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Message: [QUOTE="dwalks93, post: 1853008, member: 5598"] 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. [/QUOTE]

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