Hey MAC fans. How are all you feeling about your media deal with ESPN selling some inventory to CBSSN? At the beginning of the year the MAC was guaranteed 3 CBSSN games with an option of 11 flexed between ESPN2/U/CBSSN. So far 3 more games got optioned to CBSSN for a total of 6 (at least that I could find info for). When games get flexed to CBSSN does the conference/teams get extra money? Have you found that having games on multiple outlets more frustrating as fans? Upsides? Downsides?

(11-18-2021 11:06 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  Hey MAC fans. How are all you feeling about your media deal with ESPN selling some inventory to CBSSN? At the beginning of the year the MAC was guaranteed 3 CBSSN games with an option of 11 flexed between ESPN2/U/CBSSN. So far 3 more games got optioned to CBSSN for a total of 6 (at least that I could find info for). When games get flexed to CBSSN does the conference/teams get extra money? Have you found that having games on multiple outlets more frustrating as fans? Upsides? Downsides?

Me and everyone i know have CBSSN so its a non issue. Youtubetv, hulutv, Directtv etc.
ESPN+ for weekday games is the struggle. The MAC will have 3 or 4 total of these this season... ESPN needs to do a better job of predicting matchups and not lining up games with NBA or Playoff selection shows, then bumping the worst matchup. Flex 2 games between 2 ane U... not U and + and News and CBSSN and

I like the CBSSN games. I can't recall if NIU has had one this season but watching the other MAC games their broadcast teams do a much better job of talking about the teams, understanding history and context of the conference, etc.

The ESPN produced games just seem to be a way for ESPN to talk about the Big Ten, SEC, and other upcoming P5 Saturday games rather than talking about the MAC teams playing that night. The ESPN halftime shows suck too. They maybe talk about the MAC teams playing for 30 seconds then go on to talk about other games for the entire halftime show. It's rather annoying.

How long as the MAC had games flexed to CBSSN? Was it apart of some old media deal that will be expiring soon? If it is apart of an older media deal, do you think it would be worked into future deals? Seems ESPN wants more and more content for ESPN+ so it was surprising to me to find out that MAC had CBSSN games.

(11-18-2021 11:38 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  How long as the MAC had games flexed to CBSSN? Was it apart of some old media deal that will be expiring soon? If it is apart of an older media deal, do you think it would be worked into future deals? Seems ESPN wants more and more content for ESPN+ so it was surprising to me to find out that MAC had CBSSN games.

I think the CBSSN games started in 2018 or 2019 season. I'm hopeful that their inventory increases. Disappointing to see Toledo vs Ohio game on Tuesday and next week's Buffalo vs Ball State game being relegated to ESPN+ when those games could have been played on Saturdays instead.

NIU used to have many games on Comcast SportsNet Chicago (channel no longer exists and was replaced with NBC Sports Chicago) during the mid-2000s. I think other MAC games used to play on Fox SportsNet in the early 2000s as well.

This is the preseason announced TV games for the MAC:

CBS Sports: 3
ESPNU: 1
Flex - ESPN2/U: 7
Flex - ESPN2/U/CBSSports: 9
Flex - ESPNU/ESPN+ 2
Flex - ESPNU/CBSSports: 2

So it seems that only a couple of games are flexible between actual TV and ESPN+ but I definitely would have been peeved about those midweek + games.

(11-18-2021 11:59 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  This is the preseason announced TV games for the MAC:

CBS Sports: 3
ESPNU: 1
Flex - ESPN2/U: 7
Flex - ESPN2/U/CBSSports: 9
Flex - ESPNU/ESPN+ 2
Flex - ESPNU/CBSSports: 2

So it seems that only a couple of games are flexible between actual TV and ESPN+ but I definitely would have been peeved about those midweek + games.

Sounds right.

In the past, too many (my opinion and that of others) got flexed to ESPN+. But now a game or two because of access issues (as college hoops ramps up) is understandable.

It seems to be where CBS sports has contracts to do MBB and also has contracts/options to pick up some games which ESPN has rights the conflict arises.

Quite frankly having the 'worst' MAC game on ESPN+ doesn't bother me.

(11-18-2021 11:06 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  Hey MAC fans. How are all you feeling about your media deal with ESPN selling some inventory to CBSSN? At the beginning of the year the MAC was guaranteed 3 CBSSN games with an option of 11 flexed between ESPN2/U/CBSSN. So far 3 more games got optioned to CBSSN for a total of 6 (at least that I could find info for). When games get flexed to CBSSN does the conference/teams get extra money? Have you found that having games on multiple outlets more frustrating as fans? Upsides? Downsides?

