Looks like Buckineer's idea of a BE Network isnt so off base afterall, as some have tried to say. I just hope its not too little, too late.



Irish Rethinking Football Independence By PETE THAMEL
Published: March 9, 2010

Calling the state of college sports the most unstable he has seen in 29 years, Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick said Tuesday that the Irish were considering giving up their football independence.

Notre Dame has long profited from its status as an independent in football, but the Fighting Irish have struggled to keep up competitively with the major conferences.

Although Swarbrick stressed that Notre Dame was “trying like hell” to keep its unique independence, he said the potential for “seismic change” in conference alignments was forcing him to spend 50 percent of his time making sure Notre Dame is prepared.

Swarbrick said that he and Notre Dame’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, have been discussing situations that could affect the university.

“I believe we’re at a point right now where the changes could be relatively small or they could be seismic,” Swarbrick said. “The landscape could look completely different. What I have to do along with Father Jenkins is try and figure out where those pieces are falling and how the landscape is changing.”

Notre Dame is the only independent team with an affiliation with the Bowl Championship Series. Most of its other sports are members of the Big East.

Swarbrick said that the decision to look at alternatives, the most likely of which would be joining the Big Ten Conference, stemmed from external factors. He said that the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten had separated themselves from the other four major conferences — the Pacific-10, Big 12, Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference — because of their lucrative television agreements.

“This is as unstable as I’ve ever seen it,” Swarbrick said. “You add to that a change in N.C.A.A. leadership and the discussion of the expansion of the basketball tournament. Every factor that touches the business of collegiate athletics right now is potentially in flux.”

Whether the landscape of college sports will shift drastically or just simply evolve rests mostly on the Big Ten. The Pac-10 has announced that it is exploring expansion offers, but the Big Ten holds significantly more power because of its television network. If the Big Ten added only one team, and that team was Notre Dame, the shift in college sports would be minimal. But if the Big Ten, which already has 11 teams, were to expand to 14 or 16 members, it could create a radical shift in college sports alignments.

The Big East, which was raided by the A.C.C. in 2005, would be a target and could lose universities like Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia.

A report last week in The Chicago Tribune said that the Big Ten had hired an investment firm to study Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Missouri and Notre Dame. The study found that if the Big Ten decided to expand, the league’s current members would be able to make more money.

“You each could invent a scenario that would force our hand,” Swarbrick told a small group of reporters. “It’s not hard to do. We just have to pay attention and stay on top of the game and talk to people.”

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said Tuesday in an interview at Madison Square Garden that his conference was always working to improve itself. He cited the creation of three bowl games and the fact that the league was studying its television options, including starting its own network.

“If creating a network is what we need to do in the next several years, we’ll create a network,” Marinatto said. “We’re here today because of the leadership the conference had five years ago when the conference had dramatically changed. That leadership is still the same. We will not allow it to not be successful.”

Notre Dame has a standing invitation to join the Big East’s eight-team football league, but that is not likely. A more likely move would be for Notre Dame to join the Big Ten, which be financially comparable to the Irish’s current television deal with NBC and also would drastically increase the value of the Big Ten’s network.

NBC is paying Notre Dame an estimated $15 million a year under its current deal, which runs through 2015.

“We’ve seen a lot of businesses in America change dramatically in the past five years,” Swarbrick said. “The automotive industry and the airline industry couldn’t look any different than it did five years ago. They are responding to the economic pressures, and college sports is doing the same thing.”

The Big Ten’s timetable for possible expansion could stretch well over a year. The Big East’s television contract expires in 2012-13 and is considered undervalued because it was negotiated in the wake of the A.C.C. invasion, which lured away Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech, and when much skepticism surrounded the football conference.

“It’s all speculation,” Marinatto said. “You envision numerous scenarios. You and I can come up with 144 iterations of what seismic change could be. But it’s all based on speculation. So it’s really not a fruitful exercise to go through. My job is to keep everyone grounded and to improve the conference and insulate it from changing.”

