JMU (And Richmond) fan here. Curious about the details of the MAC TV deal outside of it going through 2016-2017 currently. I have read various threads where discussions of the deal being renegotiated have been mentioned. Is this a built in look in process to the contract or is the MAC just actively looking to change the deal? I assume this hasn't happened - and if not, any idea what the goals are?

Seems like any chance of expansion in future years would have to be tied at least partially to TV benefits. Since there is a 12 team cap on playoff payouts for the group of five conferences, there has to be a valid reason to have more teams. Especially if they deregulate the championship games.

I think JMU is an attractive candidate and the MAC/CUSA likes them. Just wondering what variables are out there that could help change things and get them over the hump in future years.

There were vague indications in the beginning of the 2013/14 season that the MAC would have something to announce on the TV front, but that may well have been the ESPN repackaging of its existing digital distribution into conference specific channels.

I'm sure they are in periodic discussions, since there is less uncertainty for ESPN if a deal is signed before the current contract goes out onto the open market, and those discussions could possibly be the source of some of the speculations about what a MAC deal may be worth, but I haven't heard any indications since then. It will be interesting to hear if anyone has.

Given the substantial coverage of the current MAC footprint that a joint Time Warner Cable / Comcast cable system would have, it wouldn't be surprising if negotiations went onto the back burner until it became clear whether the proposed merger would clear the anti-trust hurdle.