B1G TV Negotiations | Page 4 | The Boneyard

B1G TV Negotiations

Drew said:


Gotta say this is surprising. Could the B1G be the first conference to voluntarily leave ESPN/ABC? Depending on the deal NBC could provide equal if not more exposure for the B1G
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The more B1G time content ESPN loses, the more valuable we are to them, no?
 
Implication is clear: ESPN, Big Ten might divorce


“The Big Ten will do what’s best for the Big Ten, and ESPN has to take that same position. Everyone is watching what’s happening in the television world, the un-bundling that’s taking place, different platforms available now that maybe weren’t in the last go-around for TV contracts. This isn’t pointing a finger at ESPN in any way, stating you have to or don’t have to participate as a partner of the Big Ten. It’s more about: Can the two groups come together?

“No one has amnesia about the relationship we have had with ESPN. John Skipper and that group, they have been a wonderful partner. But we’re at a different place and I think they’re at a different place in 2016 than we were in the last round (of negotiations). That doesn’t mean we can’t get to the altar together and get married again. But we’re at the dating stage right now. And that’s a process. You’d love to continue to stay married with that partner but ultimately you have to do what’s in the best interests of the 14 institutions and that’s where Jim (Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany) is tremendous. He has the support and confidence of not only the athletic directors, but more important, the presidents. He will move us forward.”
 
This is a negotiation ploy and I would be shocked if the B1G doesn't go with ESPN for the 2nd half of their rights. Gotta wonder though if this comes to fruition if ND could join the ACC fulltime since ESPN would be flush with cash to give them.
 
This could be a calculated move by ESPN. Maybe it decided the value is not splitting the B1g 10 rights but securing the south/southeast with the SEC and ACC networks. By doing so, you will eventually eliminate the Big12, recruit the top schools and still maintain a strong grip on the college landscape.
 
Dumb question, but has there been an official announcement about any B1G tv contract renewals just yet?
 
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If B1G leaves ESPN I think it winds up being a huge advantage for the AAC with the way our tv deal is currently laid out. We would more than likely get the 12ET ESPN/2 slots if they aren't being filled by the ACC (which would get more of the 330 games)
 
Drew said:


Gotta say this is surprising. Could the B1G be the first conference to voluntarily leave ESPN/ABC? Depending on the deal NBC could provide equal if not more exposure for the B1G
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It could very well be possible. If the B1G and ESPN divorce, foxsports will have exclusive rights to air the games, that would put fox in a more lucrative and powerful position, and ESPN will be standing in quicksand .
 
ruthetiger said:
It could very well be possible. If the B1G and ESPN divorce, foxsports will have exclusive rights to air the games, that would put fox in a more lucrative and powerful position, and ESPN will be standing in quicksand .
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ESPN does not live off the B1G. It's bread & butter is Sportscenter and Pro Sports.

No one seems to have noticed that, while they broke ranks with on-air personalities, they have also been hiring others. Pro baseball, football, basketball, and of course, college basketball are still ESPN properties.
 
The problem with Fox Sports having exclusive rights to anything is that people have shown a marked disinclination to watch their cable offerings.

The Big Ten isn't the NFL - they can't disrupt ESPN to any marked degree.
 
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Fishy said:
The problem with Fox Sports having exclusive rights to anything is that people have shown a marked disinclination to watch their cable offerings.

The Big Ten isn't the NFL - they can't disrupt ESPN to any marked degree.
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It seems that that's what happening.
 
Fishy said:
The problem with Fox Sports having exclusive rights to anything is that people have shown a marked disinclination to watch their cable offerings.

The Big Ten isn't the NFL - they can't disrupt ESPN to any marked degree.
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Maybe, but IMO they don't have to be the NFL. Nobody is the NFL now - pro or college - they're a juggernaut.

The B1G offers the best year round product in terms of member institution size, market, fan base - moreso than the SEC I would say because SEC hoops by and large is a tire fire once you get passed Kentucky and Florida most years.

FOX doesn't need to take 51% of ESPN's eyeballs to make a dent in the network - not right away at least. If they can move 15-25% in the first few years of having B1G sports, it could be enough to give other leagues and pro sports an incentive to give them a second look, which in the longterm could position FOX to overtake ESPN.

Nothing stays static in television.

For 16 years NBC's TODAY Show dominated morning TV until in 2012 ABC's Good Morning America broke it. Today the two networks are battling week in and week out for supremacy.

My point is saying that FS1 will fail because people won't watch it isn't a really good argument. FS1 is failing cause their current content is poor-to-mediocre at best, which in turn isn't enough to get people motivated to find it and change the channel. Put B1G football and hoops on there and the content part of the equation is getting closer to being solved.
 
