Thought I'd pass this along, more details of CUSA's ASN.


"These are games you typically would see on ESPN2, ESPN3 and Fox Sports," said David Amy, Sinclair's EVP and co-COO.

Sinclair currently is negotiating distribution contracts with 11 companies encompassing 15 million viewers. [my note: negotiating? if Sinclair owns these stations why negotiate? is this negotiation with 11 companies "in addition" to Sinclair's to add an "extra" 15 million??]

On another initiative near and dear to Sinclair — ATSC 3.0 —

Sinclair in May launched ONE Media LLC, a joint venture between Sinclair and Coherent Logix, to create a next-generation platform that would to enable broadcasters to be competitive on all platforms."

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78248...ws-atsc-30

ONE Media will create an Open Network Enabled broadcast/broadband converged Media platform which extends 3GPP LTE standards to accommodate existing high power/tall tower broadcast infrastructure and business models, and eliminate the technical limitations of a conventional mobile TV standard to penetrate mobile devices.

http://www.coherentlogix.com/one-media-l...-platform/


So it sounds like at a minimum ASN will be 15 million and growing (hey, the PAC 12 Network only has 11 million subscribers right now). ASN at 15 million is larger than CSS at 6 million was.

The coolest thing is the ONE Media initiative Sinclair is doing to allow existing OTA TV Broadcast towers to also transmit to mobile devices so ASN will have its own "WatchASN" or "ASN2Go" type app.

Says in the article that OTA broadcaster doing well and its one local TV news show gets better ratings than CNN, CNBC, and another "combined"

This is a great idea for CUSA to backfill the SEC OTA slots.

Thanks for the Info MOY

Very happy that CUSA is going to be a part of this. A lot of people give Banowsky a hard time but he really has done a great job adding the schools he did and getting additional exposure deals like this one. See you guys in Oxford in a few weeks.

(08-08-2014 08:30 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  Thought I'd pass this along, more details of CUSA's ASN.


"These are games you typically would see on ESPN2, ESPN3 and Fox Sports," said David Amy, Sinclair's EVP and co-COO.

Sinclair currently is negotiating distribution contracts with 11 companies encompassing 15 million viewers. [my note: negotiating? if Sinclair owns these stations why negotiate? is this negotiation with 11 companies "in addition" to Sinclair's to add an "extra" 15 million??]

On another initiative near and dear to Sinclair — ATSC 3.0 —

Sinclair in May launched ONE Media LLC, a joint venture between Sinclair and Coherent Logix, to create a next-generation platform that would to enable broadcasters to be competitive on all platforms."

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78248...ws-atsc-30

ONE Media will create an Open Network Enabled broadcast/broadband converged Media platform which extends 3GPP LTE standards to accommodate existing high power/tall tower broadcast infrastructure and business models, and eliminate the technical limitations of a conventional mobile TV standard to penetrate mobile devices.

http://www.coherentlogix.com/one-media-l...-platform/


So it sounds like at a minimum ASN will be 15 million and growing (hey, the PAC 12 Network only has 11 million subscribers right now). ASN at 15 million is larger than CSS at 6 million was.

The coolest thing is the ONE Media initiative Sinclair is doing to allow existing OTA TV Broadcast towers to also transmit to mobile devices so ASN will have its own "WatchASN" or "ASN2Go" type app.

Says in the article that OTA broadcaster doing well and its one local TV news show gets better ratings than CNN, CNBC, and another "combined"

This is a great idea for CUSA to backfill the SEC OTA slots.

"[my note: negotiating? if Sinclair owns these stations why negotiate? is this negotiation with 11 companies "in addition" to Sinclair's to add an "extra" 15 million??]"

This is a shot in the dark, but some big companies, like Exxon, make their branches competitively bid for intra-company transfers/sales. In other words, Branch A of Exxon doesn't always get Branch B's business. However, due to similar cultures, relationships, and systems (i.e. software), they win a disproportionate share of the time. That *could* be happening here.

Like I said, that's a shot in the dark. If anyone knows for sure, speak up.

"hey, the PAC 12 Network only has 11 million subscribers right now"

Although this is a legitimate point, it can be misleading. Viewers is only one part of the puzzle, albeit an important one.

