AAC commissioner discusses his league's football future and its sudden split with UConn

[UConnDan97]

How dense are you? It’s simple, exclude WBB from the new ESPN contract. This conversation is reaching new levels of stupid. No one prices football by school. You know that.

You can fix a lot of things in this life. You cannot fix "stupid"...

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Women’s BB may be valuable. Indeed, that is why ESPN wanted it.

But, it was nowhere near the value of what UCF, USF, UH, Memphis, and Cincinnati contributed. Imagine Aresco trying to explain to their ADs that they would get less because UConn cut a side deal with SNY. How do you think that would have gone?

If UCF, USF, UH, Memphis and Cincinnati were so valuable and truly attractive to media in areas as populated as the Tristate area+, they would have been Jonesing for side deals a la an SNY side deal. Typically, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc especially in lower populated and average per capita income markets doesn’t motivate media buyers.

 

[LBird33]

UConn cant have its cake and eat it too. Yall keep complaining about how the AAC sucks yet you wanna keep football here. It doesn't work that way. Yall took yall ball and went home, take your football home as well.

Why are you here. No friends on your own board?????

 

[OldGoldnBlue]

How dense are you? It’s simple, exclude WBB from the new ESPN contract. This conversation is reaching new levels of stupid. No one prices football by school. You know that.

I realize the prestige of the UConn women's bball program, but at the end of the day it's still women's bball.

Your fans seemed to almost want a Longhorn Network type exemption from the AAC TV contract for women's bball? I've checked some ratings for women's basketball games and the ratings barely move the needle, for any team including UConn. Even NCAA tourney games featuring UConn don't get large ratings. It seems like the UConn fan base is greatly overvaluing women's basketball.

I know that post will sound insulting but I'm seriously having trouble understanding why UConn thought that women's bball was important enough to be excluded from a league TV contract.

 

[Dooooooomed]

So many dumb takes from non-UConn fans.

 

[Life Is Good]

yeah, the only tough part with that is the balance we would have to strike with the new partners. It would give time for the schedule to settle and all, but the seasons will be all lost for all sports.

I can understand that the AAC could care less about us but I would still like to see us stay in the conference next season so we can end up with 8 or 9 wins and go to a bowl game. Then we will be a competitive team and have a good shot at some ACC teams coming to the Rent.

 

[jostar1]

I realize the prestige of the UConn women's bball program, but at the end of the day it's still women's bball.

Your fans seemed to almost want a Longhorn Network type exemption from the AAC TV contract for women's bball? I've checked some ratings for women's basketball games and the ratings barely move the needle, for any team including UConn. Even NCAA tourney games featuring UConn don't get large ratings. It seems like the UConn fan base is greatly overvaluing women's basketball.

I know that post will sound insulting but I'm seriously having trouble understanding why UConn thought that women's bball was important enough to be excluded from a league TV contract.

We were getting over $1 million a year from our TV deal with SNY. Under the latest AAC contract, that money just gets divvied up with the other schools. Plus, it is exposure in the number one media market in the country.

As far as ratings go, this is from a 2017 article:



SNY Enjoying Partnership With Geno Auriemma, UConn
When the New York-based sports network began televising the women’s college basketball team in Connecticut, executives were cautiously optimistic.
The UConn women’s basketball program was a staple on CPTV, so the people who run pay channel SNY figured ratings would not grow much in Connecticut. But there was potential to attract viewers in the Tri-State area, where the TV home of the Mets had a deep presence.

Five years later, UConn has been a ratings bonanza for SNY. The network took over as the Huskies were beginning a historic run, winning national titles over the first four years and losing in the Final Four last spring.
As UConn extended its winning streak to 111 games last season, SNY’s rating soared. In 17 telecasts last season — and remember, that’s not including marquee games that land on ESPN — SNY drew a 6.00 household rating in the Hartford-New Haven market, up 21 percent from the season before.

UConn games averaged a 0.42 household rating in New York, an 83 percent increase over the 2015-16 season. A game at Temple on Feb. 1 drew a larger audience in the New York market than an NHL doubleheader on NBCSN and seven other college basketball games on ESPN2, ESPNU and FS1.

The timing of the marriage has been ideal — UConn is 187-6 over the past five seasons, gaining national attention as it won titles and built a record winning streak.
“I think that there was something about the winning steak and just the sheer level of excellence that was exhibited by the winning streak,” SNY president Steve Raab said. “It isn’t as much a women’s basketball story as it’s an athletic leadership and excellence story. That takes on sort of a broader level of interest.”

