A step the Big East could take

[nelsonmuntz]

ACC, Pac-12 discuss 'loose partnership' that could include 'championship game' in Las Vegas

Both conferences, along with the Big 12, are aiming to fortify their membership and increase their media rights revenue

www.cbssports.com

Why isn't the Big East doing this with someone? The SEC and Big 10 just threw all the old rationales for being a conference into a dumpster and lit it on fire, so why not have an alliance between an all-sports conference and one of the top basketball conferences in the country that also happens to be in just about every big city between New York and Chicago? The Big East has 4 of the top 7 DMAs, and 8 of the top 36 DMAs. No other conference is close.

Is there any one on this board that wouldn't take an affiliation with the Big 10 or ACC for all sports with 4 games for UConn Football thrown in?

 

[SubbaBub]

Unfortunately, I'm not sure TV eyeballs are the entire point any longer. The currency of the realm appears to be branding. How much your fans care about consumption of your teams content, how many of them there are AND how much opposing fans cares about consumption of your content, plus how much 2nd tier content they will consume.

In a north of Philadelphia and west of State College UConn is a clear #1 in terms of brand, but college sports is not close to the top. Most of that population doesn't care or cares about other traditional programs.

That's not to say UConn can't improve its alliances, but it won't happen unless the rest of the ACC implodes. Though I would be calling the B1G to smack talk Cuse should it ever come to that. Pitt has its own problems that don't affect us.

 

[pepband99]

ACC, Pac-12 discuss 'loose partnership' that could include 'championship game' in Las Vegas

Both conferences, along with the Big 12, are aiming to fortify their membership and increase their media rights revenue

www.cbssports.com

Why isn't the Big East doing this with someone? The SEC and Big 10 just threw all the old rationales for being a conference into a dumpster and lit it on fire, so why not have an alliance between an all-sports conference and one of the top basketball conferences in the country that also happens to be in just about every big city between New York and Chicago? The Big East has 4 of the top 7 DMAs, and 8 of the top 36 DMAs. No other conference is close.

Is there any one on this board that wouldn't take an affiliation with the Big 10 or ACC for all sports with 4 games for UConn Football thrown in?

We have to look at things like this in TV network-context, as they are clearly driving the busses here.
ACC/P12 makes sense, as it creates content for both the FOX And ESPN factions, and in multiple timeslots.

We would need to find a similar ESPN-side match. The SEC is out, as they don't need anyone at the moment. ACC would be interesting, but we don't dovetail on timeslot coverage.

MW? That would be the most similar pact. Everything else is yawn-inducing, comparatively.

 

[ScottVib]

There's little value for either league to make that pairing in BB or any Olympic Sports.
--- They already have premium series setup for basketball
--- There's little/no money in the Olympic Sports
--- There's no new TV windows (no new time zones) that get opened up by such a pairing
--- Why would they want to be stuck giving UConn 4 football games a year amongst their membership for a few basketball games?

 

[Ldandy]

Unfortunately, I'm not sure TV eyeballs are the entire point any longer. The currency of the realm appears to be branding. How much your fans care about consumption of your teams content, how many of them there are AND how much opposing fans cares about consumption of your content, plus how much 2nd tier content they will consume.

In a north of Philadelphia and west of State College UConn is a clear #1 in terms of brand, but college sports is not close to the top. Most of that population doesn't care or cares about other traditional programs.

That's not to say UConn can't improve its alliances, but it won't happen unless the rest of the ACC implodes. Though I would be calling the B1G to smack talk Cuse should it ever come to that. Pitt has its own problems that don't affect us.

Uconn is a bigger brand North of Philadelphia than Penn State or ND? A clear #1 west of State College compared to Penn State, Pitt, WVU, ND and OSU? I've lived in PA most of my life. I've been to every corner of the state. I have never met a Uconn Fan outside of Julian Campenni's Family. That is not a slight on Uconn. I'm sure they have pockets of support in PA, Western NY, NJ, and elsewhere. That said my assumption is that Uconn Fandom primarily exists in CT, parts of Mass, and around NYC. Possibly the rest of New England, but I don't think anyone in Maine, NH, or RI really cares that much about college sports.

