Who actually brings value

[Fishy]

This is not an anti-Boston College thing, so avoid commenting on BC specifically - not about them, they were just handy.

ESPN will show three Boston College games across all sports this year - that breaks down as three football games, zero men's and women's basketball games. If you look at Wake, it's worse - something like one football game and a pair of hoop games.

Those two schools will get a total of six showings on ESPN or ESPN2.

UConn will likely have 20 games on the two premiere ESPN networks. The UConn women make more appearances than Boston College and Wake Forest combined.

For this, Wake and Boston College will receive around $45,000,000. UConn will receive $1.45M.

By virtue of their own programming, ESPN has decided that UConn is far more desirable for their premiere networks than either of those two programs, but their talking heads will keep trotting out the "that's what they're worth" nonsense.

To put the $1.45M in further perspective, prior to the formation of the AAC, UConn had a deal with SNY to sell them remnant tier 3 inventory in women's basketball - that is the games left over after ESPN and CBS had put claims on the schedule. That deal paid UConn about $1.2M annually.

Leftover UConn women's hoop games - $1.2M a year.

ESPN destroys the Big East. The American is formed. American has to get a television contract - entire conference has to give all rights to the conference. ESPN assumes the SNY contract - that is that they now own and are paid the $1.2M a year we used to receive for those remnant rights.

In the exchange, we basically receive $200,000 more per year for our entire Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 rights.

Summary - ESPN is robbing us.

Want to know our biggest challenge in realignment? We're subsidizing payments to Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

We are being robbed blind by ESPN. AAC needs to give our T2 and T3 rights back. We are better off negotiating on our own.

 

[Adios]

Big 12 issues go deeper with uncertain future following expansion talks

"In July, the Big 12 announced that expansion was back on the table. Candidates surfaced and lobbying began, especially in Texas. The Big 12 eventually narrowed the pool to 12 schools. Of those, six -- Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, Connecticut, South Florida and Central Florida -- generated the most attention."

ESPN is helping, willingly or unwillingly, with exposure.

 

[huskymedic]

Want to know our biggest challenge in realignment? We're subsidizing payments to Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

The reality of that statement should hurt more than the kick in the nads everyone was expecting from CR.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

It really makes no sense. I really hope the state has a sit down with ESPN, I cannot believe the way all this has gone down. ESPN who is headquartered in CT, completely screws over the local state university. A local university with championship pedigree and a huge following in the state. I cannot imagine that would go over too well in other states.

 

[The Viking]

When do the tax credits to ESPN run out? Is this a long-term thing that we can't break?

 

[Yawkey Way]

.

Summary - ESPN is robbing us.

The conclusion seems to be is that the TV networks, and the P5 are screwing over an apparently high value Uconn , but so far no explanation has been provided on here that I'm aware of as to the " why " behind the " robbing ", and the " screwing over " by the P5 conferences, and now apparently ESPN. ESPN, in particular, has their HQ in the state of Connecticut. Assuming without challenge the comment that" ESPN is robbing Uconn", what are the reasons then that apparent high value Uconn is considered an undesirable and/ or a school that can be so apparently grossly mistreated by one of its own major Corporations in the State ? What is going on ? Why is Uconn so disliked and/ or apparently so unfairly mistreated by everyone, including the Networks ? Busineses all want to make a buck for their stock holders and investors. But why do they apparently not want to make a buck in partnership with Uconn ? I don't get it.

 

[JeepCSC]

BC was the price paid to bring in Miami, and Wake is the price paid to keep UNC/Duke/Virginia. Their value is not tied directly to what ESPN shows of them in any given season. The collective tv value of any conference could be increased if they dropped some schools, but it's possible other schools would fail to see the value of the conference in such a situation.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

The conclusion seems to be is that the TV networks, and the P5 are screwing over an apparently high value Uconn , but so far no explanation has been provided on here that I'm aware of as to the " why " behind the " robbing ", and the " screwing over " by the P5 conferences, and now apparently ESPN. ESPN, in particular, has their HQ in the state of Connecticut. Assuming without challenge the comment that" ESPN is robbing Uconn", what are the reasons then that apparent high value Uconn is considered an undesirable and/ or a school that can be so apparently grossly mistreated by one of its own major Corporations in the State ? What is going on ? Why is Uconn so disliked and/ or apparently so unfairly mistreated by everyone, including the Networks ? Busineses all want to make a buck for their stock holders and investors. But why do they apparently not want to make a buck in partnership with Uconn ? I don't get it.

