Big East Football: NBC Sports' Reported Power Play Will Be a Positive for League

[🏀]

Is NBC Sports going to give us as many games as ESPN? I doubt it.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Is NBC Sports going to give us as many games as ESPN? I doubt it.

It could be there isn't other leagues to deal with.

[GGGG]

Right... Because a cable network that doesnt even reach 60% of households in this country is "the place to be" compared to the network that is in 99% of U.S. households right now.

That is kind of an old school way of looking at it.  I wouldn't doubt that because of the relative wealth and youth of their audience, that ESPN makes more money on a Saturday afternoon in the fall than NBC does.  ESPN really has become the center of college football, and being a major conference with no games on that network is risky.

Do you even watch NBC Sports Network? It's a very good channel and has strong coverage of the NHL.

Yeah they do.  And outside of the whole tape delay issue, I think their coverage of the Olympics is very high quality.

[79Warrior]

Do you even watch NBC Sports Network? It's a very good channel and has strong coverage of the NHL.

Sure it's a good channel. That is not the point. What is the point of being the only conference in basketball on the network? The exposure will drop tremendously. ESPN is the leader hands down. Good luck on a network nobody will watch for basketball.

[bamamarquettefan]

Am I reading this right... football schools are getting $14M a piece and everyone and the basketball-only schools are getting $4M a piece... for a football TV contract? 

And to think there were people who thought MU football was a good idea.

You don't understand the math. Marquette basketball was the 55th most profitable program of any kind (more profitable than over half of d1 Programs and I believe in the top 5 of all basketball Programs) despite receiving almost nothing from the big east. We are on new York tv, And the exposure we get from the big east affiliation is why.  For any basketball-only program to get an actual $4million check from a conference I doubt has ever happened - but even if I'm wrong that is a fraction of what we make indirectly from the affiliation.

To pay well over $100 million for a football stadium to meet d1 requirements would take years to make up, and I believe would make Marquette much less appealing to have in the big east.  South Alabama and old dominion have made adding football work on a smaller scale, so you could look at their model, but you are really taking a hugely successful program with basketball at the center at MU and gambling it all on football I believe.
 

[Benny B]

Sure it's a good channel. That is not the point. What is the point of being the only conference in basketball on the network? The exposure will drop tremendously. ESPN is the leader hands down. Good luck on a network nobody will watch for basketball.

So if this was the Saturday lineup in a given late-February weekend...

11:00a - Villanova vs. Cincinnati
1:30p - Temple vs. Seton Hall
4:00p - Marquette vs. Louisville
6:30p - St. John's vs. Memphis
9:00p - Georgetown vs. Notre Dame

...you're saying that nobody would tune in to those games because "nobody watches basketball on NBC."

I'm sorry, but I'm not buying the argument that being on NBC is going to decrease exposure.  If anything, you're going to increase exposure by capturing the >40% of households in America that don't get ESPN.

If my choice is between watching Boston College vs. Duke on ESPN or Georgetown vs. Notre Dame on NBC, I don't give a rat's patootie what channels the games are on... I'm watching the latter.

[79Warrior]

So if this was the Saturday lineup in a given late-February weekend...

11:00a - Villanova vs. Cincinnati
1:30p - Temple vs. Seton Hall
4:00p - Marquette vs. Louisville
6:30p - St. John's vs. Memphis
9:00p - Georgetown vs. Notre Dame

...you're saying that nobody would tune in to those games because "nobody watches basketball on NBC."

I'm sorry, but I'm not buying the argument that being on NBC is going to decrease exposure.  If anything, you're going to increase exposure by capturing the >40% of households in America that don't get ESPN.

If my choice is between watching Boston College vs. Duke on ESPN or Georgetown vs. Notre Dame on NBC, I don't give a rat's patootie what channels the games are on... I'm watching the latter.

Who said the games would be on The NBC Television Network. You think they will turn over the whole Saturday afternoon lineup to the BE? To bad the games are not on the NBC Television network. They will be on the old Versus, which has fewer households than ESPN by a wide margin.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Sure it's a good channel. That is not the point. What is the point of being the only conference in basketball on the network? The exposure will drop tremendously. ESPN is the leader hands down. Good luck on a network nobody will watch for basketball.

