Discouraging, But you Never Can Tell...

[Dooley]

The Big 10 was unbalanced at 11 for a while, it would not surprise me if they went with Uconn alone at 15 for a while. IMO, they would only do this as a pre-emptive strike to stop the acc from taking the only remaining viable school left to take, the one that delivers most of new england and parts of NYC.

The 10 can sit and wait unbalanced for as long as they like. How many years were they at 11 after they added penn st?

I really believe that we will get an invite from both conferences. If this happens, Uconn will have to make the right choice.

I wonder if a ND type of deal would be available for UCONN on a probationary basis. Obviously, football isn't on par with Notre Dame's. But if UCONN put all of their sports except football in the B1G, then had contractually agreed to play 5 football games against B1G opponents (home, away or neutral site on rotation) to help fill schedules, then it could benefit both parties:

Benefits to B1G - full time membership for two power basketball programs to help B1G Network programing and possibly open the door for a NYC conference tourney; access to fertile recruiting grounds for hockey conference to compete against Hockey East; keeps a balanced football conference to retain CCG; possibility to give B1G northeast alumni another chance to see their team locally; don't give full share of revenue during probation; allow UCONN to build up football using B1G brand to justify full membership invite in 5+ years.

Benefits to UCONN - tiny/partial B1G revenue share would still be more than full share of AAC revenue; can build football using games against B1G schools; better basketball conference top to bottom; helps recruiting in all sports; travel expenses are about the same as AAC; gives UCONN a few years to build towards AAU and increase endowment for full invite.

If we're going to make peanuts in conference revenue to begin with, I'd rather make peanuts in a partial B1G membership than full AAC membership. I know it's highly unlikely, but if the biggest deterrent to UCONN getting a B1G invite is a willing and available partner to keep a football championship in tact, then I wonder if a partial membership would be discussed/considered. UCONN could escape AAC purgatory and B1G gains more entry into NYC/northeast. I know from a football season ticket holder perspective, I'd be MUCH more excited to have a home slate of 2-3 B1G teams (even if I have to travel to MetLife or Gillette) and a bunch of fillers than 5 AAC teams and fillers.

 

[HawkHusky]

I wonder if a ND type of deal would be available for UCONN on a probationary basis. Obviously, football isn't on par with Notre Dame's. But if UCONN put all of their sports except football in the B1G, then had contractually agreed to play 5 football games against B1G opponents (home, away or neutral site on rotation) to help fill schedules, then it could benefit both parties:

Benefits to B1G - full time membership for two power basketball programs to help B1G Network programing and possibly open the door for a NYC conference tourney; access to fertile recruiting grounds for hockey conference to compete against Hockey East; keeps a balanced football conference to retain CCG; possibility to give B1G northeast alumni another chance to see their team locally; don't give full share of revenue during probation; allow UCONN to build up football using B1G brand to justify full membership invite in 5+ years.

Benefits to UCONN - tiny/partial B1G revenue share would still be more than full share of AAC revenue; can build football using games against B1G schools; better basketball conference top to bottom; helps recruiting in all sports; travel expenses are about the same as AAC; gives UCONN a few years to build towards AAU and increase endowment for full invite.

If we're going to make peanuts in conference revenue to begin with, I'd rather make peanuts in a partial B1G membership than full AAC membership. I know it's highly unlikely, but if the biggest deterrent to UCONN getting a B1G invite is a willing and available partner to keep a football championship in tact, then I wonder if a partial membership would be discussed/considered. UCONN could escape AAC purgatory and B1G gains more entry into NYC/northeast. I know from a football season ticket holder perspective, I'd be MUCH more excited to have a home slate of 2-3 B1G teams (even if I have to travel to MetLife or Gillette) and a bunch of fillers than 5 AAC teams and fillers.

Please forward this to Herbst and Delany. Thanks!

 

[BC1978]

Here's my questions about GORs - Say team X is a part of Conf A. Conf A sells it's broadcast rights to network 1. Team X moves to Conf B who has also sold it's rights to network 1, how is the GOR an impediment to the move? I guarantee that the network has the right to change the contract if there is a change in the conference membership. So how does the GOR stop movement?

CL82 - good questions...and I can only speculate as what I have read in the public space re: these deals does not to get into that kind of granularity. With that in mind, here is my speculation:

The GORs, IMO, remove the financial incentive for a team to switch conferences in the first place as opposed to physically stopping a team from moving.

