UConn & FS1’s Media Marriage: Beyond 2025

[conorg223]

The Big East’s Media Marriage: Life Beyond 2025 with FS1

by Conor Gereg @CTGereg It was both nostalgic and indescribably refreshing to see Madison Square Garden come alive last month for the Knicks first home playoff game since 2013. The scene of the hal…

ncaahoopsdigest.com

 

[CL82]

The Big East’s Media Marriage: Life Beyond 2025 with FS1

by Conor Gereg @CTGereg It was both nostalgic and indescribably refreshing to see Madison Square Garden come alive last month for the Knicks first home playoff game since 2013. The scene of the hal…

ncaahoopsdigest.com

Discussion of the current and future value of the Big East Deal with Fox

The incumbent media deal with Fox nets each member school in the Big East $4.6 million annually, a number that is then supplemented by a variety of factors, variables like NCAA Tournament appearances provide a boon in value, bringing in approximately a million dollars for every tournament game appearance in March. By way of illustration, for a league that sent 7 of its 10 teams to the 2017 tournament, a shared bonus check of $7M certainly helps all conference members.

These numbers mean very little outside of the context of other media contracts across college sports. The Big 10 for instance nets approximately $50 million per school annually, albeit a significant amount of this value stems from football, a sport the Big East doesn’t sponsor. Can the Big East compete with schools whose media contracts earn multiples of what Fox pays?

UConn adds even more eyeballs especially as they’re rising back up in relevance again too.”... It’s reasonable to anticipate that an increase from $4.6M per school annually could grow to $6-8M with a new media deal in 2025.

Well that's not P5 money, but it's well above anything else in the non-P5 conferences and the exposure is infinitely better.

 

[Offhegoes]

Great write up. Joining Big East was a no brainer after watching 5+ years in the AAC.

 

[conorg223]

Feels like the league is well-positioned to do well in 2025. Schools in major media markets, NYC, Philly, Chicago, Indy, DC, etc and the league has an identity: basketball.

 

[CL82]

Feels like the league is well-positioned to do well in 2025. Schools in major media markets, NYC, Philly, Chicago, Indy, DC, etc and the league has an identity: basketball.

The only thing it lacks is football. The problem is that the market value for football games is significantly more valuable than the market value for basketball games. Don’t get me wrong, I think the move was the best thing for us, by a wide margin, but a basketball only conference, even a very good one, will always make much less money than in all sports conference.

 

[Dooooooomed]

The only thing it lacks is football. The problem is that the market value for football games is significantly more valuable than the market value for basketball games. Don’t get me wrong, I think the move was the best thing for us, by a wide margin, but a basketball only conference, even a very good one, will always make much less money than in all sports conference.

I've read that conference TV contracts are about 80% football and 20% basketball. With P5 conferences now making between $35 and $50 mil total, that's about $7 to $10 mil for basketball. So if we can secure that range in the next TV deal, we're keeping up with our peers.

 

[Hoophound]

If we can win football games, you will see our situation as an independent become very appetizing. We would be the only school other than ND with 3 nationally appealing teams. Winning football games continues to be the fix to what ails us.

 

[conorg223]

Here’s the best part: not a single game is hidden behind a paywall. UConn is watchable coast to coast with FS1 & football on CBSSN.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

If Big East can get $10M or close to it in the next media deal with addition of UConn and Uconn women basketball team, that will go a long way to keep up with the Jones.

The next major step is keep winning on the football field so we can get an indy media contract. It will be important to get a football deal much better than what we are getting now while keeping the national exposure without pay walls.

 

[freescooter]

If and I think it is a HUGE if the New Big East gets a significant bump from FS1 UConn should get a bigger share than the rest of that gang. No body is paying any more money for Seton Hall vs Well, pretty much anybody. We and Villanova are the only teams people care about. And forget 7 tourney teams. We are probably looking at 6-7 million. That’s fine for modest schools with modest ambitions, which is most of the Newbie. Makes life tough for us and Villanova (I think us, but we’ll see).

