Mistaken assumptions about AAC and ESPN3

[upstater]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...can-athletic-conference-launch/#ixzz2XogWgGNM

Aresco, a longtime former ESPN and CBS executive and the consummate salesman, is quick to point out that while the revenue side of the new television contracts is less than ideal, "in terms of exposure, it's everything we could want and more." This season, the last of its existing football deal, four of the league's nine opening-week games are relegated to ESPN3. In the new deal, all but eight games all season are guaranteed a spot on national television.

The reason why games are going to be on ESPN3 is because this is the last year of the football deal.​

The new deal gives the conference national exposure starting next season.​

 

[jbdphi]

Nice try but this won't stop people from spreading their incorrect belief that Aresco is responsible for UConn playing Maryland on ESPN3.

Of course, all those same people get so angry when outsiders claim we only brought 3,000 people to the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma but why care about the details when you can just repeat a meme that supports your pre-determined conclusions?

 

[CL82]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...can-athletic-conference-launch/#ixzz2XogWgGNM

The reason why games are going to be on ESPN3 is because this is the last year of the football deal.​

​

Huh?

 

[upstater]

Huh?

The new contract explicitly guaranteeing the AAC national TV games does not kick in until the following season.

 

[sportsart]

That is good news. Let's try and keep this thread what it is, positive, cause God knows it would be pretty awesome to have one of them on these boards.

 

[CL82]

The new contract explicitly guaranteeing the AAC national TV games does not kick in until the following season.

That I know, but that isn't the reason that we why we're on ESPN3 now.

 

[WestHartHusk]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...can-athletic-conference-launch/#ixzz2XogWgGNM



The reason why games are going to be on ESPN3 is because this is the last year of the football deal.
The new deal gives the conference national exposure starting next season.

Why are we defending ESPN? They refuse to acknowledge on their website that our league even exists. Also, any lawyer that can't drive a truck through "a spot on national television" isn't worth a dime. Guess what is a spot on national TV - the Disney Channel. Or ESPN2 at 4:00pm on a Tuesday.

 

[upstater]

Why are we defending ESPN? They refuse to acknowledge on their website that our league even exists. Also, any lawyer that can't drive a truck through "a spot on national television" isn't worth a dime. Guess what is a spot on national TV - the Disney Channel. Or ESPN2 at 4:00pm on a Tuesday.

The days are all set. National is national. Disney has nothing to do with it. ESPN3 isn't TV.

 

[upstater]

That I know, but that isn't the reason that we why we're on ESPN3 now.

Apparently, the current contract said nothing explicitly like the next contract.

 

[WestHartHusk]

The days are all set. National is national. Disney has nothing to do with it. ESPN3 isn't TV.

Come on Up. There is TV and there is tv. What shred of evidence have you that we will be on TV? If the contract doesn't explictly call for "X" games on ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2 with specific times attached we are effed. ESPN has demonstrated they aren't stupid, Aresco and company have demonstrated that they are - why do you think we come out on top on this thing?.

 

[upstater]

Come on Up. There is TV and there is tv. What shred of evidence have you that we will be on TV? If the contract doesn't explictly call for "X" games on ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2 with specific times attached we are effed. ESPN has demonstrated they aren't stupid, Aresco and company have demonstrated that they are - why do you think we come out on top on this thing?.

It DOES say which channels and how many games and what days. And no, it doesn't say what times (for obvious reasons). All weekday games are at night.

CBS is showing 12 basketball games.

As far as I'm aware, CBS hasn't committed to any football games.

The original press release from the BE laid it out. Of course, it didn't get into the contract language. But read the post above when Aresco makes it explicit.

Among the highlights of the deal as it relates to football:

• Nearly 90 percent of the games will be carried on national broadcast or national cable.
• The minimum number of telecasts collectively on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU will be higher than the number of telecasts in the current contract, which expires at the end of the 2013 season.
• The conference championship game, which is expected to begin in 2015, will be carried by ABC or ESPN on championship Saturday.

 

[sportsart]

Some people just love to be f'in miserable.

 

[WestHartHusk]

It DOES say which channels and how many games and what days. And no, it doesn't say what times (for obvious reasons). All weekday games are at night.

CBS is showing 12 basketball games.

As far as I'm aware, CBS hasn't committed to any football games.

The original press release from the BE laid it out. Of course, it didn't get into the contract language. But read the post above when Aresco makes it explicit.

Up, I appreciate your positivity - but you have been in academia too long to trust a salesman like Aresco. Until he, or someone else, makes the contract public, I reserve my scepticism. I've seen too many hotshot sales/marketing guys in my day to trust their interpretation of a contract.

