AAC Looking Outside the Box for TV Deal

[Eskapeesto]

Interested to hear thoughts on this (other than hoping we won't be around to care).

American Athletic Conference looking outside the box for next TV deal?

Aresco appears plenty willing to break that mold, and may be eyeing up a revolutionary idea of shopping his conference product to a non-traditional platform like Netflix, Amazon, or other providers of digital content that can deliver the content in multiple ways.

AAC might turn to new media

Aresco said that the league is in talks with Amazon to broadcast some of its women's basketball and non-revenue sports as soon as this year. Amazon has more than 50 million subscribers to its Prime Video service. While nothing is finalized, that offers a small window into a new world.

 

[CL82]

Geesh, I wonder which woman's games that would be?

First we lose $$ for our games and now he's are going to make them invisible?
-U Aresco.

 

[Rico444]

This is great. At the very least, we'll make more money, but maybe if ESPN isn't making a bunch of money off of us they'll be more likely to help us get into a new conference.

 

[upstater]

So not only will UConn not get paid for women's bball, but now the games slotted for SNY will be on Amazon instead, thereby killing Geno's coaching TV show on SNY, and forcing people to pay up for Amazon.

Aresco is treading in dangerous territory, because he may find UConn unwilling to give up tier 3 rights in the future. Heck, UConn should be there now.

 

[B1GEast]

Note : The AAC is also looking under the couch cushions for spare change as a strategy as well.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I love, love, love this idea. ESPN, cable TV, networks...it all seems like it's dying. The viewing habits of my millennial friends and some baby boomers is pretty much Netflix, Amazon and Sports. Sports is only holding on because the content isn't available on Netflix or Amazon. Also, sports are inherently live which isn't really Netflix/Amazon's thing...thus far. Regardless, I like the outside the box thinking.

That said, I don't really understand how this would work. Sports requires tons of production capability. I don't think Netflix/Amazon has these capabilities...but maybe I'm wrong. Would Netflix/Amazon produce the broadcast? Or would just sign a deal to broadcast ESPN content....like the cable networks?

 

[WestHartHusk]

Every move he makes hurts us.

 

[CL82]

So not only will UConn not get paid for women's bball, but now the games slotted for SNY will be on Amazon instead, thereby killing Geno's coaching TV show on SNY, and forcing people to pay up for Amazon.

Aresco is treading in dangerous territory, because he may find UConn unwilling to give up tier 3 rights in the future. Heck, UConn should be there now.

What are our options? Go Independent?

 

[UConnSwag11]

how are they going to advertise the games?

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I don't get the financial part but it would make my life complete to be able to get uconn games on amazon or Netflix! I hope it happens

 

[Arizona Husky]

A much better option than CBS Sports Network

 

[Chin Diesel]

This thread will devolve in to a discussion of 21st C media consumption; especially those less than 25 years old.

 

[gtcam]

anything but espn
I hope they move out of state (espn)- go to syracuse

 

[Northbound]

Nickelodeon?

 

[Chief00]

All the senior citizen UConn WBB fans watching via Amazon and Netflix - interesting concept - just don't see it.

 

[MexicoHusky]

All the senior citizen UConn WBB fans watching via Amazon and Netflix - interesting concept - just don't see it.

You are probably correct, but my 70+ year old Uncle refused to buy cable for years because he didn't want a package deal. He only wanted Fox News, some local channels and maybe the history channel (really gives a picture of who he is). Anyways, he got into Netflix because of the cost. Lots of free stuff and he only pays for the items he wants to which...which means he only watches the free stuff.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I think it's a smart move. Stay ahead of the curve on this. Cable TV may not even exist as it does now in 10 years. Netflix will soon have more subscribers than all cable providers combined.

If you can get a few extra bucks, great. I absolutely believe there are more UConn fans with Amazon Prime than CBS Sports.

 

[pnow15]

Find a high bidder. ESPN will always match.

 

[Rico444]

Find a high bidder. ESPN will always match.

Does ESPN have the right to match any deal we ever try to make? No wonder they're not letting us go to any other conference.

 

[pnow15]

Does ESPN have the right to match any deal we ever try to make? No wonder they're not letting us go to any other conference.

I think they have that option on the conference.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I love, love, love this idea. ESPN, cable TV, networks...it all seems like it's dying. The viewing habits of my millennial friends and some baby boomers is pretty much Netflix, Amazon and Sports. Sports is only holding on because the content isn't available on Netflix or Amazon. Also, sports are inherently live which isn't really Netflix/Amazon's thing...thus far. Regardless, I like the outside the box thinking.

That said, I don't really understand how this would work. Sports requires tons of production capability. I don't think Netflix/Amazon has these capabilities...but maybe I'm wrong. Would Netflix/Amazon produce the broadcast? Or would just sign a deal to broadcast ESPN content....like the cable networks?

Who says the production and distribution have to be the same people
Netflix could purchase content from ESPN or the AAC could produce their own shows and use someone else
to delivery it.
Just because sports content has always been produced and delivered by a newtwork doesn't mean that's the way it will always be.

 

[SubbaBub]

You need both money and exposure. Not enough money the program suffers. Not enough exposure, recruits dry up from a lack of buzz around your program and the program suffers.

The biggest loss in terms of the AAC deal and BE death was the loss of the Big Monday slot on ESPN. It even hurt ESPN by not having those BE games on at 7. Duke/UNC only play twice and the old brand BE games they can show aren't the same without you know who.