On Thursday, SNY unveiled its 2017-18 lineup of UConn content. The network will televise 16 games, starting with the home opener Nov. 17 against California. All of the SNY games are also viewable outside of the Connecticut-New York-New Jersey markets on ESPN3, the Bristol-based company’s digital streaming option. Through its contract with the American Athletic Conference, ESPN has the option to pick up the SNY feed for digital use outside the local market and the network has elected to offer all of SNY’s game to a national audience.

Raab and SNY senior vice president and producer Curt Gowdy Jr. knew that Auriemma would be good. But this good?

“I don’t think coming into it we really knew exactly what we were getting with Geno,” Raab said. “The trust and the honesty that we’ve gotten from Geno as a media partner has actually been … to me, it was a surprise and more special. We knew he was a great coach. What I didn’t understand was that a lot of qualities that make him a great coach also made him a great partner for us.”

Said Gowdy, “He’s compelling, he’s unique. He says what’s one his mind. His coaching legend certainly speaks for itself. But as an individual, he quickly came to trust us. Once we gained his trust, which was very quickly, he allowed us to be part of his team. By that I mean, he allowed us into his locker room. He allowed us into his coaching meeting when we do our all-access shows. He allowed us to come on this trip to Italy. That’s the kind of relationship that has developed.”

Last season, HBO was also embedded in the program. That’s a sign of how well-known Auriemma and the program are on a national level.
Of the 13 million homes that SNY is available, 5 million are outside the Tri-State markets. Raab said the network cannot track ratings in those outside markets, but he suspects the numbers are growing.

This season, SNY is offering games and pregame and postgame coverage via SNY.tv and the NBC Sports app to authenticated subscribers to the network. The streaming may be just the start as SNY pushes UConn content on various platforms.
For UConn, it’s an opportunity to market the school to a broader audience. The appeal of striking a deal with SNY was to spread the school’s brand into the New York market.

“This is a program that sort of stands for a level of excellence, that isn’t bounded by the state of Connecticut or bounded by the Northeast,” Raab said. “It’s become a national property. And with Geno’s notoriety from an Olympic standpoint, I don’t think there’s any reason to think that we can’t keep pushing the boundaries of what the UConn basketball program stands for and what that fan base might be.”

SNY Enjoying Partnership With Geno Auriemma, UConn

 

[Dooooooomed]

^ And those were just Tier 3 games...

 

[jostar1]

UConn women’s basketball averages better TV ratings in Hartford/New Haven than Red Sox baseball, ‘Thursday Night Football,’ SNY says

MAR 12, 2019

As women’s basketball television ratings rise across the country, Connecticut seems to be no exception.

SNY, which broadcasts UConn women’s basketball, announced Tuesday that the Huskies had averaged a 6.00 household rating in the Hartford/New Haven market this season, a higher number than that of Red Sox games, Bruins games and “Thursday Night Football” typically receive in the region.

“This partnership with SNY is unlike any other in the country,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said in a statement. “SNY’s commitment to UConn and its fans is unmatched, from comprehensive gameday coverage, including pre- and post-game shows, to the many hours of additional UConn-related content.”

“SNY has helped grow UConn’s audience not only in its home state but also across the New York Metro area and beyond," Steve Raab, SNY’s president, added. “Our breadth of programming is unparalleled and goes far beyond the live games, giving fans inside access to this legendary basketball program”.

UConn women’s basketball averages better TV ratings in Hartford/New Haven than Red Sox baseball, ‘Thursday Night Football,’ SNY says

 

[OldGoldnBlue]

We were getting over $1 million a year from our TV deal with SNY. Under the latest AAC contract, that money just gets divvied up with the other schools. Plus, it is exposure in the number one media market in the country.

As far as ratings go, this is from a 2017 article:



SNY Enjoying Partnership With Geno Auriemma, UConn
When the New York-based sports network began televising the women’s college basketball team in Connecticut, executives were cautiously optimistic.
The UConn women’s basketball program was a staple on CPTV, so the people who run pay channel SNY figured ratings would not grow much in Connecticut. But there was potential to attract viewers in the Tri-State area, where the TV home of the Mets had a deep presence.