 

[JMick]

We should be trying to do something with the B1G. Form the relationships now so when them and the SEC break off, we get invited to their basketball invitational

 

[noeynox]

The loose partnership involves a football championship game between the conference champions reportedly? What could the Big East offer to bring in partnership along those lines?

They're just trying to squeeze a little more juice out the ESPN orange.

 

[Kolumbo]

Invite Wake Forest to the Big East and we'll waive entry fees if it accepts by July 31.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

What more of an "alliance" could a basketball partnership offer besides yearly matchups, which are already in place?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What does adding two schools that are 10 miles apart in a city that doesn't care about sports get the Big 10? Who knows why these conferences are getting bigger, but if the ACC and Pac 12 are talking about an alliance, then the Big East should be talking to someone.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The big ten - we just got USC and UCLA and we'll pay them $100MM a year a piece to play in our League...

...Better make sure we cough up a game at UCONN to CBS Sports Network for $250K.

 

[noeynox]

How do you get them to take the call? What can the Big East offer?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

How do you get them to take the call? What can the Big East offer?

I have been asking for a week why any of this is happening, and no one can explain it. Maybe the leagues just want to get bigger to get more leverage with ESPN and Fox. I can not explain why the Big 10 would add USC and UCLA unless they were looking to form a new Super-BCS with the SEC, which I think would fail but it would at least explain why they are adding two schools from Los Angeles.

 

[noeynox]

I have been asking for a week why any of this is happening, and no one can explain it. Maybe the leagues just want to get bigger to get more leverage with ESPN and Fox. I can not explain why the Big 10 would add USC and UCLA unless they were looking to form a new Super-BCS with the SEC, which I think would fail but it would at least explain why they are adding two schools from Los Angeles.

Isn't it safe to say the B1G has been told by potential rights holders they'd pay more for their content if those schools were part of the conference? Every single realignment move has been about increasing revenue or not losing revenue due to defections. These have always been about football.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Isn't it safe to say the B1G has been told by potential rights holders they'd pay more for their content if those schools were part of the conference? Every single realignment move has been about increasing revenue or not losing revenue due to defections. These have always been about football.

The Big 10 and SEC were printing money before their recent additions. Do adding two problem children outside their footprint really move the needle for either league from a revenue standpoint? And I know that a lot of writers have trouble getting their hands around the next concept, but someone has to lose every conference game. Simple math means that either Texas/Oklahoma/UCLA/USC are going to win fewer games or someone currently in one of the two majors are going to win fewer games. Everyone can't finish in first place. This means that some schools are going to decline in public perception as a result of these expansions.

Unless the Big 10 and SEC are planning something bigger, these additions don't make a lot of sense.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The Big 10 and SEC were printing money before their recent additions. Do adding two problem children outside their footprint really move the needle for either league from a revenue standpoint? And I know that a lot of writers have trouble getting their hands around the next concept, but someone has to lose every conference game. Simple math means that either Texas/Oklahoma/UCLA/USC are going to win fewer games or someone currently in one of the two majors are going to win fewer games. Everyone can't finish in first place. This means that some schools are going to decline in public perception as a result of these expansions.

Unless the Big 10 and SEC are planning something bigger, these additions don't make a lot of sense.

I think your last point is exactly what is going to happen.

I don't think the top schools will be impacted much, as using an NFL model, fans don't care if the Green Bay Packers go 11-6 or 14-3 as long as they make the playoffs and maybe go on a run.

The bottom tier schools are going to be absolutely buried and instead of squeaking into bowls, they'll be 2-10.

But what's a South Carolina going to do? Leave the conference or cash the checks and hope for the best.