I understand that's not your point, but when someone said the network sucks, that's my point.

The MWC is on NBC Sports Network as well.

[79Warrior]

I understand that's not your point, but when someone said the network sucks, that's my point.

The MWC is on NBC Sports Network as well.

Super, versus will be the mid major network with marquee MWC games. ESPN or Fox. Anything else is second tier in cable.

[Benny B]

Who said the games would be on The NBC Television Network. You think they will turn over the whole Saturday afternoon lineup to the BE? To bad the games are not on the NBC Television network. They will be on the old Versus, which has fewer households than ESPN by a wide margin.

Who said the games wouldn't be on NBC?  You think NBC is happy with their current Saturday lineup?

And any games airing on VS./Universal/Sports can also be multicasted on NBC subchannels, again, capturing that last 40%.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

And NBC has some leverage to get NBC Sports on more cable systems also.  Besides the flagship network & CNBC & MSNBC they own Bravo & A&E and I think a few others.  Heck, they can have some Spanish game broadcasts too as they own Telemundo.  They can package deal their networks.  Isn't that was ABC/ ESPN does?

[ATL MU Warrior]

Sure it's a good channel. That is not the point. What is the point of being the only conference in basketball on the network? The exposure will drop tremendously. ESPN is the leader hands down. Good luck on a network nobody will watch for basketball.

Damn this is an old-school way of looking at things.  People don't watch networks.  They watch programming.  People will certainly find programming they want to watch on whatever network it happens to air. 

Imagine the horror when ESPN was in its infancy and they signed their first programming deal with a major conference.  Look how that turned out.  If NBC is willing to invest in the programming, they are willing to invest to promote it across any and all of their varied platforms, including the mothership and any of the 6-8 major cable networks they own/operate. 

[79Warrior]

Who said the games wouldn't be on NBC?  You think NBC is happy with their current Saturday lineup?

And any games airing on VS./Universal/Sports can also be multicasted on NBC subchannels, again, capturing that last 40%.

NBC is not looking for programming for the network. They want programing for the Versus (NBC Sports) cable network.  You need to understand the television business. How many BE bball games are on ABC? Yet, ESPN and ABC are part of the same company. NBC may air the occasional Saturday afternoon bball game, but the Cable channel is where the overwhelming number of games are going to air.

At the end of the day the money will talk. I just feel going to versus is a mistake for the conference. The BE will get little coverage on ESPN, which is where the majority of College Basketball fans tune in because they have every conference that matters locked up.

[GGGG]

NBC is not looking for programming for the network. They want programing for the Versus (NBC Sports) cable network.  You need to understand the television business. How many BE bball games are on ABC? Yet, ESPN and ABC are part of the same company. NBC may air the occasional Saturday afternoon bball game, but the Cable channel is where the overwhelming number of games are going to air.

At the end of the day the money will talk. I just feel going to versus is a mistake for the conference. The BE will get little coverage on ESPN, which is where the majority of College Basketball fans tune in because they have every conference that matters locked up.

I tend to agree with this...and I think it will be even worse for football.  The viewership numbers aren't all that great for college basketball anyway, and at least the BE has a top-notch basketball product.

Benny also doesn't understand that the affiliates don't want NBC Sports tying up their afternoons for a lower-rated basketball game when they can sell 100% local ads and show re-runs, a movie, etc. and make more money.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I tend to agree with this...and I think it will be even worse for football.  The viewership numbers aren't all that great for college basketball anyway, and at least the BE has a top-notch basketball product.

Benny also doesn't understand that the affiliates don't want NBC Sports tying up their afternoons for a lower-rated basketball game when they can sell 100% local ads and show re-runs, a movie, etc. and make more money.

Not speaking for Benny but I think he is referring to the NBC sports network via COMCAST Sportsnet which includes SNY, CSN Chicago, Philly, Mid Atlantic, SE, Texas, Mountain and West Coast which is a perfect fit with the BE teams.