Thanks, John...now go back to your nap.....snooooooooooozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The idea has been around for a long time - the question is whether or not each BE member could expect similar $$$$ to what the Big 10 is hauling in, and I suspect the answer to that is a big Hells No.

But who knows, if ND is involved and becomes and active partner rather than just working only for their own interests, it may be a possibility, but why take a chance when a lucrative spot in the Big 10 is there for the taking?

Will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. I just hope for the best for WVU.

Marinatto is talking about the next several years. So whatever happens with expansion will have happened before he finishes studying the matter. By then the choices will have been narrowed down to one or two, so the path will be clear. I just hope the path keeps going beyond that point, and doesn't end. Either way, we're probably screwed...

Quote:“It’s all speculation,” Marinatto said. “You envision numerous scenarios. You and I can come up with 144 iterations of what seismic change could be. But it’s all based on speculation. So it’s really not a fruitful exercise to go through. My job is to keep everyone grounded and to improve the conference and insulate it from changing.”

Marinatto> "we've got our head buried in the sand hoping expansion is only a figment of our imagination"

Marinatto> "We will do everything it takes to keep this hybrid behemoth intact"

You can't start a network in a day. It takes years to get it up and running. It is good to know that they have it on the radar. I think the scenario I laid out shows it can be profitable--even at 1/2 to 2/3rds success in my plan-from where the Big East is now it would be significantly better than doing nothing.

If BE programs know that it is coming, that gives them options to decide if they would want to leave or not, it gives Notre Dame more options as well.

(03-10-2010 11:09 AM)1badbird Wrote:  

Quote:“It’s all speculation,” Marinatto said. “You envision numerous scenarios. You and I can come up with 144 iterations of what seismic change could be. But it’s all based on speculation. So it’s really not a fruitful exercise to go through. My job is to keep everyone grounded and to improve the conference and insulate it from changing.”

Marinatto> "we've got our head buried in the sand hoping expansion is only a figment of our imagination"

Marinatto> "We will do everything it takes to keep this hybrid behemoth intact"

This "hybrid behemoth" is what has been feeding everyone's mouth to this point and is what allowed Louisville to become part of the BCS.

(03-10-2010 11:09 AM)1badbird Wrote:  

Quote:“It’s all speculation,” Marinatto said. “You envision numerous scenarios. You and I can come up with 144 iterations of what seismic change could be. But it’s all based on speculation. So it’s really not a fruitful exercise to go through. My job is to keep everyone grounded and to improve the conference and insulate it from changing.”

Marinatto> "we've got our head buried in the sand hoping expansion is only a figment of our imagination"

Marinatto> "We will do everything it takes to keep this hybrid behemoth intact"

Unless he is spinning more than a ceiling fan in the summer time...thats pretty much what I got out of that. "So it’s really not a fruitful exercise to go through."

So putting your efforts towards a TV network with 8 team allsports that barely is hanging on to the rest of them is more fruitful to extend your resources.....wow, I truly hope that is what you call "commissioner speak"

The Big East is much better off negotiating to place its games on existing networks than trying to build a new network. Bottom line is that the northeast is super saturated with regional sports networks, and most of its schools are in pro markets.

The ACC and P10, on the other hand, are well positioned to launch networks, if they choose, because they operate in more college focused markets, even LA, which loves its college football.

I've posted elsewhere that I believe ESPN wants to cut back on its commitment to ACC football. I believe, though, that they are pleased with their current menu of games from the BE, B12 and P10 and will pay reasonable dollars to keep them.

A TV network would require more football schools. Demand for channels like the one being proposed and ESPNU etc mostly come from football fans. Right now most of our football games are ties to the ESPN networks with very few games for a BE network to pick up...unless of course we did what the MWC did and walk away from ESPN completly


Jackson

(03-10-2010 11:43 AM)orangefan Wrote:  The Big East is much better off negotiating to place its games on existing networks than trying to build a new network. Bottom line is that the northeast is super saturated with regional sports networks, and most of its schools are in pro markets.

