No Games on SNY

[freescooter]

This is a multi-year deal. We'll end up on ESPN 3 in future years. I didn't count them but NC State has a number of games on ESPNU too. most that aren't on the U are on the ACC network.

 

[upstater]

This is a multi-year deal. We'll end up on ESPN 3 in future years. I didn't count them but NC State has a number of games on ESPNU too. most that aren't on the U are on the ACC network.

The deal with the AAC is for a higher % of games to be on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU than the BE used to get. So, I'm not sure at all why you're saying this about ESPN3 when the fact is, the AAC will get a higher % of games than the BE used to. The deal was for 65% of the games to be on those 3 networks specifically (and/or farmed out to the likes of CBS SN).

In the first year of this arrangement, Louisville picked up 11 of the ESPN/ESPN2 slots while UConn picked up 15. Both schools picked up additional ESPNU slots and also CBS SN. Louisville snagged 3 CBS over the air slots while UConn only got 1.

Given the parameters of the deal, you expect exposure for UConn to decrease in future years? OK, then who is going to pick up the slack when Louisville isn't around to swallow up all those appearances? Tulane?

Here's what's going to happen in the future: UConn's national TV appearances will increase or at the very worst stay the same. There are no schools with better television exposure in the NCAA.

This is a good deal on the men's side, a very good deal.

As for the women, we have no idea yet.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

It's 16 games on CBS Broadcast Over-the-Air Network (i.e. not CBS SN), ESPN and ESPN2. It doesn't include CBSSN or ESPNU or anything else. We have more national games on those channels, but I'm not counting them since they are hard to find channels just like FS2.

Got it, I misinterpreted what you meant by CBS Network.

16 games is a pretty good haul. Even considering we'll lose two national games a year when Louisville leaves, exposure wise as long as we maintain a great OOC we'll be on tv regularly.

Not to mention, pre season tournaments only can have one rep per conference, so we should have our pick when it comes to that as well.

 

[UConn Dan]

Got it, I misinterpreted what you meant by CBS Network.

16 games is a pretty good haul. Even considering we'll lose two national games a year when Louisville leaves, exposure wise as long as we maintain a great OOC we'll be on tv regularly.

Yes, it's actually great exposure (remember we are on the new TV deal for basketball; next year for football). I think you missed upstarters point, though. The AAC is still guaranteed 63% of all men's games on national TV -- with Louisville gone next year, UConn's Natty TV exposure will most definitely go up -- they aren't going to fill those TV slots with Tulane vs. East Carolina.

 

[huskymedic]

.As for the women, we have no idea yet.

American_WBB 11:16am via TweetDeck
The Conference schedule will be released at 1PM on TheAmerican.org. Stay Tuned!

Would imagine TV to follow shortly.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I am waiting for one of the bashers to explain just what leverage Aresco or wards had this time around. Let me rephrase: intelligently and realistically explain the leverage either had in the latest round of negotiations.

 

[Rumrunner]

I am waiting for one of the bashers to explain just what leverage Aresco or wards had this time around. Let me rephrase: intelligently and realistically explain the leverage either had in the latest round of negotiations.

Entering into negotiations with NBC, ESPN, and whomever, start with this premise:

The only school left in the AAC with appreciable value in its non-nationally televised tv rights (call them Tier 3, a nomenclature used in differing ways by different conferences) is UCONN. Whatever games the network does not want to pick up for national distribution, is retained by the school.

UCONN is the only AAC school that commands its marketplace. No other school exerts such influence over its DMA. Not memphis, not usf, not tulane, smu, houston and on and on.

In order to monetize these rights, UCONN would need an outlet willing to pony up money for "scrub" games, or games that attract local interest. This applies to football (UCONN v. Towson, UCONN v. Memphis), hoops (UCONN v. Fairfield), both men's and women's.

With respect to the value of these rights-SNY is paying $1.2 million a year for 17 scrub women's basketball games.

UCONN wants these rights. The AAC wants these rights to use in negotiations with the networks to increase the value of the tv contract.

When UCONN finds out that the value of the tv contract which grants the AAC's media rights (digital included) to ESPN, UCONN has two choices accept this or not.

Enter Navy discussions. Navy has a current contract with CBS. Navy gets to keep its tv revenue from CBS in the future. This was part of the negotiations with NBC, ESPN.

UCONN tells Aresco- $2 million is way too low. UCONN makes $1.2 million on 17 scrub girl's games, but now it will make a total of $2 million on 9 or 10 football games, 20-22, men's games, and 20-22 women's games. These games include high profile matchups in football, and men's and women's basketball games.

UCONN tells Aresco, we keep our tier 3 rights. Let every school keep them. If other schools don't want this, UCONN buys out its rights for the $2 million.

