Who actually brings value

[HuskyHawk]

Wake and BC are overpaid for the same reason the Jacksonville Jaguars are. They are part of a cartel that collectively negotiates media rights for all members. Does it suck for the Patriots, Cowboys and Giants? Maybe, but since they adopted that model and enhanced revenue sharing, the value of the league and each franchise has soared.

The same has happened to each of the P5 conferences. Northwestern, Purdue and Minnesota are "overpaid" too, but that's how these things work. Back when each school sold and negotiated its own media rights, the total payout was much, much smaller, and the payout to even the top schools was lower. That money helps ensure that the gulf between tOSU, Michigan and the rest doesn't become insurmountable. The less popular schools can still compete from time to time. Duke and Northwestern were both at decent a football a couple of years back. That doesn't happen without "revenue sharing".

It truly sucks when you are on the outside looking in. The real key for UConn, aside from joining one of the cartels, is alternative revenue models. What the smart NFL owners did after revenue sharing was to focus on the revenue they don't share. For UConn that's gate receipts, licensing/merchandise, concessions, etc. UConn and the AAC need to drive a much harder bargain next time, and getting T3 rights for the schools would be a huge benefit. @Fishy is certainly right that UConn is a bargain for ESPN right now. They know it and we know it.

 

[upstater]

Wake and BC are overpaid for the same reason the Jacksonville Jaguars are. They are part of a cartel that collectively negotiates media rights for all members. Does it suck for the Patriots, Cowboys and Giants? Maybe, but since they adopted that model and enhanced revenue sharing, the value of the league and each franchise has soared.

The same has happened to each of the P5 conferences. Northwestern, Purdue and Minnesota are "overpaid" too, but that's how these things work. Back when each school sold and negotiated its own media rights, the total payout was much, much smaller, and the payout to even the top schools was lower. That money helps ensure that the gulf between tOSU, Michigan and the rest doesn't become insurmountable. The less popular schools can still compete from time to time. Duke and Northwestern were both at decent a football a couple of years back. That doesn't happen without "revenue sharing".

It truly sucks when you are on the outside looking in. The real key for UConn, aside from joining one of the cartels, is alternative revenue models. What the smart NFL owners did after revenue sharing was to focus on the revenue they don't share. For UConn that's gate receipts, licensing/merchandise, concessions, etc. UConn and the AAC need to drive a much harder bargain next time, and getting T3 rights for the schools would be a huge benefit. @Fishy is certainly right that UConn is a bargain for ESPN right now. They know it and we know it.

We know they are paid for being part of the ACC.

The question being raised here is different.

The discussion is about whether ESPN's pool of money for spending on college football is augmented by the fact that it pays what is obviously a very low amount (well below value) for other conferences. The quote above from the Mizzou article that came out today shows that ESPN thinks of its college football holdings in sum, and not separately. It allows for loss leaders like the ACC and Texas, because it is crucial that it holds onto certain properties, and like Walmart, it makes up ground elsewhere to reach a profit. When its model is thrown off balance by potential college moves (as was the case in 2011 when the Big12 lost members) then the whole scale and balance needs to be rejiggered. Any additional AAC money will come at the expense of other conferences, either above it, or below it, possibly the B12. ESPN sees a "disturbance in the force" and tries to bring things into harmony.

 

[dwalks93]

The great irony is ignorant fans will say things like "if UConn was capable of generating P5 revenue they would be in the P5." What people do not understand is many (maybe even most) P5 programs aren't generating P5 revenue and the extra money being made off the AAC contract is subsidizing the P5.

Basically moving UConn to the P5 is a double hit for ESPN....more P5 payouts and much less G5 profit to subsidize the P5. As the Mizzou thread shows, ESPN doesn't balance the books per team or even per conference but instead combines the total income versus total payouts for all their media contracts. (sorry ACC homers..UConn's issue is with WF and BC, not just Tulsa and Tulane) If paying the Big12 a little more than it generates (or giving the ACC a network) maintains the status quo (which means ESPN is making money) then that is the best outcome for ESPN. The biggest threat to ESPN is a change in the market (re-alignment) which disrupts this delicately designed house of cards.

