RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
It was a really informative interview. IMO, Magnus is all-in with the SEC and was defensive about the ACC. He went out of his way to state that they could put SEC games on all three ABC Saturday time-slots (so the SEC could have comparable OTA exposure as the B1G). Protecting the SEC deal was the underlying reason to not overpay for B1G content.
He also mentioned that ESPN took a massive financial risk with the ACCN, justifying the long GOR. Yet ESPN already had an impressively successful launch of the SECN (and they didn’t require the GOR). In addition, I’d argue that the BTN was the real risky venture, undertaken by the B1G and Fox.
Only an unlikely event (Wash/Ore/Stanford/Cal or ND) forces ESPN to renegotiate rates. More likely, there will be a bunch of incremental changes (more rivalry games, 9-game conference schedule, growth in basketball or lax or women’s sports). Phillips main job is to claw-back some value while creating ESPN’s commercial content. Bottom-line, ESPN is counting on a long-term relationship with all ACC members.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 11:03 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:
(08-25-2022 10:36 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-25-2022 09:32 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:
(08-25-2022 07:01 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: It's amazing how many non-ACCers hope/believe the ACC is going to die.
It isn't.
Its been that way since before The Big East imploded.
It got old a decade ago but they still drone on…
Besides former Big East schools, fans of most Big XII schools not named Texas or OU, as well South Carolina fans seem to relish in this idea (most other outsider fans couldn't care less if the ACC lives or dies).
You guys are sensitive to it because it is your conference; but by and large there are a lot of people who want every conference but the one they follow to die. They believe someone else's misfortune is their school's gain. I'm a Cincinnati alum-- I've witnessed a ton of people that want Cincinnati to die, they wanted the original CUSA to die, they wanted the Big East to die, they wanted the AAC to die and now they want the BXII to die. If in 10 years Cincinnati is attached to another conference (as the current trend dictates) there will be scores of people calling for that conference's death too.
I don't think anyone here wants Cincinnati to die, as long as we're not forced to each your chili-on-spaghetti stuff.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 12:51 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-25-2022 11:03 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:
(08-25-2022 10:36 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-25-2022 09:32 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:
(08-25-2022 07:01 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: It's amazing how many non-ACCers hope/believe the ACC is going to die.
It isn't.
Its been that way since before The Big East imploded.
It got old a decade ago but they still drone on…
Besides former Big East schools, fans of most Big XII schools not named Texas or OU, as well South Carolina fans seem to relish in this idea (most other outsider fans couldn't care less if the ACC lives or dies).
You guys are sensitive to it because it is your conference; but by and large there are a lot of people who want every conference but the one they follow to die. They believe someone else's misfortune is their school's gain. I'm a Cincinnati alum-- I've witnessed a ton of people that want Cincinnati to die, they wanted the original CUSA to die, they wanted the Big East to die, they wanted the AAC to die and now they want the BXII to die. If in 10 years Cincinnati is attached to another conference (as the current trend dictates) there will be scores of people calling for that conference's death too.
I don't think anyone here wants Cincinnati to die, as long as we're not forced to each your chili-on-spaghetti stuff.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 01:38 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote: Uh huh. And Swofford said exposure was a major point of partnering with ESPN, and we know how that "exposure" has worked out.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 02:00 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-25-2022 01:38 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote: Uh huh. And Swofford said exposure was a major point of partnering with ESPN, and we know how that "exposure" has worked out.
In short - ESPN is so heavily invested in the ACC, quote per Magnus they have "every incentive" to help with ACC revenue.
It's all but guaranteed IMO the ACC and ESPN are going to have new terms to their current deal probably by increasing the number of ACC league games in football and/or basketball.
That looks like one of several options they are looking at.
Thanks for posting this. Burke Magnus' words are more relevant to the actual situation that the last 200 realignment threads on these boards. Worth a listen. Talk specific to the ACC's deal starts around minute 49.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 08:28 AM)ren.hoek Wrote:
(08-25-2022 06:40 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-25-2022 06:29 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote: Yeah, I wouldn't put too much faith in ESPN coming to your rescue.