NYUConn said:
Maybe, but IMO they don't have to be the NFL. Nobody is the NFL now - pro or college - they're a juggernaut.

The B1G offers the best year round product in terms of member institution size, market, fan base - moreso than the SEC I would say because SEC hoops by and large is a tire fire once you get passed Kentucky and Florida most years.

FOX doesn't need to take 51% of ESPN's eyeballs to make a dent in the network - not right away at least. If they can move 15-25% in the first few years of having B1G sports, it could be enough to give other leagues and pro sports an incentive to give them a second look, which in the longterm could position FOX to overtake ESPN.

Nothing stays static in television.

For 16 years NBC's TODAY Show dominated morning TV until in 2012 ABC's Good Morning America broke it. Today the two networks are battling week in and week out for supremacy.

My point is saying that FS1 will fail because people won't watch it isn't a really good argument. FS1 is failing cause their current content is poor-to-mediocre at best, which in turn isn't enough to get people motivated to find it and change the channel. Put B1G football and hoops on there and the content part of the equation is getting closer to being solved.
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It's not really the same thing. You can't copy having the properties at a whim but whatever.

The Big Ten clearly wants ESPN to buy the balance. Unless you believe that the ADs really don't have a problem with no ESPN. And if you believe that you believe the coaches don't have a problem with no ESPN. And if you believe that you should go back to the beginning and start over.
 
whaler11 said:
It's not really the same thing. You can't copy having the properties at a whim but whatever.
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What does that even mean? Who is saying that FOX Sports is going to replicate or steal ESPN's existing properties overnight and with ease?

It's a process. ESPN wasn't always ESPN. They benefitted greatly obviously by being first movers, but it wasn't until they started signing deals with various leagues and conferences that they grew over to the mammoth they are today.

Again, this argument that ESPN can't lose because it's ESPN isn't an argument at all. Things change and even the most seemingly invincible networks can fall.

I mean look at CNN right now. Who would ever have guessed the network that brought you the Gulf War live and invented cable news would drop out of first place? But as of this past March, FOX News jumped in front.
 
NYUConn said:
What does that even mean? Who is saying that FOX Sports is going to replicate or steal ESPN's existing properties overnight and with ease?

It's a process. ESPN wasn't always ESPN. They benefitted greatly obviously by being first movers, but it wasn't until they started signing deals with various leagues and conferences that they grew over to the mammoth they are today.

Again, this argument that ESPN can't lose because it's ESPN isn't an argument at all. Things change and even the most seemingly invincible networks can fall.

I mean look at CNN right now. Who would ever have guessed the network that brought you the Gulf War live and invented cable news would drop out of first place? But as of this past March, FOX News jumped in front.
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It's nothing like cable news or morning shows. That's was my point.

You can double down on silly analogies it doesn't make them any more accurate or relevant.

Of course ESPN can lose. You might want to consider it probably won't happen while they have MNF, MLB, and the NBA which are all way bigger properties than the Big Ten - which they haven't even lost yet.
 
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ESPN will have no choice but to promote the American if they lose the B1G. Can they sell it as a power league nationally if they dig in hard right away? I think you could argue that ESPN can make the public think whatever they want them to think.
 
Hoophound said:
ESPN will have no choice but to promote the American if they lose the B1G. Can they sell it as a power league nationally if they dig in hard right away? I think you could argue that ESPN can make the public think whatever they want them to think.
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ESPN will continue their transition into becoming SECN and NBAtv, sprinkle in a few ACC games here and there, and bump up the AAC and MAC to weeknight primetime and ESPNU.
 
Hoophound said:
ESPN will have no choice but to promote the American if they lose the B1G. Can they sell it as a power league nationally if they dig in hard right away? I think you could argue that ESPN can make the public think whatever they want them to think.
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I imagine they could, but I suspect much of their hype will be spent building up schools in The ACC not named FSU or Clemson. When you consider the fact that they get millions of casual fans to believe that every team in The SEC is worthy of being in The Top 25 to start every season, you really do wonder.
 
whaler11 said:
It's nothing like cable news or morning shows. That's was my point.

You can double down on silly analogies it doesn't make them any more accurate or relevant.

Of course ESPN can lose. You might want to consider it probably won't happen while they have MNF, MLB, and the NBA which are all way bigger properties than the Big Ten - which they haven't even lost yet.
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His point is that change is incremental. ESPN is still #1. But with more sports networks than ever, ESPN is losing the monopoly on broadcasting rights it once had.

