Big East TV Deal with FOX, TNT, and NBC

[auror]

For those visual learners (projected based on usual yearly increases and the reporting from the Puck guy):

 

[JMick]

No other to way to look at this other than a major win. Practically doubled the payout and getting more money than the best paid G5 leagues. Each school essentially getting the same amount as the A10 conference gets in total. Give Ackerman a raise.

It's really not that great but it's not absolutely horrible. Would have been nice to be closer to 10

 

[superjohn]

It's really not that great but it's not absolutely horrible. Would have been nice to be closer to 10

It's pretty awful. You weren't far off, I was way off.

Val needed to go a long time ago.

 

[CTBasketball]

It's pretty awful. You weren't far off, I was way off.

Val needed to go a long time ago.

I’m not really disappointed with the contract, but yes Val needs to go.

 

[Kolumbo]

It's pretty awful. You weren't far off, I was way off.

Val needed to go a long time ago.

In the grand scheme, objectively, it's probably pretty good for the conference. Yes, it sucks for us, but it's outstanding for PC, Butler and Xavier. All enrollments around 6,000 and less.

In the A-10 you got huge schools like George Mason, VCU, George Washington, UMass making much less.

I suppose it could be Val's fault but I'm not sure anyone could have done much better.

 

[noeynox]

It's really not that great but it's not absolutely horrible. Would have been nice to be closer to 10

She almost doubled the current contract. I would bet her presidents are absolutely thrilled. Deluding ourselves into thinking the number floated here was attainable is not her fault. I include myself in that group, because like everyone else i want to believe.

 

[ScottVib]

For what it's worth part of the paint touches article:

And if we’re being honest, in raw numbers, the bump up each school will get from this new deal will only amount to about $2M more a year than they got in 2023. So even though it doubles the value of the last contract, it isn’t doubling the current outlays.

All Big East teams will still be rowing upstream to try and keep up with the P4, and will require significant investment from both the university and big money donors. This doesn’t change that at all, other than provide a bigger buffer for the lean years.

The old deal was backloaded meaning last year's distribution was ~5M per school. The overall increase is fine, but not near what some hoped. The dollars were right in line with what was expected the prior year (at least citing the initial Paint Touches study) and simply short of some very optimistic projections that were made as people saw the number of providers involved. As it turns out, no single provider was willing to pay the full freight. The line in the puck article medic posted above more or less summarizes the situation, the Big East is nice to have, but not need to have, ultimately, outside of UConn there just aren't a lot of guaranteed (meaning even in bad years non-fans still tune in) television draws in the league.

That doesn't mean that UConn isn't still better off right now having made the move to the Big East/Independent than it would've been hoping to snag a spot in the Big XII. They are now making (slightly) more revenue per season (albeit with some debt and a similarly expensive exit clause) than they would've in the American, with significantly increased attendance across the board.

 

[McLovin]

you cant record/fast forward/pause/rewind live games but they’ll have them available for replay after the fact and you can fast forward/pause/rewind then

I actually don’t know if I’ve watched a sports game on Peacock but I know Amazon prime has a “start over / show me the highlights/ join live” feature when I turn on TNF late. So the tech is there, and if Peacock doesn’t already have that feature I’d assume they will soon.

The more annoying part about Peacock will not having them saved forever in my YouTube TV DVR (and idk how long they will keep replays available if we miss a game live).

 

[bendm]

I actually don’t know if I’ve watched a sports game on Peacock but I know Amazon prime has a “start over / show me the highlights/ join live” feature when I turn on TNF late. So the tech is there, and if Peacock doesn’t already have that feature I’d assume they will soon.

The more annoying part about Peacock will not having them saved forever in my YouTube TV DVR (and idk how long they will keep replays available if we miss a game live).

i might be wrong about pcock cause the prem league games are usually early morning so i dont often watch live. apologies. i just know my wife has been watching track & field live on pcock and she says she cant rewind. maybe different events have different programming capabilities.

 

[superjohn]

She almost doubled the current contract. I would bet her presidents are absolutely thrilled. Deluding ourselves into thinking the number floated here was attainable is not her fault. I include myself in that group, because like everyone else i want to believe.

Every team in the Big East made at least 5 million last year. We're going to be making what next year $7.2 million and some change. The deal blows. Other conferences triple their money on their new contracts.

