Yormark confirms that the big 12 was in expansion talks with Connecticut and Gonzaga but indicates neither program is being pursued any longer.

[B12]

This is a network problem, not a content problem.

Fox paid the Big East to help ramp up FS1/FS2 as a sports destination, and a legitimate ESPN competitor. It hasn't really happened.

BTN has a clear audience and focus. FS* is somewhere between a streaming service and ESPN, and probably closer to the former.

The UConn women's game on ABC (on a football sunday!) is clear evidence of this. OTA>ESPN>FS*>Streaming.

Agreed to some degree. It's not the Big East fault that FS1 is a turd any more than it's the B12's fault as they have a lot of FB games there as well.

But looking at the Big East most of their content is on FS1/2 and that's a conference an exposure issue. That falls on the conference and teams.


So is FOX going to be willing to give the Big East more $ on the next cycle? Doubtful looking at the data.


Is making 5-6 million on BB and around 500k for FB really sustainable long term?

No, no it's not.



Streaming is actually passing ESPN as we speak. If you look at MNF vs TNF where it's ESPN vs Amazon the winner is Amazon. ESPN has to simulcast on ABC and ESPN2 to win that fight.

Amazon also just bought Nascar content, we also have an exclusive NFL playoff game that is streaming this year.

FS1/2, RSN's like SNY, and conference networks are the lowest on the totem pole. Unfortunately most UConn games are on FS1/2 or SNY.

 

[CL82]

There is no path for UConn to have good exposure with 150k watching FS1 and under 50k watching FS2.

You mean… other than winning the national championship

 

[whalerfan]

Agreed to some degree. It's not the Big East fault that FS1 is a turd any more than it's the B12's fault as they have a lot of FB games there as well.

But looking at the Big East most of their content is on FS1/2 and that's a conference an exposure issue. That falls on the conference and teams.


So is FOX going to be willing to give the Big East more $ on the next cycle? Doubtful looking at the data.


Is making 5-6 million on BB and around 500k for FB really sustainable long term?

No, no it's not.



Streaming is actually passing ESPN as we speak. If you look at MNF vs TNF where it's ESPN vs Amazon the winner is Amazon. ESPN has to simulcast on ABC and ESPN2 to win that fight.

Amazon also just bought Nascar content, we also have an exclusive NFL playoff game that is streaming this year.

FS1/2, RSN's like SNY, and conference networks are the lowest on the totem pole. Unfortunately most UConn games are on FS1/2 or SNY.

So I'm guessing by your posts that you're more interested in watching a mid-season UCF/K State tilt than any UConn game?

 

[billybud]

So I'm guessing by your posts that you're more interested in watching a mid-season UCF/K State tilt than any UConn game?

I think that, just maybe, you are putting words in his mouth...

Could be he is saying that a K State-UCF match will have the opportunity to viewed by more folks (1.45 million last September).

Or even that both K State and UCF will earn more money per football game played...nothing that I read signified his relative interest in UConn versus other football.

 

[whalerfan]

I think that, just maybe, you are putting words in his mouth...

Could be he is saying that a K State-UCF match will have the opportunity to viewed by more folks (1.45 million last September).

Or even that both K State and UCF will earn more money per football game played...nothing that I read signified his relative interest in UConn versus other football.

Seems more to me that he's come to our house, stunk up the bathroom and didn't flush.

 

[DFW HOYA]

Yep.


The Big East TV #'s are terrible.

Anyone with business sense can see there is no path to relevance on FS1 and FS2 trying to average 100k viewers per game.


UConn is in trouble if they decide to try to make the Big East work while making 100k per FB game on TV. There is no way that works out long term.

Except that the Fox deal (+CBSSN) can offer linear coverage for every game. ESPN would shuffle 80-90 percent of BE games to OTT like it is doing for other conferneces, and that's one reason why UConn left the AAC in the first place.

I also think Yormark is looking at other Big East schools as long term expansion targets (think Red), but it's a bad fit.

 

[pepband99]

Agreed to some degree. It's not the Big East fault that FS1 is a turd any more than it's the B12's fault as they have a lot of FB games there as well.

But looking at the Big East most of their content is on FS1/2 and that's a conference an exposure issue. That falls on the conference and teams.


So is FOX going to be willing to give the Big East more $ on the next cycle? Doubtful looking at the data.


Is making 5-6 million on BB and around 500k for FB really sustainable long term?

No, no it's not.



Streaming is actually passing ESPN as we speak. If you look at MNF vs TNF where it's ESPN vs Amazon the winner is Amazon. ESPN has to simulcast on ABC and ESPN2 to win that fight.

Amazon also just bought Nascar content, we also have an exclusive NFL playoff game that is streaming this year.

FS1/2, RSN's like SNY, and conference networks are the lowest on the totem pole. Unfortunately most UConn games are on FS1/2 or SNY.

