Espn matches NBC offer

[The Viking]

You almost wonder why NBC bothered bidding in the first place considering what the settled price. Keep in mind their original offer was obviously even lower than that. Which is hard to imagine.

 

[BlueDogs]

20 Million a year? Boy, that tells you a whole lot about where they think this dog with fleas is headed. Its basically a flier. If the NBE implodes, no big loss and they cover with ad revenue over a whole lot of second tier games for niche audiences at 3AM . If the NBE escapes its slow death spiral and generate some interest, its upside. 20MM a year split for 6 years is like the death penalty. B10 Teams are gtting 20MM+ per team a year.

 

[ZooCougar]

20 Million is a rounding error.

 

[jbdphi]

The idea that NBC was promising "prime time exposure" doesn't make a lot of sense. They sure as hell were never going to run Big East games on NBC in prime time and if the games were going to be on cable, NBC Universal is a pale imitator to ESPN's family.

From what I recall, NBC was talking about a Thursday prime time football game of the week for the Big East (presumably on NBC Sports) and a few other time slot guarantees. I highly doubt there was any contractual obligation to show anything on the NBC Network. As long as ESPN can match the time slot / days of the week on one of their cable channels, I would think that the university Presidents are compelled to sign the deal since it would substantially match all the material aspects of the NBC offer.

What does that mean? One Big East game probably ends up on Thursday night on ESPNU or Classic every week and maybe one other game gets a Saturday daytime slot on ESPNU or Classic (or ESPN2 if we're lucky!). The rest of the inventory, unless it ends up being a somewhat important game (like Northern Illinois v Kent State this past year) ends up on ESPN3 which means I'll never get to see a game again.

This sucks.

 

[jbdphi]

I'm sure there were also a million other smaller details like barter time for the conference, promotional exposure, etc. but that stuff is pretty fungible and is much less material than the money and guaranteed time slots / days of the week / cable vs network vs internet stuff.

 

[upstater]

The idea that NBC was promising "prime time exposure" doesn't make a lot of sense. They sure as hell were never going to run Big East games on NBC in prime time and if the games were going to be on cable, NBC Universal is a pale imitator to ESPN's family.

Never said prime time. I meant 12 on Saturday before Norte dame plays

 

[CL82]

What did NBC promise that's so hard for ESPN to match?

ESPN has four or five cable stations and can sub games out to Fox - NBC essentially has one cable channel.

NBC brought a spork to a gunfight.

NBC kept it's spork in it's pocket.

 

[hexlub]

One Big East game probably ends up on Thursday night on ESPNU or Classic every week and maybe one other game gets a Saturday daytime slot on ESPNU or Classic (or ESPN2 if we're lucky!).

Makes sense because every Big East game will most certainly be a classic.

 

[HartfordHank]

Really show me where UConn turned down the ACC or any other conference. If it wasn't for BCU UConn would have been in the ACC instead of Pitt.

Hey, HuskyfanDan has said numerous times that UConn has turned down the ACC twice. Are you saying that is not a good source?

 

[BlueMAB]

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Troll




Remember when waylon and others said the big east did the right thing by turning down the espn offer and testing the open market?

Good times.

 

[huskyjawz]

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Troll




Remember when waylon and others said the big east did the right thing by turning down the espn offer and testing the open market?

Good times.

Taking that offer would have changed nothing. ESPN would have been able to renegotiate after all of the teams left, and would pay the same thing that they are paying, now.