Five years later, UConn has been a ratings bonanza for SNY. The network took over as the Huskies were beginning a historic run, winning national titles over the first four years and losing in the Final Four last spring.
As UConn extended its winning streak to 111 games last season, SNY’s rating soared. In 17 telecasts last season — and remember, that’s not including marquee games that land on ESPN — SNY drew a 6.00 household rating in the Hartford-New Haven market, up 21 percent from the season before.

UConn games averaged a 0.42 household rating in New York, an 83 percent increase over the 2015-16 season. A game at Temple on Feb. 1 drew a larger audience in the New York market than an NHL doubleheader on NBCSN and seven other college basketball games on ESPN2, ESPNU and FS1.

The timing of the marriage has been ideal — UConn is 187-6 over the past five seasons, gaining national attention as it won titles and built a record winning streak.
“I think that there was something about the winning steak and just the sheer level of excellence that was exhibited by the winning streak,” SNY president Steve Raab said. “It isn’t as much a women’s basketball story as it’s an athletic leadership and excellence story. That takes on sort of a broader level of interest.”

On Thursday, SNY unveiled its 2017-18 lineup of UConn content. The network will televise 16 games, starting with the home opener Nov. 17 against California. All of the SNY games are also viewable outside of the Connecticut-New York-New Jersey markets on ESPN3, the Bristol-based company’s digital streaming option. Through its contract with the American Athletic Conference, ESPN has the option to pick up the SNY feed for digital use outside the local market and the network has elected to offer all of SNY’s game to a national audience.

Raab and SNY senior vice president and producer Curt Gowdy Jr. knew that Auriemma would be good. But this good?

“I don’t think coming into it we really knew exactly what we were getting with Geno,” Raab said. “The trust and the honesty that we’ve gotten from Geno as a media partner has actually been … to me, it was a surprise and more special. We knew he was a great coach. What I didn’t understand was that a lot of qualities that make him a great coach also made him a great partner for us.”

Said Gowdy, “He’s compelling, he’s unique. He says what’s one his mind. His coaching legend certainly speaks for itself. But as an individual, he quickly came to trust us. Once we gained his trust, which was very quickly, he allowed us to be part of his team. By that I mean, he allowed us into his locker room. He allowed us into his coaching meeting when we do our all-access shows. He allowed us to come on this trip to Italy. That’s the kind of relationship that has developed.”

Last season, HBO was also embedded in the program. That’s a sign of how well-known Auriemma and the program are on a national level.
Of the 13 million homes that SNY is available, 5 million are outside the Tri-State markets. Raab said the network cannot track ratings in those outside markets, but he suspects the numbers are growing.

This season, SNY is offering games and pregame and postgame coverage via SNY.tv and the NBC Sports app to authenticated subscribers to the network. The streaming may be just the start as SNY pushes UConn content on various platforms.
For UConn, it’s an opportunity to market the school to a broader audience. The appeal of striking a deal with SNY was to spread the school’s brand into the New York market.

“This is a program that sort of stands for a level of excellence, that isn’t bounded by the state of Connecticut or bounded by the Northeast,” Raab said. “It’s become a national property. And with Geno’s notoriety from an Olympic standpoint, I don’t think there’s any reason to think that we can’t keep pushing the boundaries of what the UConn basketball program stands for and what that fan base might be.”

SNY Enjoying Partnership With Geno Auriemma, UConn

Yes, but that's like being the tallest midget. Just because they are getting higher ratings than other low rated content doesn't make the product valuable.

I just have trouble understanding why UConn thought they deserved special treatment just because their women's bball team brought in more money than their conference. Did UC or UCF deserve bigger shares of the contract because their football teams brought in higher tv ratings? Should Tulane and Tulsa get peanuts because they blow in everything? I'm just not seeing UConn's point of view on this.

 

[StunningSteve]

We were getting over $1 million a year from our TV deal with SNY. Under the latest AAC contract, that money just gets divvied up with the other schools. Plus, it is exposure in the number one media market in the country.

Why wouldn't UConn women's basketball revenue be split up (or be part of the package) in the AAC deal???

That's the one UConn sport that is producing... and its ladies basketball.

Does that mean the sports the other members are carrying the load in stay with them??

For instance, UConn is a net negative in the Football Massey Ratings... Should Football payouts be skewed toward UCF???

Has the new big east signed off on this special deal?

Part of being in a conference is contributing in the areas you're strong in.. and benefitting from the other members strengths.

 

[Exit 4]

Why wouldn't UConn women's basketball revenue be split up (or be part of the package) in the AAC deal???

That's the one UConn sport that is producing... and its ladies basketball.

