AAC 2nd TV Contract/Negotiations

[FDNY99]

Just curious, does anyone know what the Big East takes in per school. If we get the 8-10m per school per year, could we get a BE school such as Georgetown to switch?

The "Big East" traitors inked a 12 yr $500 million dollar deal with Fox in 2013 that can rise up to $600 mill if they expand to 12 teams. It is worth about $40-$50 mill/yr total ($41.66 if you divide it up on a calculator). With the 10 schools right now it equals out to $4.0-$5.0 mill/yr/school ($4.166 if you divide it up on a calculator).
New Big East, Fox Sports Formally Ink 12-Year, $500M Deal; ESPN Signs Mountain West

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yep, but this, plus tier 3 rights, plus our Nike deal, plus our IMG deal puts us in a position to keep running a P5 level program until the P5 current media contracts and GoRs expire which is the next window for realignment. I suspect that that is the game plan, at least in the near term.

I have to imagine that is the case as well. Obviously in the long term, the tens of millions of dollars more that a P5 school makes will add up, but in the near term, unless P5 coaches all start making $10M/year, can't we continue to float along?

As far as our infrastructure goes, our practice facilities are brand new for hoops and modern enough for football. It just seems to be travel/coaching as the main operating expenses that are draining us (not mention fielding about 49 varsity sports teams).

 

[whaler11]

UEFA got $60MM from Turner for more than 300 games. That was with bids from MLBAM and Fox...

 

[whaler11]

I have to imagine that is the case as well. Obviously in the long term, the tens of millions of dollars more that a P5 school makes will add up, but in the near term, unless P5 coaches all start making $10M/year, can't we continue to float along?

As far as our infrastructure goes, our practice facilities are brand new for hoops and modern enough for football. It just seems to be travel/coaching as the main operating expenses that are draining us (not mention fielding about 49 varsity sports teams).

If the school continues to tap the students for what will be $30 million a year pretty soon they can pretty much do it forever.

 

[Drew]

ABC Airs Two Most-Viewed Black Friday Games across all Networks; Both Games Up Double-Digits for the Day - ESPN MediaZone

South Florida at UCF (3:30 p.m.) delivered a total live audience of 4,700,000 viewers, which followed Miami at Pitt (noon), a game that had total live audience of 4,663,000 viewers. In addition to being the two most-viewed games of the day, ABC was up 12% and 49%, respectively, from last year’s same Black Friday windows (Nebraska at Iowa at 3:30 p.m. and Houston at Memphis at noon).

The high-scoring, UCF victory is the most-viewed American Athletic intra-conference game ever and is ABC’s second most-watched Black Friday late afternoon game (3:30 p.m. or later) since 2005.

Locally, Orlando earned a 11.1 rating, the No. 1 rated market for the Knights’ victory. It is the second best Orlando rating for a UCF regular season game ever on ESPN’s networks. The complete top 10:

Rank Local Rating Market
1 11.1 Orlando
2 10.1 Tampa
3 7.4 West Palm Beach
4 7.0 Columbus
5 6.5 Birmingham
6 6.4 Greenville
7 6.0 Jacksonville
8 5.5 Atlanta
9 5.3 Fort Myers
5.3 Miami
5.3 Nashville

 

[Confident Carl]

Figured it would be worth starting a thread on this as the negotiation period is approaching (deal runs through 2019-20 currently)

Original TV Deal: AAC: TV deal is with ESPN, CBS Sports

The current set up in regards to exposure on ESPN networks is tremendous, especially for UConn basketball. I hope that Aresco is able to find a way to keep that or even expand it, but I would take some better game start times (not 9pm on a Thursday to be able to be on ESPN2) if it meant a few more CBSSN games.

Don't think adding Wichita State does much of anything if anything at all. Think they're purely just a competition add.

Is there a way to negotiate certain announcing crews into a deal? I love when Doris Burke does our games and the CBS family has a ton of great announcers, would make the CBSSN games a lot more tolerable if the announcing crews were better (Ian Eagle anyone?). For football, the CBSSN crews are actually pretty good.

Whatever happens, The American simply cannot leave the ESPN family of networks unless it has a deal that will get games on network tv. If we take a deal with NBC for instance, it can't mean every game is on NBCSN. Need to keep the exposure aspect of the next deal for relevancy in my opinion.

I think we will see a modest bump in the amount being paid to each school, maybe to $3 or $4m. Not only does the conference deserve it but Aresco is negotiating in a much better place than he did with the original TV deal. The games the AAC has had on tv have drew fairly well and the league has proven to be extremely competitive (especially in football). Having The American championship game on ABC the past couple years has been awesome.

