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

[UConnDan97]

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?

If I were in charge?

I would leverage the news that was leaking at the time that the NBE was looking at adding us. I would use that to get a deal that was right for us. And if they called that in, then I would have pulled the trigger on it, which would have thrown football into Independent status. While that is a long term death of football, so is not being on tv for your regional audience. And being by far the largest athletic department in the conference would have given me some basis for taking a stance.

Do I strike you as an overly pessimistic person??? This is NOT my m.o. So if I'm saying this, it's because it's the straw that broke the camel's back. Aresco can't claim that viewership was the key element of the first contract, only to turn around and land us primarily on streaming in the next one. SNY was a nice part of our regional impact. It's gone now. Anyone who isn't mad about that needs to wake up and smell the mountain laurels...

 

[CL82]

If I were in charge?

I would leverage the news that was leaking at the time that the NBE was looking at adding us. I would use that to get a deal that was right for us. And if they called that in, then I would have pulled the trigger on it, which would have thrown football into Independent status. While that is a long term death of football, so is not being on tv for your regional audience. And being by far the largest athletic department in the conference would have given me some basis for taking a stance.

Do I strike you as an overly pessimistic person??? This is NOT my m.o. So if I'm saying this, it's because it's the straw that broke the camel's back. Aresco can't claim that viewership was the key element of the first contract, only to turn around and land us primarily on streaming in the next one. SNY was a nice part of our regional impact. It's gone now. Anyone who isn't mad about that needs to wake up and smell the mountain laurels...

We could still do that right? That option is always on the table, so long as the NBE wants us of course. Of course that means taking less media money in the Big East than we are currently making in the American. Oh and very likely less Nike money and probably less IMG money as well.

Keep in mind that the NBE may not so long as we are playing football. Val Ackerman is on record as saying we'd have to knock the Rent down before the NBE would consider us. She apparently understands how different we are from the rest of the schools in that conference.

So let's see, your option results in getting less money and giving up any shot we have (limited though it may be) of going to a P5 conference. But it has the added bonus of taking us off the ESPN network (which will still will be under the current deal) and ABC and CBS, but gives us the opportunity to be FS1 and FS2, channels that people don't have or aren't aware of.

I love you buddy, but you are dead wrong on this.

 

[UConnDan97]

We could still that right? That option is always on the table, so long as the NBE wants us of course. Of course that means taking less media money in the Big East than we are currently making in the American. Oh and very likely less Nike money and probably less IMG money as well.

Keep in mind that the NBE may not so long as we are playing football. Val Ackerman is on record as saying we'd have to knock the Rent down before the NBE would consider us. She apparently understands how different we are from the rest of the schools in that conference.

So let's see, your option results in getting less money and giving up any shot we have (limited though it may be) of going to a P5 conference. But it has the added bonus of taking us off the ESPN network (which will still will be under the current deal) and ABC and CBS, but gives us the opportunity to be FS1 and FS2, channels that people don't have or aren't aware of.

I love you buddy, but you are dead wrong on this.

I love how you think the NBE wouldn't take us until we "knocked the Rent down". That's straight up comedy. We're talking about a league that has Creighton, DePaul, Marquette....but they won't take UConn unless the stadium is demolished. Okay, sure.

Plus, if you think that FS1 is less available to folks now than ESPN+ is, I have land to sell you in the Everglades. And I'm saying that even though I already have a subscription to it. No. We're going to lose penetration in NY and NJ with the loss of SNY, plain and simple. We had to fight to keep that going, and we apparently didn't fight at all...

 

[CL82]

I love how you think the NBE wouldn't take us until we "knocked the Rent down". That's straight up comedy. We're talking about a league that has Creighton, DePaul, Marquette....but they won't take UConn unless the stadium is demolished. Okay, sure.

Plus, if you think that FS1 is less available to folks now than ESPN+ is, I have land to sell you in the Everglades. And I'm saying that even though I already have a subscription to it. No. We're going to lose penetration in NY and NJ with the loss of SNY, plain and simple. We had to fight to keep that going, and we apparently didn't fight at all...

Well that's what their commissioner said so...

Think a minute about what Creighton, DePaul and Marquette all have in common that UConn does not and reread my paraphrase of what Ackerman said.

Plus, if you think that FS1 is less available to folks now than ESPN+ is, I have land to sell you in the Everglades. And I'm saying that even though I already have a subscription to it. No. We're going to lose penetration in NY and NJ with the loss of SNY, plain and simple. We had to fight to keep that going, and we apparently didn't fight at all...

Your point would be valid if our choice was our T1 content on ESPN+ versus our T1 content on FS1 and FS2 but that isn't choice. The bulk of T1 content will still be on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU That's infinitely better that having our T1 content on FS1 and FS2. Our T3 stuff will be ESPN+.