Does that mean the sports the other members are carrying the load in stay with them??

For instance, UConn is a net negative in the Football Massey Ratings... Should Football payouts be skewed toward UCF???

Has the new big east signed off on this special deal?

Part of being in a conference is contributing in the areas you're strong in.. and benefitting from the other members strengths.

This is exasperating. Time to pack it up and just play in your own space on some Memphis board. This conversation is reads as if you were in fact born yesterday.

 

[jostar1]

Yes, but that's like being the tallest midget. Just because they are getting higher ratings than other low rated content doesn't make the product valuable.

I just have trouble understanding why UConn thought they deserved special treatment just because their women's bball team brought in more money than their conference. Did UC or UCF deserve bigger shares of the contract because their football teams brought in higher tv ratings? Should Tulane and Tulsa get peanuts because they blow in everything? I'm just not seeing UConn's point of view on this.

UConn has had a separate TV deal for women's basketball for 25 years. The value of the content is over $1 million to UConn.

Is the loss of this the reason why UConn is leaving the AAC? No. Just read the other posts regarding the AAC TV contract. And it is not just the TV contract.

 

[UConnRock]

There is $0 TV value to AAC women’s basketball without UConn. It is the only sport where the TV value is controlled by 1 team. ESPN obviously played hardball with Aresco thinking that UConn had no options. Aresco folded and did not protect UConn’s financial position. Whether ESPN re-negotiates or not, they are taking a financial hit by losing UConn women’s hoops as a feature.

If UConn was not included on the list of schools whose departure would re-open the negotiations it means that Aresco's big bargaining coup was to protect the rest of the AAC from UConn's departure. Aresco forced ESPN to take the gamble that UConn would stay. Rather than negotiate for UConn's Teir 3 rights, he negotiated a way to soften UConn's departure.

 

[billybud]

Alea iacta est....

UConn and the AAC have a year.

You can debate the "whys", whether efficacious....but it is done.

 

[DefCONNOne]

So many dumb takes from non-UConn fans.

Outnumbered by the dumb takes by the UCONN fans who think this is a "bigtime, winning" move.

 

[browndog319]

So they keep poking us because we couldn’t bite back and we just got up and left?

One of my dogs is in a cone- it’s being held together with unicorn duck tape. Between her and her brother, I don’t know if it will survive until her next check with the vet this Friday...
She was bitten by a brown recluse spider. Those things will f a puppy up!

 

[browndog319]

Outnumbered by the dumb takes by the UCONN fans who think this is a "bigtime, winning" move.

Only stupid to those who don’t get what it’s like to sell out a conference tournament.
Only stupid to those who don’t realize that the 2014 NC was likely made possible because it went through MSG... talk about a home field advantage. Watch those games against MSU and Iowa State. The crowd was insane.
That’s what being in the Big East for basketball is.

 

[TJT]

I get the monetary loss for UConn women's basketball tv rights. I however think that whatever is lost there is more than made up for on the football side. While many here argue that AAC women hoops outide UConn brings zero value, the same can be said about football with UConn. There is far more money derived from football TV rights and Husky football presently adds very little to the pot compared to some of the other teams.

 

[huskyrob1]

UConn cant have its cake and eat it too. Yall keep complaining about how the AAC sucks yet you wanna keep football here. It doesn't work that way. Yall took yall ball and went home, take your football home as well.

The AAC does suck and UConn leaving hurts the AAC really bad. The ESPN+ package is junk. Either Aresco gets fired soon or other AAC Schools start saying amongst themselves "hey maybe UConn made the right move". UConn has clearly shown how much value they add to ANY conference, they also showed that that value goes with them when they leave. UConn football will do well as an independent and will probably get a P5 invite in 3 or 4 years. As for the AAC it will probably implode spectacularly.

 

[UConnRock]

I would venture a guess that ESPN's actuarial analysis of the future contract allocated a very high percentage of ESPN+ memberships following completion of the football season directly to UConn basketball, both men's and women's. Based on the attendance for other AAC basketball teams there would be very few $5/month subscribers outside of the August to November football season. Maybe Cincinnati and Wichita would garner some interest. There was a reason ESPN did not budge on the Teir 3 rights. The AAC, and specifically UConn, was ESPN's Guinea Pig for ESPN+ at the FBS and semi-major basketball level. UConn was not interested in loss of revenue for the sake of ESPN's beta testing.

