Non-Key Tweets

[billybud]

I would think that the BTN cutting out the middle man would make ESPN very hungry for content. Supply-demand would benefit ESPN televised conferences.

 

[dayooper]

I would think that the BTN cutting out the middle man would make ESPN very hungry for content. Supply-demand would benefit ESPN televised conferences.

Cutting out the middle isn't exactly accurate. It's more like the BTN becomes the middle man selling games off to other networks. ESPN can buy what they need and use as they see fit.

 

[huskypantz]

Cutting out the middle isn't exactly accurate. It's more like the BTN becomes the middle man selling games off to other networks. ESPN can buy what they need and use as they see fit.

Which is ironically the reverse of the AAC situation. ESPN owns the content and sells off what it doesn't want.

 

[dayooper]

Which is ironically the reverse of the AAC situation. ESPN owns the content and sells off what it doesn't want.

It is, but they have such a low price with AAC content they can afford to show only what they want. Whomever negotiated that contract looks like they did so out of fear.

 

[CTMike]

Cutting out the middle isn't exactly accurate. It's more like the BTN becomes the middle man selling games off to other networks. ESPN can buy what they need and use as they see fit.

Content owners are smartening up.

 

[dayooper]

This is all from OSU's scout forum thread on CR. I put it in the Non-Key thread because that's what I think it is. He is supposedly a guy with contacts somehow in the know.

Only Texas school the B1G would entertain is UT. Others have no shot.

UVA and UNC (or GT as a backup for UNC) was top priority. OU and KU is picking up steam. KU would jump yesterday. OU is dancing.

The B1G, SEC, & PAC would like to get this to four P5's. Four P5's = more playoff, bowl, and network money (1 competitor eliminated).

We are watching a war of attrition right now.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=27

After finishing my meeting today with my tOSU contact (when I called to set up the appt he told me about OU & KU), it appears the B1G is also talking with UVA, UNC, GT, and Duke. The Duke communication really surprised us.

No idea if the B1G is looking to add 2, 4, or 6. Not even sure who their main targets are at this point. But there is a lot of talk behind the scenes. The timing of this is due to the B1G network contract expiring. No ACCN or Big12N is making many of those schools jealous and wanting to look around.

Rumors that FSU have reached out to Big12 could be true. B1G has not reached out to them so I can easily see them preparing an escape route from the ACC.

As I've said for years now, Fox has given the B1G their proposal for exclusive rights to B1G football and basketball games (tier 1 & 2). No idea what the money is being tossed around, but I would have to think it would be massive to pull entirely away from Disney.

We also don't believe the rumors that ND would go B1G if the B1G poached those 4 ACC schools. I don't believe ND could get the votes for entry into the B1G. Lots of animosity with B1G Presidents. They always come back to they don't need ND now and ND is not a research institution. Who knows.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=28

Was hinted to me that the B1G is showing projected total conference payouts near $50 million/year for members come 2017-18 to UVa, UNC, Duke, & GT. They are listening and realizing no ACCN is going to be created and instead ESPN has elected to 'save' the Big12. This would be over double what the ACC pays.

I believe the ACC is going to be picked apart by the B1G, then SEC, then remaining value entities will go to the Big12.

I'm not sure if the B1G would stay at 18 or try and move to 20. If only G5 and ACC schools being possible candidates, I personally would go after FSU and UConn. I know they are not AAU, but FSU offers huge athletics in a very populous state and they are working hard to improve their academic profile. I would not add them to the CIC until they achieve certain benchmarks. UConn is accomplished enough to be both AAU and in the CIC. They would help solidify NYC and get the B1G into the New England region.

I think the ND bridge has been burnt. ND is not like the other B1G schools. It's a small private school (huge fan base though) that sits in the B1G region with no grad research programs.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=35


If (and that's a big if that I'm not buying) the ACC is in the crosshairs of ESPN, it might be easier to to find homes for the majority of the schools. I can see, at most three schools that would have a hard time finding a home: Wake Forest, BC and Syracuse.

Big10: UNC, Duke, UVA and GT to get to 18 with two of FSU, UConn and ND to get to 20

SEC: VT and NCST to get to 16

Big12: Clemson, Pitt, Louisville, Miami and Cinci to get to 15 with, depending on what the Big10 does, either UConn, FSU, ND or Syracuse to get to 16.

ESPN would only have three states (Texas, Kentucky and Florida) where the SECN and Big12 network would be competing.

 

[TRest]

Content owners are smartening up.

If Fox is 51% owner of B10 network now, is the conference going to buy them out? Who is paying for all the hardware and personnel that actually broadcasts the content? I doubt the conference put up the $ to get it off the ground.

 

[Stinger92860]

If Fox is 51% owner of B10 network now, is the conference going to buy them out? Who is paying for all the hardware and personnel that actually broadcasts the content? I doubt the conference put up the $ to get it off the ground.