Believe me I'm am frustrated with the potential loss of SNY games (I haven't given up on it entirely, but I recognize it's more likely than not) but I just don't see any possible way to have avoided it.

 

[whaler11]

If I were in charge?

I would leverage the news that was leaking at the time that the NBE was looking at adding us. I would use that to get a deal that was right for us. And if they called that in, then I would have pulled the trigger on it, which would have thrown football into Independent status. While that is a long term death of football, so is not being on tv for your regional audience. And being by far the largest athletic department in the conference would have given me some basis for taking a stance.

Do I strike you as an overly pessimistic person??? This is NOT my m.o. So if I'm saying this, it's because it's the straw that broke the camel's back. Aresco can't claim that viewership was the key element of the first contract, only to turn around and land us primarily on streaming in the next one. SNY was a nice part of our regional impact. It's gone now. Anyone who isn't mad about that needs to wake up and smell the mountain laurels...

They should have jumped up and down screaming about UConn and UConn’s investment in women’s basketball built the gd sport and the inherent value in that program shouldn’t be dispersed to Tulsa and East FRIGGING Carolina.

 

[whaler11]

What the hell is the AAC going to do? Kick us out? Go for it chumps.

 

[CL82]

They should have jumped up and down screaming about UConn and UConn’s investment in women’s basketball built the gd sport and the inherent value in that program shouldn’t be dispersed to Tulsa and East FRIGGING Carolina.

Aresco's response: "No. Awesome tantrum though."

 

[whaler11]

Aresco's response: "No. Awesome tantrum though."

you are the perfect uconn fan. they fail and fail and fail some more and you just say oh well no leverage and excuse yet another debacle.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[CL82]

Wow, that's really interesting. I'm surprised. I thought they had a better deal than that.

Equally interesting that ND's affiliation with the ACC is essentially what we will be getting for all of our rights in the American. Okay slightly more, but the take away is if all sports are worth $29.5M and everything but football is worth $7.9M then football must be worth $21.6M or @73% of the media deal. Useful info for the drop football crowd.

 

[Slasher]

Wow, that's really interesting. I'm surprised. I thought they had a better deal than that.

Equally interesting that ND's affiliation with the ACC is essentially what we will be getting for all of our rights in the American. Okay slightly more, but the take away is if all sports are worth $29.5M and everything but football is worth $7.9M then football must be worth $21.6M or @73% of the media deal. Useful info for the drop football crowd.

What's missing though is that's no payout from the ACC Network yet. They get $10M a year for that starting next year.

 

[billybud]

I think that $10 million to start is a little ambitious....it may get there...but not at first.

 

[Rufus]

People won’t demand the ACC Network like they do the Big Ten Network or SEC Network.

I think the ACC Network will do better than the PAC 12 Network because of the ESPN affiliation, but it will never be on par with the Big Ten or SEC Networks.

 

[billybud]

People won’t demand the ACC Network like they do the Big Ten Network or SEC Network.

I think the ACC Network will do better than the PAC 12 Network because of the ESPN affiliation, but it will never be on par with the Big Ten or SEC Networks.

The beauty of ESPN is that "people demanding" isn't quite as important.

ESPN bundles and ESPN arm bends carriage....

Altice's customers in NY, Jersey, Pennsylvania did not demand the ACCN...nor did the customers of Direct TV, etc. But they will get the ACCN and pay for it as part of the basic package.

 

[upstater]

The beauty of ESPN is that "people demanding" isn't quite as important.

ESPN bundles and ESPN arm bends carriage....

Altice's customers in NY, Jersey, Pennsylvania did not demand the ACCN...nor did the customers of Direct TV, etc. But they will get the ACCN and pay for it as part of the basic package.

None of these networks will be bundled in the future as customers leave because of the high price. so--get the money now, because in a few years time, none of them will be bundled.

 

[Rufus]

I doubt the entire state of PA will get the channel just for Pitt. I doubt the entire state of Georgia will get it just for Georgia Tech.

With the SEC network, I remember deals being in place a long time in advance with cable companies. I haven’t heard much about deals to carry the ACC Network.

 

[billybud]

I doubt the entire state of PA will get the channel just for Pitt. I doubt the entire state of Georgia will get it just for Georgia Tech.

With the SEC network, I remember deals being in place a long time in advance with cable companies. I haven’t heard much about deals to carry the ACC Network.

...re the SECN carriage:

...Dish Network signed up with the SEC Network in March of the year it launched - just 6 months before SECN went on air.

...Cox Communications, Comcast and Time Warner all waited until July of that year - just ONE month before launch...

...DirecTV signed up with the SEC Network just 10 days before launch.