Lastly, and this is so minor, but I hope we can find a way to get some of the conference's baseball games on ESPNU/CBSSN. Not sure how many of us are aware but baseball is probably the American's best sport. The league is incredibly competitive this year. Would be nice to have the ability to showcase that product during the 'dead period' of sports after basketball.

As the NFL ratings decline, due to a lack of patriotism, the AAC should take advantage of the opportunity by adding Army and Airforce and market the American as the most patriotic football conference in the country complete with all the pomp and excitement that the academies bring to a football game. This gives the American a unique identity.

Ranking the 10 Best Patriotic College Football Helmets

https://nypost.com/2017/11/22/the-nfl-ratings-slump-is-getting-worse/

Also might be the time to add two more powerful programs, BYU and Boise State. That would bring football to 16. Obviously strengthens the caliber of the American.

The two major questions would be:

1. How much $ economic value would the additions of Army, Air Force, BYU and Boise St add to the conference TV contract wise? None, little, lot? That would obviously have to be quantified before you could get the new teams to depart from their their current status. Why waste the time if there is no increase in contract value.

2. As in the first go around they would have to address basketball and Olympic sports issues. This is what a 16 team American Athletic Conference looks like.
Might also want to consider more quality Bball teams. Army would be Football only.

AAC East

UCONN
ARMY
NAVY
TEMPLE
CINCINNATI
ECU
UCF
USF

AAC West

AIRFORCE
BOISE STATE*
BYU
MEMPHIS
HOUSTON
SMU
TULANE
TULSA

*If BYU is too complicated then possibly Colorado State or SDSU (we've been down this road but maybe now is the time since the AAC has some history).

 

[zls44]

As the NFL ratings decline, due to a lack of patriotism

LOLOLOL

1. That's not why its declining
2. F fake patriotism

 

[Confident Carl]

LOLOLOL

1. That's not why its declining
2. F fake patriotism

Forbes thinks it is.

NFL Anthem Protests Continue To Smack League's Broadcasters And Sponsors

 

[mavblues]

LOLOLOL

1. That's not why its declining
2. F fake patriotism

I have not watched one game all year due to the kneeling during the anthem. Lifelong Steelers fan. Threw away all my gear.

 

[Confident Carl]

I have not watched one game all year due to the kneeling during the anthem. Lifelong Steelers fan. Threw away all my gear.

Not watching NFL or Giants either

 

[zls44]

I have not watched one game all year due to the kneeling during the anthem. Lifelong Steelers fan. Threw away all my gear.

1. No, I'm pretty certain you didn't. That would be such a moronic thing to do, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt.
2. There have been dozens of studies on it- the ratings are not down because of the protests. Period. Actual studies by people who know what they're talking about.

 

[Travelman6]

I have not watched one game all year due to the kneeling during the anthem. Lifelong Steelers fan. Threw away all my gear.

Omg! They are exercising their freedom of speech and expression. So instead, we should coerce these players into doing something they do not want to do? How is that any better? How is that even in line with the values this country was founded on? Players standing for the national anthem is a very recent thing that was not done until the military paid the NFL to make it a thing. So, more or less, this is just one long military recruitment advertisement, which should have nothing to do with a game being played. Before this happened about a decade ago, the players did not come out onto the field for the national anthem. People against kneeling never seem to acknowledge that. Also, there are plenty of military veterans who support the actions of the players because, you know, America is STILL the land of the free and freedom of speech/protest is still a foundation in which this country was built on.

I have no issue with the players using a game with millions watching as a stage to being to light issues that are prominent in the USA. That is called protesting, it is how we change for the better.

 

[CL82]

Omg! They are exercising their freedom of speech and expression. So instead, we should coerce these players into doing something they do not want to do? How is that any better? How is that even in line with the values this country was founded on? Players standing for the national anthem is a very recent thing that was not done until the military paid the NFL to make it a thing. So, more or less, this is just one long military recruitment advertisement, which should have nothing to do with a game being played. Before this happened about a decade ago, the players did not come out onto the field for the national anthem. People against kneeling never seem to acknowledge that. Also, there are plenty of military veterans who support the actions of the players because, you know, America is STILL the land of the free and freedom of speech/protest is still a foundation in which this country was built on.

I have no issue with the players using a game with millions watching as a stage to being to light issues that are prominent in the USA. That is called protesting, it is how we change for the better.

Mmm, not so much. I can't think of any meaningful change that we caused by millionaires grandstanding but perhaps you can.

Regardless, NFL players are employees. The stadium is the workplace. NFL owners can regulate their behavior. Fans who are offended by this can 1) not attend, 2) not watch. If enough of them do so, owners will either establish a policy that eliminates the issue or absorb the cost.

 

[mavblues]

1. No, I'm pretty certain you didn't. That would be such a moronic thing to do, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt.
2. There have been dozens of studies on it- the ratings are not down because of the protests. Period. Actual studies by people who know what they're talking about.