 

[SubbaBub]

Uconn is a bigger brand North of Philadelphia than Penn State or ND? A clear #1 west of State College compared to Penn State, Pitt, WVU, ND and OSU? I've lived in PA most of my life. I've been to every corner of the state. I have never met a Uconn Fan outside of Julian Campenni's Family. That is not a slight on Uconn. I'm sure they have pockets of support in PA, Western NY, NJ, and elsewhere. That said my assumption is that Uconn Fandom primarily exists in CT, parts of Mass, and around NYC. Possibly the rest of New England, but I don't think anyone in Maine, NH, or RI really cares that much about college sports.

East of State College. Calm down.

 

[Kolumbo]

How do you get them to take the call? What can the Big East offer?

MSG.

The Big 10 and SEC were printing money before their recent additions. Do adding two problem children outside their footprint really move the needle for either league from a revenue standpoint? And I know that a lot of writers have trouble getting their hands around the next concept, but someone has to lose every conference game. Simple math means that either Texas/Oklahoma/UCLA/USC are going to win fewer games or someone currently in one of the two majors are going to win fewer games. Everyone can't finish in first place. This means that some schools are going to decline in public perception as a result of these expansions.

Unless the Big 10 and SEC are planning something bigger, these additions don't make a lot of sense.

I don't get the Texas move either. Texas is filthy rich and basically owned its own P5 conference.

UCLA fans waking up for a 9 am kickoff against Maryland. Must see TV for sure.

 

[McLovin]

I have been asking for a week why any of this is happening, and no one can explain it. Maybe the leagues just want to get bigger to get more leverage with ESPN and Fox. I can not explain why the Big 10 would add USC and UCLA unless they were looking to form a new Super-BCS with the SEC, which I think would fail but it would at least explain why they are adding two schools from Los Angeles.

If you don’t understand by now it’s about $ (the shots are called by FOX and ESPN) then you’ll never understand…

 

[RioDog]

MSG.


I don't get the Texas move either. Texas is filthy rich and basically owned its own P5 conference.

UCLA fans waking up for a 9 am kickoff against Maryland. Must see TV for sure.

But, but... this is the beginning of the Super conference of marquis brands that all fans will flock to like mindless lemmings, right? (sarcasm off)

 

[noeynox]

MSG.


I don't get the Texas move either. Texas is filthy rich and basically owned its own P5 conference.

UCLA fans waking up for a 9 am kickoff against Maryland. Must see TV for sure.

MSG? That is what you think is going to move the needle to form a "loose partnership"? Why hasn't Val Ackerman ever thought of this? She seems smart.

 

[ZooCougar]

Uconn is a bigger brand North of Philadelphia than Penn State or ND? A clear #1 west of State College compared to Penn State, Pitt, WVU, ND and OSU? I've lived in PA most of my life. I've been to every corner of the state. I have never met a Uconn Fan outside of Julian Campenni's Family. That is not a slight on Uconn. I'm sure they have pockets of support in PA, Western NY, NJ, and elsewhere. That said my assumption is that Uconn Fandom primarily exists in CT, parts of Mass, and around NYC. Possibly the rest of New England, but I don't think anyone in Maine, NH, or RI really cares that much about college sports.

I agree with this. And the numbers support it.

 

[Hondo 77]

MSG.

And that is chump change compared to football.

 

[Kolumbo]

MSG? That is what you think is going to move the needle to form a "loose partnership"? Why hasn't Val Ackerman ever thought of this? She seems smart.

Perhaps she's thinking about it this very moment in light of recent events. Great minds think alike. My intel says that NYC is a hotbed of B1G alumni. UCONN-Michigan State, Nova-Ohio State, Georgetown-Maryland, etc...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If you don’t understand by now it’s about $ (the shots are called by FOX and ESPN) then you’ll never understand…

Walk us through the incremental money the Big 10 will make by adding USC and UCLA. The Big 10 was going to make a lot of money without adding USC and UCLA. How much extra did it get by adding those two schools?