Let's use your example: Team X moves from Conference A to Conference B - and network 1 covers both Conferences. I don't believe either Conference A or Conference B have "sold" "ownership" of their media rights to the network; rather, they have signed media deals with the network in which they place their "owned rights" to the network in exchange for certain performance considerations (fees). I believe, actual ownership, however, stays with the Conferences. In this scenario, if Team X moves to Conference B and network 1 increases the media deal for Conference B; as the "owners" of the media rights for Team X, Conference A would be entitled to whatever revenues are generated by Team X in the new Conference. How Conference A divides those revenues would presumably be in accord with its bylaws, which could mean that each team in Conference A gets a bump as Team X is bringing in more revenues under the new media rights deal for Conference B. The question I have is what is the obligation to Team X from Conference A? On this, I just don't know; but I would presume/speculate that Team X would continue to get paid under the Conference A formula - which, as I speculated earlier, removes the financial incentive to leave in the first place.

Again, let me stress that this is just my opinion/speculation. However, it seems to make sense as these GORs obviously have some "bite"; or they would not have been created in the first place. I am sure there is more info out there - especially as to how they work in the Entertainment industry - where I have heard they are more prevalent.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[B1GEast]

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/95904/del any-big-ten-mind-set-must-be-national

After the Big Ten approved Maryland and Rutgers as future members in November 2012, league commissioner Jim Delany described the additions as "an Eastern initiative with a Penn State bridge."

The Big Ten is about to cross that bridge, put down roots in another region and brand itself as a truly national league. And despite lingering concerns and criticism from some corners of the conference about the new look, there's no turning back now.

"We’re probably as close to a national conference as there is in terms of demographics and alumni and national reach," Delany told ESPN.com. "It was a great Midwestern conference, and now it's a conference that's much broader."

AP Photo/Ting ShenCommissioner Jim Delany sees the Big Ten as a national conference.
There was a "theme of national" this week as Big Ten athletic directors and football coaches met at the league's new headquarters in Rosemont, Ill. The meetings focused in part on the integration of Maryland and Rutgers, who had ADs and coaches in attendance even though neither program can vote on league matters until officially joining the Big Ten on July 1.

The Big Ten likely will open a second office in New York next month, as well as a satellite office in Washington D.C., Delany said. The New York office will have some full-time staff. Delany will spend much of the 100 days leading up to July 1 on the East Coast to facilitate and promote the transition.

"There's going to be great synergies here," he said. "They both are great universities with missions that mirror ours. They're in powerful geographic footprints. ... When I think about Penn State as a bridge and think about New Jersey and New York and Maryland and DC and the commonality, as you talk to athletic directors and coaches, there's an awful lot of, 'We're in the same club.'"

Delany's national theme resonated as Big Ten ADs and coaches reviewed a new bowl lineup that includes games in Florida, California, Tennessee, Texas, New York and Michigan. They also discussed the upcoming College Football Playoff and the selection committee with Michael Kelly, chief operating officer of the playoff.

The Big Ten is trying to reach a larger audience, Delany said, and after some missteps with the integration of Penn State in the early 1990s, the league wants to ensure its next bridge to the East Coast has a stronger foundation.

"We're so much more sensitive to working at this," Delany said. "We want to get people to adopt the Big Ten. That means come to New York, play games in DC, play games at [Madison Square] Garden -- play, live and build on a broader scale. It's where you recruit students, where you play bowl games, where your television games go.

"We have 30 percent of the population, 15 percent of the territory, but we're not constrained to that. We have a national look."

 

[B1GALUM]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10452933/college-football-realignment-era-ended
In other words, the tectonic plates that produced one earthquake after another over the past 16 years are done shifting for a while. And peace and quiet settled over the land.
"I believe that it's true and I hope that it's true," Swofford said, "because I think the collegiate landscape athletically needs that for a period of time. It will be healthy for major college athletics."
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10449917/american-athletic-conference-focusing-future

 

[B1GALUM]

A few thoughts regarding the B1G going "national" ...

