Aresco Speech From AAC Media Days

[nelsonmuntz]

The Duke football coach got three times the air time that the American did.

The AAC NEEDS TO GET ON ANOTHER NETWORK. How much more evidence do we need that ESPN hates the league, hates UConn, and wants to see it go away? I don't get the problem, because logic would say that ESPN would want as diversified a group of power teams as possible, particularly since so much content is leaving or has already left ESPN. That said, it is hard to ignore the obvious, which is that ESPN hates us.

 

[Fishy]

The AAC NEEDS TO GET ON ANOTHER NETWORK. How much more evidence do we need that ESPN hates the league, hates UConn, and wants to see it go away? I don't get the problem, because logic would say that ESPN would want as diversified a group of power teams as possible, particularly since so much content is leaving or has already left ESPN. That said, it is hard to ignore the obvious, which is that ESPN hates us.

Unfortunately, being hated by ESPN is better than being loved by Fox Sports 1 or whatever NBC is calling its sports channel these days.

 

[Fishy]

Is that more because Duke is a power in football or because our media day was in Newport?

If they won't come to our clambake, we will bring the clambake to them. Next year, we should have the clambake in a parking lot in Bristol.

Aresco can just kinda make awkward eye contact with ESPN talking heads while they go to and from their cars.

 

[freescooter]

The AAC NEEDS TO GET ON ANOTHER NETWORK. How much more evidence do we need that ESPN hates the league, hates UConn, and wants to see it go away? I don't get the problem, because logic would say that ESPN would want as diversified a group of power teams as possible, particularly since so much content is leaving or has already left ESPN. That said, it is hard to ignore the obvious, which is that ESPN hates us.

Unfortunately, being hated by ESPN is better than being loved by Fox Sports 1 or whatever NBC is calling its sports channel these days.

I think these 2 perspectives pretty much sum up our situation. It is awful being tied to ESPN when they decide who to promote and who to denigrate and for their own reasons they have decided that Central Florida isn't as good as Iowa State in football and UConn isn't equal to Minnesota in basketball. The problem is that the alternatives are just not there. I keep hoping that FoxSports or NBC or somebody figures out how to get over the hump and become a viable alternative, but for the moment that has not happened. Heck there were fewer people watching some Big East games on FS1 than were at the games. I don't know how UConn would or could do it, but developing its own network ought to be at least investigated. Probably not viable but having watched how ESPN treated the Big East vs the ACC and having watched how former Big East members dominated the ACC for the first 5-6 years they were there, how the Big East performed in bowl games vs how the ACC performed, how UConn performed in basketball vs ACC darling Duke, I have a real concern that a decade living with ESPN may kill the league more than being left out of the ESPN defined P5 will.

 

[John Greene]

Is that more because Duke is a power in football or because our media day was in Newport?

It has nothing to do with location of media day. It has to due with the fact that except for CT, and possibly Cincy in Ohio, the AAC and it's teams rank somewhere between 3rd and 6th in CFB fan interest within their markets. This also goes a long way towards explaining the crappy media rights deal.

 

[B1GOSU]

Did ESPN own the media rights to Conference USA ten years ago? If so, did ESPN promote Conference USA more or less than it promotes the AAC now? Really the only difference between the two is that UCONN is in the conference and Louisville is out. Temple is more or less on par with the other schools, which were all CUSA schools. I don't remember who had the media rights to CUSA ten years ago, but surely ESPN covers the AAC at least as much as they covered CUSA back then.

 

[pj]

It has nothing to do with location of media day. It has to due with the fact that except for CT, and possibly Cincy in Ohio, the AAC and it's teams rank somewhere between 3rd and 6th in CFB fan interest within their markets. This also goes a long way towards explaining the crappy media rights deal.

Tulane and Memphis might be 2nd. Navy 1st.

 

[Waquoit]

If they won't come to our clambake, we will bring the clambake to them. Next year, we should have the clambake in a parking lot in Bristol.

Or Lake Compounce! That's on the water. Maybe pick up the tab on the Cotton Candy for the kids.

 

[John Greene]

Tulane and Memphis might be 2nd. Navy 1st.

Navy is a special case, it would have fan interest that is a mile wide but inch deep in a lot of markets. As far as Memphis is concerned, in FB, it would rank below TN, Ole Miss, and ARK in its home town media market. The city of Memphis sits across the Mississippi river from ARK and just a few miles from the Miss. border. Turning to Tulane, even in NO is would be behind LSU and a couple of the directional state U's in FB interest.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Did ESPN own the media rights to Conference USA ten years ago? If so, did ESPN promote Conference USA more or less than it promotes the AAC now? Really the only difference between the two is that UCONN is in the conference and Louisville is out. Temple is more or less on par with the other schools, which were all CUSA schools. I don't remember who had the media rights to CUSA ten years ago, but surely ESPN covers the AAC at least as much as they covered CUSA back then.

If the AAC stays with ESPN, it will be CUSA in both football and basketball within 5 years. That is ESPN's objective.

 

[coachcap]

If the AAC stays with ESPN, it will be CUSA in both football and basketball within 5 years. That is ESPN's objective.