Since you just called me a liar, allow me to call you a fool. You're "pretty sure" I didn't throw away my Steelers gear?

Please enlighten us: how exactly are you "pretty sure" what I've done? The stuff is in a landfill.

FYI, I sent a letter to Mr. Rooney, which went unanswered. When I didn't receive a reply, the gear got tossed. 5 jerseys, 1 baseball cap, 1 construction hard hat, Christmas lights, about 15 terrible towels, and some miscellaneous stuff like T-shirts, banners, saved game tickets and programs.

Not sure why you directed comment #2 towards me since I never made a statement one way or the other regarding your alleged ratings studies.

 

[UC313]

But you were cool with Big Ben doing all kinds of unsavory activities in the bathroom werent you?

 

[mavblues]

Omg! They are exercising their freedom of speech and expression. So instead, we should coerce these players into doing something they do not want to do? How is that any better? How is that even in line with the values this country was founded on? Players standing for the national anthem is a very recent thing that was not done until the military paid the NFL to make it a thing. So, more or less, this is just one long military recruitment advertisement, which should have nothing to do with a game being played. Before this happened about a decade ago, the players did not come out onto the field for the national anthem. People against kneeling never seem to acknowledge that. Also, there are plenty of military veterans who support the actions of the players because, you know, America is STILL the land of the free and freedom of speech/protest is still a foundation in which this country was built on.

I have no issue with the players using a game with millions watching as a stage to being to light issues that are prominent in the USA. That is called protesting, it is how we change for the better.

I disagree. How we change for the better is when people that feel strongly about an issue begin taking meaningful action to change things.

In my opinion, kneeling during the anthem is a punk move, and it's disrespectful of the people who put their lives on the line defending our freedom and enforcing our laws. If the players feel strongly about injustices in this country, maybe they should volunteer some of their time/wealth actually trying to make things better. Or, they can speak out about the issues on their own time, articulating their views. Some have been, but most have not.

I never said players shouldn't be allowed to express their views. I simply believe that they should do so on their own time.

When the players are on the field, wearing a team's uniform, they are employees. If the NFL decides not to do anything about the protests, I can (and have) decided not to support them with my viewership and ticket purchases. Of course, you can (and should) make your own choice.

I'm not sure how you equate the playing of the National Anthem as a military recruitment advertisement, but whatever.

 

[mavblues]

But you were cool with Big Ben doing all kinds of unsavory activities in the bathroom werent you?

Nope. Didn't own any Big Ben stuff though. Conscious decision.

Not that you asked, but I also wasn't OK with a sitting president doing unsavory activities with women in the Oval Office, and then lying about it under oath.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I think they can get $8. The prior deal was a steal for ESPN. AAC football ended up being extremely profitable for them, and basketball as well. Anything under $10 is still a good deal for ESPN.

Streaming is interesting. I'd love to retain some individual streaming rights if possible. I saw the Disney announcement. Their content won't be on Netflix anymore. HBO also announced it will pull out from availability on Amazon. Meanwhile, CBS All Access streaming is all but dead. It's failing and can't get subscribers, probably because Fox and NBC provide the equivalent content for free to cable customers. These models are still shaking out. Broadcast networks will find there is no appetite to pay twice for the same content, especially when it is free over the air.

If the Contract is $10mm you will see a bee line for any team not in a P5 to start lobbying for AAC membership. ( ND excepted but not BYU)

 

[Fishy]

1. No, I'm pretty certain you didn't. That would be such a moronic thing to do, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt.
2. There have been dozens of studies on it- the ratings are not down because of the protests. Period. Actual studies by people who know what they're talking about.

And there are some that suggest the protests are a factor.

Anecdotally, I know a surprising number of people who are no longer watching the NFL because of the protests.

I drive past two bar/restaurants on my commute that have the same “No NFL” signs in front of their establishments.

Big factor, small factor, I don’t know, but it’s a factor.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Mmm, not so much. I can't think of any meaningful change that we caused by millionaires grandstanding but perhaps you can.

Regardless, NFL players are employees. The stadium is the workplace. NFL owners can regulate their behavior. Fans who are offended by this can 1) not attend, 2) not watch. If enough of them do so, owners will either establish a policy that eliminates the issue or absorb the cost.

It’s amazing that people don’t get this. Does the McDonalds employee enjoy “freedom of speech” while at work and in uniform? Can he or she chant PETA slogans about the horrors of eating meat from behind the counter? No. This is the same. The players are offending the customers by their method of protest. It’s pretty simple. A smart team would suspend them all, and it certainly could.

For the morons out there, the first Amendment imposes a restriction on government, not your private employer. Now when a public school tells a kid he or she can’t wear a political t-shirt, *that* is an issue for freedom of speech.