This sentiment is not much different than what the other P5 conferences have advertised.
The ACC ... "the ACC’s reach will extend far beyond the Eastern Seaboard": http://www.theacc.com/#!/July-1-2013
The SEC ... "This will be a national sports network": http://www.getsecnetwork.com/
The PAC 12 ... "As part of the Conference’s globalization initiative, Pac-12 Networks plans to extend Pac-12 programming to international audiences": http://pac-12.com/content/about-pac-12-networks

What impact does these other P5 conferences seeking a broader audience and footprint have on the Big 12? The Big 12 has football brands in Texas and Oklahoma as well as a basketball brand in Kansas and will be a player on the national stage with the CFB playoff. However, without further expansion, the Big 12 has the look of a more regional conference in comparison with the other P5 conferences. Will the Big 12 remain satisfied with that perception or attempt to follow the lead of the other P5 conferences to seek a broader audience and footprint and grease the wheels of conference realignment again?

With respect to the "Eastern Initiative" described by Delany, what has to be accomplished for this to be considered a success?
'Delany said. "We want to get people to adopt the Big Ten. That means come to New York, play games in DC, play games at [Madison Square] Garden -- play, live and build on a broader scale. It's where you recruit students, where you play bowl games, where your television games go.'
Can this be achieved with just the additions of Maryland and Rutgers?
If the goal is to get those on the East Coast to "adopt the Big Ten" while competing with the ACC in the region, it seems to me that Delany et al. really need to consider bringing in additional Eastern schools such as UConn to achieve the goal.

 

[B1GEast]

the acc and 10 will fight over uconn, if the acc doesnt get uconn, they have to settle for a program like cincy, that hasnt experienced our level of sucess. the pickings are very slim, and we're all that's left for those two conferences that want more exposure.

 

[billybud]

There won't be much "fighting", I don't think.

Whoever offers first, UConn goes.

It will come down to who will make the offer.

 

[TerryD]

ND is in deep doo doo, if the power 5 break away, they can change the rules to force ND or any independent school to join a conference in order to play in a national championship. All of the big schools hate the fact the ND has it's own TV contract and gets a seat at the national champ table.

Things are going to change for ND and the acc knows this and are preparing for the day when ND must make a choice.

No, they won't. ND has signed a contractual agreement that if it has to join a football conference before 2027, it has to be the ACC.

The Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 do not want to see that happen.

ND will be fine. People have been saying things like you did since I was six years old, fifty years ago.

The current status quo for ND will endure for at least the next 13 or so years, probably longer.

P.S. They will be no "breakaway". If anything, there will merely be a new division created within the NCAA, with none of the "change the rules, ND Armageddon" you envision.

 

[TerryD]

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/95904/del any-big-ten-mind-set-must-be-national

After the Big Ten approved Maryland and Rutgers as future members in November 2012, league commissioner Jim Delany described the additions as "an Eastern initiative with a Penn State bridge."

The Big Ten is about to cross that bridge, put down roots in another region and brand itself as a truly national league. And despite lingering concerns and criticism from some corners of the conference about the new look, there's no turning back now.

"We’re probably as close to a national conference as there is in terms of demographics and alumni and national reach," Delany told ESPN.com. "It was a great Midwestern conference, and now it's a conference that's much broader."

AP Photo/Ting ShenCommissioner Jim Delany sees the Big Ten as a national conference.
There was a "theme of national" this week as Big Ten athletic directors and football coaches met at the league's new headquarters in Rosemont, Ill. The meetings focused in part on the integration of Maryland and Rutgers, who had ADs and coaches in attendance even though neither program can vote on league matters until officially joining the Big Ten on July 1.

The Big Ten likely will open a second office in New York next month, as well as a satellite office in Washington D.C., Delany said. The New York office will have some full-time staff. Delany will spend much of the 100 days leading up to July 1 on the East Coast to facilitate and promote the transition.

"There's going to be great synergies here," he said. "They both are great universities with missions that mirror ours. They're in powerful geographic footprints. ... When I think about Penn State as a bridge and think about New Jersey and New York and Maryland and DC and the commonality, as you talk to athletic directors and coaches, there's an awful lot of, 'We're in the same club.'"

Delany's national theme resonated as Big Ten ADs and coaches reviewed a new bowl lineup that includes games in Florida, California, Tennessee, Texas, New York and Michigan. They also discussed the upcoming College Football Playoff and the selection committee with Michael Kelly, chief operating officer of the playoff.

The Big Ten is trying to reach a larger audience, Delany said, and after some missteps with the integration of Penn State in the early 1990s, the league wants to ensure its next bridge to the East Coast has a stronger foundation.

"We're so much more sensitive to working at this," Delany said. "We want to get people to adopt the Big Ten. That means come to New York, play games in DC, play games at [Madison Square] Garden -- play, live and build on a broader scale. It's where you recruit students, where you play bowl games, where your television games go.