Does it matter? UConn is being screwed. Number of times BCU will be on TV vs UConn tells you all you need to know about which school offers more media value to a company like ESPN.

 

[Fishy]

The evidence is right there - who is ESPN featuring on their most valuable real estate?

Overwhelmingly, it's UConn.

Cheap labor built the pyramids. It's in ESPN's overwhelming interest to keep some schools trapped in no-revenue leagues to provide inventory at below market remuneration.

 

[JeepCSC]

As for your actual complaint, it is the AAC robbing you. You are subsidizing ECU, Tulsa, etc. Wake Forest, BC are being subsidized by FSU, Carolina, and company.

 

[WestHartHusk]

The conclusion seems to be is that the TV networks, and the P5 are screwing over an apparently high value Uconn , but so far no explanation has been provided on here that I'm aware of as to the " why " behind the " robbing ", and the " screwing over " by the P5 conferences, and now apparently ESPN. ESPN, in particular, has their HQ in the state of Connecticut. Assuming without challenge the comment that" ESPN is robbing Uconn", what are the reasons then that apparent high value Uconn is considered an undesirable and/ or a school that can be so apparently grossly mistreated by one of its own major Corporations in the State ? What is going on ? Why is Uconn so disliked and/ or apparently so unfairly mistreated by everyone, including the Networks ? Busineses all want to make a buck for their stock holders and investors. But why do they apparently not want to make a buck in partnership with Uconn ? I don't get it.

Are you really so stupid that you can't see you are being paid by a TV network that all but refuses to air your program. Let's turn this around, what is BC doing to make ESPN one cent?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Fishy 's analysis looks like a good exhibit in an antitrust lawsuit.

 

[uconndogs]

That's a great OP!

What I find most disheartening in the whole process is that academic institutions act in a manner that is so overwhelmingly drive by a profit motive. Clearly our peer institutions recognize that we would bring value to these conferences both in terms of economics, but also in terms of academics and, in the case of the ACC and BiG, regional alignment. So rather than do what's right for their respective conferences, UCONN, the student athletes, even themselves, they look to protect turf. The reason ESPN is getting cheap content from UCONN is because of the lack of leadership at the institutions. I don't blame ESPN, they have a very clear mission for the shareholder. The institutions are supposed to be driven by a higher calling, but that is beyond farcical.

Make no doubt about it. The dollars involved will drive more of this behavior. It's not out of the question that the behemoths (read Alabama, OSU, etc.) get tired of subsidizing underperforming members. FSU would cut off BC's balls in a moment if they thought it improved there prospects.........

 

[Marty Jackson]

This is not an anti-Boston College thing, so avoid commenting on BC specifically - not about them, they were just handy.

ESPN will show three Boston College games across all sports this year - that breaks down as three football games, zero men's and women's basketball games. If you look at Wake, it's worse - something like one football game and a pair of hoop games.

Those two schools will get a total of six showings on ESPN or ESPN2.

UConn will likely have 20 games on the two premiere ESPN networks. The UConn women make more appearances than Boston College and Wake Forest combined.

For this, Wake and Boston College will receive around $45,000,000. UConn will receive $1.45M.

By virtue of their own programming, ESPN has decided that UConn is far more desirable for their premiere networks than either of those two programs, but their talking heads will keep trotting out the "that's what they're worth" nonsense.

To put the $1.45M in further perspective, prior to the formation of the AAC, UConn had a deal with SNY to sell them remnant tier 3 inventory in women's basketball - that is the games left over after ESPN and CBS had put claims on the schedule. That deal paid UConn about $1.2M annually.

Leftover UConn women's hoop games - $1.2M a year.

ESPN destroys the Big East. The American is formed. American has to get a television contract - entire conference has to give all rights to the conference. ESPN assumes the SNY contract - that is that they now own and are paid the $1.2M a year we used to receive for those remnant rights.

In the exchange, we basically receive $200,000 more per year for our entire Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 rights.

Summary - ESPN is robbing us.