I think they still have a partner, but the BTN charges for streaming, with the profits obviously going to all investors.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

This is all from OSU's scout forum thread on CR. I put it in the Non-Key thread because that's what I think it is. He is supposedly a guy with contacts somehow in the know.



http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=27





http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=28




http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=145&f=3154&t=13968692&p=35


If (and that's a big if that I'm not buying) the ACC is in the crosshairs of ESPN, it might be easier to to find homes for the majority of the schools. I can see, at most three schools that would have a hard time finding a home: Wake Forest, BC and Syracuse.

Big10: UNC, Duke, UVA and GT to get to 18 with two of FSU, UConn and ND to get to 20

SEC: VT and NCST to get to 16

Big12: Clemson, Pitt, Louisville, Miami and Cinci to get to 15 with, depending on what the Big10 does, either UConn, FSU, ND or Syracuse to get to 16.

ESPN would only have three states (Texas, Kentucky and Florida) where the SECN and Big12 network would be competing.

I could see something like this happening. I think the B1G would take UNC, UVA, Duke, and GT for sure. I think that the SEC would take VT and NC St. and possibly FSU to keep the B1G or B12 out of FL. I'm assuming UCONN and Cincy already being B12, and I see Clemson, Pitt, UL, and Miami joining as part of the ACC dissolution. That leaves Cuse, BC, WF, and ND holding the ACC bag and ready to be further divvied up amongst the B12, B1G, and SEC.

 

[Rewster]

I bet a lot of lawsuits will be flying if current P5 members get reduced to G5.
Those boys know where the bones are buried and won't go down without a fight.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

So in summary, its a race between the ACC and the XII to get a network in place first. The network that fails to do so, is torn apart. Except for the PAC due to geography issues, I would expect the ultimate goal is 20 teams as 18 is harder to schedule in a pod format. If the B1G, SEC and ACC/XII stay at 16, some schools maybe left out, which 1) would be leave money on the table and 2) may drag DC into the fray if certain schools, especially state schools, are left out.

As for UConn, I think it is in our best interest to hope the ACC survives and the XII folds simply because the ACC offers more schools of potential interest to the B1G than the XII.

• ACC: 1) UVA, 2) V Tech, 3) UNC, 4) Duke, 5) G Tech, 6) FSU, 7) ND
• XII: 1) Kansas, 2) Oklahoma, 3) Texas

 

[billybud]

These twitter boys are like the young untrained gun dog I once had...as my friend wryly commented...

"A pointer ain't supposed to run through the covey".

 

[Dooley]

I bet a lot of lawsuits will be flying if current P5 members get reduced to G5.
Those boys know where the bones are buried and won't go down without a fight.

Lawsuits did not do us any favors when we were reduced from a BCS conference to G5 purgatory.

 

[Rappin'Rodney]

Who is paying for all the hardware and personnel that actually broadcasts the content? I doubt the conference put up the $ to get it off the ground.

The B1G absolutely fronted these costs.

 

[huskypantz]

It is, but they have such a low price with AAC content they can afford to show only what they want. Whomever negotiated that contract looks like they did so out of fear.

It wasn't really negotiated, per se. One of ESPN's competitors low-balled the AAC and ESPN just had to match it to secure the contract. Easy money for them. Unfortunately, the BE contract terms did not allow for a counter. The only major benefit to the contract was the requirement to get games on real TV instead of internet-only broadcasts. The idea was that as bad as it was, it allowed for the AAC to go to the open market in 6 years without the negotiation restrictions. Hopefully it will be inconsequential to us by then.

 

[Seaa Blue]

The B1G absolutely fronted these costs.

Correct. Alvarez once said that expansion schools would have to buy in to BTN since member schools diverted a lot of earnings (i.e. provided content for free) into the startup.

So, Fox probably loaned a substantial amount of the startup cost, but the schools were definitely on the hook.

 

[Rewster]

Lawsuits did not do us any favors when we were reduced from a BCS conference to G5 purgatory.

I know lawsuit is a buzz word here.
I think these schools that are being talked about going from the P5 to the G5 have info that could be damning to ther conferences or ESPN because they where a part of it.

No lawyer here so legit question. If it was true that ESPN was playing puppet master like BC suggested would that be grounds for sometype of lawsuit?

 

[Seaa Blue]

I know lawsuit is a buzz word here.
I think these schools that are being talked about going from the P5 to the G5 have info that could be damning to ther conferences or ESPN because they where a part of it.

No lawyer here so legit question. If it was true that ESPN was playing puppet master like BC suggested would that be grounds for sometype of lawsuit?

Best I've gathered over the years is that ESPN can't be the puppet master they've been out to be due to likely clauses in conference contracts that say that ESPN generally has to act in the best interest of said conference.