"We have 30 percent of the population, 15 percent of the territory, but we're not constrained to that. We have a national look."

Where are the Big Ten institutions in the Southeast, Southwest and West Coast that will make them a "national conference".?

That was just a bit of arrogance and hubris by Delany.

 

[Pudge]

No, they won't. ND has signed a contractual agreement that if it has to join a football conference before 2027, it has to be the ACC.

The Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 do not want to see that happen.

ND will be fine. People have been saying things like you did since I was six years old, fifty years ago.

The current status quo for ND will endure for at least the next 13 or so years, probably longer.

P.S. They will be no "breakaway". If anything, there will merely be a new division created within the NCAA, with none of the "change the rules, ND Armageddon" you envision.

With all due respect ... that's crazy.

You have no firm ground to stand on that leads one to believe that the status quo remains for the next 13 years. That's just not the nature of what's going on here.

 

[B1GALUM]

Where are the Big Ten institutions in the Southeast, Southwest and West Coast that will make them a "national conference".?

That was just a big of arrogance and hubris by Delany.

I agree with you. It is a bit arrogant. The Big Ten is not a national conference. However, all the P5 conferences increasingly view themselves as moving beyond their traditional regions, so this is not a unique sentiment expressed by Delany.

 

[btstimpy]

You make a lot of sense, billy, except when you don't. Swiped Notre Dame? John doesn't have ND anymore than the Big East did. He's made the same devilish deal that Tranghese did. Don't waste the capital you build when being reasonable on preposterousness.

Well Swiped is just an expression. Notre Dame football won't be joining any conference other than the ACC until at least 2027. And look at this 2015 Notre Dame football schedule to help me find the Big Ten teams on it.

2015
Sept. 5 TEXAS
Sept. 12 at Virginia
Sept. 19 GEORGIA TECH
Sept. 26 MASSACHUSETTS
Oct. 3 at Clemson
Oct. 10 NAVY
Oct. 17 USC
Oct. 31 at Temple (Lincoln Financial Services Field)
Nov. 7 at Pittsburgh
Nov. 14 WAKE FOREST
Nov. 21 * Boston College at Fenway Park, Boston, Mass. (night)
Nov. 28 at Stanford


Swiped might be too strong, but I wonder if Delaney recognizes a change in the air? Same as what Mike Trangese did?

 

[btstimpy]

I agree with you. It is a bit arrogant. The Big Ten is not a national conference. However, all the P5 conferences increasingly view themselves as moving beyond their traditional regions, so this is not a unique sentiment expressed by Delany.

I would have to believe that Delaney is speaking as the Big Ten Network with those comments rather than the athletic conference commissioner. He wants that television network to have as national a distribution as possible. It's the midwestern conference with a handfull of Mid-Atlantic schools added. It isn't showing at this point, but the midwestern faithful won't want to see it change to becoming eastern. In football and basketball that worry should not be too great. Maryland could potentially be strong in basketball with improvement, but Penn State and Rutgers won't. And in football, Penn State was already there as a power. It isn't an addition. The others weren't even burning up the leagues they came from.

The other part of how he wants to be national is bowl alliances all over the country. The fans of the schools making those bowls will just get longer travel to bowls outside the region on the west coast. The Big Ten already had some bowls in California, Texas, and Florida.

 

[HawkHusky]

This is a post I saw by a Minnesota fan that mimics my thoughts. This is also why I think UCONN is still on the B1G radar:

"I don't believe the Big 10 is done expanding. I say they add 2 more schools by 2017 or 18, having it built into their new Tier 1 TV contract for 2017.

And this is my reason why: BTN

I watch the BTN every night. Last night I watched a Hockey doubleheader. The Production Value of the BTN is light years advanced over where it was 5 years ago. The BTN keeps adding content. The BTN keeps adding subscribers. Fox Century 21 just bought YES. This will enable the BTN to move into New Jersey with little push back, although there will be some, because there is always some battle for higher carrier fees. I don't see the BTN stopping its progress. I don't see the BTN owned by FOX and the Big Ten slowing down, for I see the whole thing trying to expand in other big markets.

Big 10 schools are just beginning to get close to a full share of the money form the BTN. Even after last year the schools did not receive full share as its has been reported some of the money has been shifted to help Rutgers and Maryland with their transition into the conference, be it with travel cost and other items. Which goes to my assessment that the league is not done expanding. There seems to be no internal political faction in the Big 10 that wants to slow down expansion. Not Alvarez, not Delany, not PSU, not Ohio St.

