Why would having a hockey program now be viewed as a negative, yet in 5 years it would be looked at as a major positive?
On another note we made it to 100 pages of "Non-Key Tweets". Should we celebrate or cry?
Tom Dienhart from BTN also has said UCONN to the B1G was a good fit..after we beat MSU in NYC to advance to the final 4. Dienhart doesn't say or write anything that isn't approved by the BTN/DelanyThe only Big Ten reporter that matters is Teddy Greenstein from the Chicago Tribune. He is wired directly into the B1G offices and has been accurate with his articles about Nebraska, Rutgers & Maryland being targets in advance of it becoming public info.
When he writes an article that says the Big Ten should consider or is considering adding UConn then we can believe that our ticket will be punched. Until then, the rest of these guys have no more info than Scott Gray
Because our hockey program isn't ready for prime time. We start finishing in the top 5 in HE and that changes everything.
Correct. Same with the Big 12 and the Big Ten. That pesky little Grant of Rights thing, huh? I guess that gives some hope for the pro-B1G UConn fans. And, yet, Gene Smith in a video said that people shouldn't be surprised if they expand again. Unless their final goal is 15 I would like to know how they plan on doing that.
But we all know that odd numbers after 10 are awkward for football. Heck, I just posted a video of Delany saying it. Maybe they want no more than one, so what are they waiting for?
Missouri? Nope. Kentucky? Nope. Vandy? Get outta here! Kansas? Stuck in the B12. Oklahoma? See Kansas. Texas? Don't you see it now? So is Gene Smith blowing smoke? They could offer UConn and only UConn RIGHT NOW! They haven't.
I think that one of the Big 12 or ACC will survive the next culling out process. Which will depend on who is best able to adapt to the next reality. I want the ACC to not only survive but thrive but if it doesn't it would be because the vast majority of schools would find homes elsewhere. UConn, being in the G5, is at a distinct disadvantage in this scenario.
Where I stand from, the Big Ten can go three ways: 1) Stay put and compete with the number they have now. That's perfectly reasonable. But then why go through the runaround of AD's and other people intimating that they're not finished yet? 2) Go and rework their alliance with the PAC-12. Go through the issues that broke up that agreement and go it right next time. They already have a relationship through the Rose Bowl so that shouldn't be a huge issue. 3) Go really BIG and establish a massive presence in the East to counteract the demographic advantages of the SEC and ACC. This is the scenario the pro-B1G UConn people haven't taken into consideration. How do you break up a conference where you want schools from? Two other conferences get to share the spoils. And how do you get the schools you want from the area? From that same conference.
Or you could let bygones be bygones and support UConn to the ACC in order to ensure a place in the Power 5 where you belong.
Yes, indeed Greenstein said UConn is a prime B1G candidate should there be an expansion.
Tom Dienhart from BTN also has said UCONN to the B1G was a good fit..after we beat MSU in NYC to advance to the final 4. Dienhart doesn't say or write anything that isn't approved by the BTN/Delany
The Midwest exists because of New England. Fools.
Tom Dienhart from BTN also has said UCONN to the B1G was a good fit..after we beat MSU in NYC to advance to the final 4. Dienhart doesn't say or write anything that isn't approved by the BTN/Delany
All he said there was that he wasn't sure if UConn was a target.
Where was this said?

You have to admit there's a certain beauty to it.Finally, at the centennial page, we see perhaps the final piece of the puzzle fall into place.
A message board interpretation of an old non-key tweet called into question by a link to commentary of another old, non-key tweet posted on a different message board.
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So it's a 5 year old article that predicts Syracuse and Missouri to the Big 10 while ignoring Maryland. Yeah, it's a done deal.
Despite their success last year I think passing on (or snobbing) Missouri wasn't a total miss. If St. Louis isn't in the Series, the Royals are, and that tends to fragment the audience in October (even without factoring in the pro football teams). And given that those population centers are on opposite borders and the northern and southern parts of the state are geographically diverse, I think it's hard to hold a solid following there.3) the B1G may regret being too snobbish and grabbing Missouri, which would solidify their St. Louis market hold and give them a solid spot in Kansas City.
really? how does that work?Someday people will understand it doesn't matter if people watch.
Does this 'list' exist outside the Boneyard?
Where did you see that 25% number for ESPN? That would be 2 billion in advertising for ESPN....
really? how does that work?
explain it however you want. It's a supply/demand model where the eyeballs measure demand. The content, in this case the sporting events are the supply. the value in these models is still tied to viewership. it's the viewership that allows the BTN to generate those carriage fees. the BIG doesn't exist because there was a network that needed a supply of content. The BTN exists because the BIG realized there was enough demand to warrant licensing or carriage fees to cable providers in return of airing BIG football games (along with some other content as well).It works pretty simply: Cable and satellite providers pay networks a monthy fee for the ability to include the station on their system.
Relatively speaking almost no one watches networks like FS1 or CBS Sports or BTN or ESPNU.