In negotiations, ESPN/NBC has offered $2 million a year per school. How much less would the offer be if schools kept their tier 3 rights? Would the amount be $1,999,999? Would NBC buy essentially same content for even cheaper? Of course they would.

The conference would have been made whole (through UCONN's payment back its conference tv distribution if school's demurred on retaining their individual tier 3 rights).

As for leverage: If Navy gets to keep their TIER ONE rights, UCONN keeps their Tier 3 rights.

At this point, what is Aresco going to do? His conference has already blown up, and the tv number is basically at the point where the conference is paying ESPN to broadcast games like a giant infomercial.

This issue is unique only to UCONN. UCONN had a relationship with an RSN that is ready, willing and able to produce the games.

Instead, UCONN is like a dumb host with parasites feeding off of it.

And incidentally, Ward makes $40,000 per month to come up with ideas to make UCONN money.

And in the end, you know who is getting screwed the most? UCONN football. UCONN lost a partner that had a financial incentive to boost it in the NY market.

 

[UConn Dan]

Rumrunner, you make some valid points and hopefully in the next negotiation (if we're stuck in this god-forsaken sh it hole) we will be able to negotiate for more money/third tier rights, etc. However, the league had more leverage than us during this round. They had $20-$30million of exit fee money that we were due. What's our leverage? We couldn't walk.

The difference between Navy and UConn is that Navy isn't in the league yet and they could have easily walked away at minimal (if no) cost with no vested interest. We have all that exit fee money to collect which should amount to more than another $2-$3 million a year in TV money for the next 6 years.

 

[Gregory Koch]

Keep in mind, the statistics X% of conference games will be on such-and-such networks only applies to CONFERENCE games. That is, games between two AAC teams. It does not apply to non-conference games, and all the football games with announced TV were non-conference games - Maryland and Towson. Buffalo hasn't announced TV yet to my knowledge, and the MAC has initial rights to that one anyway. Nothing's been announced for Michigan, though that will likely be national, not SNY.

The FCS game has been ESPN3 exclusive before, and Maryland was scheduled for reasons other than TV. The AAC doesn't have rights to the Buffalo game, and the MAC can choose where, if anywhere, it airs under its contract. It can also, within the terms of its contract, sell the rights to an AAC Network like SNY - the MAC has its own syndication network, I think, and since no Connecticut station is part of that network, they could sell the rights to the MAC broadcast to SNY (and/or allow SNY to broadcast from the stadium themselves). As I recall, when we played at Maryland last year, SNY showed the ACC Network broadcast because they didn't have the rights to make their own.

So nothing too out of the ordinary has happened yet. Don't jump to conclusions.

 

[UConn Dan]

Not sure about that Gregory -- I think the AAC has rights to all of our home games conf. or non.

 

[huskymedic]

American_WBB 11:16am via TweetDeck
The Conference schedule will be released at 1PM on TheAmerican.org. Stay Tuned!

Would imagine TV to follow shortly.

jaltavilla 1:24pm via Tweet Button
UConn’s Schedule Heavy With Big Games, National Telecasts cour.at/1544XrH

jaltavilla 1:26pm via web
A total of 13 of #UConnwomen 31 regular-season games either on ESPN networks (10) or CBS Sports Network (three). #bleedblue

jaltavilla 1:27pm via web
#SNY expected to pick up remaining 18 games, but not expected to make announcement for some time #UConnwomen #bleedblue

 

[SubbaBub]

Of the "League" at that time was Usf, Cincy, and us. Both would have agreed if it meant keeping the league together.

The problem was that this needed to be settled with NBC. ESPN merely matched the $2M per school to warehouse the AAC away from other broadcasters.

I have to assume the $2m stunned everyone to the point they panicked at the lateness of the upcoming season and didn't explore individual deals for FB. Surely SNY would pony up $5m/year for 3-6 FB games.

 

[Gregory Koch]

Not sure about that Gregory -- I think the AAC has rights to all of our home games conf. or non.

You are correct. However, when you see a statistic saying "90% of AAC games will air on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU" (or whatever the figure is) that only refers to conference games. The AAC still has the rights to nonconference games, but they're not included in the 90% (or the 10% that aren't on those networks.) In the past, nonconference games have received worse television coverage from ESPN than conference games, not just in football but in all sports - basketball, too. And the few Olympic sports games on the networks of ESPN have all been conference games, too.

 

[upstater]

You are correct. However, when you see a statistic saying "90% of AAC games will air on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU" (or whatever the figure is) that only refers to conference games. The AAC still has the rights to nonconference games, but they're not included in the 90% (or the 10% that aren't on those networks.) In the past, nonconference games have received worse television coverage from ESPN than conference games, not just in football but in all sports - basketball, too. And the few Olympic sports games on the networks of ESPN have all been conference games, too.