CBS Sports Network seems like a more visible platform than ESPN+ or ESPN3, so I'm okay with it. Glad there is a market for some of these games. I also thought Jason Horowitz and Ross Tucker did a good job with the Bowling Green-Toledo game. (Tucker was cracking me up. He reminded me a little of Jim Brandstatter, the long-time Detroit Lions color commentator.)

It would be nice if ESPN was licensing more games to over-the-air television. I seem to remember there were a few years there when over-the-air stations were picking up ESPN-produced MAC games during the 12 to 3:30 p.m. window. But that doesn't seem to be a thing now, and maybe that's a 20th century way of looking at it.

(11-18-2021 11:34 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  I like the CBSSN games. I can't recall if NIU has had one this season but watching the other MAC games their broadcast teams do a much better job of talking about the teams, understanding history and context of the conference, etc.

The ESPN produced games just seem to be a way for ESPN to talk about the Big Ten, SEC, and other upcoming P5 Saturday games rather than talking about the MAC teams playing that night. The ESPN halftime shows suck too. They maybe talk about the MAC teams playing for 30 seconds then go on to talk about other games for the entire halftime show. It's rather annoying.

I agree 1000% with this statement. I actually wish all of Kent's games were on CBSSN. The amount of respect that they actually give to each game is night and day to what ESPN gives our conference. You can tell that the announcers do real research about both teams and are fairly knowledgeable about what is happening within the conference. I would say that 90% of the broadcast is focused on the MAC, 5% top 25, 5% promotion of future games.

The ESPN deal the SoCon was able to sign gave them the ability to sell to local OTA stations and a group of 10 stations picked up a GOTW to air regionally OTA.

(11-18-2021 11:06 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  Hey MAC fans. How are all you feeling about your media deal with ESPN selling some inventory to CBSSN? At the beginning of the year the MAC was guaranteed 3 CBSSN games with an option of 11 flexed between ESPN2/U/CBSSN. So far 3 more games got optioned to CBSSN for a total of 6 (at least that I could find info for). When games get flexed to CBSSN does the conference/teams get extra money? Have you found that having games on multiple outlets more frustrating as fans? Upsides? Downsides?

I'd imagine the MAC giving ESPN the ability to sell games to CBSSN gave the MAC more money in their contract, but I don't believe the MAC directly gets paid by CBS when a game gets flexed.

I personally like the CBSSN games for both football and basketball.

Honestly, the quality of the CBSSN games has been higher than those on ESPN

The CBSSN games started in 2015 or so when the current deal was signed with ESPN. We actually didn't sign a deal with them, we signed a deal with ESPN to allow them the option to sell some our games off to other networks like FSN and CBSSN and we encouraged them to do so as it is better exposure then just ESPN+ or ESPN3. The original deal was for 3 years with CBSSN and then extended again for 3 more years. I believe next season is the last of the 3-year extension, so hoping to extend that again. Also our current deal with ESPN is up in 4 years and we renegotiated early last time so we might be in works to extend with them as well. I was hoping that WKU, MTSU, and an extension from ESPN was all tied together.

(11-18-2021 07:41 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  The CBSSN games started in 2015 or so when the current deal was signed with ESPN. We actually didn't sign a deal with them, we signed a deal with ESPN to allow them the option to sell some our games off to other networks like FSN and CBSSN and we encouraged them to do so as it is better exposure then just ESPN+ or ESPN3. The original deal was for 3 years with CBSSN and then extended again for 3 more years. I believe next season is the last of the 3-year extension, so hoping to extend that again. Also our current deal with ESPN is up in 4 years and we renegotiated early last time so we might be in works to extend with them as well. I was hoping that WKU, MTSU, and an extension from ESPN was all tied together.

Thank you!




Also, seems every one enjoys the CBSSN product. Would you rather see more games sold to CBSSN next deal or be guaranteed more ESPN2/U games? CBSSN doesn't submit to Nielsen ratings, does that affect any opinion about having games on it?

Thank you!


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I found more:

MAC Broadcast Schedule

NOTE: This list includes telecasts that fall under the TV contracts for the conference. Any road non-conference games fall under the home team's telecast rights.

The MAC has a national cable contract with ESPN Networks. The contract runs through the 2026-27 athletic year. ESPN's contract includes the ability to sublicense games and guaranteed coverage for all MAC games.

The previous contract allowed for at least six regular season games will air on ESPN or ESPN2, plus a minimum of five games on ESPNU. ESPN3 and ESPN+ will be used for any game not distributed on some form of national or regional television. ESPN is working with the schools to self-produce ESPN3 content, providing them with production equipment.

An agreement to sublicense games to CBS Sports Network from ESPN has been extended through the 2022-23 athletic year after the original agreement expired after the 2018-19 athletic year.

Source: Northern Illinois, MAC (contract extension), MAC (CBSSN sublicense extension)

https://mattsarzsports.com/Contract/GameList/MAC/2021

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