ESPN TV contract question

[Revrat]

So ESPN has our contract until whenever. If we add 6 teams is there an out? Does ESPN only have rights to the current Big East? Can the new teams get a contract on their own that would last until the ESPN one expires with say Comcast? Anything creative that can be done to essentially stiff ESPN if they are going to get all pissy and not negotiate in good faith like they are doing with every other league at this moment? SO for instance could the Big East West Division esentially start it's own deal with Comcast by "technically" not joining the Big East and then Comcast tells them if you add certain schools from an unamed league we will give you X dollars? I mean it's essesntially what ESPN is doing to kill the Big East.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

So ESPN has our contract until whenever. If we add 6 teams is there an out? Does ESPN only have rights to the current Big East? Can the new teams get a contract on their own that would last until the ESPN one expires with say Comcast? Anything creative that can be done to essentially stiff ESPN if they are going to get all pissy and not negotiate in good faith like they are doing with every other league at this moment? SO for instance could the Big East West Division esentially start it's own deal with Comcast by "technically" not joining the Big East and then Comcast tells them if you add certain schools from an unamed league we will give you X dollars? I mean it's essesntially what ESPN is doing to kill the Big East.

From what I understand the BE basketball contract is up in 2013 and the football contract is done in 2014. We will start negotiations with ESPN in the fall of 2012 and if we are not satisfied with their offer we can take it to the open market after the initial 2 month negotiating period with ESPN is over. So a new contract will be signed sometime between late 2012 and early 2013 with the baketball contract going into effect for 2013 and football for 2014. Adding teams will not change anything since our contract opens up next year and any new teams would be coming for the 2012 season at the earliest.