Want to know our biggest challenge in realignment? We're subsidizing payments to Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

Exactly... Now read FTT's response. All that matters is the P5 label. You have that, you automatically have value. The bowls will gladly take BC or WF over Cincy, Houston, or Uconn for that reason.
The P5 label is a term that artificially inflates the value of some schools at the expense of schools like Uconn.

 

[Penfield]

It's clear that some schools carry the load for others, but why should they? Why should Texas and Iowa St get the same piece of the pie, why should Michigan and Northwestern? Destroy all the football conferences and let every school negotiate their own TV deals. Then implement relegation and promotion model, with 48 - 64 teams in the top division

 

[Hoophound]

The evidence is right there - who is ESPN featuring on their most valuable real estate?

Overwhelmingly, it's UConn.

Cheap labor built the pyramids. It's in ESPN's overwhelming interest to keep some schools trapped in no-revenue leagues to provide inventory at below market remuneration.

I constantly beat this point to death and I wish more people would latch onto it. If the national media would run with this it would work wonders for our reputation. Despite some people saying that public perception doesn't matter, it does. We need a ground swell of support for UConn in a P5 conference to help validate college presidents voting us in. If it were a no brainer to invite us, it would get more traction. ESPN prevents our momentum at every turn. It has become our place to float the entire American Conference and ESPN has done a masterful job of somehow using exposure to keep us relevant mixed with just enough bashing to keep us in the AAC. It is a disgusting situation and I don't think the brain trust in the state quite gets the magnitude of the scam. Some of the brightest posters on this board don't get it either because part of their above average intelligence is a strong ability to stay rational. They just can't believe everyone is really working against UConn. However, this is a situation in which the proof is in the pudding. Why is UConn on tv everytime I turn around if it has no value?

This is a scam on the people of Connecticut and it is a something that could have been stopped a long time go if we had gone after them based on Gene D's comments years ago. We played nice and they took further advantage. Time to make some noise and since Herbst can't call out other schools by name to make specific examples like Fishy did, one of our beat guys needs to get it started. Ultimately, they have crushed our reputation as a national commodity and killed public perception of our brand. They have cost us hundreds of millions of dollars and it is easy to prove. Simply take the tv schedule to court and find one document, email, or witness that says ESPN considers us dilutive to P5 conference.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

We basically we need to become the Texas or Oklahoma of the AAC.

 

[TerryD]

It's clear that some schools carry the load for others, but why should they? Why should Texas and Iowa St get the same piece of the pie, why should Michigan and Northwestern? Destroy all the football conferences and let every school negotiate their own TV deals. Then implement relegation and promotion model, with 48 - 64 teams in the top division

I certainly agree with this.

 

[noeynox]

This is not an anti-Boston College thing, so avoid commenting on BC specifically - not about them, they were just handy.

ESPN will show three Boston College games across all sports this year - that breaks down as three football games, zero men's and women's basketball games. If you look at Wake, it's worse - something like one football game and a pair of hoop games.

Those two schools will get a total of six showings on ESPN or ESPN2.

UConn will likely have 20 games on the two premiere ESPN networks. The UConn women make more appearances than Boston College and Wake Forest combined.

For this, Wake and Boston College will receive around $45,000,000. UConn will receive $1.45M.

By virtue of their own programming, ESPN has decided that UConn is far more desirable for their premiere networks than either of those two programs, but their talking heads will keep trotting out the "that's what they're worth" nonsense.

To put the $1.45M in further perspective, prior to the formation of the AAC, UConn had a deal with SNY to sell them remnant tier 3 inventory in women's basketball - that is the games left over after ESPN and CBS had put claims on the schedule. That deal paid UConn about $1.2M annually.

Leftover UConn women's hoop games - $1.2M a year.

ESPN destroys the Big East. The American is formed. American has to get a television contract - entire conference has to give all rights to the conference. ESPN assumes the SNY contract - that is that they now own and are paid the $1.2M a year we used to receive for those remnant rights.

In the exchange, we basically receive $200,000 more per year for our entire Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 rights.

Summary - ESPN is robbing us.

Want to know our biggest challenge in realignment? We're subsidizing payments to Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

My question is, is anyone associated with UConn or the State able to articulate anything remotely close to this, and advance the school's position? I doubt any of the regular posters on this board even knew those numbers. It is appalling that they want to put us on their networks so often and pay us chicken scratch. I'm really flabbergasted with that comparison.