Delany is not done in the East. Do I know who is going to be 15 or 16 in the Big 10?... no, I don't. But I don't think it has to be some high grade Football school. I think it has to be a research school who has a decent bandwidth of collegiate sports and has some backing from it's state. But the schools may not even have to fit those requirements in the short term. Just need schools that the BTN can invade the landscape for a higher carriage fee....to expand the brand of the Big 10.

Many of you believe there is a bubble out there and the big money is about to dry up. I don't think this is correct. I believe the Conference Network of the Big 10 has been an incredible success, so much to the point that the SEC will have their own network after watching the BTN grow in the last 5 years. But even if you guys are correct, and I'm wrong about the long term success of the BTN, it can't be argued what Delany believes. The Big 10-FOX are all-in on the BTN. For all of these reasons I believe the Big 10 is not done expanding and will again shortly. Even as we speak the 2 divisions of the Big 10 (East-West) are getting their own separate marketing package done. Will see a BTN-2 down the road, which will be of need of more content."

He also points to UCONN being the best candidate. Can't say I disagree...

 

[Pat125]

Well Swiped is just an expression. Notre Dame football won't be joining any conference other than the ACC until at least 2027. And look at this 2015 Notre Dame football schedule to help me find the Big Ten teams on it.

2015
Sept. 5 TEXAS
Sept. 12 at Virginia
Sept. 19 GEORGIA TECH
Sept. 26 MASSACHUSETTS
Oct. 3 at Clemson
Oct. 10 NAVY
Oct. 17 USC
Oct. 31 at Temple (Lincoln Financial Services Field)
Nov. 7 at Pittsburgh
Nov. 14 WAKE FOREST
Nov. 21 Boston College at Fenway Park, Boston, Mass. (night)
Nov. 28 at Stanford


Swiped might be too strong, but I wonder if Delaney recognizes a change in the air? Same as what Mike Trangese did?

I'll help you find the Big 10 team in the ND schedule if you can help me find the 8 ACC teams in their schedule as the other ACC teams.

Actually, it appears that ND and the ACC are satisfied with the arrangement. Just as I'm sure the various Big 10 teams who have played ND will get by.

 

[btstimpy]

I'll help you find the Big 10 team in the ND schedule if you can help me find the 8 ACC teams in their schedule as the other ACC teams.

Actually, it appears that ND and the ACC are satisfied with the arrangement. Just as I'm sure the various Big 10 teams who have played ND will get by.

The ACC is currently happy with the arrangement. And you need to tell Brady Hoke he'll get by. He's the one whose been complaining. We might see some others complaining soon, but like you said they'll get by. They now have Rutgers and Maryland to play.

 

[Pat125]

If it was that bad, perhaps Hoke could have convinced his AD, President, and the rest of the Big 10 Presidents to invite ND for a partial invite. In any case, it looks like both conferences are currently happy with their arrangements, and no reason for any involved to be or act bitter.

 

[btstimpy]

If it was that bad, perhaps Hoke could have convinced his AD, President, and the rest of the Big 10 Presidents to invite ND for a partial invite. In any case, it looks like both conferences are currently happy with their arrangements, and no reason for any involved to be or act bitter.

True. But this particular Notre Dame Athletic Director wasn't interested in a Big Ten membership either fully or partial. Notre Dame views itself as an eastern oriented school wanting to play athletic competition as often as possible in eastern markets. The last thing they want to be is the midwestern catholic school in the midwestern conference. He wants the football team to play in markets all over the country and especially outside of the Midwest. Would one of the former ND athletic directors been interested in partial Big Ten membership? Possibly. They've considered it before. But not this one. They like the current arrangement, and so far so does the ACC. Down the road we'll have to see.

 

[HawkHusky]

True. But this particular Notre Dame Athletic Director wasn't interested in a Big Ten membership either fully or partial. Notre Dame views itself as an eastern oriented school wanting to play athletic competition as often as possible in eastern markets. The last thing they want to be is the midwestern catholic school in the midwestern conference. He wants the football team to play in markets all over the country and especially outside of the Midwest. Would one of the former ND athletic directors been interested in partial Big Ten membership? Possibly. They've considered it before. But not this one. They like the current arrangement, and so far so does the ACC. Down the road we'll have to see.

...And the B1G didn't want ND unless it was for full membership so no real love lost on the B1G's part...

