Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[bobbyinaz]

Yep and a sign that ESPN is reluctant to part with + content. That doesn't bode well for them reaching an accommodation with SNY.

I think the SNY ship has sailed. The fact that there has been nothing said by Benedict, Aresco or ESPN about it seems that all parties have moved on.

If there are/were actual conversations going on it wouldn’t take this long since there aren’t that many games involved. Plus, as you said, no reason for ESPN to give up any content. In the past, they would sell games off because they had no linear platform to show them on. Now, they can park an infinite number of games on +

 

[CL82]

I think the SNY ship has sailed. The fact that there has been nothing said by Benedict, Aresco or ESPN about it seems that all parties have moved on.

If there are/were actual conversations going on it wouldn’t take this long since there aren’t that many games involved. Plus, as you said, no reason for ESPN to give up any content. In the past, they would sell games off because they had no linear platform to show them on. Now, they can park an infinite number of games on +

Yep and they off loaded the productions costs to SNY, now we bear the production costs. Still one would think that there's a dollar amount that would make it worthwhile to them. Whether it is a number that reasonable for SNY to pay in another thing.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Yep and they off loaded the productions costs to SNY, now we bear the production costs. Still one would think that there's a dollar amount that would make it worthwhile to them. Whether it is a number that reasonable for SNY to pay in another thing.

Sure there has to be some number that they would take but, as the focus is on growing the + platform, ESPN knows that they can bring viewers (i.e. UConn Women’s hoops fans) that they would otherwise never get.

Why sell off those games if it brings new viewers to +?

 

[CL82]

Sure there has to be some number that they would take but, as the focus is on growing the + platform, ESPN knows that they can bring viewers (i.e. UConn Women’s hoops fans) that they would otherwise never get.

Why sell off those games if it brings new viewers to +?

If I were pitching it? I'd say that ESPN gets cash up front, professional quality production and broadcast rights outside of SNY footprint, and the right to rebroadcast after X days. They still get money, and content and avoid a minor PR kerfuffle in their domicile state.

 

[bobbyinaz]

If I were pitching it? I'd say that ESPN gets cash up front, professional quality production and broadcast rights outside of SNY footprint, and the right to rebroadcast after X days. They still get money, and content and avoid a minor PR kerfuffle in their domicile state.

But you're pitching it thru UConn colored glasses.

They don't care about UConn or the state of Connecticut. All they care about is driving viewers to +. Forcing UConn Women's Hoops fans to + is a HUGE win for them

 

[CL82]

But you're pitching it thru UConn colored glasses.

They don't care about UConn or the state of Connecticut. All they care about is driving viewers to +. Forcing UConn Women's Hoops fans to + is a HUGE win for them

Not so much, you pitch to your buyer which in this case is ESPN. All of those things are pluses to them. The question is whether they value it above have CT fans as a captive audience.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[whaler11]

Not so much, you pitch to your buyer which in this case is ESPN. All of those things are pluses to them. The question is whether they value it above have CT fans as a captive audience.

So you think ESPN is going to sell one of the few things that has value in the package they bought?

It seems pretty unlikely there is going to be an SNY deal - it completely defeats the purpose of what they are doing. The CAA walked away because they wouldn’t leave the RCN deals in place.

 

[CL82]

So you think ESPN is going to sell one of the few things that has value in the package they bought?

It seems pretty unlikely there is going to be an SNY deal - it completely defeats the purpose of what they are doing. The CAA walked away because they wouldn’t leave the RCN deals in place.

Not really but if it is, that will be the analysis. Essentially is the cash up front worth giving up the real time broadcast rights. As noted above the question is does the dollar amount that SNY will pay worth more than having Connecticut fans as a captive audience. I agree that ESPN will consider the value of being the only game in town in deciding whether or not to sell. One interesting question is whether UConn WBB fans will buy and watch online content. I suspect that a lot of them may not. If ESPN believes that as well then selling those games to SNY may essentially be "found money." I'd give SNY about a 40% shot at getting some kind of UConn WBB package. What do you think?