Probably just markets with OTA stations. This is not a TV "channel." This is a network cobbled together of OTA stations.

I said this on the CUSA Board, I'll repeat it here...

Sinclair owns a lot of stations, but they are all network affiliated... The NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates have weekday evening and SATURDAY afternoon network programming - plus stations also sign local deals and local management isn't going to give up contracts that are usually pure profit and help the stations meet Sinclair's target revenue for the station.

There is plenty of negotiations to be made, even within one company because each station is different, Sinclair is not a network, its a media OPERATING company. You can guarantee that ABC (ESPN), NBC, CBS, and FOX won't let their network affiliated programming be bumped for competition or allow similar programming around its own -- it is possible they may have tape delay space late and likely have more CW or MY Network TV station freedoms, but that is a limited number of their stations.

(08-09-2014 12:08 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I said this on the CUSA Board, I'll repeat it here...

Sinclair owns a lot of stations, but they are all network affiliated... The NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates have weekday evening and SATURDAY afternoon network programming - plus stations also sign local deals and local management isn't going to give up contracts that are usually pure profit and help the stations meet Sinclair's target revenue for the station.

There is plenty of negotiations to be made, even within one company because each station is different, Sinclair is not a network, its a media OPERATING company. You can guarantee that ABC (ESPN), NBC, CBS, and FOX won't let their network affiliated programming be bumped for competition or allow similar programming around its own -- it is possible they may have tape delay space late and likely have more CW or MY Network TV station freedoms, but that is a limited number of their stations.

unless I'm remembering the press release incorrectly, cw and my network tv is the biggest chunk of their properties.

I'll also repeat what I said to your post on the CUSA board. They'll put the games with better competition on digital sub channels.

(08-09-2014 12:08 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I said this on the CUSA Board, I'll repeat it here...

Sinclair owns a lot of stations, but they are all network affiliated... The NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates have weekday evening and SATURDAY afternoon network programming - plus stations also sign local deals and local management isn't going to give up contracts that are usually pure profit and help the stations meet Sinclair's target revenue for the station.

There is plenty of negotiations to be made, even within one company because each station is different, Sinclair is not a network, its a media OPERATING company. You can guarantee that ABC (ESPN), NBC, CBS, and FOX won't let their network affiliated programming be bumped for competition or allow similar programming around its own -- it is possible they may have tape delay space late and likely have more CW or MY Network TV station freedoms, but that is a limited number of their stations.

But if Sinclair owns these stations, even if CW doesn't want them messing with their affiliate programming, Sinclair can put it on a sub-channel which is easy and costs nothing. In fact they could become a 24/7 Network on dedicated channels if they choose just by creating a sub-channel at each station they own. I think they'd be smart to do just that and to also simulcast on the main CW or ABC main channel whenever possible.

Wait, I am sorry if this has been brought up before, but I am confused. CUSA's network is called the American Sports Network?

SO what is The American's (AAC) network called? Why not call this the CUSA network to avoid confusion?

(08-09-2014 07:21 AM)goofus Wrote:  Wait, I am sorry if this has been brought up before, but I am confused. CUSA's network is called the American Sports Network?

SO what is The American's (AAC) network called? Why not call this the CUSA network to avoid confusion?

It's not CUSA's own network, it is a network recently created by Sinclair Broadcasting group that signed up CUSA for 30 football games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sports_Network

.

(08-09-2014 07:47 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 07:21 AM)goofus Wrote:  Wait, I am sorry if this has been brought up before, but I am confused. CUSA's network is called the American Sports Network?

SO what is The American's (AAC) network called? Why not call this the CUSA network to avoid confusion?

It's not CUSA's own network, it is a network recently created by Sinclair Broadcasting group that signed up CUSA for 30 football games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sports_Network

.

Oh ok. But don't you think that might cause confusion? If someone was advertising, hey, come watch SBC games on the Mid American Sports
Network, wouldn't you be like, hey why are Sunbelt games on the MAC network?

(08-09-2014 08:16 AM)goofus Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 07:47 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 07:21 AM)goofus Wrote:  Wait, I am sorry if this has been brought up before, but I am confused. CUSA's network is called the American Sports Network?