 

[noeynox]

The conclusion seems to be is that the TV networks, and the P5 are screwing over an apparently high value Uconn , but so far no explanation has been provided on here that I'm aware of as to the " why " behind the " robbing ", and the " screwing over " by the P5 conferences, and now apparently ESPN. ESPN, in particular, has their HQ in the state of Connecticut. Assuming without challenge the comment that" ESPN is robbing Uconn", what are the reasons then that apparent high value Uconn is considered an undesirable and/ or a school that can be so apparently grossly mistreated by one of its own major Corporations in the State ? What is going on ? Why is Uconn so disliked and/ or apparently so unfairly mistreated by everyone, including the Networks ? Busineses all want to make a buck for their stock holders and investors. But why do they apparently not want to make a buck in partnership with Uconn ? I don't get it.

How are they "undesirable" if they just told you how often they put them on their marquee networks versus the other two schools he highlighted? Simply put, it makes zero sense.

 

[billybud]

Boston has appeared on

SNY vs Mass (ESPN sold game)
ESPN2 vs GT
ESPNU vs VT
ESPN vs Clemson
and will appear on ESPN2 vs FSU and maybe another game TBA

Wake Forest has played on ESPN, ESPNU and three games on the Regional Sports Network (sold to Raycom)

The Globetrotters needed the Generals...the ACC needs BC and Wake for their games.

Sure, it could be UConn or any other team in that place as a conference opponent, but Wake bought their shares 50 plus years ago.

 

[UConn990411]

The conclusion seems to be is that the TV networks, and the P5 are screwing over an apparently high value Uconn , but so far no explanation has been provided on here that I'm aware of as to the " why " behind the " robbing ", and the " screwing over " by the P5 conferences, and now apparently ESPN. ESPN, in particular, has their HQ in the state of Connecticut. Assuming without challenge the comment that" ESPN is robbing Uconn", what are the reasons then that apparent high value Uconn is considered an undesirable and/ or a school that can be so apparently grossly mistreated by one of its own major Corporations in the State ? What is going on ? Why is Uconn so disliked and/ or apparently so unfairly mistreated by everyone, including the Networks ? Busineses all want to make a buck for their stock holders and investors. But why do they apparently not want to make a buck in partnership with Uconn ? I don't get it.

It's pretty simple - so long as UConn is in the AAC, ESPN is able to pay them peanuts while getting a big payout in return.

It makes sense for ESPN from a business perspective, but they're also slowly killing the athletic department. It's time for the state and UConn admins to push back.

 

[Stinger92860]

This is not an anti-Boston College thing, so avoid commenting on BC specifically - not about them, they were just handy.

ESPN will show three Boston College games across all sports this year - that breaks down as three football games, zero men's and women's basketball games. If you look at Wake, it's worse - something like one football game and a pair of hoop games.

Those two schools will get a total of six showings on ESPN or ESPN2.

UConn will likely have 20 games on the two premiere ESPN networks. The UConn women make more appearances than Boston College and Wake Forest combined.

For this, Wake and Boston College will receive around $45,000,000. UConn will receive $1.45M.

By virtue of their own programming, ESPN has decided that UConn is far more desirable for their premiere networks than either of those two programs, but their talking heads will keep trotting out the "that's what they're worth" nonsense.

To put the $1.45M in further perspective, prior to the formation of the AAC, UConn had a deal with SNY to sell them remnant tier 3 inventory in women's basketball - that is the games left over after ESPN and CBS had put claims on the schedule. That deal paid UConn about $1.2M annually.

Leftover UConn women's hoop games - $1.2M a year.

ESPN destroys the Big East. The American is formed. American has to get a television contract - entire conference has to give all rights to the conference. ESPN assumes the SNY contract - that is that they now own and are paid the $1.2M a year we used to receive for those remnant rights.

In the exchange, we basically receive $200,000 more per year for our entire Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 rights.

Summary - ESPN is robbing us.

Want to know our biggest challenge in realignment? We're subsidizing payments to Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

I hope Jacobs sees this and uses this excellent insight for one of his articles on the P5

 

[djct1999]

This has been ESPNs plan ever since Pitt was put in ACC before us. It's absolutely infuriating and I really hope politicians in this state go after them. It's no longer about playing nice with ESPN. It's more than time to call them out publicly and attack.

Cc: BYU