Big East "Strongly Considering" TV Network & Villanova to Upgrade Football?

[brewnewsman]

Some interesting notes from ystdy's football media day. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Marinatto did a lot more than speculate about what the future holds for the Big East. He said the conference is strongly considering the possibility of strengthening its position in the world of college athletics by creating a Big East television network.

In fact, at a time when there is much speculation that the conference must add more football teams to stay relevant, he believes there are plenty of other ways for the league to grow.

"Growth can happen in a lot of ways," Marinatto said. "I see growth right now in terms of our potential as being in television. We've seen since the Big Ten created the Big Ten Network a new evolution of distribution and how these other entities have been able to monetize their assets. The Big Ten has shown that you don't necessarily have to go to an entity like ESPN in order to create an environment for your league where you create exposure and, obviously, financial benefits for your members.

"Now, everybody else who has negotiated [with networks] since then, it has caused them to negotiate a little bit differently. And when we look at ourselves -- and I am talking about our footprint as a conference -- we represent more than 25 percent of the population of the United States and seven of our schools are in the top 13 markets. So from an asset standpoint, we have much more potential than anybody because we represent more of the population than anyone else."

Marinatto stressed that while the idea of a Big East network is being discussed and steps are being taken to study how plausible and realistic it would be, the creation of a network would not happen at least for the next three years while the league still has contracts for basketball and football with ESPN, ABC and CBS (for some limited basketball games).

Still, a network certainly is in the works. The Big East hired former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who oversaw the formation of the NFL Network, as a consultant. Tagliabue's main focus has been helping the Big East use television to maximize its ability to gain exposure as well as money.

"[Tagliabue] has an incredible understanding of television, technology and innovation," Marinatto said. "He brings to us that kind of expertise, in terms of, how it is we can monetize what we are."

Beyond the creation of a network, Marinatto said the conference will continue to explore the possibility of adding more football members. But he said nobody within the conference wants to add teams just to get bigger, and any team considered must be the right fit.

"We've talked about it forever, and I think a ninth team provides a lot of opportunity, beginning with a balanced schedule," Marinatto said. "And when we rewrote our bylaws in 2004-05, we made provisions for that, but we've always said we would only bring in a ninth school if it brought value to our membership."

Marinatto again dismissed the Internet rumors that Central Florida and Memphis were going to receive invitations to join the conference, but he said that there have been some discussions about Villanova making the jump to Division I-A football and that could be one viable option for the conference to grow without upsetting its 16-team basketball alignment.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10216/1077486-233.stm

[ChicosBailBonds]

The SEC, Big 12 and ACC also floated the notion that they were going to create their own networks, only to have ESPN come in and pay them huge.  Just as ESPN came in and paid to basically stop the super conferences (for now) because they would have been destroyed with their Big 12 deal.

It's smart for the Big East to say they are exploring a Big East network.  It's a leverage tool.  Whether the Big East is truly going to launch one, is a completely different story.  They may have the brass ones to do it, but it will require a ton of capital and risk of under distribution.  On ESPN & ESPN2, they get the Big East name out to about 87% of television households in the country.  With a Big East Network, it will be half that for quite some time and may not ever get above 70% (depends on what the market bears and how much carriage fees they demand).  That's a big risk.  Would ESPN and the Big East in their backyard (Connecticut) allow the Big East to walk away and start their own network? 

The PAC Twelve deal comes up after this year, they are next and currently with Fox.  Then it's the Big East's turn.  The economy is still in tatters, realignment isn't done, a lot of things can still change and likely will leading up to the next deal.

[Dr. Blackheart]

The PAC Twelve deal comes up after this year, they are next and currently with Fox.  Then it's the Big East's turn.  The economy is still in tatters, realignment isn't done, a lot of things can still change and likely will leading up to the next deal.

In two years the whole media wheel may be completely turned upside down as well.  An integrated media deal built for the future may be more in play.  VOD, streaming, mobile, global market vs. US TV markets.  BE may be first in on future platforms vs. traditional TV laden deals.  ESPN way ahead in this as of now, but maybe a Google steps in?  BE would have the opportunity to lead if they play their cards right.

[ChicosBailBonds]

In two years the whole media wheel may be completely turned upside down as well.  An integrated media deal built for the future may be more in play.  VOD, streaming, mobile, global market vs. US TV markets.  BE may be first in on future platforms vs. traditional TV laden deals.  ESPN way ahead in this as of now, but maybe a Google steps in?  BE would have the opportunity to lead if they play their cards right.

That may happen and Google is definitely going to be a player.  They are talking with everyone right now.  There is no question that there will be internet delivered video that is going mainstream at some point, but with 100,000,000 homes tethered right now by Telco, satellite and cable, the complexities are so enormous in terms of content.  The actual content providers (the NFL, ESPNs, HBOs, Food Network, etc, etc) are getting billions each year from those providers and many of them are locked into long term deals with MFNs, etc.  So to untangle all that is going to get very interesting.  Then you have to factor in the delivery.  Fast internet is great...for some parts of the country, but it will still be a decade(s) for other parts to get to a 15mbps downstream....that's a major concern for these guys.  Where does 4G fit in, etc, etc.

It's fascinating stuff that I get to sit in nearly daily.  The landscape is going to get very very interesting in the next 10 years.

[goodgreatgrand]

Old news. Next.

Add a ninth and split the conference.

[nathanziarek]

It's fascinating stuff that I get to sit in nearly daily.  The landscape is going to get very very interesting in the next 10 years.

Way off topic, but I bet the Google/Verizon net neutrality pact's "differentiated services" clause has a Google Network specifically in mind. Watch the wireless exception end up nothing more than a straw man... 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Way off topic, but I bet the Google/Verizon net neutrality pact's "differentiated services" clause has a Google Network specifically in mind. Watch the wireless exception end up nothing more than a straw man... 

Very possible.  Look where the campaign donations are going and watch the tabulation of the votes.  It's going to be a wild ride. 

[TJ]

Old news. Next.

Add a ninth and split the conference.

So you want to be on the outside looking in?

[goodgreatgrand]

Far more interesting:

BYU has to commit to independence in football by Sept 1st. and are rumored to be leaning that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5473151

"According to independent multiple sources, BYU is in discussion with ESPN for its football rights. ESPN already has an agreement with the WAC to televise football and basketball.


BYU has its own national television network, BYU-TV, which is available on major satellite networks. BYU-TV is going HD and with the wide reach of the Mormon church the Cougars could build national appeal, as Catholic-based Notre Dame has had over the years."

[ChicosBailBonds]

Far more interesting:

BYU has to commit to independence in football by Sept 1st. and are rumored to be leaning that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5473151

"According to independent multiple sources, BYU is in discussion with ESPN for its football rights. ESPN already has an agreement with the WAC to televise football and basketball.


BYU has its own national television network, BYU-TV, which is available on major satellite networks. BYU-TV is going HD and with the wide reach of the Mormon church the Cougars could build national appeal, as Catholic-based Notre Dame has had over the years."

Just because BYU-TV is going HD doesn't mean anyone will pick it up in HD.  Also shows that the conference realignment is far from dead.