SO what is The American's (AAC) network called? Why not call this the CUSA network to avoid confusion?

It's not CUSA's own network, it is a network recently created by Sinclair Broadcasting group that signed up CUSA for 30 football games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sports_Network

.

Oh ok. But don't you think that might cause confusion? If someone was advertising, hey, come watch SBC games on the Mid American Sports
Network, wouldn't you be like, hey why are Sunbelt games on the MAC network?

I agree. It is a little odd. Watching Conference USA on the American Sports Network sounds logical. Maybe the AAC shouldn't have picked a name so closely related to C-USA's.

Does the AAC have a network? Sinclair American Network is similar to the Raycom Network. Remember is it not just CUSA only, there are other conferences. Sinclair’s broadcast television stations, and has entered into comprehensive sports rights agreements with a number of distinguished NCAA Division I conferences including Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South Conference, Southern Conference, and Patriot League. CUSA is the only FBS conference, the rest are FCS.

I'm not sure why anyone thinks the viewing habits of people with cable/sat are any diffferent than free over the air.

Pulling ratings will still be the problem.

(08-09-2014 08:54 AM)Topkat Wrote:  I'm not sure why anyone thinks the viewing habits of people with cable/sat are any diffferent than free over the air.

Pulling ratings will still be the problem.

Because the people who only have OTA only get about 10 channels to watch and not a whole lot of sports. If 30 million households only have 10 options, then the ratings will be fine.

Its the cable channels competing with 40 other football games and 200 other channels that get the bad ratings.

Sinclair earnings report said their local OTA channels are pulling in better TV ratings then several other name-brand cable channels combined.

(08-09-2014 09:07 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 08:54 AM)Topkat Wrote:  I'm not sure why anyone thinks the viewing habits of people with cable/sat are any diffferent than free over the air.

Pulling ratings will still be the problem.

Because the people who only have OTA only get about 10 channels to watch and not a whole lot of sports. If 30 million households only have 10 options, then the ratings will be fine.

Its the cable channels competing with 40 other football games and 200 other channels that get the bad ratings.

Sinclair earnings report said their local OTA channels are pulling in better TV ratings then several other name-brand cable channels combined.

I'd have to read their earnings report... later. You have to be careful comparing "local" ratings to national ratings (I've only seen national ratings for cable channels), though I'm sure people in the TV industry get both. The detail is in how CEO's parse their words.

The vast majority of hard core sports viewers are not dropping cable/sat (post a link if you have other info). It's the "casual and below" sports viewer tired of sports influence on cable/sat rates.

If your logic was true, the games you are talking about should outdraw the "several other name-brand cable channel combined" now. People watching those channels would not be watching any of the other "40" football games on at competing time slots.

In any event, the ratings problem is the thorn for all the non-P5.

... [Channel 8] has a higher number of people watching it than CNN, CNBC and Headline News combined," said David Smith, president-CEO of Sinclair, during this morning's conference call on second-quarter financial results. "I really look forward to taking on Fox News Channel and MSNBC"

Smith said then he envisioned creating "a unique hybrid model that focuses not only on national and international news, which traditionally has lower ratings than local news, but also provides a unique, customized local presence in our markets and the markets of other broadcasters with which we may partner in the future."

Sinclair is doing something similar on the sports side with its recent launch of American Sports Network. ASN has signed contracts with a number of second-tier NCAA Division 1 conferences, including Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South Conference, Southern Conference and Patriot League.

"These are games you typically would see on ESPN2, ESPN3 and Fox Sports," said David Amy, Sinclair's EVP and co-COO.

Sinclair feels that they are beating the cable networks in the news segment and that they can do the same in the sports segment at the local level. But that "local" level will be local times 100 stations across the country.

In news they are beating CNN, CNBC, Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC with local channel 8 as an example they cited. They liken ESPN2, FS1 as the equivalent to Fox News, CNN on the sports side and that the American Sports Network will beat them in local ratings too. I think he is right.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78248...ws-atsc-30

Whats even more intriguing is Sinclair's plan to convert their broadcast towers to broadcast 3G data so that cell phones can pick up these transmissions at no extra cost or having to sign-on with some stupid cable company. Would not count against cell company data plans either as it comes from the local TV company and not Verizon or ATT etc.

