Thoughts on different networks
1. ESPN, the Mothership. Between the ACC and SEC total packages plus a hefty slice of Big 10, PAC and Big 12, plus lower-tier leagues desperate to get on ESPN-U, I think ESPN replaces their 90 Big East games pretty comfortably.
Is that still true after the SEC Network launches, in partnership with ESPN, and if the digital ACC Network (powered by ESPN) start up and transfer the lower-level SEC and ACC games to their platforms?
2. CBS Over The Air. Historic Big East partner, but going forward, this isn't that Big East. Syracuse-UConn, Notre Dame-Louisville and Pitt-West Virginia don't live here anymore. They might sublicense a game or two, but won't be a big factor in our strategy.
3. Fox Networks. Already active with RSNs and with college football OTA and on FX, FoxSports1 launches in 2014. According to media reports, the leading bidder at $3M per team.
FoxSports1 figures to have MLB, Pac-12 and Big 12 sports, UFC, European soccer, maybe NASCAR, so not a bad "neighborhood" to be in.
I figure that, since Fox has a finger in both pies, national cable and regional sports networks, they're buying the whole package, planning to put tier one/two games on FoxSports1 and tier three games on local RSNs, plus having them available across the country as out-of-market filler.
4. NBC Sports Net. Lotta talk, lotta big talk about how Comcast's billion-dollar wallet is just about lay the smack down on ESPN. So far, they haven't really showed anyone the money, so I think they stay a very low-level player in the game. The network for conferences and sports without good options.
NBC Comcast also owns a lot of RSNs, but I don't see that as making them a good partner for C-7 basketball--exposure on a "real" national channel is primary, dollars are secondary, and ability to syndicate nationally is probably not on the list.
5. Turner Sports. Logically, they're a good fit for the Big East--it's national cable, every college basketball fan knows where to find TBS and TNT, they have announcers and crews sitting around twiddling their thumbs during the regular season. I'm not sure how interested they are--does the C-7 League by itself justify bumping those expensive Law and Order reruns? They were probably more interested before the split.
(This post was last modified: 12-29-2012 10:44 AM by johnbragg.)
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