I used to wonder why UConn did not make an offer to the ACC like "we'll join for $12 million a year for 5 years with the contract to be re-negotiated after the 5 years based on performance." Certainly UConn's content is worth more than $12 million a year and it is more than we are getting now in the AAC with a much more attractive ACC schedule. Now it all makes sense....in the current operating environment ESPN would never allow the ACC to agree to an arrangement which allows UConn to move. It is not just the $12 million (using the above example) which would be paid to UConn in the ACC...its also the $20 million in value the AAC loses if UConn leaves.

There are only 2 options:
1. Change ESPN's bottom line...maybe it is political pressure, maybe it is legal pressure, maybe it is a threat to deprive an ESPN owned property of UConn content but the state of Connecticut/UConn has to change the financial calculous for ESPN. This is business for ESPN...its not fair and its not personal Connecticut needs to become as financially ruthless as ESPN if it wants to change the outcome
2. Break up the monopoly ...ESPN/FOX control the market and, as the Big12 drama showed, they will collaborate to maintain the status quo profit. UConn/AAC needs more bidders....perhaps that is a new streaming platform, perhaps that is a direct purchase model, perhaps it is soliciting new networks to enter the sports arena but as long as ESPN sets the market the AAC has no recourse.

IMO the biggest loser in the Big12 realignment is ESPN. ESPN has been outed and it is impossible to now deny who is driving re-alignment. We'll see if Connecticut has the stones to take ESPN on but there is no doubt where the cross hairs should be focused.

 

[uconnell]

You have to compare apples to apples however. If we take some of the P5 football games matchups with uasppealing or mediocre opponents, that would be relative then to matching that up with Uconn's Women's Basketball games ratings with an inferior or unattractive opponent TV game ratings as well. As such, a BC- Uconn football game ( both suck in football ) would still outdraw in TV ratings a Uconn- BC Women's Basketball game TV rating, where only BC sucks in that sport, but Uconn is in a class by itself in the college sport. Uconn Women's basketball does no better on the West Coast for example with its TV ratings there for a game with a non west school, than a Uconn football game thats televised there does on the West Coast for a non west school's team.

I believe not too long ago that ESPN put a Syracuse game on tape delay to show an UConn's women basketball game live.

 

[SAMCRO]

Weeknights is not prime time.

Umm, ya, that is exactly when prime time is, at least to this company called Nielsen.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The great irony is ignorant fans will say things like "if UConn was capable of generating P5 revenue they would be in the P5." What people do not understand is many (maybe even most) P5 programs aren't generating P5 revenue and the extra money being made off the AAC contract is subsidizing the P5.

Basically moving UConn to the P5 is a double hit for ESPN....more P5 payouts and much less G5 profit to subsidize the P5. As the Mizzou thread shows, ESPN doesn't balance the books per team or even per conference but instead combines the total income versus total payouts for all their media contracts. (sorry ACC homers..UConn's issue is with WF and BC, not just Tulsa and Tulane) If paying the Big12 a little more than it generates (or giving the ACC a network) maintains the status quo (which means ESPN is making money) then that is the best outcome for ESPN. The biggest threat to ESPN is a change in the market (re-alignment) which disrupts this delicately designed house of cards.

I used to wonder why UConn did not make an offer to the ACC like "we'll join for $12 million a year for 5 years with the contract to be re-negotiated after the 5 years based on performance." Certainly UConn's content is worth more than $12 million a year and it is more than we are getting now in the AAC with a much more attractive ACC schedule. Now it all makes sense....in the current operating environment ESPN would never allow the ACC to agree to an arrangement which allows UConn to move. It is not just the $12 million (using the above example) which would be paid to UConn in the ACC...its also the $20 million in value the AAC loses if UConn leaves.

There are only 2 options:
1. Change ESPN's bottom line...maybe it is political pressure, maybe it is legal pressure, maybe it is a threat to deprive an ESPN owned property of UConn content but the state of Connecticut/UConn has to change the financial calculous for ESPN. This is business for ESPN...its not fair and its not personal Connecticut needs to become as financially ruthless as ESPN if it wants to change the outcome
2. Break up the monopoly ...ESPN/FOX control the market and, as the Big12 drama showed, they will collaborate to maintain the status quo profit. UConn/AAC needs more bidders....perhaps that is a new streaming platform, perhaps that is a direct purchase model, perhaps it is soliciting new networks to enter the sports arena but as long as ESPN sets the market the AAC has no recourse.

