Fox - Big East exclusive negotiating window

[Zissou]

I guess the window has closed?

 

[huskymedic]

Big East’s March Madness Wins Key to Keeping Up With Football Powers

Three Big East teams made this year’s NCAA Tournament–UConn, Creighton and Marquette. St. John’s, Seton Hall and Providence were notably left out.

www.sportico.com

-> As for the media piece, the Big East’s rights become available again starting in 2025. UConn’s current form couldn’t come at a better time for a conference attempting to ensure its long-term security.

“We’re in a very active stage” of rights negotiations, Big East commissioner Val Ackerman said. As new deals get closer to the finish line, incumbents Fox and CBS are currently expected to hold onto large parts of the package. Fox has expanded its basketball programming in recent years, and with plans to replace WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown with an end-of-week college football package, the network could build a similar hoops-based property for when the football season ends.

A third partner—possibly a streamer—might emerge as well. Outside of men’s basketball, the Big East has partnered with FloSports to host the Big East Digital Network.

“The media business is certainly facing some headwinds right now … but the need for programming is still there,” said Bob Thompson, longtime sports TV executive and the founder of Thompson Sports Group. “Product quality remains extremely important, so I certainly expect that a property like this would be at the top of [those rightsholders’ priority] lists.”

Still, keeping up is only going to get more difficult with time. Even a doubling of per-school media rights fees would leave Big East athletic departments bringing in a fraction of what Big 12, Big Ten and SEC schools are due to get as part of their latest megadeals.

“We expect there’s going to be a growing revenue gap between the conferences we consider peers in basketball and us, because of the football money,” Ackerman said. “That challenge is real for our schools.”<-

 

[whalerfan]

A third partner—possibly a streamer—might emerge as well. Outside of men’s basketball, the Big East has partnered with FloSports to host the Big East Digital Network.

I've dealt with FloSports and even with a solid upload gig stream a lot gets lost between Connecticut and Ft. Worth. I can't tell you how many times lip sync has gone awry with them when we've output an embedded signal. They blame it on the inbound stream but no, it's them.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Having been on the receiving end of this enough times, if Fox or ESPN was going to ratfudge the Big East on its next contract, one or both would pay for UConn to move to another conference this offseason.

 

[KryHavok]

Having been on the receiving end of this enough times, if Fox or ESPN was going to ratfudge the Big East on its next contract, one or both would pay for UConn to move to another conference this offseason.

That's if you believe in the altruism on network behavior. They could have pushed to move us into a Px conference at any time over the past decade. Instead, they are content to let us draw in ratings for them when they showcase UConn, but their commitment to UConn ends when the game is over. They may see UConn as a currently strong yet fading light as CR continues to screw us over and move us to the fringe. They will squeeze us for all we've got then leave us in the cold. I'm reminded of Ricardo Montalban's iconic portrayal in Freakazoid:

Gutierrez the villain

 

[cellocgg]

That's if you believe in the altruism on network behavior. They could have pushed to move us into a Px conference at any time over the past decade. Instead, they are content to let us draw in ratings for them when they showcase UConn, but their commitment to UConn ends when the game is over. They may see UConn as a currently strong yet fading light as CR continues to screw us over and move us to the fringe. They will squeeze us for all we've got then leave us in the cold. I'm reminded of Ricardo Montalban's iconic portrayal in Freakazoid:

Gutierrez the villain

Yea but we went dormant after we joined the AAC. This is our first time having major success under Fox

 

[Luna]

If we ever joined the big 12 the travel for our sports teams will be insane

 

[Eavesdrop]

If we ever joined the big 12 the travel for our sports teams will be insane

I don't believe UConn is going to the Big 12. I also believe the travel argument is often overstated.

UConn's current in-conference travel already includes flights to Omaha Neb., Marquette Mich., Chicago Ill., Indianapolis Ind. and Cincinnati Ohio. At least some teams probably fly to Washington DC too.

The Big East bus road trips are Providence R.I., New York N.Y. and South Orange N.J. UConn could make this up (if they chose to) by scheduling more nearby schools out of conference.

 

[buddy]

If we ever joined the big 12 the travel for our sports teams will be insane

It is a different world now. All conferences require travel. Arizona will have to travel to UCF and they are not complaining (yet). None the less the Big 12 ship has sailed so you need not lose any sleep over travel.

 

[Luna]

It is a different world now. All conferences require travel. Arizona will have to travel to UCF and they are not complaining (yet). None the less the Big 12 ship has sailed so you need not lose any sleep over travel.

I think our men’s basketball is getting so big that the big 12 college presidents will reconsider taking UConn..and I just think it’s a bad fit

 

[JMick]

I think our men’s basketball is getting so big that the big 12 college presidents will reconsider taking UConn..and I just think it’s a bad fit

There are three good fits. The B1G, SEC and Big XII. Anything else is death. They're the only stable conferences left. If any of the three offers a spot, you go. It's not even a question.

 

[Luna]

I do care about our football..I go to a few games a year and I Don’t think we can stay independent..

 

[pepband99]

A third partner—possibly a streamer—might emerge as well. Outside of men’s basketball, the Big East has partnered with FloSports to host the Big East Digital Network.

A streamer in lieu of FS2 games would be a shrewd move, albeit somewhat annoying. FS2's sub count lacks.

 

[shizzle787]

I do care about our football..I go to a few games a year and I Don’t think we can stay independent..

We can until the ACC loses members.

 

[Slick]

It is bad enough that the Rutgers fan trolls a UConn board every day, but it seems like a lot of UConn “fans” are also openly hoping for the athletic program to fail.

Most of the so called fans are trolls

 

[Luna]

There are trolls from other schools here for sure.. they have been quiet since last March

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I have a gut feel the Big East goes back to ESPN
Just a guess It’s a compelling conference with some great personalities coaching .
Plus a bonus .
They just bought the women’s tournament fairly cheaply which looks like a winner for them.
Every UConn women’s game on ESPN will be a non stop promo for their prize tourney.
Getting it for $50-60 million a year is this era is chump change

 

[UConnJim]

I have a gut feel the Big East goes back to ESPN
Just a guess It’s a compelling conference with some great personalities coaching .
Plus a bonus .
They just bought the women’s tournament fairly cheaply which looks like a winner for them.
Every UConn women’s game on ESPN will be a non stop promo for their prize tourney.
Getting it for $50-60 million a year is this era is chump change

I think the announcement of the FOX post season basketball tournament including the Big 12, Big East, and Big 10 (all FOX properties) means the Big East is renewing with FOX.

And, I said it at the time, the media rights for the women's basketball tournament were wildly undervalued. What a terrible job by the NCAA. And the NCAA also undervalues the NCAA baseball and softball tournaments.

 

[Drew]

I think the announcement of the FOX post season basketball tournament including the Big 12, Big East, and Big 10 (all FOX properties) means the Big East is renewing with FOX.

And, I said it at the time, the media rights for the women's basketball tournament were wildly undervalued. What a terrible job by the NCAA. And the NCAA also undervalues the NCAA baseball and softball tournaments.

Women’s volleyball too.