Major Announcement... TV? (Update>CBSSN)

[HuskyAlum012]

>>The three 2020 games not contracted by CBS Sports are expected to be televised, with SNY the likely landing spot.

CBS Sports reaches about 55 million homes. Line that up with the ESPN+ reality (approximately 8 million subscribers) that UConn faced as a member of the AAC.

Financial specifics weren’t available but the CBS deal, which is over seven figures for the four years, will benefit UConn in ways similar to the average of deals in place for teams in conferences such as Conference USA, the MAAC and Mountain West. Every FBS game UConn plays in the life of the deal will be on linear TV. There is a possibility that the one annual FCS game will be available on a digital-only platform.

UConn expects to know the start time for every game in advance of a season, and most will be in the noon-3:30 window on Saturdays, with the likelihood for one Friday night game a year. The UConn/CBS Sports deal was done through Learfield IMG College, which holds UConn’s multimedia rights.

“All I can tell you is we're getting paid,” Benedict said. “We are being compensated and they're obviously covering the costs of production.”

This is absolutely fantastic news. National Coverage > NYC metro coverage

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Is this >$1M per year? or in total?

 

[Ajs120102]

Is this >$1M per year? or in total?

In my opinion that doesn’t matter now. National coverage alone is worth lots more

 

[UConnTrumbull]

In my opinion that doesn’t matter now. National coverage alone is worth lots more

Plus if production costs are covered that’s huge

 

[CashewCrew]

Is this >$1M per year? or in total?

Sounds like the 4 year deal is worth $1,000,000+. I feel like if I had to guess, they are paying us 300-500k a season

 

[HuskyHawk]

Plus if production costs are covered that’s huge

They are. Benedict confirmed. So clearly better for us than the AAC was. This is huge for me because I don't have SNY. But I think it's really critical for scheduling. SNY wasn't likely to appeal to schools outside of the region who want their fans to be able to watch the games.

 

[Chin Diesel]

In my opinion that doesn’t matter now. National coverage alone is worth lots more

Sounds like the 4 year deal is worth $1,000,000+. I feel like if I had to guess, they are paying us 300-500k a season

The money always matters at a certain price point. I would hope UConn is getting at least $500k for an average even if it's a bit fewer bucks on the first few years and then bigger $$$ towards the back end.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

Sounds like the 4 year deal is worth $1,000,000+. I feel like if I had to guess, they are paying us 300-500k a season

Does anyone know if "The UConn/CBS Sports deal was done through Learfield IMG College, which holds UConn’s multimedia rights." means we wont be keeping any of this money and it will all be going to IMG?

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Anthony named dropped Rutgers and Pitt.

 

[CashewCrew]

Does anyone know if "The UConn/CBS Sports deal was done through Learfield IMG College, which holds UConn’s multimedia rights." means we wont be keeping any of this money and it will all be going to IMG?

Yes, Learfield was responsible for the deal. Not sure how the payments to them would work. I hope I'm lowballing and the deal pays more.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Anthony named dropped Rutgers and Pitt.

Rolled that in nicely within a list of schools.

 

[huskymedic]

Is this >$1M per year? or in total?

Sounds like the 4 year deal is worth $1,000,000+. I feel like if I had to guess, they are paying us 300-500k a season

Where you pulling that figure from?

 

[Fishy]

Are you kidding me?

Whatever they’re paying Benedict is not enough.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Is this >$1M per year? or in total?

Where you pulling that figure from?

From the article:

Financial specifics weren’t available but the CBS deal, which is over seven figures for the four years, will benefit UConn in ways similar to the average of deals in place for teams in conferences such as Conference USA, the MAAC and Mountain West.

 

[Waquoit]

Are you kidding me?

Whatever they’re paying Benedict is not enough.

That's what I was thinking. This is so good I must be missing something.

 

[Exit 4]

So the collateral damage here (and yes its probably entire too soon to speculate on this) might be UConn's relationship with SNY. I think they thought UConn football was boxed in and could be had for pennies. Now they go from having new stream of live action content to control to nothing. Will relations be strained (diminishing good relations on WBB and maybe odd MBB content)? Maybe, but its a chance we clearly have to take anyway.

Thinking aloud, maybe we just arent a good fit anyway for SNY. College football, although regional, thrives best on national linear programming where it can be binged by dedicated masses which hopscotch around based on emerging talent, emerging coaches, unique environments, unique match ups, etc etc. SNY wasn't well positioned to capitalize on that phenomenon as a regional sports carrier.

 

[CashewCrew]

Where you pulling that figure from?

From the article when it says it's at least a 7 figure deal

 

[huskymedic]

From the article:

Financial specifics weren’t available but the CBS deal, which is over seven figures for the four years, will benefit UConn in ways similar to the average of deals in place for teams in conferences such as Conference USA, the MAAC and Mountain West.

From the article when it says it's at least a 7 figure deal

Got it - I slid over the “+” in my head because I know I didn’t see a number.

 

[ASweet3781]

Any takers still gonna try to argue the move out of the AAC wasn't the right one? Come on John and Palantine you have it in you!

Absent a P5 invite and what we were facing after that AAC tv deal this is the best outcome we possibly could have hoped for if the goal was to make UConn men's basketball a national power again and still have a football team playing games on national TV.

 

[Waquoit]

...still have a football team playing games on national TV.

We are going to have a home network for crying out loud! Those AAC guys wish they were us now.

 

[Fishy]

That's what I was thinking. This is so good I must be missing something.

They’ve covering production costs and writing a check? National coverage? Linear television? Did we have to give the Hartford campus to CBS?

So the collateral damage here (and yes its probably entire too soon to speculate on this) might be UConn's relationship with SNY.

Probably not? The women’s hoop deal, which will continue, was the big thing for them. We’ll see how the rest plays out.

 

[Rewster]

How does this compare with what the AAC pay out will be.
i know they have to pay for productions costs so best estimate.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Any takers still gonna try to argue the move out of the AAC wasn't the right one? Come on John and Palantine you have it in you!

Absent a P5 invite and what we were facing after that AAC tv deal this is the best outcome we possibly could have hoped for if the goal was to make UConn men's basketball a national power again and still have a football team playing games on national TV.

I'd really like to see someone who can piece together which people and which positions within UConn and media partners have changed since the original BE broke up and now.

Let's face it, if the day the AAC/BE split happened, someone would have told UConn they can stay in the BE for all sports, make football an independent and get a TV contract with CBSSN, UConn never plays an AAC game.

 

[Exit 4]

From Mike Anthony (the HC's best reporter!):

Rentschler Field in coming years is going to be visited by all sorts of logos and uniforms familiar and appealing to UConn fans, the type of teams you hate to lose to and love to beat. Think BC, Pitt, Syracuse, UMass, Rutgers. Some are already on the schedules well into the future. UConn is in conversation with others.

Pitt and Rutty to the Rent? Yes please!!!! Get one of those in 2021!!

 

[Waquoit]

So the collateral damage here (and yes its probably entire too soon to speculate on this) might be UConn's relationship with SNY. ... Will relations be strained (diminishing good relations on WBB and maybe odd MBB content)? Maybe, but its a chance we clearly have to take anyway.

Strained on whose part? UConn's because SNY was low-balling them? Or SNY because UConn took a better offer? In any case, I would imagine this is just business.