 

[MJ1]

Every team in the Big East made at least 5 million last year. We're going to be making what next year $7.2 million and some change. The deal blows. Other conferences triple their money on their new contracts.

The other conference’s that tripled the money had Big time football. For a Basketball driven conference the Big East did okay. 8 million was the hope but 7.27 million is not bad for a non football power league. If UConn does not get the P4 invite the Big East is the next best option.

 

[Brochacho]

Every team in the Big East made at least 5 million last year. We're going to be making what next year $7.2 million and some change. The deal blows. Other conferences triple their money on their new contracts.

You're just going to have to accept the Big East isn't that valuable. Nobody cares about DePaul, Butler or Seton Hall. Georgetown and Villanova sucking doesn't help either.

 

[UCFan1513]

We have the most successful basketball program of the last 25-years and the most incompetent FBS football program of the last 25-years simultaneously, right at the time where football has mattered more and more in the world of sports. Jump for a basketball-only, or full-member, invite to any P4 conference and sort the rest out later - football is a sinking ship that won't ever be anything so if you sacrifice it you sacrifice it

 

[CJasmer]

We have the most successful basketball program of the last 25-years and the most incompetent FBS football program of the last 25-years simultaneously, right at the time where football has mattered more and more in the world of sports. Jump for a basketball-only, or full-member, invite to any P4 conference and sort the rest out later - football is a sinking ship that won't ever be anything so if you sacrifice it you sacrifice it

I don’t care what the P4 or P2 does. I think UConn succeeding in basketball will continue. In football it is a different matter. What would be consider successful in football? Top 50 team? Given how many teams have a chance to play for a national championship in football. Perhaps 15 teams? UConn is among the 100 football teams that do not matter in football.

 

[McLovin]

i might be wrong about pcock cause the prem league games are usually early morning so i dont often watch live. apologies. i just know my wife has been watching track & field live on pcock and she says she cant rewind. maybe different events have different programming capabilities.

Woah no rewind is kind of crazy

 

[JMick]

She almost doubled the current contract. I would bet her presidents are absolutely thrilled. Deluding ourselves into thinking the number floated here was attainable is not her fault. I include myself in that group, because like everyone else i want to believe.

The problem I see with the dollar amount isn't going to be next year. The problem is that in 2029 $7.5 is going to feel like $4

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The problem I see with the dollar amount isn't going to be next year. The problem is that in 2029 $7.5 is going to feel like $4

The 7.5M today isn't much different than the 3.5/4m was when the deal began.

I think if what @Friarsnoop noted above is true - the TNT portion of the deal will be linear than it's basically "acceptable". The BET on peacock still blows though.

 

[How Sway?!]

I think if what @Friarsnoop noted above is true - the TNT portion of the deal will be linear than it's basically "acceptable". The BET on peacock still blows though.

That's just how everything is moving towards. If NFL playoff games can be peacock exclusive, then there's nothing that can't be streaming exclusive.

 

[noeynox]

The problem I see with the dollar amount isn't going to be next year. The problem is that in 2029 $7.5 is going to feel like $4

Sure. I get it. But you are what your record says it is or in this case what your deal is. She has them so far in front of non FBS conferences and now she basically has them at or above G5 conferences in terms of money. If they could have gotten more money i don't think CBS bows out of the running. If you took UConn out of the Big East right now, what are you selling? Nova is down pretty bad, after that you have Creighton and Marquette next tier down is Pitino and PC.

My UConn bias Outside the box thinking, bring back FB sell those rights separately and run it as separate division BB wise that plays crossover games against the current Big East.

 

[CJasmer]

Sure. I get it. But you are what your record says it is or in this case what your deal is. She has them so far in front of non FBS conferences and now she basically has them at or above G5 conferences in terms of money. If they could have gotten more money i don't think CBS bows out of the running. If you took UConn out of the Big East right now, what are you selling? Nova is down pretty bad, after that you have Creighton and Marquette next tier down is Pitino and PC.

My UConn bias Outside the box thinking, bring back FB sell those rights separately and run it as separate division BB wise that plays crossover games against the current Big East.

Outside UConn who are the other football brands in Big East? If they play football it is FCS level. UConn already has a contract with CBS at $500k per year.

 

[jostar1]

We have the most successful basketball program of the last 25-years and the most incompetent FBS football program of the last 25-years simultaneously, right at the time where football has mattered more and more in the world of sports. Jump for a basketball-only, or full-member, invite to any P4 conference and sort the rest out later - football is a sinking ship that won't ever be anything so if you sacrifice it you sacrifice it

Uh...we have to be invited first.