IMO the biggest loser in the Big12 realignment is ESPN. ESPN has been outed and it is impossible to now deny who is driving re-alignment. We'll see if Connecticut has the stones to take ESPN on but there is no doubt where the cross hairs should be focused.

Now, in light of all this, we can think about the leak (which had to come from Tranghese) to Blauds, threatening that UConn could fly the coop to the Big East. It was meant to rattle this house of cards, it was a warning (as I said at the time). It didn't do enough obviously, but it seems to me that Benedict knows he needs to call ESPN out on this and let them know we aren't going to allow UConn to continue to suffer the short end of this stick beyond the current AAC deal.

I suspect that the next couple of years for UConn are all about facilitating a viable option that moves us out of the "underpaid and highly profitable" collection in ESPN's portfolio. Benedict mentioned discussions he wants to have with them, and I have little doubt that the message will be reiterated. Meanwhile, we'll talk to Fox, SNY and anyone else, to assess our options when the AAC contract ends. We need leverage.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I believe not too long ago that ESPN put a Syracuse game on tape delay to show an UConn's women basketball game live.

Yeah that happened 2 or 3 years ago during the NCAA tourney. The women were playing in the 4 o'clock time slot I believe, and Syracuse had a game that was starting around that same time or at one of those funky men's tourney times like 3:56 or 4:07. Syracuse got bumped for the UConn women and the Syracuse game was shown later that night on tape delay.

 

[SubbaBub]

UConn should open a school of sports media. That would eventually fix this problem.

 

[lne001]

Umm, ya, that is exactly when prime time is, at least to this company called Nielsen.

If weekday nights are prime time for sports (not normal network programs), when the hell is non-prime time - 3AM? Prime time to me is whenever the advertising rates are the highest, which I'm guessing is still the weekend for sports. You can define it as whatever makes you happy.

 

[MattMang23]

Yeah that happened 2 or 3 years ago during the NCAA tourney. The women were playing in the 4 o'clock time slot I believe, and Syracuse had a game that was starting around that same time or at one of those funky men's tourney times like 3:56 or 4:07. Syracuse got bumped for the UConn women and the Syracuse game was shown later that night on tape delay.

Unless Cuse was in the NIT at the time I don't know how that's possible. The men's tourney isn't played on the ESPN networks.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If weekday nights are prime time for sports (not normal network programs), when the hell is non-prime time - 3AM? Prime time to me is whenever the advertising rates are the highest, which I'm guessing is still the weekend for sports. You can define it as whatever makes you happy.

Well for the NFL, advertising rates are highest on Monday nights. The only reason sports are bigger on weekends is because they aren't competing with anything else on TV. ESPN weeknight games, for football, but definitely for basketball, can certainly exceed the weekend day game ratings.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Prime time is 8PM-11PM Monday through Friday. This isn't that hard.

 

[lne001]

Prime time is 8PM-11PM Monday through Friday. This isn't that hard.

So any weekend evening and most of the weekend is prime time. Got it. Kind of makes the whole concept meaningless, unless you need that broad a definition to stoke your ego. I love this country, where everyone and everything is above average. Is that too hard for you to get?

 

[whaler11]

It would be fairly tricky to determine true profitability for ESPN on any given property.

Since the true measure of their profitability would include the net impact to subscribers any analysis is going to be based on a number of assumptions.

 

[whaler11]

It was SNY that showed a Syracuse game on tape delay. Upstater can probably provide the exact details.

 

[kingdobbs]

So any weekend evening and most of the weekend is prime time. Got it. Kind of makes the whole concept meaningless, unless you need that broad a definition to stoke your ego. I love this country, where everyone and everything is above average. Is that too hard for you to get?

That is literally how television broadcasters have defined "prime time" since the beginning of television (and probably radio before it). It's the time when most people are home and interested in broadcast entertainment.

That's why you tend to not see the networks' best, original, and/or scripted programming prior to 8 PM. Its all local news, talk shows, game shows, soap operas, or syndicated programs, and the advertising skews heavily towards certain demographics (the elderly, disabled and unemployed).

