AAC Media Contract

[Pudge]

Anyone who reads these threads can see I’ve forgotten more than 90% of those here know.

Kind of a bad spot for you to keep attacking me when you called for at least $10 million a team.

I pointed out the league was going to plus since the day ESPN launched it while you were talking about Amazon or some other insane babbling of multiple fantasy bidders.

You should stop popping off and read and learn something.

Woooooah

That’s a BIG head you’ve got.

12 years? Stomp and whine. But I have seen enough Term contracts; what’s the penalty or the exit conditions if/when you leave. If you have to guarantee some revenue stream or pay a fee to exit ... that’s one thing. Like any business, thing happen. Aresco and attorneys have something in their head on how to exit. 12 years may not be 12 years.

 

[spudzj6]

UFC and soccer fans. Some hockey fans.

They also had a few golf major championships streamed in the mornings, before they went on tv in the afternoon - the feature groups only (similar to what you could stream pgatour.com). Also could watch any tennis match from all the grand slams.

I love all sports, and have the ability to stream while at work. But everyone is correct in saying it’s not something a casual sports fan would pay for right now.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The people streaming ESPN won't be paying $100/month for cable in the future, because the networks, cable companies, etc. will respond to market demand by finally offering debundled cable packages. ESPN as a network isn't going anywhere, they'll just be forced to change how theirs and the cable companies' models work.

The problem with your argument is STILL that virtually no one is cord-cutting in favor of getting ESPN+. No one.

Those who purchase ESPN a la carte will get streaming ESPN - that number will continue to dwarf ESPN+ subscriber numbers.

It's all going away soon. 5G will all but end Cable. Not right away, but eventually. Verizon execs are already on record that the base cable/FiOS package will be replaced with 5G via a home based receiver that coverts it to wifi, a choice of Hulu+ or YouTube Red (or whatever it is called). From there you add on. That will be here inside two years. AT&T is going to move all the DirectTV people to their 5G service plus streaming. DirectTV is going to be a streaming service, plus they have HBO and other content once the TW deal closes.

ESPN is going to have to go in on it too, and it's a problem because their take from cable is massive. ESPN+, Longhorn, ACC, the streaming of the cable stations ESPN/2/U/N/C, it is all going to be repackaged. It won't look the way it does right now. They are positioning ESPN+ to be important.

 

[Hurleyman216]

It's all going away soon. 5G will all but end Cable. Not right away, but eventually. Verizon execs are already on record that the base cable/FiOS package will be replaced with 5G via a home based receiver that coverts it to wifi, a choice of Hulu+ or YouTube Red (or whatever it is called). From there you add on. That will be here inside two years. AT&T is going to move all the DirectTV people to their 5G service plus streaming. DirectTV is going to be a streaming service, plus they have HBO and other content once the TW deal closes.

ESPN is going to have to go in on it too, and it's a problem because their take from cable is massive. ESPN+, Longhorn, ACC, the streaming of the cable stations ESPN/2/U/N/C, it is all going to be repackaged. It won't look the way it does right now. They are positioning ESPN+ to be important.

Finally someone who gets it. Yes, right now ESPN has 86 M subscribers, but that number is going to 0 sooner than most realize. I’m not saying ESPN+ will have 86 million subscribers, but cable is going away and streaming services will replace it. ESPN+ will be part of those newer streaming services, but in what form we don’t know yet.

 

[Guapo]

ESPN is going to have to go in on it too, and it's a problem because their take from cable is massive. ESPN+, Longhorn, ACC, the streaming of the cable stations ESPN/2/U/N/C, it is all going to be repackaged. It won't look the way it does right now. They are positioning ESPN+ to be important.[/QUOTE]

CONSPIRACY KITTY

 

[crewbear742]

The AAC would have received substantially less than $7 million per school for (say) a hypothetical four year contract. ESPN was paying for stability. Besides which, the schools in the AAC have nowhere else to go. There is no viable realignment scenario that sees any of them moving to a P5 conference. So the choice for the AAC was a smaller amount of money for a shorter time or a larger amount of money for a longer time. Take your choice which is better.