Whatever they end up doing, it will be the absolute minimum that they can get away with. Mess with them and they'll Big East you.
I tend to agree with you based on their track record. However, there is a few reasons to think things may be different this time:
1. They just lost the Big Ten, and even if they're able to get a slice in the future, it's clear that the B1G no longer cares whether they're on ESPN or not - it's just about the money. Which means it will be expensive. Corollary: ESPN now has reason to fear losing ACC teams to the Big Ten.
2. They are at extreme risk of losing Notre Dame. The Irish are not joining the ACC nor even the SEC in full. That means the only way to keep a piece of ND is to keep the current arrangement going - but that requires a vibrant, competitive ACC. ESPN surely realizes there is some amount of financial gap that makes it impossible for ACC football to compete - and for Notre Dame to justify the 5-game scheduling agreement (they won't play a bunch of scrubs).
3. The ACC Network has become a big money-maker for Disney (to the tune of several hundred million dollars per year). If ACC sports (mainly football and men's basketball) don't remain competitive, people won't watch.
Does any of that mean ESPN will give the ACC an extra $50M per school ($710M per year)? Nope - but they know they don't have to. An extra $10M per school would go a long way ($142M per year).
Will it happen? IDK, but I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss it, either.
These 3 factors are VERY compelling reasons why ESPN wants the ACC to survive and thrive. ND joining the B1G would mean that ESPN loses all of ND's rights forever. They really, really, really don't want that.
The other most intriguing comment was that ESPN thinks about rivalries much more than markets. I couldn't help but think about adding just WVU - the Backyard Brawl, the Black Diamond Trophy are two great biproducts of a WVU addition from ESPN's perspective. Heck WVU's recruiting would probably get a boost by playing more local teams. WVU might even be a ratings multiplier for games with Syracuse and BC given the Big East history. 15 in FB, 16 in other sports is a pretty good number.
That was one of the most intriguing and clearly the addition of significant rivalries is the strongest argument for adding WVU that has yet been made.
For example, the Sept 1st revival of the Backyard Brawl, which College Game Day will be hosting, has completely sold out including standing room only tickets that were going for $125 and sold in minutes. The lowest priced single seat nosebleed ticket on Stubhub is currently going for $144. So there is truth to the interest in rivalry games bringing interest and eyeballs.
Also interesting that he believes the ACC is operating from a position of relative strength. Clearly believes the ACCN will become more valuable and there is more money to be made by maximizing the value of assets.
(This post was last modified: 08-25-2022 02:47 PM by CrazyPaco.)
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-25-2022 12:19 PM)esayem Wrote: Cincinnati has a rivalry with Louisville. The game with Pitt never took off according to many people on this forum back in the day.
Maybe I shouldn’t have used “potential”. WVU has established rivalries with Pitt, VT, Syracuse, an ancient one with UVa, and a 90’s clash with Miami.
No other school out there has the history that WVU has with the rest of the conference.
Don't forget WVU and UL became very heated at times. Many of their fans still talk about that.
Louisville and Cincinnati were always great games outside of the smackdown 77-7 Louisville put on them after They came out and stomped on the Cardinal logo. They returned the favor several years later. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Keg_of_Nails
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
Yeah, that was an interesting/entertaining pod given the times we're in for sure. They spent a good bit of time unpacking why/why not ESPN and B10 are not together anymore, also spent a good bit of time how they're going to wrap their arms around the SEC even more with time slots, especially primetime spots. With the ACC, I heard looking into different ways to expose revenue, but not necessarily adding more investment $ to the conference just yet....More about trying to lift up the ACCN and then also monitoring the division-less format in games scheduling, and what kind of ratings they pull in...I suspect those 2 areas will be the main focus next 2-3 years before adding $ to the conference. In the meantime they're going to really pour themselves into the SEC more, also get B12 and Pac deals done first.