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/58312/delany-statement-on-notre-dameacc-move

 

[whaler11]

This is a post I saw by a Minnesota fan that mimics my thoughts. This is also why I think UCONN is still on the B1G radar:

"I don't believe the Big 10 is done expanding. I say they add 2 more schools by 2017 or 18, having it built into their new Tier 1 TV contract for 2017.

And this is my reason why: BTN

I watch the BTN every night. Last night I watched a Hockey doubleheader. The Production Value of the BTN is light years advanced over where it was 5 years ago. The BTN keeps adding content. The BTN keeps adding subscribers. Fox Century 21 just bought YES. This will enable the BTN to move into New Jersey with little push back, although there will be some, because there is always some battle for higher carrier fees. I don't see the BTN stopping its progress. I don't see the BTN owned by FOX and the Big Ten slowing down, for I see the whole thing trying to expand in other big markets.

Big 10 schools are just beginning to get close to a full share of the money form the BTN. Even after last year the schools did not receive full share as its has been reported some of the money has been shifted to help Rutgers and Maryland with their transition into the conference, be it with travel cost and other items. Which goes to my assessment that the league is not done expanding. There seems to be no internal political faction in the Big 10 that wants to slow down expansion. Not Alvarez, not Delany, not PSU, not Ohio St.

Delany is not done in the East. Do I know who is going to be 15 or 16 in the Big 10?... no, I don't. But I don't think it has to be some high grade Football school. I think it has to be a research school who has a decent bandwidth of collegiate sports and has some backing from it's state. But the schools may not even have to fit those requirements in the short term. Just need schools that the BTN can invade the landscape for a higher carriage fee....to expand the brand of the Big 10.

Many of you believe there is a bubble out there and the big money is about to dry up. I don't think this is correct. I believe the Conference Network of the Big 10 has been an incredible success, so much to the point that the SEC will have their own network after watching the BTN grow in the last 5 years. But even if you guys are correct, and I'm wrong about the long term success of the BTN, it can't be argued what Delany believes. The Big 10-FOX are all-in on the BTN. For all of these reasons I believe the Big 10 is not done expanding and will again shortly. Even as we speak the 2 divisions of the Big 10 (East-West) are getting their own separate marketing package done. Will see a BTN-2 down the road, which will be of need of more content."

He also points to UCONN being the best candidate. Can't say I disagree...

FOX getting control of YES is a very bad thing for UConn. Anything that gets the BTN leverage in the NYC cable market is bad for UConn.

 

[billybud]

Whaler...that could be true.

Just like the SEC doesn't "need" Clemson to bring in South Carolina for the SECN, the Big Ten wouldn't need UConn to deliver the goods in NY if they have already secured the BGN in that area.

 

[ZooCougar]

ESPN is the narrative.

 

[HawkHusky]

Whaler...that could be true.

Just like the SEC doesn't "need" Clemson to bring in South Carolina for the SECN, the Big Ten wouldn't need UConn to deliver the goods in NY if they have already secured the BGN in that area.

You're also forgetting that Connecticut has its own #30 DMA. Since you brought up South Carolina - no, the SEC wouldn't want/need Clemson for the SECN because there are only mediocre DMAs within the state (Hartford/New Haven beats the combined total of South Carolina's 2 highest DMAs). Let's also not forget that due to the close geography of New England, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Connecticut could bring the BTN into parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts too (UCONN's campus is closer to Boston than it is New York). Delany seems like the kind of guy who would love to have BTN available throughout the Northeast. Rutgers' reach ends in NYC. Connecticut is a bridge from there on out.

In addition, it's also not all about markets. It's also about adding quality content to the BTN. UCONN athletics would give the BTN a sizable boost in that department as well.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Whaler...that could be true.

Just like the SEC doesn't "need" Clemson to bring in South Carolina for the SECN, the Big Ten wouldn't need UConn to deliver the goods in NY if they have already secured the BGN in that area.

They might need UCONN for CT though. 3.5M people that are willing to pay super high fee for BTN is worth something to someone. Also, UCONN will help BTN get into the New England market in addition to part of the NYC TV market. Fairfield County of CT with its 1 M people is actually part of the NYC DMA. I am sure BTN is interested in the 1M people that's part of the NYC if they want control the NYC TV market.

 

[btstimpy]

...And the B1G didn't want ND unless it was for full membership so no real love lost on the B1G's part...