[79Warrior]

I tend to agree with this...and I think it will be even worse for football.  The viewership numbers aren't all that great for college basketball anyway, and at least the BE has a top-notch basketball product.

Benny also doesn't understand that the affiliates don't want NBC Sports tying up their afternoons for a lower-rated basketball game when they can sell 100% local ads and show re-runs, a movie, etc. and make more money.

Exactly. In addition, the Network has contracts with Golf etc that already commits a good part of the available schedule on NBC Television.

[Benny B]

79 and Sultan.... have you ever looked at an HDTV remote and said to yourself, "gee, I wonder what that period button does," or are you still attempting to master the newfangled technology of the TV flipper?

Google "DTV Multicast" sometime.  I don't know about where you live but the NBC affiliates in Milwaukee and Chicago are beaming 3 and 2 feeds, respectively, into my house (and, for that matter, everyone's house in the metro areas).  Take a look at a screenshot with the programming lineup on the NBC stations right now.  How many advertisers do you think are lining up in Chicago to advertise during back-to-back episodes of "Weekends with Whitney" on WMAQ???  How much revenue do you think "Mirror/Mirror" is pulling in on WTMJ at 1:00p this afternoon.

Even if they had to share revenue with the national network, running a marquee doubleheader of BE basketball games on the main feed and a couple of "out-of-market" BE basketball games on 4.3 in Milwaukee or 5.2 in Chicago is going to be much more worthwhile for the local affiliates than what they have going now.  And by the way, NBC Universal is already simulcast on 4.3 during the Olympic "off-season."  A flip of the switch and it simulcasts whatever is showing on NBC Sports, Comcast SportsNet, etc.

Exactly. In addition, the Network has contracts with Golf etc that already commits a good part of the available schedule on NBC Television.

Sorry, my bad... didn't realize that NBC wouldn't want to preempt all those golf tournaments in January and February.

[GGGG]

79 and Sultan.... have you ever looked at an HDTV remote and said to yourself, "gee, I wonder what that period button does," or are you still attempting to master the newfangled technology of the TV flipper?

Google "DTV Multicast" sometime.  I don't know about where you live but the NBC affiliates in Milwaukee and Chicago are beaming 3 and 2 feeds, respectively, into my house (and, for that matter, everyone's house in the metro areas).  Take a look at a screenshot with the programming lineup on the NBC stations right now.  How many advertisers do you think are lining up in Chicago to advertise during back-to-back episodes of "Weekends with Whitney" on WMAQ???  How much revenue do you think "Mirror/Mirror" is pulling in on WTMJ at 1:00p this afternoon.

Even if they had to share revenue with the national network, running a marquee doubleheader of BE basketball games on the main feed and a couple of "out-of-market" BE basketball games on 4.3 in Milwaukee or 5.2 in Chicago is going to be much more worthwhile for the local affiliates than what they have going now.  And by the way, NBC Universal is already simulcast on 4.3 during the Olympic "off-season."  A flip of the switch and it simulcasts whatever is showing on NBC Sports, Comcast SportsNet, etc.

Then why, with all of its basketball product, does ESPN have perhaps one game a week on ABC?  Local affiliates want their own programming unless the network provides something that brings eyeballs...and college basketball doesn't bring those eyeballs. 

[Mr. Nielsen]

Well many of you need to be ready because the Big East will be on NBC.
I can't see the BE and ESPN kissing and making up. ESPN has been kicking BE football to death!

[brewcity77]

Well many of you need to be ready because the Big East will be on NBC.
I can't see the BE and ESPN kissing and making up. ESPN has been kicking BE football to death!

I agree that this is virtually a done deal, and my question for the naysayers would be "what's the alternative?" Despite ESPN basically building its empire on the back of the Big East, it has decided to crap in the hand that once fed it. So now that we've come to this impasse, what else can the Big East do? ESPN is out. Like it or not, it's not happening. That leaves CBS, Fox, and NBC. CBS should be ruled out right away because they don't have the additional networks that the other companies have right now, they just don't have the nationwide coverage beyond the flagship network station. Next is Fox, which is already tied to the Big-12, Pac-12, and C-USA. When it comes to football, the Big East will clearly take a back seat. When it comes to basketball, we'll likely get little more than regional coverage.