Hopefully with the division-less set up they give us some favorable time slots to try to get maximum ratings...and not just try to hype the ACC premiere games as noon on ESPN and 3:30/7pm on the other family of channels. We do have to do our part and win the OOC games...thats on us the next few years as a conference...and frankly we need to cheer each other on and show it as fans....thats part of the participation tv is looking for...If FSU beats LSU, conference wide cheerleading should commence.
Also with basketball they may look to make sure all of tv ratings drivers play each other 2x...We're kind of 1 foot/1 foot out with that right now with scheduling. He mentioned Duke, UNC, Cuse, Ville as schools to headline as many times as possible.
Mentioned that non rev sports do well too, I think we may see some more experimentation with getting non rev sports in more ideal time slots/channels to see if they get ratings.
I just didn't hear an urgency to sit down and redo the deal or touch the GOR yet.
Also, UL and WVU certainly developed into a good rivalry those few years together, and my 2 cents, UC/UL in basketball had a decent rivalry, but it wasn't anything like UL/Memphis State
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2022 08:30 AM by dgrace4cards.)
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
WVU would fit and should be in the ACC already if not for certain schools putting academic snobbery ahead of athletic financial success.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
Yeah, if WVU and Cincy were in the ACC, we could have 3 geographical/rivalry groups that could probably make some good noise with inventory of games... UL, UC, WVU, Pitt, VTech, Cuse would make for a good group of committed athletics and fanbases then move down to the Carolinas and down south for another group of familiar foes
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 07:03 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
WVU would fit and should be in the ACC already if not for certain schools putting academic snobbery ahead of athletic financial success.
That's an old wives' tale.
Carolina pushed for WVU and your Gobblers at the formation of the conference.
Then the ACC went into no expansion mode (GT was a replacement) until the Florida State experiment. Which of course was hard fought by the old guard because it was a "football move".
Then ESPN pushed markets on us, hence Miami, Boston, and New York, but of course you know the story about Virginia politics.
WVU wasn't available when we sought a replacement for Maryland.
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2022 08:44 AM by esayem.)
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
WVU has Pitt and VT on the schedule this season. Let's see how those ratings do and maybe ESPN opens up the coffers to bring the 'eers and a large new market like Houston aboard.
I don't think the Pac schools are going to jump into a GOR because the P1G is stringing them along. Maybe we cut a deal to bolster the ACCN with their markets though. We are in fact, the only two "alliance" members that aren't backstabbers.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
Actually the trio of WVU, Cincinnati and Memphis would drive up must see rating games with the ACC. I remember the national telecasts of Louisville, Memphis as well as Cincinnati and Louisville when Huggins was there, now at WVU.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
We actually got along pretty well, fans traveled to each others stadiums and arenas.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 08:44 AM)esayem Wrote:
(08-26-2022 07:03 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
WVU would fit and should be in the ACC already if not for certain schools putting academic snobbery ahead of athletic financial success.
That's an old wives' tale.
Carolina pushed for WVU and your Gobblers at the formation of the conference.
Then the ACC went into no expansion mode (GT was a replacement) until the Florida State experiment. Which of course was hard fought by the old guard because it was a "football move".
Then ESPN pushed markets on us, hence Miami, Boston, and New York, but of course you know the story about Virginia politics.
WVU wasn't available when we sought a replacement for Maryland.
RE: ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
(08-26-2022 08:49 AM)esayem Wrote:
(08-26-2022 06:54 AM)GoWulfPak Wrote: The only team the ACC could possibly add to increase rivalries is WVU. Of course I'm referring to just those that are realistic options.
Nobody in the ACC has any good/bad feelings towards Cincy except maybe Lville. Maybe?
WVU has a heated past with Pitt, VT and Cuse for sure and to a lesser extent Miami and Lville.
WVU has Pitt and VT on the schedule this season. Let's see how those ratings do and maybe ESPN opens up the coffers to bring the 'eers and a large new market like Houston aboard.
I don't think the Pac schools are going to jump into a GOR because the P1G is stringing them along. Maybe we cut a deal to bolster the ACCN with their markets though. We are in fact, the only two "alliance" members that aren't backstabbers.
/
ESPN with "every incentive" to help ACC Financials.
