What Does NBC Have to lose?

[HartbeatHusky]

That's right. It's an investment. I wouldn't expect NBC to plunk down a ton of money just to get back in the game. Some of the biggest name brands have already left the BE and that is exactly why NBC should bid carefully. Don't get me wrong, I'd love the offer to be strong enough to keep what's left of the BE together but I'd be really surprised that NBC would be compelled to pay a premium for the NBE.

We'll just have to agree to disagree at this point and wait to see what happens. I just don't think it would make sense to buy the rights to a league with UConn, Louisville, Notre Dame and other well known schools and not pay enough to keep those bigger names around.

I don't know how many noticed but during the UConn games at Battle 4 Atlantis on Versus they were really sucking up to UConn big time. They want the rights to UConn and the other name brand schools of the Big East.

 

[HuskyHawk]

OK and of the bunch only UCF was added in conjunction with a rising national power in Boise St. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens.

Rising national power? I think it is very unlikely that Boise St. will be as good over the next 5 years as they were over the last 5 years. I think they already peaked and are probably headed downward.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Rising national power? I think it is very unlikely that Boise St. will be as good over the next 5 years as they were over the last 5 years. I think they already peaked and are probably headed downward.

We'll see. People have been saying that about them every year.

 

[epark88]

That's right. It's an investment. I wouldn't expect NBC to plunk down a ton of money just to get back in the game. Some of the biggest name brands have already left the BE and that is exactly why NBC should bid carefully. Don't get me wrong, I'd love the offer to be strong enough to keep what's left of the BE together but I'd be really surprised that NBC would be compelled to pay a premium for the NBE.

Easy solution for NBC: identify the biggest 'flight risks' (UConn/Exit 9/UofL) and sweeten their pots so that they stay on board...

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Easy solution for NBC: identify the biggest 'flight risks' (UConn/Exit 9/UofL) and sweeten their pots so that they stay on board...

I was thinking that too. 3rd tier rights deals or something like that.

 

[BlueMAB]

You should know you greatly overvalue the Big East in contract negotiations when your argument starts with "What does (insert cable company here) have to lose?" rather than "look at all we have to offer".

Points also awarded for the "they are desparate for content" argument, which is essentially an admission that our product sucks but at least there's plenty of it to offer.

Do a lot of salesman post here?

 

[HartbeatHusky]

You should know you greatly overvalue the Big East in contract negotiations when your argument starts with "What does (insert cable company here) have to lose?" rather than "look at all we have to offer".

Points also awarded for the "they are desparate for content" argument, which is essentially an admission that our product sucks but at least there's plenty of it to offer.

Do a lot of salesman post here?

I don't think the product will suck.

 

[BlueMAB]

I don't think the product will suck.

Relative to the other conferences it's the epitome of mediocre.

Pumping up the amount of content (when it's still one of the smaller BCS conferences) is basically an admission that we have to sell our quantity over our quality.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Relative to the other conferences it's the epitome of mediocre.

Pumping up the amount of content (when it's still one of the smaller BCS conferences) is basically an admission that we have to sell our quantity over our quality.

That all remains to be seen. We've never been a top football conference and thinking that a 16 team basketball conference widely considered as the best as currently composed will become mediocre by losing 3 high quality members sells the remaining 13 schools pretty short. It's a setback to be sure but we'll still be in the top 3.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Easy solution for NBC: identify the biggest 'flight risks' (UConn/Exit 9/UofL) and sweeten their pots so that they stay on board...

No amount of money would keep UConn and Rutgers in the NBE if the ACC or B1G came calling. They simply would rather associate with the other schools.

 

[06029]

No amount of money would keep UConn and Rutgers in the NBE if the ACC or B1G came calling. They simply would rather associate with the other schools.

Which is why NBC has everything to lose if they overbid. The networks (except ABC thanks to ESPN) are so far behind the curve on sports. They lack outlets that get ratings, they lack on line content, they lack announcers, they lack history, etc. NBC's sports priorities seem to be Olympics, ND, Sunday night FB and golf. CBS's is NFL, NCAA BB, SEC and golf. Fox is NFL and MLB. Only ESPN has CFB and BB as the #1 priority and has committed the resources to fill programming slots and the internet with content.

Keep wishing and hoping for a billion dollars. Maybe I am wrong but I can't see it coming from NBC or Fox. And you already know what ESPN offered and it was to keep the BE together at that point.

