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Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
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sportsfan Offline
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Post: #1
Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Interesting read online right now.
Probably in tomorrow's paper. All about the contract no one
Is able to see, cost of ESPN3 production for schools and payout by ESPN.
Good read.
03-19-2015 08:28 PM
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Stay Cool Offline
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Link?
03-19-2015 08:36 PM
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huskiebob Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Can't link to the article because I had to log in to read it.

The secrecy and complete lack of transparency in this deal is beyond bizarre. Excerpt from the article:

Quote:The MAC schools' reluctance to reveal the costs is consistent with the opaqueness that has marked the deal from the outset. None of the schools said it has a copy of the contract, and the MAC declined to release it.

Emails released by some schools indicate that the contract was finalized after the parties reached a memorandum of understanding, but the schools said they didn't have that, either.

A University of Toledo offical said the document "was distributed and reviewed during (a) meeting but participants did not keep copies of the record when leaving the meeting."

MAC official Ken Mather in January alerted schools of Tribune inquiries about the deal, suggesting they defer questions to the MAC. In the email, he reminded them of conference policy prohibiting financial disclosure and urged them to "limit your comments in general discussion toward the additional exposure this deal and specifically the campus productions will provide your athletic department and various programs."
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2015 09:23 PM by huskiebob.)
03-19-2015 09:19 PM
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huskie1stdown Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Always something fish with this deal. Commissioner did this all on his own?
03-19-2015 09:25 PM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #5
Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Well, for basketball, the inclusion of ESPN3 does provide additional exposure. It was terrific that our men's and women's BB games were on ESPN3, and NIU's campus productions were excellent. I have to give kudos where kudos are due. Before this deal, our basketball games were invisible.

However, the contract sucks for football. We didn't have to change the BB dates and times to accommodate ESPN. Plus, the contract strangles the MAC football teams with regard to television rights. Games that should have been on local TV were relegated to ESPN3. Exposure is really limited to November. For football, the contract stinks, and I'm sure it is not a money maker.
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2015 09:45 PM by Dog Fan.)
03-19-2015 09:40 PM
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MaddDawgz02 Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
There is 1 argument I can think of for a MAC member institution to want to leave the conference for a lateral type conference like the MWC or AAC, and that is the horrific short-sighted leadership that has plagued the MAC for the past decade.
03-19-2015 11:09 PM
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RedShark27 Offline
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Post: #7
Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-19-2015 11:09 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  There is 1 argument I can think of for a MAC member institution to want to leave the conference for a lateral type conference like the MWC or AAC, and that is the horrific short-sighted leadership that has plagued the MAC for the past decade.

Only a decade??? Try many decades.


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03-20-2015 12:40 AM
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$NIU$ Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Just type in "MAC schools, ESPN say" in Google search to see article.
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2015 06:27 AM by $NIU$.)
03-20-2015 05:34 AM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.
03-20-2015 07:48 AM
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HuskieJohn Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!
03-20-2015 08:14 AM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 08:14 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!

Who said it was positive?
03-20-2015 08:26 AM
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huskiebob Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 08:26 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:14 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!

Who said it was positive?

There's no way the story can be described as positive. There are two questions a neutral reader of the Trib is going to have after reading the article. 1) Are college sports getting too much in subsidies from student fees? 2) Why all the secrecy with the ESPN/MAC deal?
03-20-2015 09:25 AM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 09:25 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:26 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:14 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!

Who said it was positive?

There's no way the story can be described as positive. There are two questions a neutral reader of the Trib is going to have after reading the article. 1) Are college sports getting too much in subsidies from student fees? 2) Why all the secrecy with the ESPN/MAC deal?

Exactly. I thought the story was fair and well-written.

The contract goes through 2026 (unless updated for the benefit of ESPN once again), so we'd better get used to it. There are so many positives to this deal for MAC sports outside of football. But the blatant secrecy puts a cloud over everything. The general undertone of the article is that the contract is costing or will ultimately cost MAC schools to set up ESPN3 productions. Costs of facilities, equipment, and announcing/production staff are not fully disclosed. A school with no equipment and facilities can expect to pay around $1 million to get set up. The MAC is trying to keep everything quiet, and they are protected from FOIA. The schools are not protected, but the MAC carefully orchestrated the whole thing to circumvent FOIA.

