Big East, ESPN finalizing $22M/year deal

[Aughnanure]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8972975/big-east-conference-espn-finalizing-7-year-130-million-media-deal

"ESPN's deal with the Big East would include seven years for men's basketball (2013-20) and six years for football (2014-20). The deal would break down to $10 million for the 2013-14 basketball season and $20 million starting in 2014-15 for football and men's basketball, sources said.

ESPN's package includes annually broadcasting 65 football games, 150-plus basketball games, a conference football championship game and the Big East men's basketball tournament on ESPN's family of networks, sources said.

The Big East's current basketball media rights deal with ESPN and CBS expires after the 2012-13 academic year, while the football deal with ESPN will expire after the 2013-14 academic year. The new deal will "sync" both sports through the 2019-20 academic year.

Sources said CBS also will extend its men's basketball rights with the Big East, paying the league about an additional $2 million annually."

[77ncaachamps]

I'm confused.

This applies to the BE even if the Catholic 7 leave? Or is this referring the "new" BE that will consist of the Catholic 7?

[MUfan12]

I'm confused.

This applies to the BE even if the Catholic 7 leave? Or is this referring the "new" BE that will consist of the Catholic 7?

With 18 teams, this cuts over a million per school from the current deal.

I wonder if this locks in the C7 for next year, or gives the final push to go get that Fox money right away.

[wojosdojo]

Agh, I was kinda looking forward to see what NBC could make happen to compete with ESPN.

[WarriorDoc]

Cincinnati president Santa Ono recently sent each ACC president video descriptions of the Bearcats' $70 million upcoming stadium renovation and holiday cards in hopes of helping land an ACC invitation, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported Tuesday.

At least they're not shy about it.

[Coleman]

I'm confused.

This applies to the BE even if the Catholic 7 leave? Or is this referring the "new" BE that will consist of the Catholic 7?

I'm pretty sure this is for the "old" Big East, which we will still be a part of next year. So this deal really only applies to us for the 2013-2014 season.

[GOO]

I don't get upset about much, but this deal upsets me.  Ten Million for BE basketball with ND,Louisville, Georgetown, Nova, Marquette, etc, for 2013-14?  That is crazy.  This is so low, that I smell a rat.  Is Aresco trying to get us to leave early to take a bigger exit fee?  Or is he low balling 2013-14 basketball in order to prop up the 6 year BE deal?  Take under market value for 2013-14 basketball and shift the $ to other years when the C7, Louisville, ND, etc are gone...?   

Something is very wrong here.  The C7 are being used, in my opinion, to help the BE get a better contract after we are gone.  This is different than a team leaving and getting less for staying.  This contract is so far off on the 2013-14 basketball value, that I smell a lawsuit if the BE tries to get exit fees from us.  We need to get out of this mess for 2013-14.  At the very least this is malfeasance on the part of Aresco.  However, like I said, I smell a rat and we are being used.

We may get 500K for 2013-14 BE basketball rights for our school?  Let me negotiate this contract and could I XXXX it up worse? 
Chico, could I?  I find the 10 Million to be crazy low. 

[MUMountin]

I don't get upset about much, but this deal upsets me.  Ten Million for BE basketball with ND,Louisville, Georgetown, Nova, Marquette, etc, for 2013-14?  That is crazy.  This is so low, that I smell a rat.  Is Aresco trying to get us to leave early to take a bigger exit fee?  Or is he low balling 2013-14 basketball in order to prop up the 6 year BE deal?  Take under market value for 2013-14 basketball and shift the $ to other years when the C7, Louisville, ND, etc are gone...?   

Something is very wrong here.  The C7 are being used, in my opinion, to help the BE get a better contract after we are gone.  This is different than a team leaving and getting less for staying.  This contract is so far off on the 2013-14 basketball value, that I smell a lawsuit if the BE tries to get exit fees from us.  We need to get out of this mess for 2013-14.  At the very least this is malfeasance on the part of Aresco.  However, like I said, I smell a rat and we are being used.

We may get 500K for 2013-14 BE basketball rights for our school?  Let me negotiate this contract and could I XXXX it up worse? 
Chico, could I?  I find the 10 Million to be crazy low. 

I think it is more that ESPN knows that they have the BE over a barrel--both the remaining members and the C7.  Its become obvious that as much as we'd like to start next season, there are likely too many impediments to doing so--starting new conference, hiring a commish, setting up compliance structures, scheduling, TV contracts, etc.  Not to mention the exit fee that we'd face for leaving early. 

ESPN knows that, and without any sort of decent long-term product, the Big East is left without much negotiating power.  It sucks, but it is for one year--then move on to greener pastures.

[GOO]

With the basketball contract up and the football contract not up.  And with the BE having ND/Louisville/C7/ for one year, and really the last year of the BE as anyone knows it, the most valuable property is the 2013-14 basketball season.  If the 10M includes the BE tournament, which will be a draw as the last real BE tournament, then it is beyond stealing and includes a beating for the C7 as well.

The BE could negotiate this out separably and allow Fox/CBS/NBC, etc to bid on 2013-14 basketball.   BE isn't doing that, so they are basically throwing in the 2013-14 basketball to get better numbers on a long term football deal.

If I'm the C7, I get out now, or don't approve the 2013-14 inclusion of basketball in the BE deal with ESPN.  C7 is getting screwDD  by the football schools.

I can't believe that the 2013-14 basketball, broken out, wouldn't be worth 30M alone, especially given the teams in it, Fox starting up, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I think $ is being shifted towards the football schools future years and away from the C7 for 2013-14 in this BE contract.  Maybe this will be the the ticket to get the C7 out for 2013-14: We don't approve this undervalued contract for 2013-14 basketball and hence hold up the media deal, unless we are let out with out exit fees. 

[MU82]

Who does the voting? Could the C7 nix this deal for 13-14?

A pretty crazy drama shaping up, it looks like.

[GOO]

I don't think the C7 officially gave notice, so we would still have votes.  I am not an insider, of course.

Time to play hard ball.  If the football schools want the BE name, I say let them have it and pay for it.  We can market a new name and combine out schools records as the new conference records.  I would want the BE conference records more than the BE name, frankly. 

If the football schools want the ESPN contract adopted, I say they had better let the C7 out of the league.  We have 30M sitting on the table for 10 teams.  Why stay in the BE for a little more than 500K per team for 2013-2014.  This is a hugh net loss for us.  Leave now, what are the damages to the BE?  Not much based upon that contract.

[jefffla01]

Espn and Fox have shared in several agreements recently.

Part of this alliance may be to limit the growth and development of the nbc sports network.

My guess here is that espn will subliscence big east games to Fox 1, and in return Fox will subliscence games from the Catholic 7 conference to espn.

This is just an opinion, but espn and fox seem to understand that they are the big 2, and might be trying to limit other outlets from getting stronger.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Can NBC Sports Counter-offer the counter-offer?