 

[UConnJim]

So you think ESPN is going to sell one of the few things that has value in the package they bought?

It seems pretty unlikely there is going to be an SNY deal - it completely defeats the purpose of what they are doing. The CAA walked away because they wouldn’t leave the RCN deals in place.

I think it depends on how much you can sell the games to SNY for. Maybe you sell them 10 games and keep the rest. I think the key for SNY is what is the magic number of UConn women's basketball games that they have to show in order to maintain their subscribers in Connecticut.

Also, don't think that Disney is going to sit still on ESPN+ content. It is being reported that ESPN+ may bid on Direct TV's NFL Sunday ticket.

 

[whaler11]

Not really but if it is, that will be the analysis. Essentially is the cash up front worth giving up the real time broadcast rights. As noted above the question is does the dollar amount that SNY will pay worth more than having Connecticut fans as a captive audience. I agree that ESPN will consider the value of being the only game in town in deciding whether or not to sell. One interesting question is whether UConn WBB fans will buy and watch online content. I suspect that a lot of them may not. If ESPN believes that as well then selling those games to SNY may essentially be "found money." I'd give SNY about a 40% shot at getting some kind of UConn WBB package. What do you think?

Based on how it’s played out I think UConn knew the entire time there is no deal coming and played stupid through the annoucement. Then 90 minutes later they had their official statements ready to go because they were written a long time prior.

ESPN is clearly losing money on + in an attempt to grow the subscriber base - selling games to SNY is the complete opposite of their strategy with + to date.

Of course they could sell the games to SNY and make more than the $5 * marginals subs * months but that isn’t their calculus here.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Not really but if it is, that will be the analysis. Essentially is the cash up front worth giving up the real time broadcast rights. As noted above the question is does the dollar amount that SNY will pay worth more than having Connecticut fans as a captive audience. I agree that ESPN will consider the value of being the only game in town in deciding whether or not to sell. One interesting question is whether UConn WBB fans will buy and watch online content. I suspect that a lot of them may not. If ESPN believes that as well then selling those games to SNY may essentially be "found money." I'd give SNY about a 40% shot at getting some kind of UConn WBB package. What do you think?

I think 40% is a very high number.

ESPN isn't going to know what the % of Women's fans is until well into the season. They will likely see an increase in the numbers as the season goes on. Once fans realize the ONLY way to watch games is on + the likelihood of them jumping in increases.

There is probably a better chance of having some OTA broadcast in year 2 versus year 1 as the first year will be the test

 

[CL82]

Based on how it’s played out I think UConn knew the entire time there is no deal coming and played stupid through the annoucement. Then 90 minutes later they had their official statements ready to go because they were written a long time prior.

ESPN is clearly losing money on + in an attempt to grow the subscriber base - selling games to SNY is the complete opposite of their strategy with + to date.

Of course they could sell the games to SNY and make more than the $5 * marginals subs * months but that isn’t their calculus here.

So no chance in your view?

Once fans realize the ONLY way to watch games is on + the likelihood of them jumping in increases.

I think you over estimate the computer literacy of the fan base.

 

[whaler11]

So no chance in your view?



I think you over estimate the computer literacy of the fan base.

I guess never say never but pretty slim.

 

[UConnDan97]

Based on how it’s played out I think UConn knew the entire time there is no deal coming and played stupid through the annoucement. Then 90 minutes later they had their official statements ready to go because they were written a long time prior.

Bingo!

And this is what infuriates me the most about the whole deal. UConn's leadership clearly knew what was going to happen in the deal and chose to look the other way because they would get slightly more money, fan base be damned. That seems to consistently be their approach.

You can get away with that approach when times are good. But times haven't been good for quite some time. Cutting your arms off is not an effective way to lose weight...

 

[ClifSpliffy]

oh, then there's this

Disney takes full operational control of Hulu: What this means (so far)

Another big get for Disney.

ew.com

nothing to see here, movin on.

 

[whaler11]

Bingo!