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/58312/delany-statement-on-notre-dameacc-move

Correct. There isn't any love loss between Notre Dame and the Big Ten. The two can go their separate ways.

That reporter now can report with certainty on the impact of the ACC move on those three Notre Dame vs Big Ten series (Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue). i.e. the last part of the article. There will be some more scattered games with Michigan State and Purdue because of existing contracts, but these series are being phased out. The Michigan one is already phased out after the 2014 game.

 

[huskypantz]

CL82 - good questions...and I can only speculate as what I have read in the public space re: these deals does not to get into that kind of granularity. With that in mind, here is my speculation:

The GORs, IMO, remove the financial incentive for a team to switch conferences in the first place as opposed to physically stopping a team from moving.

Let's use your example: Team X moves from Conference A to Conference B - and network 1 covers both Conferences. I don't believe either Conference A or Conference B have "sold" "ownership" of their media rights to the network; rather, they have signed media deals with the network in which they place their "owned rights" to the network in exchange for certain performance considerations (fees). I believe, actual ownership, however, stays with the Conferences. In this scenario, if Team X moves to Conference B and network 1 increases the media deal for Conference B; as the "owners" of the media rights for Team X, Conference A would be entitled to whatever revenues are generated by Team X in the new Conference. How Conference A divides those revenues would presumably be in accord with its bylaws, which could mean that each team in Conference A gets a bump as Team X is bringing in more revenues under the new media rights deal for Conference B. The question I have is what is the obligation to Team X from Conference A? On this, I just don't know; but I would presume/speculate that Team X would continue to get paid under the Conference A formula - which, as I speculated earlier, removes the financial incentive to leave in the first place.

Again, let me stress that this is just my opinion/speculation. However, it seems to make sense as these GORs obviously have some "bite"; or they would not have been created in the first place. I am sure there is more info out there - especially as to how they work in the Entertainment industry - where I have heard they are more prevalent.

Just my 2 cents.

If your speculation is correct, then I would speculate that there are other associated issues for conference A. If they own Team X's media rights, they are obliged to continue to pay team X while they maintain those rights. Now we have the media company - who decides hey, I am going to broadcast a couple of team X's games in conference B - which in turn bumps teams from conference A off broadcast TV or prime time slots. This is why I think the conferences will settle.

 

[whaler11]

You're also forgetting that Connecticut has its own #30 DMA. Since you brought up South Carolina - no, the SEC wouldn't want/need Clemson for the SECN because there are only mediocre DMAs within the state (Hartford/New Haven beats the combined total of South Carolina's 2 highest DMAs). Let's also not forget that due to the close geography of New England, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Connecticut could bring the BTN into parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts too (UCONN's campus is closer to Boston than it is New York). Delany seems like the kind of guy who would love to have BTN available throughout the Northeast. Rutgers' reach ends in NYC. Connecticut is a bridge from there on out.

In addition, it's also not all about markets. It's also about adding quality content to the BTN. UCONN athletics would give the BTN a sizable boost in that department as well.

You think it's about adding quality content? Are you familiar with Rutgers at all?

If the Big Ten wanted UConn it's one phone call. The idea they are sitting around debating or considering UConn is silly.

BTW. the BTN is available in New England, I watched Nebraska and Michigan State today on that very network.

Go figure out how UConn adds $75 million to the Big Ten conference revenue a year - literally nothing rlse matters.

 

[whaler11]

They might need UCONN for CT though. 3.5M people that are willing to pay super high fee for BTN is worth something to someone. Also, UCONN will help BTN get into the New England market in addition to part of the NYC TV market. Fairfield County of CT with its 1 M people is actually part of the NYC DMA. I am sure BTN is interested in the 1M people that's part of the NYC if they want control the NYC TV market.

There aren't 3.5 million dollar cable homes in CT though. There are less than a million in Hartford/NH.

They think tbey have Fairfield County without UConn. Until they are proven wrong, they are counting them with NYC.

 

[jdb50]

To sell the league networks big games and rivalries matter. UConn has more history with teams in the ACC in mens and womens basketball. We have also had more history with the ACC members in football. Heck we have plenty of history with Notre Dame in hoops and could have it with them in football as well. When Delany made his move to the sea taking NJ and Maryland he isolated Cuse, Pitt and BC. If travel costs are to have any effect on the next expansion then the ACC will add UConn to help with travel for these 3 schools. We will strengthen either conference but the ACC really locks down NYC with UConn.