I hope you're smart enough to realize that, of course, ESPN's individual ratings will suffer when the same exact content is on their own OTA channel. It's not indicative of "Streaming is actually passing ESPN"

The writer's strike gave ESPN the chance to potentially cash in with a bump in viewership - they would have been crazy not to.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Dan Dickau reporting (no sources cited) that Gonzaga will remain in the WCC “for the foreseeable future.”

Personally I can’t believe that to be true. If the XII is not interested in them, the Big East must be. Val Ackerman alluded to that during the Big East media days.

 

[LetsGoUC]

I want to be in a conference as bad as anyone but I think patience is our best bet. Cuse, BC, Wake will be left behind once ACC is raided down the line. Thats our opportunity hopefully.

 

[Kolumbo]

I want to be in a conference as bad as anyone but I think patience is our best bet. Cuse, BC, Wake will be left behind once ACC is raided down the line. Thats our opportunity hopefully.

Something like that. It would be fun to watch them squirm to try to get back into Big East hoops. Yes to Wake, no to bcu.

 

[Orc]

I want to be in a conference as bad as anyone but I think patience is our best bet. Cuse, BC, Wake will be left behind once ACC is raided down the line. Thats our opportunity hopefully.

How exciting. Looking forward to get reunited with Smu, memphis, usf, ecu, temple, tulane and the ACC dregs in the new ACC.

 

[XStorrsion]

And by ACC dregs you mean some mix of Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, Duke, Wake, BC, Miami, and VT?

So like the cream of the crop of the former Big East?

 

[LetsGoUC]

How exciting. Looking forward to get reunited with Smu, memphis, usf, ecu, temple, tulane and the ACC dregs in the new ACC.

Whats the alternative? the MAC or CUSA?

 

[buddy]

And by ACC dregs you mean some mix of Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, Duke, Wake, BC, Miami, and VT?

So like the cream of the crop of the former Big East?

I think most UConn fans will be happy to be with that group. I also think it is very possible that they will not invite UConn.

 

[ZooCougar]

Last night’s game was a great argument against UConn joining for basketball.

It was a great spectacle between two titans of college basketball from two different conferences.

If that were a conference game it would quickly become very ho hum.

 

[ZooCougar]

I think most UConn fans will be happy to be with that group. I also think it is very possible that they will not invite UConn.

Yeah they’ll take SMU, Tulane and USF over us.

 

[CL82]

I think most UConn fans will be happy to be with that group. I also think it is very possible that they will not invite UConn.

Me too, how epically stupid and shortsighted that would be notwithstanding.

 

[John]

Last night’s game was a great argument against UConn joining for basketball.

It was a great spectacle between two titans of college basketball from two different conferences.

If that were a conference game it would quickly become very ho hum.

I guess you never attended a Big East game versus Syracuse???

 

[ZooCougar]

I guess you never attended a Big East game versus Syracuse???

Not even the same thing.

Just watch what happens in the B1G. It won’t take long for the appeal of those matchups to become diluted.

Oh and the bottom half of the current B1G will enjoy a well compensated journey to becoming forgotten.

 

[UConnJim]

The BTN games are listed and beat the FS1/2 average. lol.

But again the worst games do not matter. What matters are the games on ABC, ESPN, FOX, etc. That's where the P-4 is getting 200k+ for some games and blowing away the Big East.

And when you look at the data the Big East is way behind when it comes to exposure.


There is no path for UConn to have good exposure with 150k watching FS1 and under 50k watching FS2.

Look at the data, it's very clear as to where the Big East is as far as TV exposure and viewers.

Thank you as you have made my point. Look at the Big 10 games on 11/6. The Big 10 had 8 home games played that night and only 2 were televised on a linear network, the rest were streamed. Do you think Delaware St./Penn State or Lindenwood/Nebraska would have had great ratings on BTN? Virtually ALL of the Big East men's basketball games are on a linear network. Finally, I don't think you can really look at viewership of men's basketball games played in early November and draw any conclusions.

 

[CL82]

Oh and the bottom half of the current B1G will enjoy a well compensated journey to becoming forgotten

Which is probably better than being forgotten for free.

 

[buddy]

Yeah they’ll take SMU, Tulane and USF over us.

They have SMU already to shore up their football prowess, and I would not be suprised by those selections. Also remember UConn will get no help from our beloved ESPN.

 

[John]

Not even the same thing.

Just watch what happens in the B1G. It won’t take long for the appeal of those matchups to become diluted.

Oh and the bottom half of the current B1G will enjoy a well compensated journey to becoming forgotten.

Of course it's the same thing.

 

[ZooCougar]

Of course it's the same thing.

Kansas isn’t a rival. Not everyone can be your rival. And UConn and Kansas are far bigger and better programs.

The fact that it was OOC and not played as often makes it much much bigger. And Dan Hurley said the same thing essentially.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

And by ACC dregs you mean some mix of Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, Duke, Wake, BC, Miami, and VT?

So like the cream of the crop of the former Big East?

L'ville will not be left behind. Neither will Sara Cuse, nor Pitt.