The ACC and P10, on the other hand, are well positioned to launch networks, if they choose, because they operate in more college focused markets, even LA, which loves its college football.

I've posted elsewhere that I believe ESPN wants to cut back on its commitment to ACC football. I believe, though, that they are pleased with their current menu of games from the BE, B12 and P10 and will pay reasonable dollars to keep them.

this is your personal belief-The Big East professional analysts may not come to the same conclusion.

(03-10-2010 11:45 AM)Jackson1011 Wrote:  A TV network would require more football schools. Demand for channels like the one being proposed and ESPNU etc mostly come from football fans. Right now most of our football games are ties to the ESPN networks with very few games for a BE network to pick up...unless of course we did what the MWC did and walk away from ESPN completly


Jackson

Couldn't and wouldn't want to walk away from the major networks.

Right now the Big Ten puts one or two games on the BTN during football season most weeks. With the limited exposure the Big East has seen recently on tv this would be possible with this 8 team league right now without adding anyone. All Big East games are not getting on a national broadcast by any means-I know I've missed alot of games I would have liked to see because they weren't on in my area anywhere. A big benefit is you can put games on on Saturday afternoon and evening again. This also might give the networks more incentive to not relegate the Big East to Wednesday and Friday nights only-especally for the major Big East games.

On the other hand, having revenue generation to improve the income by millions (even $10million plus) wouldn't hurt in trying to lure some BCS programs who thought the money was greener on the other side (see B.C., Maryland whose A.C.C. contract may not bring them so much more in the near future).

(03-10-2010 11:52 AM)buckaineer Wrote:  

(03-10-2010 11:45 AM)Jackson1011 Wrote:  A TV network would require more football schools. Demand for channels like the one being proposed and ESPNU etc mostly come from football fans. Right now most of our football games are ties to the ESPN networks with very few games for a BE network to pick up...unless of course we did what the MWC did and walk away from ESPN completly


Jackson

Couldn't and wouldn't want to walk away from the major networks.

Right now the Big Ten puts one or two games on the BTN during football season most weeks. With the limited exposure the Big East has seen recently on tv this would be possible with this 8 team league right now without adding anyone. All Big East games are not getting on a national broadcast by any means-I know I've missed alot of games I would have liked to see because they weren't on in my area anywhere. A big benefit is you can put games on on Saturday afternoon and evening again. This also might give the networks more incentive to not relegate the Big East to Wednesday and Friday nights only-especally for the major Big East games.

On the other hand, having revenue generation to improve the income by millions (even $10million plus) wouldn't hurt in trying to lure some BCS programs who thought the money was greener on the other side (see B.C., Maryland whose A.C.C. contract may not bring them so much more in the near future).

Exactly - people need to understand what the Big Ten did. If you look at what happened, the Big Ten actually has more games on ABC and ESPN than ever before. The conference increased its coverage on the national networks for its marquee games. The difference is those 2nd and 3rd tier games - instead of having those sold through syndication via ESPN Plus, the Big Ten made a bet that those games were valuable enough to take in-house for its own network. That bet paid off, but please note that it wasn't easy. It takes a lot of coordination, capital expenditures and the right partner to get it off the ground. The BTN had a built-in advantage where it's 49% owned by Fox, which had a controlling interest in DirecTV at the time. That immediately put BTN on basic national carriage on satellite, which provided an immediate influx of cash in the short-term and was big-time leverage against Comcast and other cable operators in terms of negotiations in the long-term.

So, it's not just a matter of starting up the network on your own. There needs to be a mix of games on national platforms like ESPN (because even the Big Ten understands that you just don't give that up for your brand). If you really want to start a network, then you also really need a major cable operator or satellite company to partner up with to give you immediate distribution at some level. Otherwise, you're going in blind and taking 100% of the risk (instead of half of the risk, which is what the Big Ten did).

