ESPN playing puppeteer??? say it ain't so

[huskypantz]

I thought these posts were interesting. The WVU dude with his source first infers that ESPN only wants the B12 to take 2 teams and let the ACC live after adding us and RU (and possibly Nova/ND). Then he insinuates that the ESPN was calling the shots for the ACC (as Gene D bragged). They may be wild rumors and some made up crap, but it keeps things fresh during the offseason.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=159&f=4582&t=8992408&stm=121382294&p=4

MHver3 wrote: It's not about whether i think it or not. Please try to remember i just post the info i am given. When i am giving my opinion i will say so

And yes, fwiw, i do believe espn would do that.....again. It's exactly what they did with the BE.



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--- SoonerStampede66 wrote:

MHver3 wrote: Mini update


Clemson is not a done deal by far. Although people will claim i said that it was if this all falls through. The best way to put it is that if we can make FSU a done deal then Clemason is a done deal.

ESPN only wants the B12 to take 2. They want the ACC to survive. The additions of Uconn, UL/ Rutgers, and maybe Nova and ND in Olympic sports is going to be the Premier basketball league. And if a fb team can put together an undefeated magical season then yeah throw em a bone-put them in the play offs.

Dont believe the GT hype. Only ND can snub us more than once( see Pitt ).​

You are starting to lose credibility with me. Do you really think that ESPN would sit there and say "Okay now, you can only have two ACC schools and no more. Now go out and play." Then you are crazy. If the Big 12 begins to gut the ACC, taking THE two top dogs and money earners from the ACC is gutting them, then all the other conferences will look at the ACC and consider taking some schools for themselves. The SEC would look at VA Tech and a NC school, and the B1G will probably do nothing but if it looks like the ACC is falling apart they would look at UVA and UMD. The dominoes would start to fall and the ACC would essentially be no more. The Big 12 needs to go beyond 12 because having 3 schools out in the east completely isolated would slowly destroy the conference. Scheduling would be a complete nightmare and the southeast schools would soon regret leaving the ACC. I would rather stay at 10 then deal with this scenario.

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[huskymedic]

Well... I was just about to post this clarification/response from ESPN’s Senior Vice President, College Sports Programming on the ACC TV Contract.

http://frontrow.espn.go.com/2012/05/acc-on-espn-rights-agreement-speculation-just-the-facts/

>"First, a rights fee payment schedule that escalates in amount over the term is a commonplace provision in major college conference deals. This arrangement is not unique to the ACC. The pre-existing agreement between ESPN and the ACC (that carried through 2023) had an escalating rights fee schedule and the deal we announced last week contains a similar schedule. There is nothing unusual about how ESPN is paying the ACC over the life of this deal. It’s the industry standard.

Secondly, the additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse as ACC members triggered a composition clause in the existing agreement. This clause is designed to allow for both partners to address the value of the conference taking into account the change in membership. There was no specific valuation formula based on total number of schools or on a per school basis. It is not an “out clause” nor does it trigger a complete renegotiation of the entire agreement. Again, conference composition clauses are standard in our industry and are part of every ESPN college rights agreement.

Lastly, the term “third-tier rights” means different things in different conference agreements. In the new ACC extension (as was the case in the original 2011-2023 agreement), ESPN retains exclusive rights to all football and men’s basketball games. Additionally, ESPN retains the first selection rights to women’s basketball and all other ACC sports such as baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, etc. Whatever is not selected for coverage and distribution by ESPN from these sports is retained by the member institutions."<

Strange times... BOT going off the ranch, College Presidents responding publicly about the pros/cons of the Big 12 and now ESPN going on record about a conference TV agreement (clearly only saying what they want to say as the full agreement is locked in an ACC safe in Greensboro and not subject to FOI).

 

[ConnHuskBask]

From Day 1 I've felt strongly that ESPN has been pulling all the strings behind conference expansion.

I think ND would join the ACC as hoops only - but I don't think Villanova joins for hoops only, unless there is an upgrade plan in process. Too much of a competitive disadvantage and philosophical difference being a hoops only team.

 

[noeynox]

From Day 1 I've felt strongly that ESPN has been pulling all the strings behind conference expansion.

I think ND would join the ACC as hoops only - but I don't think Villanova joins for hoops only, unless there is an upgrade plan in process. Too much of a competitive disadvantage and philosophical difference being a hoops only team.

I didn't really think this was a secret. They pretty much kicked the big east in bread basket twice, just so they didn't have to pay.

 

[The Funster]

Yep and then they lowballed the ACC.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I didn't really think this was a secret. They pretty much kicked the big east in bread basket twice, just so they didn't have to pay.

Actually, they did it so NBC wouldn't get a salable property. This raid of the Big East has become enormously expensive, ESPN is almost at $120 million extra a year just for Syracuse, Pitt, TCU and WVU. ESPN's final offer to the Big East was $130MM. By the time ESPN is done, I suspect they will end up paying over $200 million for a conference they could have locked up for $150. I think the reason ESPN has done it this way was a) they didn't think it would cost this much, and b) they didn't want to risk the Big East holding together and selling to NBC.

 

[SubbaBub]

I thought these posts were interesting. The WVU dude with his source first infers that ESPN only wants the B12 to take 2 teams and let the ACC live after adding us and RU (and possibly Nova/ND). Then he insinuates that the ESPN was calling the shots for the ACC (as Gene D bragged).

I'd take it right now and wouldn't look back.