 

[Hurleyman216]

honestly, its funnier when they don't realize it

I know you work for ESPN, but honestly who cares other than you? You could be sweeping the floors there for all we know. Working at a company tied to cable companies for your revenue doesn’t make you an expert on the subject. Personally (and I’m not saying this sarcastically or to be a jerk) I hope you keep your resume updated and ready to go. ESPN has fallen on some hard times the past 3-5 years and its only going to get worse in the short term. If you want to place a very large wager on whether there will be more than 86 million cable subscribers for ESPN in 2-3 years please send me a PM so we can work out the details.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The AAC would have received substantially less than $7 million per school for (say) a hypothetical four year contract. ESPN was paying for stability. Besides which, the schools in the AAC have nowhere else to go. There is no viable realignment scenario that sees any of them moving to a P5 conference. So the choice for the AAC was a smaller amount of money for a shorter time or a larger amount of money for a longer time. Take your choice which is better.

That doesn't take into account the $7M received years 5-12 is worth a lot less then, than now.

A four year contract, with less money, but not having to lock us into ESPN+ would have been worth it.

Even if you say it would be $5M/team, that's essentially what the worth of our payouts in the later years are going to be worth anyways.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

UFC and soccer fans. Some hockey fans.

what type of soccer fans? Most of the international leagues are on NBC sports.

 

[Guapo]

what type of soccer fans? Most of the international leagues are on NBC sports.

Hmm I’m honestly not a soccer fan but I thought I saw that ESPN signed a deal to show some sort of big time league (Series A? Or something like that) on ESPN+

 

[HuskyHawk]

Finally someone who gets it. Yes, right now ESPN has 86 M subscribers, but that number is going to 0 sooner than most realize. I’m not saying ESPN+ will have 86 million subscribers, but cable is going away and streaming services will replace it. ESPN+ will be part of those newer streaming services, but in what form we don’t know yet.

The predictions from people in my industry are that this era will be more disruptive than the internet was in the 90's and early 2000's. 5G, Edge computing and a data driven economy. It won't happen overnight, and cable companies won't just pull the plug on their investments anymore than ATMs made bank tellers obsolete. The old will still be around for awhile. I'm not in media or telco, but those are my customers.

ESPN has massive value, but they will monetize it differently. Cable gives you very little information about who is really watching, when they are watching etc. The ability to target ads on that streaming app is infinitely greater than via TV. Targeted ads are far more valuable. Ask Google about that. As I type this, there's an ad for Sling to my right. That's no accident. It's spooky, but it isn't a coincidence.

 

[Towney007]

Hmm I’m honestly not a soccer fan but I thought I saw that ESPN signed a deal to show some sort of big time league (Series A? Or something like that) on ESPN+

90% sure it's Series-A which is Italy's league. That's Juventus (Christiano Ronaldo), Inter, AC Milan, Napoli, Lazio, Roma, Fiorentina... the rest of the league is pretty much a miss.

I THINK La Liga is on there, too - but i'm not sure. I know they're on BeIN sports, but the broadcast is terrible compared to the Premier League stuff on NBC and Bundesliga stuff on Fox Sports. So I dunno how much 'ESPN' Series-A will have in it - and if it's not a branded package of their own. Varies from league to league.

 

[Guapo]

Interesting things of note in here:

A) The AAC is listed as a mid-major
B) The AAC championship game was higher rated, and more watched, than the NBE’s (both were relatively minuscule)

Ratings: Big 12, Pac-12, Big East and Mid-Major Title Games

 

[whaler11]

Woooooah

That’s a BIG head you’ve got.

12 years? Stomp and whine. But I have seen enough Term contracts; what’s the penalty or the exit conditions if/when you leave. If you have to guarantee some revenue stream or pay a fee to exit ... that’s one thing. Like any business, thing happen. Aresco and attorneys have something in their head on how to exit. 12 years may not be 12 years.

lol sure they do. im sure the whole aac can take the money for a few years, walk away from the contract and negotiate something totally different.

folks the twelve years is fine because a contract isnt always a contract in commercial real estate.

do you do anything but talk out of your arse?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

like 9ish large all in on espn, 6 large on the img thing, a couple on women/sny thing? that's like 16+ million per annum. since college sports cash is football, and espn owns college football, and this deal is with espn, well, then good on that for husky football too. unless I missed something on the math, what else could a husky fan say but 'noice.' but let's see what our partners think. ya know, they get way over a million viewers on some of their aac football games?
The American’s New TV Deal Is Out. Here’s What It Means for UCF.
my bad. over 3 million viewers. that's like a lot more than the big villanova - creighton football game gets, I think.
UCF Draws Huge Audience For ESPN College GameDay and ABC Saturday Night Football

still waiting for a confirmation or refutation on the 16m per year revenue opinion. any informed thoughts out there? mebbe one of you big leasters perchance?