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If and I think it is a HUGE if the New Big East gets a significant bump from FS1 UConn should get a bigger share than the rest of that gang. No body is paying any more money for Seton Hall vs Well, pretty much anybody. We and Villanova are the only teams people care about. And forget 7 tourney teams. We are probably looking at 6-7 million. That’s fine for modest schools with modest ambitions, which is most of the Newbie. Makes life tough for us and Villanova (I think us, but we’ll see).

For schools with such modest ambitions it's pretty impressive they've rated the 4th best conference post realignment ahead of the SEC and PAC.

 

[conorg223]

For schools with such modest ambitions it's pretty impressive they've rated the 4th best conference post realignment ahead of the SEC and PAC.

It’s a great league for sure. 1st in NET in 2018-2019. Kids love the idea of playing for a basketball-centric school in a league that’s as high exposure as the Big East.

 

[CashewCrew]

If we sign in the $6-8M range, like Jared thinks, we need to fight to keep the deal 5 years or less. These media deals being 10-12 years long is only benefiting the networks. Let's not do what the AAC did and sign another 10 year deal when we have NO idea what the landscape will look like in half that time. IF we can secure $8-10M per school, then I think we can think about signing a 6-10 year contract. My prediction is that FOX will value the BE at $7M per year, come 2025 - If Val is as good at her job as I think she is, she should push for $9M. Maybe I'm crazy....

 

[VCE]

With the way these contracts work, the $4.6mm is an average over the life with the first year a lower amount and the last year a higher amount. I wouldn’t be shocked if the last year’s payout was $5.5mm-$6mm. Anything under $8mm would be a huge disappointment IMO.

Also, keep in mind that when the first contract was signed, Georgetown was the most valuable brand in the conference. UCONN would have topped GU and we likely would have gotten more than the $4.6mm average. The pro rata increase in the contract for adding 1-2 schools was likely anticipating schools like SLU, VCU, Dayton or Richmond, not a top 15 all time program.

 

[BapeKidd88]

The Big East’s Media Marriage: Life Beyond 2025 with FS1

by Conor Gereg @CTGereg It was both nostalgic and indescribably refreshing to see Madison Square Garden come alive last month for the Knicks first home playoff game since 2013. The scene of the hal…

ncaahoopsdigest.com

This was written by “CTGereg”...
He’s more of a UConn fan blogger.
None of the actual speculative figures in the article have a real source (such as SBJ) and seems to be simple wishful thinking.
(Unless he cited one and I missed it)
His decision to interview Providence’s McNamara about anything was a curious choice.
The one accurate thing in the blog was that FS1 is the likely suitor for the content. I don’t see many other possible partners given the television windows that are available and spoken for. Will FOX bid against themselves for the content? I suppose we will see.

 

[BapeKidd88]

Let's not do what the AAC did and sign another 10 year deal when we have NO idea what the landscape will look like in half that time.

The AAC went with the long term deal to lock up the ESPN audience and exposure - just as much, if not moreso, than dollars.
That’s why the American took less not to go to the open market.
Their deal affects ESPN’s ability and willingness to offer television windows elsewhere (it takes another bidder off the table)
With the subsequent expansion of the CFP it was paramount to lock in that relationship with ESPN for the AAC.

 

[Waquoit]

With the subsequent expansion of the CFP it was paramount to lock in that relationship with ESPN for the AAC.

Seems like they left a lot of money on the table to do it. Like paying a supermarket for an endcap. That right-of-first refusal was a killer for them.

 

[Hoophound]

I’m not sure how much the AAC is really worth. Sometimes, I presume peanuts because “Who will watch ECU vs Tulane?” Then I think, “Who will watch Wake vs GTech?”

The bad ACC games are certainly “better”, in a superficial way, due to the schools being P5 for years, but the game and pretty much everything else is similar.

I know Clemson is worth a lot, but the AAC has had several Top 5-25 teams at once that got some decent ratings over the last 6-7 years. I tend to think ESPN overpaid the ACC just to make it appear competitive with the SEC and B1G. The American may be a little underpaid, but not by too much. Maybe 2 million per member.