Is it just me or do you guys feel our BE front office is not tackling the right animal here, and are putting the cart before the horse here. Why bother with the TV Network if we are about to be dismantled. The only reason a conference network should be developed is if some big timers are interested in coming on board...and not just one big timer in ND...it would require at least 2 in ND/PSU, and then a collection of 8-10 others. I don't see ND and PSU realistically coming on board with the BE, so WTF is our front office doing to head off the near future plucking of our conference.

4 step process here:
1. Split

2. Stabilize the conference with more teams

3. TV contract with existing/new program lineup

4. After TV contract is setup...then quietly look into an internal TV Network.

To be fair, the BE DID explore the option of creating their own network during the last round of negotations:

From the Sports Business Weekly (via a blog)

Big East picks ESPN over starting own network

While the Big East was negotiating its latest television deal with ESPN over the past several months, it seriously considered launching its own TV network, following the recent example of the Big Ten and Mountain West conferences.

But the BigEast eventually decided too many risks were associated with setting up its own regional sports network and opted to go the safer route to guaranteeing wider distribution for its programming for a rights fee that's said to be close to $200 million over the six-year deal.

"I want our fan base to see our games," Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese saidlast week when announcing the conference's deal to stay with ESPN, with whom it has had a relationship since 1979.

The BigEast's announcement came just three days before the launch of the nation's first college conference RSN, Mountain West's The mtn., and illustrated the thought process every conference will go through as their current TV deals expire.

Essentially, conferences have two choices. They can launch their own network and control their programming and ad inventory, similar to the Big Ten and Mountain West. Or, they can cut a wide-ranging, multiplatforrn rights deal with an established programmer, such as ESPN or Fox Sports.

The Big 12 is the ncixt major conference to face the choice. Its ABC/ESPN deal expires in the spring of 2008.

The SEC's current deal with CBS, ESPN and Lincoln Financial ends in the spring of 2009, and the conference is exploring the possibility of an SEC TV channel, said Charles Bloom, the conference's associate commissioner.

"But it's not a slam dunk," Bloom said. "We're not going to jeopardize what we have already ...We're very happy with what we have now. We're asking ourselves how we can add to it and how we can make it better."

To launch the Big Ten Channel next August, the Big Ten is partnering with Fox, which will pick up the startup costs. The conference and Fox will form a limited liability company that will pay the conference an annual rights fee.

Due in part to the growing number of cable and broadband channels, schools and conferences are less concerned about their high-visibility football and basketball programming and focused more on finding a home for Olympic sports, such as volleyball, field hockey and soccer.

"One of the growing trends is developing added exposure for J Olympic sports," said Brian Ullmann, assistant athletic director for the University of Maryland.
The Big Ten'slaunch will provideahome for those non-revenue-generating sports. The conference still will get distribution for its bigger games through a 10-year, $100 million deal with ABC/ESPN.

It also will be able to retain control over when its teams play their games and which sports to promote. Its investment will grow wildly if the channel gains enough distribution.

Distribution, though, is the biggest risk conferences face in launching their own channel. The mtn., for example, has been receiving negative local press detailing its problems in trying to launch in several of its conference's markets, particularly on systems run by Cox Communications, which is taking a hard line with the RSN
and refusing to pay its carriage fee.

"We don't feel a need to compete [with satellite and telephone companies] on video content as much as we did before," said Bob Wilson, Cox's senior vice president of programming, citing the fact that video brings in "well under" 50 percent of Cox's revenue. "That allows us to not have to accept all deals and offers that come our way"

The Big East decided that ESPN could provide adequate coverage via its broadcast, cable, broadband and mobile platforms while also affording it a steady rights fee.
Also contributing to the Big East's decision to extend with ESPN was the sports network's broadcast syndication arm, which sells games to over-the-air stations in conference markets.

"We're getting into all of the cable entities that we would have wanted to get into with our own channel," Tranghese said.