It's a pity that the home office in Providence can't grasp that simple fact. I'd rather the AAC be on FS1 on Saturdays as an intro to Big-XII games than playing in Tuesday's like the MAC in ESPN in the future.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

The Duke football coach got three times the air time that the American did.

You could create a more universal statement by replacing "football coach" with X and "three" with Y (where Y > 3).

 

[RegisteredUconn]

In fairness, Aresco was brought to the helm of the Titanic after it hit the iceberg.

By the time Aresco arrived, the stern was vertical.

 

[freescooter]

If the AAC stays with ESPN, it will be CUSA in both football and basketball within 5 years. That is ESPN's objective.

That is really the issue isn't it. For whatever its reasons, ESPN has decided that the AAC is going to be a nothing league and will do everything in its power to make sure that happens...and we are effectively in partnership with them. They can live with a UConn basketball being very good, just like they could live with Memphis being good in CUSA. Doesn't cost them too much and maybe even helps a little. But a huge fear is that AAC teams start playign really well and regularly embarrassing the self professed power conferences.

 

[whaler11]

Tulane and Memphis might be 2nd. Navy 1st.

Memphis is behind teams in other states in their own market in football. Just check their attendance when Mississippi comes to town.

In what market in Navy the biggest athletic draw? San Diego? It's certainly not Maryland.

When you've been drawing 4 figure crowds to football games and it was sort of a big deal to get a radio contact... then second isn't too big of a deal. Auburn @ LSU got a 26.5 rating in NO last year on ESPN.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

By the time Aresco arrived, the stern was vertical.

Not yet vertical.
The C7 ,opened all the hatches in an attempt to scuttle that that once great ship. Absconding with the last of the lifeboats. Somehow the ship , still listing badly ,avoided Davy Jones Locker.
Credit the Captain or the work of the crew.

 

[pj]

In what market in Navy the biggest athletic draw? San Diego? It's certainly not Maryland.

It's not a geographic market, it's an affiliation market. There are 317,000 active duty sailors and millions of veterans.

Re Memphis and Tulane, Tulane was popular in NO in the past, and now that they are trying again, might be again; same with Memphis, the population of their metro area is concentrated in Tennessee so Memphis has a chance to pass Arkansas and Ole Miss in loyalty in its home market now that it too is in a better league.

 

[whaler11]

It's not a geographic market, it's an affiliation market. There are 317,000 active duty sailors and millions of veterans.

Re Memphis and Tulane, Tulane was popular in NO in the past, and now that they are trying again, might be again; same with Memphis, the population of their metro area is concentrated in Tennessee so Memphis has a chance to pass Arkansas and Ole Miss in loyalty in its home market now that it too is in a better league.

And for all that Navy has been getting peanuts for their games on CBSSN. So those numbers have never translated. They have been putting up winning records by playing the dregs of college football.

They have a small bit of national interest, but it has never meant much before not sure why it would now.

Memphis is borderline hopeless. They will never compete with the multitude of SEC schools in popularity that encircle them.

 

[John Greene]

For what it's worth, even though it is in TN, a lot of people in Memphis refer to it as the largest city in Mississippi. A lot of has to do with Memphis' history as a cotton brokerage point for much of northern Miss.

 

[Adios]

AAC schools do have an enormous amount of resources behind them. It certainly will take time for most schools to become stronger in their own markets. What sticks out about the AAC is that most of the schools are in urban settings, almost all in very large cities. Urbanization is the future. Winning and alumni will change cultures in their settings for some schools quicker than others. I'd love to go to a basketball game at Tulane.

Sacred Heart graduates even dream of playing FBS level football. They do have a mythical FCS championship. Was stunned to find a ring on ebay. Yes, it did go cheap.

 

[Fishy]

I'd love to go to a basketball game at Tulane.

Um, why?

You say these things and I start to wonder if you're not a garden-variety lunatic.

 

[CAHUSKY]

. I'd love to go to a basketball game at Tulane.
.

3600 seat arena with an average attendance under 2000. Sounds exciting.

 

[NickyNewark]

The AAC NEEDS TO GET ON ANOTHER NETWORK. How much more evidence do we need that ESPN hates the league, hates UConn, and wants to see it go away? I don't get the problem, because logic would say that ESPN would want as diversified a group of power teams as possible, particularly since so much content is leaving or has already left ESPN. That said, it is hard to ignore the obvious, which is that ESPN hates us.

Maybe they know something we don't? Before NJU left the OBE/AAC they were for some reason(they knew what was coming) treating RU in an unprofessional shabby manner and sticking them on Espin3 way to often locally and until the announcement no one knew why!?! If its what I hope they see the writing on the wall!!

 

[Ldandy]

The AAC NEEDS TO GET ON ANOTHER NETWORK. How much more evidence do we need that ESPN hates the league, hates UConn, and wants to see it go away? I don't get the problem, because logic would say that ESPN would want as diversified a group of power teams as possible, particularly since so much content is leaving or has already left ESPN. That said, it is hard to ignore the obvious, which is that ESPN hates us.