(08-09-2014 10:03 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  ... [Channel 8] has a higher number of people watching it than CNN, CNBC and Headline News combined," said David Smith, president-CEO of Sinclair, during this morning's conference call on second-quarter financial results. "I really look forward to taking on Fox News Channel and MSNBC"

Smith said then he envisioned creating "a unique hybrid model that focuses not only on national and international news, which traditionally has lower ratings than local news, but also provides a unique, customized local presence in our markets and the markets of other broadcasters with which we may partner in the future."

Sinclair is doing something similar on the sports side with its recent launch of American Sports Network. ASN has signed contracts with a number of second-tier NCAA Division 1 conferences, including Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South Conference, Southern Conference and Patriot League.

"These are games you typically would see on ESPN2, ESPN3 and Fox Sports," said David Amy, Sinclair's EVP and co-COO.

Sinclair feels that they are beating the cable networks in the news segment and that they can do the same in the sports segment at the local level. But that "local" level will be local times 100 stations across the country.

In news they are beating CNN, CNBC, Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC with local channel 8 as an example they cited. They liken ESPN2, FS1 as the equivalent to Fox News, CNN on the sports side and that the American Sports Network will beat them in local ratings too. I think he is right.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78248...ws-atsc-30

Whats even more intriguing is Sinclair's plan to convert their broadcast towers to broadcast 3G data so that cell phones can pick up these transmissions at no extra cost or having to sign-on with some stupid cable company. Would not count against cell company data plans either as it comes from the local TV company and not Verizon or ATT etc.

"With the Allbritton closing in the rear-view mirror, Sinclair Broadcast Group is eager to enter the cable news fray with NewsChannel 8, the Washington, D.C., 24-hour cable network that was a central reason Sinclair purchased Allbritton. Here's a local cable news channel that's been in business for 20 years or so, with no capital behind it — they didn't really need it — that does better than those other networks combined."

This quote from the article says Channel 8 is a 'local" cable channel that they just purchased.

From reading this, I would guess he is comparing ratings in the "local" area only, not national... so I would ask him to clarify. I don't think people in the Washington area would help with ratings for CUSA, etc.

I'd also be interested in if its an NBC, ABC or CBS affiliate. Sinclair owns a lot of those and would explain a lot about the local news ratings in their own areas.

This channel 8 appears to be a cable channel. I assume those cable systems in the Wash area also carry espn, fox sports, etc. Is Sinclair taking it off cable to over the air?

(08-09-2014 08:44 AM)msm96wolf Wrote:  Does the AAC have a network? Sinclair American Network is similar to the Raycom Network. Remember is it not just CUSA only, there are other conferences. Sinclair’s broadcast television stations, and has entered into comprehensive sports rights agreements with a number of distinguished NCAA Division I conferences including Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South Conference, Southern Conference, and Patriot League. CUSA is the only FBS conference, the rest are FCS.

The American's "network" is called ESPN 2, ESPNU, and ESPNews...

(08-09-2014 08:16 AM)goofus Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 07:47 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(08-09-2014 07:21 AM)goofus Wrote:  Wait, I am sorry if this has been brought up before, but I am confused. CUSA's network is called the American Sports Network?

SO what is The American's (AAC) network called? Why not call this the CUSA network to avoid confusion?

It's not CUSA's own network, it is a network recently created by Sinclair Broadcasting group that signed up CUSA for 30 football games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sports_Network

.

Oh ok. But don't you think that might cause confusion? If someone was advertising, hey, come watch SBC games on the Mid American Sports
Network, wouldn't you be like, hey why are Sunbelt games on the MAC network?

Not confusing at all. It is sports network that will encompass America with the many conferences already signed up. It may end up coast to coast eventually if they can get a bunch of stations signed on in the Western US.

Sinclair's stations are local affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CW, and MY Network TV... So of course they get ratings... the question is what type of ratings do their NON-NETWORK programming get.

Sinclair's American Sports Network is nothing more than producing the games and offering the broadcasts LIVE or TAPE DELAYED the company's television properties. Remember, network programming will not be bumped for the ASN sports offerings.