I think (and the article mentions) that this is a great thing for the schools in terms of exposure to fans, alumni, and parents of the athletes. All can now watch the games. Sitting at a women's game earlier this year, I commented to my wife that now the parents of the players from out of state can watch the games from the comfort of their living room - or anywhere. Sports that were never or rarely on TV, such as gymnastics and wresting, are now getting national exposure. I had the pleasure of watching a gymnastics meet from the Convo a couple months ago. I never would have seen it otherwise (unless I actually attended). Plus, costs aside, the ESPN3 productions at the campuses are giving valuable video and video production training to students and exposure to staff. So many positives here.

We all know about the huge issues and problems with the football part of the ESPN contract. And because the contract is secret, we don't know if there will be more midweek night games in the future. Could we see more in November and even October? Will that result in a loss of fans in the stands and season ticketholders? Could that be why season ticketholders are now being asked to sign a three-year commitment? Just curious. No one knows for sure except the MAC and its member teams. How sad, and it's a terrible way to treat loyal fans who pump their spirit, loyalty, and cash into the conference.
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2015 10:44 AM by Dog Fan.)
03-20-2015 10:04 AM
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MaddDawgz02 Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 10:04 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 09:25 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:26 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:14 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!

Who said it was positive?

There's no way the story can be described as positive. There are two questions a neutral reader of the Trib is going to have after reading the article. 1) Are college sports getting too much in subsidies from student fees? 2) Why all the secrecy with the ESPN/MAC deal?

Exactly. I thought then story was fair and well-written.

The contract goes through 2026 (unless updated for the benefit of ESPN once again), so we'd better get used to it. There are so many positives to this deal for MAC sports outside of football. But the blatant secrecy puts a cloud over everything. The general undertone of the article is that the contract is costing or will ultimately cost MAC schools to set up ESPN3 productions. Costs of facilities, equipment, and announcing/production staff are not fully disclosed. A school with no equipment and facilities can expect to pay around $1 million to get set up. The MAC is trying to keep everything quiet, and they are protected from FOIA. The schools are not protected, but the MAC carefully orchestrated the whole thing to circumvent FOIA.

I think (and the article mentions) that this is a great thing for the schools in terms of exposure to fans, alumni, and parents of the athletes. All can now watch the games. Sitting at a women's game earlier this year, I commented to my wife that now the parents of the players from out of state can watch the games from the comfort of their living room - or anywhere. Sports that were never or rarely on TV, such as gymnastics and wresting - are now getting national exposure. I had the pleasure of watching a gymnastics meet from the Convo a couple months ago. I never would have seen it otherwise (unless I actually attended). Plus, costs aside, the ESPN3 productions at the campuses are giving valuable video and video production training to students and exposure to staff. So many positives here.

We all know the about the huge issues and problems with the football part of the ESPN contract. And because the contract is secret, we don't know if there will be more midweek night games in the future. Could we see more in November and even October? Will that result in a loss of fans in the stands and season ticketholders? Could that be why season ticketholders are now being asked to sign a three-year commitment? Just curious. No one knows for sure except the MAC and its member teams. How sad, and it's a terrible way to treat loyal fans who pump their spirit, loyalty, and cash into the conference.

The way the MAC predictably bends over when any sign of a dollar (or a quarter is flashed) makes me respect prostitutes more than the MAC front office. There is absolutely no vision, and in part, the individual member institutions have kept things afloat. And when I say individual member institutions, I mean the actual staff directly related to the sports programs themselves, not university AD's or Presidents who seemingly offer no resistance to this prostitutorial path the MAC has chosen.
03-20-2015 10:12 AM
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chihuskie Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 10:04 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 09:25 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:26 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 08:14 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(03-20-2015 07:48 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The story is on page 1 of today's Chicago Tribune. There are pictures of NIU producing a basketball game.

04-jawdrop I dont believe it...a positive story about NIU on page 1...01-wingedeagle what are they thinking!

Who said it was positive?

There's no way the story can be described as positive. There are two questions a neutral reader of the Trib is going to have after reading the article. 1) Are college sports getting too much in subsidies from student fees? 2) Why all the secrecy with the ESPN/MAC deal?

Exactly. I thought the story was fair and well-written.