 

[whaler11]

Prime Time is generally 8-11 Eastern. Sundays the networks generally work off 7pm i.e. 60 Minutes is pretty clearly 'prime time programming'.

The NFL's most expensive advertising time isn't Monday nights. It's Sunday nights.

 

[Stinger92860]

So any weekend evening and most of the weekend is prime time. Got it. Kind of makes the whole concept meaningless, unless you need that broad a definition to stoke your ego. I love this country, where everyone and everything is above average. Is that too hard for you to get?

You are one dumb mother Spartacus.

Prime time or peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television programming.

The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period – for example (in the United States), from 19:00 to 22:00 (Central and Mountain Time) or 20:00 to 23:00 (Eastern and Pacific Time).

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Yeah that happened 2 or 3 years ago during the NCAA tourney. The women were playing in the 4 o'clock time slot I believe, and Syracuse had a game that was starting around that same time or at one of those funky men's tourney times like 3:56 or 4:07. Syracuse got bumped for the UConn women and the Syracuse game was shown later that night on tape delay.

I believe they were regular season games.
It might have been a UConn /ND game.

 

[DefCONNOne]

Iowa state football... in a P5 conference.. has less singular " value" than a sack of potatoes. Washington State football in the PAC12 ? I think their current QB Drew Bledsoe is pretty good, but still in all. Rutgers football hasn't been much good since the leather helmut days. Lots of others we could name as well that have never played in their current league's football Championship game... or else, it was maybe back in the 70's, 80's Paleolithic Age of college football or whatever. Life is so unfair sometimes, so what else is new ?

Summer's Eve is your friend.

 

[Robertelamin]

Hey jackass, you do realize that your above reference to 'television programming' makes no reference whatsoever to sports, which I stipulated in my earlier post. Nice research and reference moron.

Gee, I wonder why the most popular Summer Olympic events were shown everyday between 8-11 for 3 straight weeks. Weird!

 

[HoopsFan21]

Hey jackass, you do realize that your above reference to 'television programming' makes no reference whatsoever to sports, which I stipulated in my earlier post. Nice research and reference moron.

Prime time wasn't defined for sports per se. If you ask 100 TV/network/ad execs their definition of prime time, all 100 of them will tell you M-F 8-11PM. Again, this isn't subjective or an interpretation or an opinion, so there should be no more argument over this than if someone told you the earth was round.

 

[upstater]

It was SNY that showed a Syracuse game on tape delay. Upstater can probably provide the exact details.

It was in the middle of the season. And it was a conference game for the Syracuse men. Maybe against Providence?

 

[upstater]

Gee, I wonder why the most popular Summer Olympic events were shown everyday between 8-11 for 3 straight weeks. Weird!

Love how the little kid starts every post by insulting people.

 

[upstater]

I believe they were regular season games.
It might have been a UConn /ND game.

I doubt UConn/ND was reduced to tier 3. Had to be a lesser game, especially back then when ND had a few women's stars.

 

[pepband99]

I doubt UConn/ND was reduced to tier 3. Had to be a lesser game, especially back then when ND had a few women's stars.

Everyone's google-foo sucks. Geez.

Jan 9, 2013. Cuse@PeeCee gets bumped on SNY for UConn Women at Georgetown.

*edit* really? every instance of "" and "yoo" together gets binned?

 

[upstater]

Everyone's google-foo sucks. Geez.

Jan 9, 2013. Cuse@PeeCee gets bumped on SNY for UConn Women at Georgetown.

*edit* really? every instance of "" and "yoo" together gets binned?

My memory seems to be good. It as PC, and the women weren't playing ND.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

... 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.

ESPN is making a buck -- a very nice buck, a better buck than they make with BCU -- in their relationship with UCONN. How can you miss that point?

 

[The Funster]

Hey jackass, you do realize that your above reference to 'television programming' makes no reference whatsoever to sports, which I stipulated in my earlier post. Nice research and reference moron.

Who brings value? Not you, jackwagon. Add something noteworthy or get lost.

 

[UC313]

Jackwagon is a highly underrated term. Can I say doosh-pickle without getting modded?