As a matter of fact, do we know if any has put in a FOIA request for the document?

 

[WestHartHusk]

Some people just love to be f'in miserable.

No, I don't to be miserable. But, if you were paid $1M per year and delivered a $2M per year contract, wouldn't you take some liberties with the facts to hang onto your job? I'm not saying I'm right, I'm saying I'm skeptical.

 

[upstater]

Up, I appreciate your positivity - but you have been in academia too long to trust a salesman like Aresco. Until he, or someone else, makes the contract public, I reserve my scepticism. I've seen too many hotshot sales/marketing guys in my day to trust their interpretation of a contract.

As a matter of fact, do we know if any has put in a FOIA request for the document?

He made an explicit statement today. So, call him a liar I guess. He differentiated between national TV and ESPN3.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

With the leverage he had.....what did you expect Aresco to accomplish? I am asking that as a serious question.

 

[WestHartHusk]

He made an explicit statement today. So, call him a liar I guess. He differentiated between national TV and ESPN3.

I've seen you do this to other people, but this is the first time you did it to me. I know you hate being wrong and all, but go back and look at my post and tell me where I said we would end up on ESPN3? I said that "national TV" can mean a lot of things and used the Disney Channel as an example of a channel that could conceivably meet that requirement. Like I said, I have dealt with a lot of salesmen, and until I see that he locked down specific channels I remain skeptical. But, I am putting in an FOI request with UConn for the contract - though they have a history of hiding documents (like they don't have the contract with Webster Bank).

 

[WestHartHusk]

With the leverage he had.....what did you expect Aresco to accomplish? I am asking that as a serious question.

Really, about 3 big things:

1) he could have left rights for schools to sell so the UConn's, Memphis's, Cinci's could have maximized their value (e.g. Tier 3 rights, and especially women's basketball where we are getting hosed on this contract).
2) I want a hard commitment to channels for games, not wishy washy "national TV"
3) When he went and added schools I want to see a justification that the school added to the TV contract in a real, not conceptual, way (see Tulane).

That is all. Doesn't seem like too much to ask from a guy making a mill.

 

[UConn Dan]

But, I am putting in an FOI request with UConn for the contract - though they have a history of hiding documents (like they don't have the contract with Webster Bank).

UConn has a contract with IMG explicitly for this purpose to keep our sponsors private. Sponsor A doesn't need to know how much Sponsor B is paying. Not good for competition.

 

[WestHartHusk]

UConn has a contract with IMG explicitly for this purpose to keep our sponsors private. Sponsor A doesn't need to know how much Sponsor B is paying. Not good for competition.

That's fine, but IMG should not have the contracts with the American Athletic Conference related to our television rights.

 

[UConn Dan]

That's fine, but IMG should not have the contracts with the American Athletic Conference related to our television rights.

Correct. They don't. Not sure if UConn has other ways to hide the TV deal though, but maybe you'll have luck.

 

[upstater]

I've seen you do this to other people, but this is the first time you did it to me. I know you hate being wrong and all, but go back and look at my post and tell me where I said we would end up on ESPN3? I said that "national TV" can mean a lot of things and used the Disney Channel as an example of a channel that could conceivably meet that requirement. Like I said, I have dealt with a lot of salesmen, and until I see that he locked down specific channels I remain skeptical. But, I am putting in an FOI request with UConn for the contract - though they have a history of hiding documents (like they don't have the contract with Webster Bank).

You're saying I'm putting words in your mouth for assuming I thought you were differentiating between ESPN and ESPN3? The conversation a=on this board has been about that very subject. Frankly, I didn't think you were serious about Disney Channel.

And I'm actually not arguing anything here. I'm basically stating facts. He literally said that unlike this year, there will be national TV exposure. That's a comparison to this year's crappy exposure on ESPN3 and the like. This is an absolute factual statement. if it's not true, he's a liar.

There is no argument here. It is either true, or it isn't.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Correct. They don't. Not sure if UConn has other ways to hide the TV deal though, but maybe you'll have luck.

We will find out. I just submitted a broad FOI request related to our relationship with the American Athletic Conference, ESPN, and any documentation related to the admission of Tulane, ECU, and Tulsa to the American. I fully expect this to be a difficult process, but by law they have to tell us something within the next 4 days. Will keep the yard posted.

 

[woomba]

I think the two important things that hasn't been revealed yet is the # of games that will be on ESPNU vs ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 (ESPN U is usually a different cable tier) and the # of weekday games that ESPN will require in order to guarantee the national slot.

Depending on how those numbers go Aresco can end up either a genius or a buffoon.

 

[whaler11]

It's called ESPNU. Seriously what's not to get here.