That may be fairly vague, but there's nothing vague about having a hand in events that lead to a massive reduction in earnings, or the eventual collapse of a conference, in favor of another conference that also has contracts with ESPN.

And violation of said contract would be...

Tortious interference: a common law tort allowing a claim for damages against a defendant who wrongfully interferes with the plaintiff's contractual or business relationships.

 

[Rewster]

Best I've gathered over the years is that ESPN can't be the puppet master they've been out to be due to likely clauses in conference contracts that say that ESPN generally has to act in the best interest of said conference.

That may be fairly vague, but there's nothing vague about having a hand in events that lead to a massive reduction in earnings, or the eventual collapse of a conference, in favor of another conference that also has contracts with ESPN.

And violation of said contract would be...

Tortious interference: a common law tort allowing a claim for damages against a defendant who wrongfully interferes with the plaintiff's contractual or business relationships.

Thanks Seaa

I just don't see any p5 just being ok with being demoted from 20-50 million to the AAC 2 million without a fight. Particularly if you feel there is no way to get back up there( I think UConn feels they do have a chance)

Just a thought

 

[businesslawyer]

Best I've gathered over the years is that ESPN can't be the puppet master they've been out to be due to likely clauses in conference contracts that say that ESPN generally has to act in the best interest of said conference.

That may be fairly vague, but there's nothing vague about having a hand in events that lead to a massive reduction in earnings, or the eventual collapse of a conference, in favor of another conference that also has contracts with ESPN.

And violation of said contract would be...

Tortious interference: a common law tort allowing a claim for damages against a defendant who wrongfully interferes with the plaintiff's contractual or business relationships.

I hope you're not a lawyer because you are 100% wrong. Tortious interference is where a party to a contract with a second party sues a third party, who is not in contractual privity with the first party, for interfering with a contract the first party has with the second party.

If ESPN actually signed a contract so vague as to promise it would "act in the best interests of a conference" -- which I heavily doubt because such contractual clauses are very rare precisely because of the vagueness -- they would simply be sued for breach of contract.

But hey -- you probably stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I hope you're not a lawyer because you are 100% wrong. Tortious interference is where a party to a contract with a second party sues a third party, who is not in contractual privity with the first party, for interfering with a contract the first party has with the second party.

If ESPN actually signed a contract so vague as to promise it would "act in the best interests of a conference" -- which I heavily doubt because such contractual clauses are very rare precisely because of the vagueness -- they would simply be sued for breach of contract.

But hey -- you probably stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I would think that any entity that induces a school to break a GOR is getting sued for TI and I would think will likely lose. Or at least the possibility of losing is high enough to discourage anyone from trying.

 

[Seaa Blue]

I hope you're not a lawyer because you are 100% wrong. Tortious interference is where a party to a contract with a second party sues a third party, who is not in contractual privity with the first party, for interfering with a contract the first party has with the second party.

If ESPN actually signed a contract so vague as to promise it would "act in the best interests of a conference" -- which I heavily doubt because such contractual clauses are very rare precisely because of the vagueness -- they would simply be sued for breach of contract.

But hey -- you probably stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I figured that would prompt a response from you, so "mission accomplished"

 

[Tusky]

BC has market? BWAHAHAH. They don't even have a Boston Market near Chestnut Shill!!!

It's an absolutely identical assumption to Rutgers having the NYC market. And no matter how terrible Rutgers is on the field and on the court, and how embarrassing they are for the off the field stuff, Delaney and Co still swear up and down that this is a huge win for market presence.

My favorite part of the BC to the BIG fantasy is when the BIG markets BC as "New England's P5 Team" and then colors the BIG map to include Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and...you guessed it...Connecticut.

 

[tzznandrew]

It's an absolutely identical assumption to Rutgers having the NYC market. And no matter how terrible Rutgers is on the field and on the court, and how embarrassing they are for the off the field stuff, Delaney and Co still swear up and down that this is a huge win for market presence.

It's not even close to the same assumption. One is a large state school with many alumi. The other is a small Catholic school identified with a city (to be fair, the city of New England). Those two are not equivalent.

 

[FDNY99]

It's an absolutely identical assumption to Rutgers having the NYC market. And no matter how terrible Rutgers is on the field and on the court, and how embarrassing they are for the off the field stuff, Delaney and Co still swear up and down that this is a huge win for market presence.

My favorite part of the BC to the BIG fantasy is when the BIG markets BC as "New England's P5 Team" and then colors the BIG map to include Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and...you guessed it...Connecticut.

If BC ever went to the B1G they better take that B1G $$ and start greasing some political palms in Boston/Newton to upgrade facilities right quick. You think Coach Smoke & Mirrors is bitching about not having a indoor stand alone football facility now....they'd be telling him to STFU on the beach in Malibu he'd be yelling so loud!