 

[tzznandrew]

Yes, right now ESPN has 86 M subscribers, but that number is going to 0 sooner than most realize.

Unless and until ESPN+ starts carrying ESPN/ESPN2, they are separate, and will remain separate. Unbundled, ESPN will still be ESPN, and it will be what everyone wants. ESPN+ is an afterthought until then.

 

[noeynox]

lol sure they do. im sure the whole aac can take the money for a few years, walk away from the contract and negotiate something totally different.

folks the twelve years is fine because a contract isnt always a contract in commercial real estate.

do you do anything but talk out of your arse?

Trying to understand why i got an alert saying you quoted my post that links to this.

 

[noeynox]

I have every option. Apple TV. Amazon Fire. Roku2 and Roku TV. Kodi.

The one that actually works and is awesome. X1. Spoiler alert: it’s the expensive one.

My Roku TV is second. If you have fast enough internet Roku TV is decent.

Also key is if you can get OTA networks. If you can get network OTA and get 100+MB from Cox or Comcast you can go with a Roku TV, OTA ant, netflix, hulu and whatever skinny bundle you like and get to about $150.

I have X1 with every station, 5 HD televisions, HBO and every station under the sun and 100 mb download for $250.

So you can get 90% of the product with 60% of the efficiency and save $115. I can see how that is attractive - but I’d rather be able to change the station without a 30 second lag or read twitter during a game and not have it filled with spoilers.

What is x1? I prefer the Amazon fire TV experience over RoKu and chromecast for sure. I also prefer PSVue to YouTube, Philo, and Sling. The best of part of the streaming experience is no contract and no rental equipment fees. Didn't think you were a kodi fan.

 

[John]

do people honestly believe anymore that there'll be an escape pod to a major conference? Seems like fairy tales at this point, I think we're stuck forever in the AAC conference.

 

[whaler11]

What is x1? I prefer the Amazon fire TV experience over RoKu and chromecast for sure. I also prefer PSVue to YouTube, Philo, and Sling. The best of part of the streaming experience is no contract and no rental equipment fees. Didn't think you were a kodi fan.

It’s Comcast Xfinity. I’d rather stare at a white wall than use Kodi.

 

[JB75]

I’m confused. The article in today’s courant said that uconn men’s hoops games wud be affected and relegated to some games on espn +. I don’t really care about football or the women’s games as much. Am I going to be able to watch the uconn men’s hoops games on regular espn, eson2 , espnu, or espn news or do I have to purchase espn+. Article was unclear That’s all I care about

 

[businesslawyer]

There is so much on this thread that I don't understand or care to understand I can't even begin. I know two things. First, I am technologically dumb, but I get ESPN + and have no problem using it. Second, the $5 a month also includes ESPN Insider, which many were paying for even without + content.

I also know I don't actually pay anything because I use one of my son's access codes in return for all the access codes I supply him.

As for the contract itself, I'll wait to see it to be happy or sad. But I do know that those who say we should have just gotten better terms without knowing what the trade off would be are just talking out of their behinds.

 

[Slasher]

Interesting things of note in here:

A) The AAC is listed as a mid-major
B) The AAC championship game was higher rated, and more watched, than the NBE’s (both were relatively minuscule)

Ratings: Big 12, Pac-12, Big East and Mid-Major Title Games

Regardless of SMW classification of major vs mid-major, the fact that more people watched Cincy/Houston ON ESPN than watched Villanova/Seton on FOX is a huge win for the AAC. FOX is network over the air and that naturally boosts ratings by a lot.

 

[JB75]

U think people like my dad who is almost 70 is going to purchase espn + to watch the men’s games? Not gonna happen. This sucks because normally every uconn game is on tv. No matter how obscure cbssportsnetwork, espnu or sny are on the channel lineup , at least people kno they can get it on regular cable. Especially old people. Ridiculous