CL82
NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions - Again!
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Conspiracy Kitty says:
I am tired of all the hand wringing and moaning and wailing over UConn conference woes. It is all so simple if you just break down the pieces and weigh the interests of all the parties. It is clear that no one else is willing, or capable, enough to do this, so I guess it's up to me.
ESPN is caught between a (bunch of) rock(s) and a hard place. ESPN absolutely does not want to give FOX east coast access. Privately, ESPN realizes that UConn's proximity to NYC and high brand recognition would do exactly that. Plus they further recognize that if the Big 12 get's a network, it will stress the ACC enormously, likely resulting in defections.
ESPN has a lot of cash invested in the ACC and doesn't want to lose it's content. The recent additions of northern schools and Louisville has damaged the core identity of the ACC and thus some schools loyalty to it. It would only take one program to leave and the marquis schools would all scramble cover. Quietly they have been lining up their ducks in case of a collapse. That is the source of many of the ACC departure rumors.
Likewise, the Big 12 is under a lot of pressure right now. Boren is tired of OU being Texas' 'itch.' If he doesn't win this battle OU is gone. Texas is Texas. It likes the Big 12 but it knows it has a soft landing place, so it isn't blinking in this power struggle with OU. So how can both save face?
The metrics study is in. With UConn's content and geography a Big 12 network is financially viable. Without that content the numbers don't work. So if UConn was "off the table" then Boren can say that they do not support a Big 12 network and thus expansion should be put on hold until teams are available to make it viable. He can take the CCG and walk away calling it a win because the conference did its due diligence and is prepared to expand with the right options.
UConn however has, very wisely, subtlety let its interest be known. It is available and so the Big 12 network is feasible and that means the eventual demise of the ACC.
It is a Gordian Knot, unsolvable to lesser minds, but this cat has a simple answer:
THE HUSKY NETWORK
That's right, give us the Texas deal. For a mere $20 million/year, ESPN can own our home games in marquis sports plus all or our Tier 3 content, plus coaches shows and the like.
Why would ESPN spend 10x the money for what it already has? Well, first it doesn't have it all. Coaches' shows and the like would be new content. Geno's show has been proven to very successful for SNY. Kevin Ollie is a quote machine and Bob Diaco should have his own reality show. ESPN already owns a bunch of this content so it's not like it would need to buy it. It could package up a bunch of it and resell it to SNY and CBSSN and recoup a lot of the cost. MBB, WBB, Hockey, coaches shows. Figure they would get back $5M-$10M right there. Advertising revenue on THN would subsidize a lot of the rest. Use one of the lesser ESPN channels like News, Classic or Red Zone and your start up cost drop dramatically. Keep this in mind as well, ESPN is already contractually committed to keep the Big 12 TV revenue undiluted if two more teams join the conference. If Connecticut joins they will need to pay us $23M for less content....and pay another team, likely Cinci, the same amount. Much like 4>1, $20M<$46M.
Why would UConn do it? Well duh, for the money right? Wrong! Being in in the AAC is a slow death and everyone knows it. The money would help but it isn't enough. ESPN would also have to use it's influence to have major programs schedule us in marquis sports. Hoops is a no brainer, but they'd have to finesse them a little bit to get big time home and aways for football. UConn wins, because it gets money, national recognition as a big time program and better opponents which will allow us to raise our profile in recruiting and as the next logical candidate for expansion. Additionally those big time home games will make the expansion of the Rent feasible. ESPN would need to agree to promote us in it's capacity as "media partner" meaning that is will fund our addition in future expansion. In the meantime UConn continues its steady march toward AAU status. Additionally those big time home games will make the expansion of the Rent feasible.
So there you have it. Everyone wins. See what happens when you protect your brain from harmful scans. Laugh at the foil if you dare, but I didn't see any of you coming up with this solution.
You're welcome.