 

[huskypantz]

And there are some that suggest the protests are a factor.

Anecdotally, I know a surprising number of people who are no longer watching the NFL because of the protests.

I drive past two bar/restaurants on my commute that have the same “No NFL” signs in front of their establishments.

Big factor, small factor, I don’t know, but it’s a factor.

You live in NY, right? That might fly when the Gints and Jets stink, but if either was 10-2 I doubt you'd see it. I've never seen that in MA and any bar that doesn't play the Pats game might as well close down on Sunday.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You live in NY, right? That might fly when the Gints and Jets stink, but if either was 10-2 I doubt you'd see it. I've never seen that in MA and any bar that doesn't play the Pats game might as well close down on Sunday.

Fair point. But the Pats only had kneerlers in the one game post Trump's tweet. They also have a version of the flag as their logo and have Revolutionary War re-enactors at the game shooting muskets. I think that tends to cut against any boycott...along with the record.

 

[mdkhusky]

If the Contract is $10mm you will see a bee line for any team not in a P5 to start lobbying for AAC membership. ( ND excepted but not BYU)

They don't have much incentive to give us that.. they know they can get us for cheaper

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I stopped watching the NFL cause they don't care about concussions or domestic abuse.

But I guess it's more important that black athletes don't use their power to fight for equal protection under the law.

 

[huskypantz]

Fair point. But the Pats only had kneerlers in the one game post Trump's tweet. They also have a version of the flag as their logo and have Revolutionary War re-enactors at the game shooting muskets. I think that tends to cut against any boycott...along with the record.

True, and for regions that are heavier into college football over the NFL, it's much more palatable. The patrons of a bar in Alabama or Mississippi probably care less about the NFL in general.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I disagree. How we change for the better is when people that feel strongly about an issue begin taking meaningful action to change things.

In my opinion, kneeling during the anthem is a punk move, and it's disrespectful of the people who put their lives on the line defending our freedom and enforcing our laws. If the players feel strongly about injustices in this country, maybe they should volunteer some of their time/wealth actually trying to make things better. Or, they can speak out about the issues on their own time, articulating their views. Some have been, but most have not.

I never said players shouldn't be allowed to express their views. I simply believe that they should do so on their own time.

When the players are on the field, wearing a team's uniform, they are employees. If the NFL decides not to do anything about the protests, I can (and have) decided not to support them with my viewership and ticket purchases. Of course, you can (and should) make your own choice.

I'm not sure how you equate the playing of the National Anthem as a military recruitment advertisement, but whatever.

Do you stand behind every word of the Star Spangled Banner? Just curious.

 

[shizzle787]

Is the cesspool leaking into the CR forum? Me likey.

 

[Drew]

Why Memphis will likely fire Tubby Smith

An hour before Tubby Smith first fielded questions about his job status at the pre-tournament press conference, members of the university’s governance and finance committee gathered at the University Center for a presentation on “the financial landscape of Memphis athletics.”

Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen made the presentation. At one point, he emphasized the importance of a better conference television deal. He directed the discussion over to Memphis president M. David Rudd to expand on the topic. Whereupon Rudd said that the television deal “won’t be dramatically different” and that the key to the financial future of the athletic department remains contributions and ticket sales.

 

[Confident Carl]

Why Memphis will likely fire Tubby Smith

An hour before Tubby Smith first fielded questions about his job status at the pre-tournament press conference, members of the university’s governance and finance committee gathered at the University Center for a presentation on “the financial landscape of Memphis athletics.”

Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen made the presentation. At one point, he emphasized the importance of a better conference television deal. He directed the discussion over to Memphis president M. David Rudd to expand on the topic. Whereupon Rudd said that the television deal “won’t be dramatically different” and that the key to the financial future of the athletic department remains contributions and ticket sales.

If the new CUSA deal is any indication, Rudd will unfortunately be correct. As they say, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. The new CUSA TV deal comments by execs are the true definition of putting lipstick on a pig.

Aresco knew what he was doing with the P6 push in order to distance the AAC from the G5. Let's hope it pays off. If not, (Never thought I would say this) I am afraid there will be more fans jumping on the Big East basketball and something else for football train.

C-USA Announces Multimedia Rights Partnerships

 

[SubbaBub]

It could double and still not be dramatically different.

If this P6 thing has any credibility, and I don't think it does outside the league break room bulletin board, then Aresco needs the per school payout to be in double digit millions.

If that is not in the cards then, regular national time slots are the next priority.

The last thing I would look to do is whether maximizes revenue for Teir 2 and 3 rights. The AAC sold everything to ESPN. Most was used as filler or resold to CBSsports. I think there is more value in selling to regional networks like SNY/YES directly or streaming.

If ESPN and others are looking for streaming we should get a premium for not being over the air.