The contract goes through 2026 (unless updated for the benefit of ESPN once again), so we'd better get used to it. There are so many positives to this deal for MAC sports outside of football. But the blatant secrecy puts a cloud over everything. The general undertone of the article is that the contract is costing or will ultimately cost MAC schools to set up ESPN3 productions. Costs of facilities, equipment, and announcing/production staff are not fully disclosed. A school with no equipment and facilities can expect to pay around $1 million to get set up. The MAC is trying to keep everything quiet, and they are protected from FOIA. The schools are not protected, but the MAC carefully orchestrated the whole thing to circumvent FOIA.

I think (and the article mentions) that this is a great thing for the schools in terms of exposure to fans, alumni, and parents of the athletes. All can now watch the games. Sitting at a women's game earlier this year, I commented to my wife that now the parents of the players from out of state can watch the games from the comfort of their living room - or anywhere. Sports that were never or rarely on TV, such as gymnastics and wresting, are now getting national exposure. I had the pleasure of watching a gymnastics meet from the Convo a couple months ago. I never would have seen it otherwise (unless I actually attended). Plus, costs aside, the ESPN3 productions at the campuses are giving valuable video and video production training to students and exposure to staff. So many positives here.

We all know about the huge issues and problems with the football part of the ESPN contract. And because the contract is secret, we don't know if there will be more midweek night games in the future. Could we see more in November and even October? Will that result in a loss of fans in the stands and season ticketholders? Could that be why season ticketholders are now being asked to sign a three-year commitment? Just curious. No one knows for sure except the MAC and its member teams. How sad, and it's a terrible way to treat loyal fans who pump their spirit, loyalty, and cash into the conference.

1) If it's bad for football (and it is), it is bad. Period. Football is the engine that powers the boat (unless you are at WMU and your boat has oars);
2) NIU and other member institutions could produce their own webcast without benefit of ESPN3. So as afar as the "benefit" to other sports, is it really significant?

Without seeing and digging in to the contract, it is difficult to say whether there is enough hidden good to compensate for the bad. Although the MAC may not be subject to FOIA requests, the state universities are, and if they have "no relevant or responsive documents" to a FOIA request on the subject of the ESPN contract, then that would be a dereliction of duty on the part of whomever signed on to that agreement. And if such is the case, perhaps NIU should make attempts to renegotiate and/or get out of the agreement. Sticky/ tricky situation folks.
03-20-2015 05:36 PM
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uiniu57 Offline
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-20-2015 05:36 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  Without seeing and digging into the contract, it is difficult to say whether there is enough hidden good to compensate for the bad. Although the MAC may not be subject to FOIA requests, the state universities are, and if they have "no relevant or responsive documents" to a FOIA request on the subject of the ESPN contract, then that would be a dereliction of duty on the part of whomever signed on to that agreement. And if such is the case, perhaps NIU should make attempts to renegotiate and/or get out of the agreement. Sticky/ tricky situation folks.

Can you imagine any other type of contract involving that kind of money (say building a new residence hall or tearing down an old one, purchasing new vehicles, computers, etc.) where a university president could sign something and not be allowed to keep a copy?
If the benefits are that great, why the secrecy?
03-20-2015 10:52 PM
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HuskieTap22 Offline
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
Interesting read on Cleveland State / Horizon League and the impact of COA. Talks about how the MAC's decision on these matters will have a domino effect on them. Also found this quote to be interesting which may shed more light on why details on the MAC / ESPN deal have been so quiet.

“We have TV revenue. Everybody has TV revenue,” the Horizon commissioner said. “The question is is it self-supported? We will spend more money on the production and distribution of all of our products together than we receive in rights fees.”

For some MAC schools it would seem the new tv deal could actually cost some schools more than they get back after you factor in prodcutions and equipment costs. Add in the COA and there are two big cash outflows on the table. I think so far NIU is the only MAC school to issue an official statement supporting full COA. I know others have said they are studying it but the MAC at this point doesn't require schools to fully support it.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/2...ce-measure
03-24-2015 12:02 PM
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-24-2015 12:02 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  I know others have said they are studying it but the MAC at this point doesn't require schools to fully support it.

Are you sure? Are the various MAC presidents sure? It might have been in the fine print of that paperwork they signed and had to hand back to the MAC. Just being sarcastic.
03-24-2015 12:37 PM
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
03-27-2015 02:55 PM
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RE: Trib Story on MAC ESPN Deal
(03-27-2015 02:55 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watch...tml#page=1

The production guys do one hell of a job. The productions are seamless and superb.
03-27-2015 03:02 PM
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