Analysis: Plenty of questions, issues and options as Mountain West negotiates new TV deal

[huskymedic]

Plenty of questions, issues and options as Mountain West negotiates new TV deal

Here is what’s not going to happen when the Mountain West opens negotiations for a new television contract next week: A major network swoops in and offers $30 million per school per year that…

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

>>The Mountain West's TV negotiation window with CBS begins on the 30th of this month, followed by ESPN's, then others can get in the fray. Commish Thompson on the challenge ahead, "We have to make some decisions. How important is linear? We have to balance 8:30 or 9 p.m. kickoffs or tip-offs with a few extra bucks versus a digital paywall. Everybody has their opinion. What I think will happen is there is going to be some compromising, and there’s going to have to be some hard decisions to get to a collective agreement. It’s not going to be perfect for all 12 (schools). It never can be."<<

 

[CL82]

Very interested in how much they end up getting. It will provide a framework to evaluate the American deal.

 

[bobbyinaz]

"The fine print: Most games will be on ESPN+, a pay web service ($4.99 per month) with only 2 million subscribers, rather than linear or “real” TV; schools are responsible for on-campus production costs, which some estimate could lower their net annual take by as much as $2 million; and the deal is for 12 years, when technology may change and media rights might be worth more and Div. I athletic budgets will undoubtedly have soared."

To me, this was the interesting take from that article.

I don't remember anyone talking about the fact that the AAC schools could be responsible for as much as $2MM/yr in production costs. If true, it makes the AAC deal much worse. The fact that the conference agreed to sign up for ESPN+, forcing it's fans to pony up $5/month while footing the production costs sounds ridiculous.

 

[CL82]

I don't remember anyone talking about the fact that the AAC schools could be responsible for as much as $2MM/yr in production costs.

Perhaps we aren't?

 

[Slasher]

"The fine print: Most games will be on ESPN+, a pay web service ($4.99 per month) with only 2 million subscribers, rather than linear or “real” TV; schools are responsible for on-campus production costs, which some estimate could lower their net annual take by as much as $2 million; and the deal is for 12 years, when technology may change and media rights might be worth more and Div. I athletic budgets will undoubtedly have soared."

To me, this was the interesting take from that article.

I don't remember anyone talking about the fact that the AAC schools could be responsible for as much as $2MM/yr in production costs. If true, it makes the AAC deal much worse. The fact that the conference agreed to sign up for ESPN+, forcing it's fans to pony up $5/month while footing the production costs sounds ridiculous.

Most of the schools are already doing this to some degree. Maybe Tulane and Tulsa don't, but most schools produce their own streaming content today for their non-revenue sports.

 

[conorg223]

Boise State’s independent media rights status has severely hamstrung the MWC’s negotiating leverage; they’re unquestionably the biggest brand in that league and without their inclusion there’s no way the league comes close to The American’s media deal.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Perhaps we aren't?

While the number may not be $2MM it appears that the member schools are picking up the tab on production costs.

Makes Aresco & this deal more of a joke

 

[CL82]

While the number may not be $2MM it appears that the member schools are picking up the tab on production costs.

Makes Aresco & this deal more of a joke

Joke? Oh there's nothing funny about it.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Joke? Oh there's nothing funny about it.

OK, disaster?

 

[CL82]

Joke? Oh there's nothing funny about it.

Yeah, I can't say that either. I've posted this previously but like "you are what your record say you are," "your conference is what your media deal says it is." The American is the best of the G5, but closer to the other G5 conferences than it is to the P6 conferences.

 

[Fishy]

Such dumb takes.

No, we're not picking up $2,000,000 in production costs.

But even if we were picking up $2,000,000 in production costs....what's your plan to get more money for the member schools?

Someone propose Amazon or Twitter so I can hunt you down and kill you.

 

[Hoophound]

Such dumb takes.

No, we're not picking up $2,000,000 in production costs.

But even if we were picking up $2,000,000 in production costs....what's your plan to get more money for the member schools?

Someone propose Amazon or Twitter so I can hunt you down and kill you.

Nickelodeon, dummy.

 

[CL82]

Nickelodeon, dummy.

You want ideas? I've got a million of them...

 

[Hogoff]

Such dumb takes.

No, we're not picking up $2,000,000 in production costs.

But even if we were picking up $2,000,000 in production costs....what's your plan to get more money for the member schools?

Someone propose Amazon or Twitter so I can hunt you down and kill you.

I propose Amazon and Twitter.