 

[BapeKidd88]

I’m not sure how much the AAC is really worth. Sometimes, I presume peanuts because “Who will watch ECU vs Tulane?” Then I think, “Who will watch Wake vs GTech?”

The bad ACC games are certainly “better”, in a superficial way, due to the schools being P5 for years, but the game and pretty much everything else is similar.

I know Clemson is worth a lot, but the AAC has had several Top 5-25 teams at once that got some decent ratings over the last 6-7 years. I tend to think ESPN overpaid the ACC just to make it appear competitive with the SEC and B1G. The American may be a little underpaid, but not by too much. Maybe 2 million per member.

Prepare for an unpopular opinion on the BY.

ECU should have been in the Old Big East long prior to its implosion. Their stadium, recruiting area, and proximity to WVU made it a solid addition that (with time) could have acted as a stop gap when the ACC poached the OBE into death.

It really makes no difference if you think a certain team is unworthy. Brand is always in flux do to success (or lack thereof). UConn has suffered from the lack thereof. What ECU needed was what Louisville and Cincinnati got in the Old Big East. They simply needed a bigger stage.

To be honest, the AAC occupies the same space the old Big East does in the new system. It's one of the top 6 conferences. That's all they will need now that the CFP is taking the Top 6 Champions regardless.

What is that worth? I guess we will have to see all of that new money roll in from the 12-team CFP to gauge that. If they have success in that new format, then they'll be in good shape for another bump when their new contract is up.

Frankly the moves they made up till now (including signing with ESPN) were spot on.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

ECU (and Tulane and Tulsa) should have never been invited to the AAC, let alone the Old Big East.

 

[BapeKidd88]

ECU (and Tulane and Tulsa) should have never been invited to the AAC, let alone the Old Big East.

If you want to have a viable all-sports league that includes football, you can do worse than taking Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

You think those 3 teams are anchors, try looking North.

The success of the evolving BE football conference ALWAYS HINGED on taking the opposite approach the ACC took by taking Basketball dominant schools. The OBE/AAC needed fertile football ground. New Orleans was a no-brainer. The success and size (and fertile location) of ECU made it another obvious grab. Tulsa got the last life vest over UMASS because of my first point. Having that Texas-Louisiana-Oklahoma contiguous corner was by far more beneficial than trying to breathe life into the Minutemen. It's worked out decently. Their basketball and football teams have made the post-season.

As it turned out, overlapping the SEC footprint has given that league cover in a lot of ways, including bowls and scheduling relationships.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If you want to have a viable all-sports league that includes football, you can do worse than taking Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

You think those 3 teams are anchors, try looking North.

The success of the evolving BE football conference ALWAYS HINGED on taking the opposite approach the ACC took by taking Basketball dominant schools. The OBE/AAC needed fertile football ground. New Orleans was a no-brainer. The success and size (and fertile location) of ECU made it another obvious grab. Tulsa got the last life vest over UMASS because of my first point. Having that Texas-Louisiana-Oklahoma contiguous corner was by far more beneficial than trying to breathe life into the Minutemen. It's worked out decently. Their basketball and football teams have made the post-season.

As it turned out, overlapping the SEC footprint has given that league cover in a lot of ways, including bowls and scheduling relationships.

The only problem is those three schools suck historically in both hoops and football and worst yet nobody cares about them in their own state, let alone in the region or country.

 

[HuskyFich]

ECU is like the 5th most popular basketball school in the state, and even lower for football...they aren't getting popular unless Duke/UNC/NC State/Wake Forest/Coastal Carolina all fall off the face of the Earth.

 

[Hoophound]

Comparing ECU to Cincy and UL is ridiculous. Cincy and UL have very substantial followings both locally and nationally. They both have winning traditions in sports on a national level. ECU is popular in Eastern North Carolina and won a few football games over a few years, many years ago.

 

[superjohn]

The only problem is those three schools suck historically in both hoops and football and worst yet nobody cares about them in their own state, let alone in the region or country.

What? You don't want to take the 9th best state school in North Carolina?