(03-10-2010 12:15 PM)dgrace4cards Wrote:  Is it just me or do you guys feel our BE front office is not tackling the right animal here, and are putting the cart before the horse here. Why bother with the TV Network if we are about to be dismantled. The only reason a conference network should be developed is if some big timers are interested in coming on board...and not just one big timer in ND...it would require at least 2 in ND/PSU, and then a collection of 8-10 others. I don't see ND and PSU realistically coming on board with the BE, so WTF is our front office doing to head off the near future plucking of our conference.

4 step process here:
1. Split

2. Stabilize the conference with more teams

3. TV contract with existing/new program lineup

4. After TV contract is setup...then quietly look into an internal TV Network.

Splitting may not be advisable if BE members are serious about starting a TV network. Actually, starting a TV network would be a strategy for holding the conference together. The basketball league is built around tv markets but the football league is a hodgepodge.

New York is by far the most important market to the BE and is a college hoops town but not a significant college football town. If you want to sell a Big East Network into a market that already has 4 RSNs, you will need all of the brand and schools that the current BE can bring.

To solidify in the key market of Philadelphia, I would also move Temple to the top of the expansion/replacement list, and/or bring it back immediately as a football member.

UCF would also move up the expansion/replacement list to solidify the BE's ability to lock down Tampa-Orlando cable systems.

ECU and Memphis would suffer as potential candidates due to small markets and lack of connection to existing markets.

I would be curious to know how successful the Mountain has been at cracking the DFW market before speculating about TCU.

The MTN is not available on cable in Dallas/Ft. Worth. TCU & San Diego State are the only two MWC schools that don't have the MTN in their home markets.

(03-10-2010 12:56 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  The MTN is not available on cable in Dallas/Ft. Worth. TCU & San Diego State are the only two MWC schools that don't have the MTN in their home markets.

That's a valuable tidbit that I honestly didn't know. I knew the mtn had trouble getting itself picked up early on but didn't realize that was still continuing.

(03-10-2010 12:56 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  The MTN is not available on cable in Dallas/Ft. Worth. TCU & San Diego State are the only two MWC schools that don't have the MTN in their home markets.

The two largest populations in the conference.

(03-10-2010 12:50 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(03-10-2010 12:15 PM)dgrace4cards Wrote:  Is it just me or do you guys feel our BE front office is not tackling the right animal here, and are putting the cart before the horse here. Why bother with the TV Network if we are about to be dismantled. The only reason a conference network should be developed is if some big timers are interested in coming on board...and not just one big timer in ND...it would require at least 2 in ND/PSU, and then a collection of 8-10 others. I don't see ND and PSU realistically coming on board with the BE, so WTF is our front office doing to head off the near future plucking of our conference.

4 step process here:
1. Split

2. Stabilize the conference with more teams

3. TV contract with existing/new program lineup

4. After TV contract is setup...then quietly look into an internal TV Network.

Splitting may not be advisable if BE members are serious about starting a TV network. Actually, starting a TV network would be a strategy for holding the conference together. The basketball league is built around tv markets but the football league is a hodgepodge.

New York is by far the most important market to the BE and is a college hoops town but not a significant college football town. If you want to sell a Big East Network into a market that already has 4 RSNs, you will need all of the brand and schools that the current BE can bring.

NYC doens't watch college football as it is for BE, so why try and start a network there until interest is there?

To solidify in the key market of Philadelphia, I would also move Temple to the top of the expansion/replacement list, and/or bring it back immediately as a football member.

UCF would also move up the expansion/replacement list to solidify the BE's ability to lock down Tampa-Orlando cable systems.

ECU and Memphis would suffer as potential candidates due to small markets and lack of connection to existing markets.

Sounds like you are saying we need to expand to solidify the TV NEtwork...same as what I am saying

I would be curious to know how successful the Mountain has been at cracking the DFW market before speculating about TCU.

The hybrid is holding the conference down because you can't add any more all sports programs sitting at 16 bball teams....you have to eliminate a few or all to add any all sports programs.