"In 2013, BTN is projected to bring in $270 million in total net revenue, of which $234 million is from license fees charged to cable and satellite distributors to carry the network, according to SNL Kagan."
"Football is the network's driver, with 60 percent of BTN's advertising revenue tied to 14 Saturdays in the fall. "
So on the 348 days a year without live football they generate a whopping $14.4 million in advertising revenue.
For the price of 90 seconds of Super Bowl ad time you could buy all the advertising time on the BTN for every non-football day of the year.
explain it however you want. It's a supply/demand model where the eyeballs measure demand. The content, in this case the sporting events are the supply. the value in these models is still tied to viewership. it's the viewership that allows the BTN to generate those carriage fees. the BIG doesn't exist because there was a network that needed a supply of content. The BTN exists because the BIG realized there was enough demand to warrant licensing or carriage fees to cable providers in return of airing BIG football games (along with some other content as well).
its also viewership as to why someone will spend for 90 seconds of ad space on the superbowl rather than buying all the advertising on BTN outside of football.
Someday people will understand it doesn't matter if people watch.
Does this 'list' exist outside the Boneyard?
Of course it matters if people watch. Not for contracts in place at the moment but for future contracts. Whatever NYC cable companies are paying for the BTN, you really don't think the price when the contracts come up for renewal will depend on how whether the viewing audiences are more or less than was expected when the current contracts were signed?
Come on. You are much smarter than that.
you're making a very big assumption regarding the revenue model. yes, it's predicated on the number of households that are in the footprint. but there also needs to be a market for the product. that, regardless of what you say, is driven by viewership.Right but when they are making
decisions a network like the BTN does it to increase the number of homes they are in not to average more viewers.
No one watches Rutgers right? Yet they got on every system in NYC.
It's pretty clear that when you get so little viewership you generate almost no advertising revenue that your value isn't tied up in ratings - but around here numerical evidence is treated as though it can give you Ebola.
With the addition of Rutgers and Maryland their revenue will be even more lopsided towards affiliate fees and away from advertising.
you're making a very big assumption regarding the revenue model. yes, it's predicated on the number of households that are in the footprint. but there also needs to be a market for the product. that, regardless of what you say, is driven by viewership.
for startups, the financial model is often very different from what is considered a viable go-forward entity. sometimes you need time to build the content and viewership.
ESPN which seems to be your model of proof generates a large portion of their revenue from carriage fees. According to Forbes, roughly 40% of their revenue is advertising ($3.9M). That's up 63% from a year ago. For comparison, the carriage fees grow roughly 5%. I agree, numerical evidence is much maligned.
Of course it matters if people watch. Not for contracts in place at the moment but for future contracts. Whatever NYC cable companies are paying for the BTN, you really don't think the price when the contracts come up for renewal will depend on how whether the viewing audiences are more or less than was expected when the current contracts were signed?
Come on. You are much smarter than that.
"Consider them rolled" I love that line, Delaney is legit no doubt!Another older article, this one about the BIG's contract negotiation in 2004:
ESPN's 'lowball' offer triggered Big Ten expansion
Failed negotiation also led to Big Ten Network
An amiable session in which the Big Ten and ESPN cleaned up "housekeeping matters" — schedules and announcers — took a nasty turn at the one-hour mark. That's when talk turned to a contract extension, a negotiating session that went nowhere. Fast.
"The shortest one I ever had," Delany told the Tribune. "He lowballed us and said: 'Take it or leave it. If you don't take our offer, you are rolling the dice.' I said: 'Consider them rolled.' "
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...ioner-jim-delany-john-wildhack-espn-officials
[/QUOTE]"Consider them rolled" I love that line, Delaney is legit no doubt!
Two things as I read this: one is that Shapiro's tone and approach just amplifies the arrogance that was/is ESPN. They feel they can dictate terms and usually can but that eventually comes back to bite you from time to time. This was confirmed when Shapiro admitted so with his opinion "in retrospect."
The second is that Delaney negotiates from a position of power and haves his clearly wired at all times. He knew what his backup plan was, as well as any additional contingency requirements before they even come up..... Thats excellent situational awareness, unlike what the Big East possessed.
Back to my previous point re ESPN, again, they are the 100 pound gorilla and only seem to back down when punched in the face! Well... Delaney gave them an upper cut and honestly.... If we are not on Delaney's "secret list", the State of CT better do the same thing! I think many of us would agree that as tax payers, ESPN has screwed every resident in the state out of millions of dollars whether you are a sports fan or not, with that tax free (close to) deal they held over the state. I mentioned this before, but an Executive I know at ESPN shared with me that he feels the only way Uconn gets into a conference is if the State goes to ESPN and says make it happen or this deal is off the table. Again, this guy is a Uconn/Big East fan and hates our situation so I feel there is merrit there. The only conclusion a reasonable person can conclude with the recent silence of the state and Uconn administration, is that something is in our future... and that I what I will continue to believe to remain calm and not lose my mind over all this nonsense!