...Mediacom, which serves the big SEC footprint states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee signed up the day the network actually launched! So did Grande Communications in Texas....

...Verizon Fios didn't sign up until 12 days later - just two days before the SEC Network’s first football game, between Texas A&M and South Carolina

The SEC Network launch in 2014 is the most comparable to the ACC Network process. Most of the major cable and satellite providers didn't sign on for the SEC Network until July or August.

However, the media landscape has changed considerably in the last 5 years and the ACC now has the advantage of over-the-top internet streaming services like Hulu that are available to any consumer with a broadband or wireless connection.

"With ESPN's help, we have and will continue to be responsive to consumer needs," said Swofford. "From a distribution standpoint, it’s to a point today where if it’s linear distribution, great...If it’s direct to consumer, that’s great too. Their mantra is ‘we don’t care what you’re watching it on, just be watching it’ because the revenues will come in either respect.”

 

[Rufus]

I still say you won’t see full state coverage in many ACC states.

 

[billybud]

And Rufus...

The entire state of Georgia or Pennsylvania will get the ACCN...if you have Direct TV or any other carrier that signs on with Disney (it won't be by state but by carrier).

Just like Pitt can be seen anywhere in Pennsylvania by a consumer who has Direct TV...

We will have to see what happens with upcoming carriage negotiations with Comcast and others as their contracts with Disney come due...

The ACC Network negotiations also come at a time when Disney's overall bundle of channels are up for renewal. This bodes well for the conference because Disney can entice the remaining paid television distributors with a suite of channels that would include the ACC Network. However, cable providers are notorious waiting until the 11th hour to finalize any deals with content companies.

 

[bobbyinaz]

What's missing though is that's no payout from the ACC Network yet. They get $10M a year for that starting next year.

I don't think there is any chance they get $10MM per school/yr. ESPN already owns all of the ACC content & it was recently announced that the Raycom deal will remain in place. I've not seen $10MM projected from anyone.

I think the real number will be in the $3-5MM/yr range. ACC fans who think the ACCN will throw off $100MM+ to the conference are dreaming

 

[billybud]

The Raycom deal did not "remain in place" as it once was....they now own zippo rights and are contracted by ESPN and the ACC for their production skills.

In 2019, ESPN acquired the secondary rights that were previously held by Raycom. Raycom's final syndicated coverage was the ACC Basketball tournament final.

Raycom will still serve as the ACC's digital partner and their high end production trucks will be an asset.

Raycom has been subcontracted to provide producing for some event coverage for the ACCN...they are no longer a company with media rights but a production company.

True.... that ESPN owns the ACC content....but that doesn't mean that they aren't using that content to build a ACCN, sell that ACCN, and then splitting the profits with the ACC...that is established.

The amount from ESPN to the ACC will depend on the carriage agreements.

 

[Rufus]

I think the real number will be in the $3-5MM/yr range. ACC fans who think the ACCN will throw off $100MM+ to the conference are dreaming

Exactly! The ACC will never be on par with the Big Ten or SEC Networks in terms of revenue. It will do better than the PAC 12 Network, but only because of the ESPN affiliation. If it had tried to go independent like the PAC 12, I bet the ACC Network would have matched the PAC 12 Network at best.

The Big Ten and SEC will continue to further distance themselves from the rest. It will be interesting to see if the SEC can make it a back and forth battle with the Big Ten for the top spot going forward.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Exactly! The ACC will never be on par with the Big Ten or SEC Networks in terms of revenue. It will do better than the PAC 12 Network, but only because of the ESPN affiliation. If it had tried to go independent like the PAC 12, I bet the ACC Network would have matched the PAC 12 Network at best.

The Big Ten and SEC will continue to further distance themselves from the rest. It will be interesting to see if the SEC can make it a back and forth battle with the Big Ten for the top spot going forward.

Hate to say it, but the ACCN is likely to keep that conference in 3rd place for revenues well into the future. And the $10 mil figure will eventually be reached, maybe not right away, but they’ll get there.
The Big 12 and PAC 14 are the ones that need to worry. The PAC is imploding, while the OU-UT Conference is up for renewal with no network and no leverage. The two masters are looking to bolt at the first opportunity, and they’ll be 10 schools scrambling for a seat to anywhere once that happens. If the AAC plays its cards right, a long shot I know, we can be in prime position to add some teams and maybe get a good deal in the bargain.

 

[billybud]

I do not think that the ACC will ever have the revenue that the Big Ten and SEC do...it is extremely unlikely.

The ACC hasn't had the money of these two conferences for some time...

But the ACC will do OK athletically....Only twice, in all of these decades, has a conference pulled the difficult trick of being the football and basketball champions. And last year, it was the ACC.

 

[CoastAtlantic]