And this is what infuriates me the most about the whole deal. UConn's leadership clearly knew what was going to happen in the deal and chose to look the other way because they would get slightly more money, fan base be damned. That seems to consistently be their approach.

You can get away with that approach when times are good. But times haven't been good for quite some time. Cutting your arms off is not an effective way to lose weight...

The herbst statement was days of crafting by communications people. They worked on every word of it.

 

[CL82]

Bingo!

And this is what infuriates me the most about the whole deal. UConn's leadership clearly knew what was going to happen in the deal and chose to look the other way because they would get slightly more money, fan base be damned. That seems to consistently be their approach.

You can get away with that approach when times are good. But times haven't been good for quite some time. Cutting your arms off is not an effective way to lose weight...

What would you have done in their place Dan, left the American? Held you breath until they releneted?

They had no leverage. This conference is a bad a fit for us, but we've got no where else to go.

 

[dogged1]

What would you have done in their place Dan, left the American? Held you breath until they releneted?

They had no leverage. This conference is a bad a fit for us, but we've got no where else to go.

Sometimes I really dislike the simply stated truth. You got a spoonful of sugar to go with that?

 

[UConnDan97]

What would you have done in their place Dan, left the American? Held you breath until they releneted?

They had no leverage. This conference is a bad a fit for us, but we've got no where else to go.

They had no leverage???

It's amazing to me how Navy got special consideration in this new deal and we didn't. It's also amazing to me how folks on this board believe that the #1 most valuable property in this conference had no leverage...

 

[CL82]

They had no leverage???

It's amazing to me how Navy got special consideration in this new deal and we didn't. It's also amazing to me how folks on this board believe that the #1 most valuable property in this conference had no leverage...

Navy had leverage, i.e., join or don't join. We didn't. Were we going to go to MAC or A-10?

This is how I see our negotiation going:

UConn: We like our relationship with SNY and we feel that we make more money selling our T3 independent of conference. We want our T3 rights.​

​

Aresco: No.​

​

UConn: Uh okay but we are going to write a very snippy statement indicating our disappointment with that decision.​

​

Aresco: Okay, good luck with that.​

​

So Dan, how would that have gone any different if you were in charge?

 

[Guapo]

Navy had leverage, i.e., join or don't join. We didn't. Were we going to go to MAC or A-10?

This is how I see our negotiation going:

UConn: We like our relationship with SNY and we feel that we make more money selling our T3 independent of conference. We want our T3 rights.​

​

Aresco: No.​

​

UConn: Uh okay but we are going to write a very snippy statement indicating our disappointment with that decision.​

​

Aresco: Okay, good luck with that.​

​

So Dan, how would that have gone any different if you were in charge?

And it’s all gone to hell

 

[whaler11]

They had no leverage???

It's amazing to me how Navy got special consideration in this new deal and we didn't. It's also amazing to me how folks on this board believe that the #1 most valuable property in this conference had no leverage...

they don’t care to try. this was always herbst’s goal. deemphasize sports. how it isnt obvious to people at this point is startling.

they couldnt wait to run off jim calhoun for god’s sake.

 

[CL82]

they couldnt wait to run off jim calhoun for god’s sake.

Lol. All part of the plan to bring in Kevin Ollie no doubt.

they don’t care to try. this was always herbst’s goal. deemphasize sports. how it isnt obvious to people at this point is startling.

SMH so how would you have negotiated this any differently? I don't see any options.

Blah, blah, blah didn't try, blah, blah Suzie lax, etc.

Okay but how do you think UConn could have forced their will on Aresco the other teams in the league? Because as shitacular as our new deal is, for vast majority of the league, it's good deal.

 

[bobbyinaz]

The herbst statement was days of crafting by communications people. They worked on every word of it.

The fact that the survey came out after the announcement was telling.

If they were really looking to gather data to provide to Aresco & ESPN the survey would've come once the season ended so the data could be used to help influence the contract. Sending the survey out after the TV contract was announced was essentially a CYA move by Herbst & Benedict so they could say "we tried"