I don't necessarily buy that ESPN hates UCONN or The AAC, just that they don't value them the way that they should. If ESPN continues to treat the conference as a second rate entity, than the national perception will continue to be that it is one. Look at the old Big East for example. It consistently outperformed The ACC in both basketball and football for years, but the perception nationally, cultivated by ESPN, was that it was light years behind it.

The AAC isn't even being introduced into the discussion, despite winning a BCS Game in football, and the national championship in basketball SMH. Imagine the coverage the league will receive if it does neither of those this year, which is certainly more likely than doing both.

If UCONN is not invited to join the B1G or ACC by the time The current AAC media deal expires, I would gather all the teams that reside either in major markets, or have a national following, and form a new conference that will play by whatever the P5 standard will be. At that point go to Fox who needs programming desperately for FS1, and NBC who is also hungry for sports programming and possesses multiple cable channels.

While money is important, marketing may be more so. Whoever wins the deal, they should be required to market the hell out of the league. Just like ESPN builds up paper tigers like Clemson or South Carolina every year, perception = reality. If Fox or NBC promotes the league as an equal to the other P5 conferences, the public will eventually accept this as true. With that acceptance will come greater $$$, and better access to the playoff. Multiple Saturday games on Fox, FS1, and locally on their multiple Fox Regional outlets. It's possible to achieve if a leader with vision can rally enough like minded schools to the cause.

 

[zls44]

Duke nearly beat Johnny Football and SEC power Texas A&M in their bowl game.
UCF wasn't even picked first in the preseason poll. Yes, they won the Fiesta Bowl, beating a good Baylor team (should be good this year, too). But Baylor isn't a name.

If Fox or NBC promotes the league as an equal to the other P5 conferences, the public will eventually accept this as true.

You clearly think people are really dumb and gullible.

 

[noeynox]

Duke nearly beat Johnny Football and SEC power Texas A&M in their bowl game.
UCF wasn't even picked first in the preseason poll. Yes, they won the Fiesta Bowl, beating a good Baylor team (should be good this year, too). But Baylor isn't a name.



You clearly think people are really dumb and gullible.

So nearly beat Texas A&M, trumps beating Baylor in a BCS game? Not trying to argue how good a conference this is or isn't, but since is almost beating a ranked team in a non BCS game better than beating a P5 Conference champ in a BCS game.

 

[zls44]

So nearly beat Texas A&M, trumps beating Baylor in a BCS game? Not trying to argue how good a conference this is or isn't, but since is almost beating a ranked team in a non BCS game better than beating a P5 Conference champ in a BCS game.

It shouldn't. But perception is a tough nut to crack.

If anyone thinks AAC Media Day would draw anything but flies on TV, they're delusional. These decisions aren't made for no reason. Nobody cares. The TV ratings speak for themselves.

 

[zls44]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/01/college_football_bowl_tv_viewe.html

* Baylor-UCF drew a 6.6 rating for the Fiesta, down 11 percent from Oregon-Kansas State last year.

* For the second straight year, the Chick-fil-A produced ESPN's most-viewed non-BCS bowl ever with a 5.0 for Texas A&M-Duke. That rating was lower than when Johnny Manziel appeared last year at the Cotton, which drew a 7.2 for Texas A&M-Oklahoma on Fox.

* The Fight Hunger had a 2.3 rating for BYU-Washington, up 219 percent from its ratings disaster of Navy-Arizona State last year.

Always good to see that you add schools described as 'ratings disaster' and the other two they added who went to bowls last year led to games with huge ratings decreases (-27%/-31%).

And now their bowl affiliations are WORSE!!!!!

 

[noeynox]

6.6, is still higher than 5.0, no? 11 percent is a pretty big drop, but that may have something to do with Baylor also. Navy/Arizona State a ratings disaster? Why is only Navy culpable?

This league is what it is. It is a cut or two below in terms of overall power in terms of play on the field or court and viewership on TV. BCS bowl wins and National Hoops titles would seem to be indicative of that. It is several cuts below in terms of money being paid to it from TV.

It is what is, it isn't likely to ever change and I do hope for the sake of our athletic department that we aren't here much past the expiration of the exit fees.

 

[Ldandy]

Duke nearly beat Johnny Football and SEC power Texas A&M in their bowl game.
UCF wasn't even picked first in the preseason poll. Yes, they won the Fiesta Bowl, beating a good Baylor team (should be good this year, too). But Baylor isn't a name.



You clearly think people are really dumb and gullible.

Yes people are both dumb and gullible. Perception= Reality. Take the SEC for example. Before ESPN got in bed with them they were not viewed as the top dog conference. They were that southern football conference that Alabama and later on in the 90's Florida feasted on. They were behind The Big 10, Big 12, and other individual programs like Miami and FSU.

ESPN decided to put their money and marketing behind the conference, and suddenly it was all S-E-C all the time. By promoting the hell out of it, they created a self fulfilled prophecy. Top players flocked there in record numbers thus keeping the cycle going. If and it's obviously a big if, an entity like FOX wanted to push The AAC into the national spotlight, they have the means to do it.