 

[CL82]

mavblues said:

The Debbie Downers in this thread fail to realize that NBC/Comcast is DESPERATE for sports content. To suggest it would lowball is ridiculous. They'll make a very attractive offer, and they'll be able to justify it because they need the content more than ESPN does.​

New BE has tons of content. Football is coast to coast, and other sports will cover many large media markets. And BTW, UCF is something like the 2nd largest school in the US...​

I think a lot of people are going to be shocked (pleasantly) by the size of the new TV deal​

+1

NBC will bid because they need content to build their version of the worldwide leader. ESPN will bid because they do not want NBC to get a foot in the door. Would NBC rather be buying up the 1st tier rights to the B1G or the SEC, sure, but that's not available. There is a reason why ESPN has been working so hard to kill us. We will be the beneficiaries of ABC and NBC going head to head in the same way that we've been a victim of it over the last few months.

Natural rivalries are down the toilet and basketball RPI is going to take a beating but the football product will be better and we'll finally get a taste of big time tv money.

(Put me down for a National Flag Blue unicorn Fishy!)

 

[BlueMAB]

That all remains to be seen. We've never been a top football conference and thinking that a 16 team basketball conference widely considered as the best as currently composed will become mediocre by losing 3 high quality members sells the remaining 13 schools pretty short. It's a setback to be sure but we'll still be in the top 3.

Basketball has so little to do with the value of the league it's got to be the reason you overvalue the conference. Each school will play 30+/- games. That's plenty of content no matter the conference. What little affect the value of basketball has on the contract was greatly affected by the loss of WVU, Pitt, and Cuse. Those were 3 of the top 10 in the conference. With Cuse easily among the top 3. Sure, Houston, UCF, SMU could get better and compete, but the conference is not going to be paid as if those schools had the history, prestige, and fanbases of the 3 we're losing.

We've got the weakest BCS football conference, by a wide margin, in terms of fanbases and prestige. The conference is losing 3 of the best basketball schools in places where basketball can actually compete with football for fans media coverage and picking up 3 schools where it really doesn't.

Aside from basketball, the big east is the farm conference for everyone who matters or stepping stone for those who want to matter.

Our football coaches use the programs as career boosters, other conferences take (who they believe are) our best teams, and we can only convince programs to join if they aren't already BCS programs. On top of that, we still couldn't couldn't convince a couple of our first choices to join despite the BCS tag.

And our best hope for a good contract (thanks to Pitt/Cuse), is a network that's only interested in us because they have nothing else to offer.

I sincerely hope we get a mega contract that adds stability to the conference. I don't see it coming.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

No amount of money would keep UConn and Rutgers in the NBE if the ACC or B1G came calling. They simply would rather associate with the other schools.

That is just ignorant. We can associate with the B1G or ACC in lots of different ways. The primary driver for the athletic program by far is how much cash flow it generates. Exposure is secondary. Everything else is borderline irrelevant.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't think people should get their hopes up for a billion dollar contract. That's all. UConn needs to dominate the conference as the alpha dog and the rest will take care of itself.

And yes, I am aware Boise State is in that conference. They need to elevate themselves to BSU's level. They have considerable advantages over BSU.

Why did ESPN pay up for a Pac 12 that is mediocre in football and god awful in hoops?

 

[freescooter]

Why did ESPN pay up for a Pac 12 that is mediocre in football and god awful in hoops?

To paraphrase Buddy from Friday Night Lights, I have two words for you, USC. You're right that nobody cares about most of the PAC12ish. But Southern Cal is one of the blue bloods and everyone wants them. That is one of the huge issues that the Big East faces. It doesn't have a USC or a Texas or a Ohio State. One of those teams that people watch even if they don't care that much. In fact, the only reason the the Big East was included in the original BCS (whatever it was called) was the presence of Miami. You can't have a national championship without USC or Ohio State or Texas or a few others playing if they are undefeated and call it legitimate, so you need to lock them up. Not the same with UCONN or Central Florida.

 

[06029]

Why did ESPN pay up for a Pac 12 that is mediocre in football and god awful in hoops?

USC. Their aura is almost ND's. UCLA - the Wooden aura has not died. And, I think most of the east coast is ignorant of the Pac10 and how good some of their football programs are and have been historically. For a mediocre league, they have 2 BCS teams this year and 2 BCS teams last year. And find me the last year they did not have a team in the top 10 (outside of the Reggie Bush vacated year by USC) and at least 2 in the top 25. The BE would kill to be that mediocre.

 

[freescooter]

USC. Their aura is almost ND's. UCLA - the Wooden aura has not died. And, I think most of the east coast is ignorant of the Pac10 and how good some of their football programs are and have been historically. For a mediocre league, they have 2 BCS teams this year and 2 BCS teams last year. And find me the last year they did not have a team in the top 10 (outside of the Reggie Bush vacated year by USC) and at least 2 in the top 25. The BE would kill to be that mediocre.

aside form the problem of quality, the PAC 12ish has issues with eyeballs. Most games are played late which is a huge problem and one they continue to try and address. but you almost cannot play an early season day game in parts of the conference and late games compete with too many others in eastern and midwestern markets. In fact many eastern newspapers don't even have scores, nevermind reports. It is a huge reason why many are ignorant as you say about the PAC teams.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That is just ignorant. We can associate with the B1G or ACC in lots of different ways. The primary driver for the athletic program by far is how much cash flow it generates. Exposure is secondary. Everything else is borderline irrelevant.