 

[bendm]

My UConn bias Outside the box thinking, bring back FB sell those rights separately and run it as separate division BB wise that plays crossover games against the current Big East.

What do you mean bring back football? Where are we bringing it? Do you want the BE to bring back football? Who else has a team other than Nova? More importantly Who is paying for a BE football tv deal? Or are you saying make bball independent and get our own tv deal but keep playing BE teams? That would be a hilariously bad idea but I’m clearly Very confused so I’ll reserve judgement

 

[CL82]

The 7.5M today isn't much different than the 3.5/4m was when the deal began.

I think if what @Friarsnoop noted above is true - the TNT portion of the deal will be linear than it's basically "acceptable". The BET on peacock still blows though.

Acceptable would be the word. It is absolutely at the bottom of acceptable, but it's still acceptable... barely.

 

[JMick]

Sure. I get it. But you are what your record says it is or in this case what your deal is. She has them so far in front of non FBS conferences and now she basically has them at or above G5 conferences in terms of money. If they could have gotten more money i don't think CBS bows out of the running. If you took UConn out of the Big East right now, what are you selling? Nova is down pretty bad, after that you have Creighton and Marquette next tier down is Pitino and PC.

My UConn bias Outside the box thinking, bring back FB sell those rights separately and run it as separate division BB wise that plays crossover games against the current Big East.

Being at or above G5 football conferences really doesnt mean much anymore. All of that product is trash. There's no one left in the G5 worth watching outside a handful of teams.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

That's just how everything is moving towards. If NFL playoff games can be peacock exclusive, then there's nothing that can't be streaming exclusive.

You're not wrong at all. Less of a commentary on the BE and more about sports broadcasting in general.

 

[Kolumbo]

The problem I see with the dollar amount isn't going to be next year. The problem is that in 2029 $7.5 is going to feel like $4

I really don't care about the dollar amount because if we are still in this situation in 2029, that's a problem. A really big problem. There is no way UConn Football is playing as an independent for the next 6 years. Not unless something so remarkable happens that UConn becomes a bigger destination than ND. Something has to give over the next 2 years or they'll have to do something drastic, like shut football down.

 

[superjohn]

Sure. I get it. But you are what your record says it is or in this case what your deal is. She has them so far in front of non FBS conferences and now she basically has them at or above G5 conferences in terms of money. If they could have gotten more money i don't think CBS bows out of the running. If you took UConn out of the Big East right now, what are you selling? Nova is down pretty bad, after that you have Creighton and Marquette next tier down is Pitino and PC.

My UConn bias Outside the box thinking, bring back FB sell those rights separately and run it as separate division BB wise that plays crossover games against the current Big East.

You're selling the same thing you were selling in 2013 but with the best basketball program in the country and a better stable of coaches. I don't know why people keep bringing up the A10 and terrible football conferences. The Big East is a power conference in basketball and one of the best basketball conferences year in and year out. These schools aren't little sisters of the poor (kobe) you can tell that from their NIL.

 

[Kolumbo]

You're selling the same thing you were selling in 2013 but with the best basketball program in the country and a better stable of coaches. I don't know why people keep bringing up the A10 and terrible football conferences. The Big East is a power conference in basketball and one of the best basketball conferences year in and year out. These schools aren't little sisters of the poor (kobe) you can tell that from their NIL.

From an RPI ranking standpoint, #6 Big East was closer to #8 Atlantic 10 that it was to #1 Big 12. I know it's just one year but that's the game.

I sent you a message but I don't know if I did it correctly.

 

[ec33]

That's just how everything is moving towards. If NFL playoff games can be peacock exclusive, then there's nothing that can't be streaming exclusive.

But the NFL is making a lot of money for that move. The Big East sold those right for very little -- and theoretically are changing their fans $8/month to see those games to make that very little.

 

[Huskyforlife]

You're selling the same thing you were selling in 2013 but with the best basketball program in the country and a better stable of coaches. I don't know why people keep bringing up the A10 and terrible football conferences. The Big East is a power conference in basketball and one of the best basketball conferences year in and year out. These schools aren't little sisters of the poor (kobe) you can tell that from their NIL.

I think you have to accept most people view the Big East closer to the A10 than the P3 as a commodity. The product can be great, but the money tells the story.