But I think most UConn fans have come to expect that games against cupcakes will not receive decent TV coverage. I don't think anyone has unreal expectations about that.

 

[upstater]

jaltavilla 1:24pm via Tweet Button
UConn’s Schedule Heavy With Big Games, National Telecasts cour.at/1544XrH

jaltavilla 1:26pm via web
A total of 13 of #UConnwomen 31 regular-season games either on ESPN networks (10) or CBS Sports Network (three). #bleedblue

jaltavilla 1:27pm via web
#SNY expected to pick up remaining 18 games, but not expected to make announcement for some time #UConnwomen #bleedblue

I would still like to see how this plays out. 10 games on ESPN but if 9 are on ESPNU, you're going to have people upset.

 

[tcf15]

I would still like to see how this plays out. 10 games on ESPN but if 9 are on ESPNU, you're going to have people upset.

Looks like it is 1 game on ESPN, 7 games on ESPN2, 1 game on ESPNU, and 3 games on CBSSN.
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/conn/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2013-14/schedule/schedule.pdf

 

[huskymedic]

I would still like to see how this plays out. 10 games on ESPN but if 9 are on ESPNU, you're going to have people upset.

http://theamerican.org/news/2013/8/28/WBB_0828134132.aspx

I count 2 on the ESPNU. (1) @ Turtle U and (2) home against Cincy.

WBB Conference Semi-finals also on ESPNU

3 games on CBSSN (1) USF at UConn (2) UConn at USF and (3) Rutgers at UConn

 

[upstater]

http://theamerican.org/news/2013/8/28/WBB_0828134132.aspx

I count 2 on the ESPNU. (1) @ Turtle U and (2) home against Cincy.

WBB Conference Semi-finals also on ESPNU

3 games on CBSSN (1) USF at UConn (2) UConn at USF and (3) Rutgers at UConn

They might as well rename ESPN as the UConn channel.

Or, We Won't Pay You, But We'll Play You.

The UConn men will be on CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 16 times, and the women will be on 8 times.

ESPNU and CBSSN is 10 for the men, 4 for the women.

40 times on CBS and ESPN channels.

 

[UConn Dan]

They might as well rename ESPN as the UConn channel.

Or, We Won't Pay You, But We'll Play You.

The UConn men will be on CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 16 times, and the women will be on 8 times.

ESPNU and CBSSN is 10 for the men, 4 for the women.

40 times on CBS and ESPN channels.

I think combined UConn probably has the most national coverage for basketball. At least two-thirds of games on national TV. The balance on SNY that you can also pick up anywhere in the country on AT&T or Satelite... not bad.

 

[weyuo]

But how many football games this year are going to be on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or CBS? Football supposedly drives the bus and UConn is supposed to have better TV exposure than they did in the Big East....... well lets see the TV schedule then.... for football. Don't care about how many women's basketball games are going to be on ESPN yet...it's still August. I start to think about basketball in October when practice starts... not late August when football starts.

 

[UConn Dan]

But how many football games this year are going to be on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or CBS? Football supposedly drives the bus and UConn is supposed to have better TV exposure than they did in the Big East....... well lets see the TV schedule then.... for football. Don't care about how many women's basketball games are going to be on ESPN yet...it's still August. I start to think about basketball in October when practice starts... not late August when football starts.

For UConn... we must win first. If we win the first two games then ESPN/ESPN2/ABC picks up the Michigan game. If we are competitive and/or win vs. Michigan, then more ESPN/ESPN2/ABC games will follow this year. As of now, only the Louisville game is scheduled for ESPN2.

Please keep in mind that this year's football schedule is still governed by the old Big East football deal, so we will have less exposure then we will next year when the new TV deal starts. (unless of course we win)

 

[BoatShow]

http://web.sny.tv/schedule/uconn_programming.jsp

 

[freescooter]

You can't even name half the teams in this league, and for womens basketball yipes. There are some awful teams who can't draw flies. SMU women drew 724 last year at home. And they were on eof the better teams in CUSA!

 

[upstater]

You can't even name half the teams in this league, and for womens basketball yipes. There are some awful teams who can't draw flies. SMU women drew 724 last year at home. And they were on eof the better teams in CUSA!

Why do you hate UConn?

 

[businesslawyer]

Welcome to life on the Ocho! I really do hope that SNY gets a couple of games...And why was Maryland scheduled for an odd kick?
I concur that Manuel is an idiot and a fool. Just add this to the list of incompetent actions. Of course he did get us a spiffy new logo, just like he did at Buffalo. By the time he is done, we'll be another Buffalo.

You realize, right, that your post is incredibly assinine as this year's TV rights are controlled by a contract with ESPN in place long before Manuel got here? Or you just don't care about facts when you want to blame someone?