Ignorant? If you don't believe that this is absolutely the case you must be one of the biggest morons of all time. Nothing about this process could be more black and white. Even if Pitt, Cuse, BC and VT were still in the BE and we hadn't added USF and these other less desirable schools, UConn would take those invites instantly, just for the added prestige.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

To paraphrase Buddy from Friday Night Lights, I have two words for you, USC. You're right that nobody cares about most of the PAC12ish. But Southern Cal is one of the blue bloods and everyone wants them. That is one of the huge issues that the Big East faces. It doesn't have a USC or a Texas or a Ohio State. One of those teams that people watch even if they don't care that much. In fact, the only reason the the Big East was included in the original BCS (whatever it was called) was the presence of Miami. You can't have a national championship without USC or Ohio State or Texas or a few others playing if they are undefeated and call it legitimate, so you need to lock them up. Not the same with UCONN or Central Florida.

So ESPN/Fox pay over $300 million a year for a league for 1 team? Why not just pay USC $30 million to go independent?

 

[uconnbill]

If the Big East goes by how you feel they should just close job and say screw it.
WTF is wrong with you people. UConn is stuck here for now and we should want the best for them in this conference. We understand they don't have the same power as before, but my gosh can you be anymore of a stick in the mud, seriously....All we hear from you is how things are.

Exactly. The previous BE/ACC offers are red herrings.

Also, the truth is, as as they are at FB, Wake and even freaking Duke are bigger names/ratings draws nationally than UCF and SMU. Maybe Duke is better than SMU, but it's close.

SMU is irrelevant. Houston is irrelevant after this year. UCF is irrelevant and is about to get whacked by the NCAA. SDSU is irrelevant and in SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

Wake and Duke might suck, but you know what? They're Duke and Wake Forest. Real schools with real fanbases and established cred (Duke BB). The rest are nothing, just nothing, warm bodies with nothing to them.

This stuff doesn't fall from the sky. It's based on facts. UCF can pass by a lot of schools if you give them 50 years. You want UConn sticking around with these teams for 50 years? Or do you want them in a real league?

 

[uconnbill]

Rising national power? I think it is very unlikely that Boise St. will be as good over the next 5 years as they were over the last 5 years. I think they already peaked and are probably headed downward.

You don't know that as does anyone else. You are speculating and by speculating you are rooting against the Big East.
So tired of the naysayers on here.

 

[06029]

So ESPN/Fox pay over $300 million a year for a league for 1 team? Why not just pay USC $30 million to go independent?

Because they have been in the Pac10/12 forever and ND has been independent just as long. Perhaps they value conference affiliation.

You miss the other points that refute your claim that Pac12 FB is mediocre. 2 BCS bowl teams multiple times including the past 2 years, multiple top 25 teams yearly. And for someone that touts market size, the Pac12 has #2, #5, #13, #14, #17 and #22 markets, otherwise known as 6 of the top 25 markets in the country. And the member schools actually play in those markets, are among the top teams in the conference on a regular basis in those markets and are the top draws for college sports in their respective markets. So yes, there is a reason the Pac12 was able to swing a solid TV deal.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You don't know that as does anyone else. You are speculating and by speculating you are rooting against the Big East.
So tired of the naysayers on here.

I'm a UConn fan. At this point, I'm no longer a Big East fan. Some of the programs that I was interested in are leaving. I have never had the slightest interest in USF, DePaul or Cincinnati and my only interest in Louisville is an intense dislike. I have zero interest in SMU or USF, and Boise is interesting only if they are playing UConn and are highly ranked. I wish good things on Rutgers and Georgetown. Marquette is ok too. Glad to see them revive the program. My speculation on Boise is based on the fact that they have a flimsy foundation. Mediocre recruiting territory, not very appealing school, not much money, no real history. They may surprise. But schools with more going for them (Colorado) have risen and fallen over the years.

In any case, my days as a flag waving BE fan are over. We can't get out soon enough. I want what's best for UConn and this isn't it.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I think HartbeatHusky's original purpose was just to point out there isn't a downside for NBC to make a hypothetical offer to the BE including Pitt/Syr, not to actually debate whether or not it would happen or whether or not Pitt/Syr would even consider the offer.

I agree with him that they could make that offer...I for one don't think any offer would change their minds but money talks and money creates stability. Like he says, what do they have to lose?