the new members get the same cut as USF, Cinci, UConn? If so, why?? No other league allows new members to get full share up front, not even Nebraska.
3. Why would NBC low-ball so significantly knowing that ESPN can match and get a sweet-heart deal. They need to be aggressive: they need content, and if they aren't going to get it they should at least make their competitor pay;
4. I'm assuming this is for 2014...any news on the contract next year?
PS. I am pissed with this news. NBC Sports would get to up their fee in CT and essentially earn almost the entire $23M on CT cable sets alone. What a ing joke. WM better be looking at some other options.
Four honest questions on TV deal:
1. If this ends up being the deal, what options are there to get rid of Aresco. His salary would almost be the same share as UConn's and as a percentage higher than probably any other league commission;
2. Do the new members get the same cut as USF, Cinci, UConn? If so, why?? No other league allows new members to get full share up front, not even Nebraska.
3. Why would NBC low-ball so significantly knowing that ESPN can match and get a sweet-heart deal. They need to be aggressive: they need content, and if they aren't going to get it they should at least make their competitor pay;
4. I'm assuming this is for 2014...any news on the contract next year?
PS. I am pissed with this news. NBC Sports would get to up their fee in CT and essentially earn almost the entire $23M on CT cable sets alone. What a ing joke. WM better be looking at some other options.
I noticed that you retracted Rutgers from your list - I should have specifically excluded you. That's my bad.
The thing is, they don't need BTN on NYC Cable. They just need it in NJ to make it a worthwhile addition.
I'm also pretty sure Delany thinks there's at least a chance that he can get a higher subscriber fee in NYC as well with their addition.
Rutgers has had 1 bad season in 2010 and aside from that they've won 7,11,8,8,9,4,9,9 games in an underrated Big East. That to me, is the sign of a pretty good program and followed the trajectory we were on before the P era.
Rutger's won the BE this year? Weird. I thought Lville won this year and played in the Sugar Bowl.
let me hit you right between the eyes so this doesnt fly over yor head... rutgers is the definition of mediocre.I'm saying that in one of UCF's best years, they got spanked in a bowl game by a Rutgers team that had a very mediocre year. That should point out to anyone just how different these programs are.
Sorry if that flew over your head.
By the way, Rutgers just won a Big East Championship last year. I guess you weren't paying attention.