There's no debating that ESPN still has valuable properties. But as other networks poach the rights to events people want to watch, ESPN will lose some of the marketshare, and it's not inconceivable that another network could eventually pass it - especially as consumers shift away from the traditional cable model that was extremely kind to ESPN.
 
whaler11 said:
It's nothing like cable news or morning shows. That's was my point.

You can double down on silly analogies it doesn't make them any more accurate or relevant.

Of course ESPN can lose. You might want to consider it probably won't happen while they have MNF, MLB, and the NBA which are all way bigger properties than the Big Ten - which they haven't even lost yet.
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Comparing cable news networks to cable sports networks is a silly analogy? Man I'd hate to have your SAT score.

And again, back to my original point, getting the B1G isn't a silver bullet but it will succeed in peeling a certain percentage of viewers away from ESPN. That is a start, a chance to get into the ring and compete, which is what FOX desperately needs.
 
NYUConn said:
Comparing cable news networks to cable sports networks is a silly analogy? Man I'd hate to have your SAT score.

And again, back to my original point, getting the B1G isn't a silver bullet but it will succeed in peeling a certain percentage of viewers away from ESPN. That is a start, a chance to get into the ring and compete, which is what FOX desperately needs.
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LOL - the fact you don't get that and combined it with trying to insult my intellegence is gold.

As for the rest - they are trying to compete in the worst way possible. They are trying to replicate a model that is past it's prime. They may as well start trying to build the best cordless phones or the best CD players.

ESPN has put themselves in a tough spot by wasting money on talentless hacks and overspending on properties. Fox is doubling down on the same talentless hacks and overspending on properties. If you break down what they spend per Big 10 game it's insane.

They are pretty much building a network of professional trolls. It's the most obvious losing strategy you'll ever see - but they went all in on it.
 
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NYUConn said:
Great job spelling "Intelligence."
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OMG someone mispelled a word while typing on their phone.

You've been wrong all day - I guess if the best you can do is a spelling mistake - enjoy it.

What a tool.
 
I'm part of a "reattach the cord" family. We cut it for a long time. When it became cost effective, we reattached.

I wonder if anyone here is like me?

I still have Netflix and Amazon too.

I bet ESPN will start gaining more again once the cable companies figure out their bundles better.
 
whaler11 said:
OMG someone mispelled a word while typing on their phone.

You've been wrong all day - I guess if the best you can do is a spelling mistake - enjoy it.

What a tool.
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Wow, check--mate. Great job out there, pour yourself an extra one tonight because you were able to call someone a tool on the internet.

You go around here ripping people for stating opinions all the time. It must be exhausting constantly searching for an opportunity to be so contrarian all the time.

There isn't anything "wrong" with the idea that I am putting out there: that if FS1 can get their hands on some quality, live-content that they have a fighting chance with ESPN.

Or maybe it's my assertion that Cable News and Cable Sports are analogous that you think is "wrong?"

Well let's see, what is an analogy?

"A comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification."

Cable News and Cable Sports networks are structured in the same way in that they rely equally on live content and original programming to drive ratings.

Presidential Debates and Election Night coverage are huge boons for CNN just like Monday Night Football is for ESPN.

Original programming like Hannity on FOX News and PTI on ESPN are also major ratings drivers.

So yes, I would say they are pretty darn analogous.

But hey, I get it, it's easier to just call people a tool and walk away from a debate then to actually engage.
​
 
whaler11 said:
LOL - the fact you don't get that and combined it with trying to insult my intellegence is gold.

As for the rest - they are trying to compete in the worst way possible. They are trying to replicate a model that is past it's prime. They may as well start trying to build the best cordless phones or the best CD players.

ESPN has put themselves in a tough spot by wasting money on talentless hacks and overspending on properties. Fox is doubling down on the same talentless hacks and overspending on properties. If you break down what they spend per Big 10 game it's insane.

They are pretty much building a network of professional trolls. It's the most obvious losing strategy you'll ever see - but they went all in on it.
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To your second point I actually do not disagree with you. I think that FOX's decision to buy up bloated contracts of ESPN's trolliest personalities is an awful and misguided move.

But that's completely separate from its need for live content, which is what the B1G will provide - albeit not on the scale that will let it compete immediately with ESPN.

If FS1 will ever get a real chance to compete with ESPN it's going to be thanks to an influx on live content, not because it now has Skip Bayless. Original programming will be a part of the equation but I can't see it succeeding the way FS1 is doing it now.
 
Fishy said:
The problem with Fox Sports having exclusive rights to anything is that people have shown a marked disinclination to watch their cable offerings.

The Big Ten isn't the NFL - they can't disrupt ESPN to any marked degree.
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yes but aside from MNF ESPN doesnt have the NFL either.....
 
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