I am still interested in the details of the future contract. If Aresco negotiated for UConn not to be included in the list of departing teams that re-opened the contract, he certainly did well in protecting the others in the AAC. Also curious what Wichita St. gets for hoops only as that puts a bar for estimating UConn's value minus football.

 

[huskyrob1]

I would venture a guess that ESPN's actuarial analysis of the future contract allocated a very high percentage of ESPN+ memberships following completion of the football season directly to UConn basketball, both men's and women's. Based on the attendance for other AAC basketball teams there would be very few $5/month subscribers outside of the August to November football season. Maybe Cincinnati and Wichita would garner some interest. There was a reason ESPN did not budge on the Teir 3 rights. The AAC, and specifically UConn, was ESPN's Guinea Pig for ESPN+ at the FBS and semi-major basketball level. UConn was not interested in loss of revenue for the sake of ESPN's beta testing.

I am still interested in the details of the future contract. If Aresco negotiated for UConn not to be included in the list of departing teams that re-opened the contract, he certainly did well in protecting the others in the AAC. Also curious what Wichita St. gets for hoops only as that puts a bar for estimating UConn's value minus football.

As Benedict said, Uconn, Wichita State, or anybody in the AAC according to the contract Aresco penned, will cover all production costs for major sports. The schools actually lose money or barely break even, and ESPN cleans up with advertising revenues while soaking fans for 5 or 6 bucks in subscription fees . I could be wrong on this but I think this is why UCONN bolted. Basically ESPN was telling the AAC that their conference sucks and if they want to be on tv they will have pay up.

 

[Madmannsucks]

UConn cant have its cake and eat it too. Yall keep complaining about how the AAC sucks yet you wanna keep football here. It doesn't work that way. Yall took yall ball and went home, take your football home as well.

Did you say, Yall took Yall ball? Guessing you did not go to UConn.

 

[Pudge]

The Koch Brothers in Wichita own a business empire. Tillman Fertitta in Houston owns the Rockets and the Landry's restaurant chain, which includes about 35 brand offshoots. The problem with bagmen in America these days is that many of them have become very respectable.

It reminds me of Eddie DeBartolo, Jr., former owner of the SF 49'ers. Eddie is a gangster in Youngstown, Ohio. The NFL always knew about Eddie, but since he had the most successful franchise in the NFL, they looked the other way. Eventually the feds got him for tax evasion and money laundering, so the NFL was forced to ditch him by making him sell the franchise. That this guy is in the NFL HOF is disgusting.

His sister is now the Owner

 

[freescooter]

Mustang man gets it. The whole point of a conference is to benefit as a group. Take advantage of various members strengths. Frankly we weren’t making $5 million of SNY. And our basketball decline was 100% on us. In fact for a program that brought squat to the League over the past 5-6 years, it was pretty ridiculous for us to be as demanding as we seem to have been. We’ve been surpassed in basketball by Houston Temple Central Florida Memphis at least. Arguably SMU. In football by programs that have been dogs for a generation like Temple and Memphis and even Tulane. Sad to say UConn brought very little to the AAC yet wanted to be treated like royalty. Now we have moved on to be a modest program in a mostly mid tier academic mostly Catholic league. Let’s face it. Nobody is confusing St Johns and Providence with Duke and UNC. Made a move based on nostalgia. Now we just need to figure out Y2K every thing will be great.

 

[huskyrob1]

Mustang man gets it. The whole point of a conference is to benefit as a group. Take advantage of various members strengths. Frankly we weren’t making $5 million of SNY. And our basketball decline was 100% on us. In fact for a program that brought squat to the League over the past 5-6 years, it was pretty ridiculous for us to be as demanding as we seem to have been. We’ve been surpassed in basketball by Houston Temple Central Florida Memphis at least. Arguably SMU. In football by programs that have been dogs for a generation like Temple and Memphis and even Tulane. Sad to say UConn brought very little to the AAC yet wanted to be treated like royalty. Now we have moved on to be a modest program in a mostly mid tier academic mostly Catholic league. Let’s face it. Nobody is confusing St Johns and Providence with Duke and UNC. Made a move based on nostalgia. Now we just need to figure out Y2K every thing will be great.

I think you're off your rocker. If UConn had no value then why is Aresco, the AAC, and ESPN pss.d as hell at Benedict for pulling this? With UConn gone this ESPN + thing is garbage. The AAC right now reminds me of the Big East right after BC and Cuse bolted to the ACC. If Aresco isn't fired soon the AAC will implode just like old Big East did.