And then NBC, and the question of what's better, getting regional coverage from a second-tier sports network or getting lead coverage from a third-tier sports network. Honestly, after ESPN, I'm not sure there's that much difference between being on the Fox networks and being on NBC Sports. Neither is the first place people turn, but at least with NBC, they have a reason to push the Big East brand as it wouldn't be their third priority behind two other BCS leagues. NBC may be behind the others, but if we're not going with number one, I'd rather go with the company that likely feels the push to innovate. The Big East has been the cornerstone of a sports network before, and little ESPN did pretty well for themselves. I'd sooner saddle ourselves with NBC knowing that they'd need to market the conference and were counting on the Big East for their own success than to pair with Fox, a network that would have no need for us to succeed in order to have viable content.

So again, what's the alternative? Bearing in mind that ESPN is not an option, is there really a better choice than NBC Sports?

[THEultimateWARRIOR]

Right... Because a cable network that doesnt even reach 60% of households in this country is "the place to be" compared to the network that is in 99% of U.S. households right now.

+1

[Benny B]

Then why, with all of its basketball product, does ESPN have perhaps one game a week on ABC?  Local affiliates want their own programming unless the network provides something that brings eyeballs...and college basketball doesn't bring those eyeballs. 

#1 -- Because, believe it or not, ESPN is lacking on programming.  They have seven networks, of which three (ESPN, 2 & U) show "first-run" programming.  That equates to 210 hours, per week, of live sports inventory just to fill those three networks' schedules.  In relative terms, that's 70 football games or 105 basketball games per week... that kind of inventory doesn't exist in ESPN's contracts.  During peak programming periods (Saturday afternoons), there's enough overflow to allow for an ABC broadcast or two, but not on any other day of the week.

#2 -- Again... what is the lineup on any given Saturday or Sunday on NBC?  What is it on the sub-channels?  College football/basketball is going to draw better than most weekend daytime programming on any network station, certainly in greater proportion than the reduction of their share of advertising revenue during national broadcasts... that's why ABC, NBC, and CBS all air college sports on the weekends.

[GGGG]

1. So how would NBC Sports be any different?

2. Again, what is the lineup on any given Saturday or Sunday on ABC...outside of football season.

[ATL MU Warrior]

2. Again, what is the lineup on any given Saturday or Sunday on ABC...outside of football season.

The lineup outside of football season is garbage.  Paid programming and old movies.  It's a wasteland. 

But the lineup during football season makes a ton of money for those affiliates via the local ad inventory they sell.  Live sports is the most valuable inventory on television, generally sold at a premium to even the highest rated Primetime programming.  If you were running an NBC affiliate, you would be salivating for the chance at some of that revenue. 

[GOO]

I think cable is about to face a big shakeup. If Apple is able to get the networks on Apple TV, which it sounds like they are working on, a lot of people will drop cable since they have easy access to the networks without an antenna and can just add Netflix and Hulu for content. This will force other cable channels to offer à la cart and sell individually through AppleTV and other services. Many networks will probably sell directly from websites. I really think the shakeup of cable is finally about to happen, and probably begins next year.

The hundreds of thousands of people that droped cable this year will be nothing compared to what happens by the middle of next year.  If Apple comes out with their own TV sets with the networks available And on Apple TV at a small cost. This would be huge for the Big East in my opinion if they go with NBC. ESPN will be very expensive À la carte and the content is split between 2 expensive stations.

NBC network will be relatively cheap, and the NBC sports network will also be less expensive due to cheaper content. It'll be cheap to add them.  We all know the change is coming, I just really expect that next year is going to be the beginning of the monsoon. The cable companies should get out in front and offer à la carte, but they won't, and that's going to kill them in the long run.