Gotta say it was a good move for the AAC going with ESPN!
http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releas...audiences/
Quote:Regular Season: Extensive Schedule Reaches Millions & Audience Growth across ESPN, ESPN2 & ESPNU
ESPN’s industry-leading coverage of the 2013 season reached 189,000,000 viewers for game telecasts across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS. The television networks’ extensive game schedule averaged 1,865,000 viewers for 257 regular-season games.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU – which each televised more games in 2013 than 2012 – posted audience increases over last season.
•ESPN averaged 2,644,000 viewers, an increase of 3 percent over last season (vs. 2,564,000)
•ESPN2 averaged 1,108,000 viewers, an 8 percent increase (vs. 1,024,000)
•ESPNU averaged 400,000 viewers, an increase of 4 percent (385,000)
For the season, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN3 covered 367 regular-season Football Bowl Subdivision games exclusively – 274 more than every other national network combined (CBS, FOX, FS1, NBC, NBC Sports Network and CBS Sports Network) – involving teams from all 10 conferences, plus independents Notre Dame, BYU, Navy and Army.
In addition to television, WatchESPN/ESPN3’s regular-season games averaged 705,556,000 total live minutes viewed for an increase of 44 percent over 2012. The average live game on the platforms experienced 32,000 live unique viewers (a 20 percent increase), 1,200,000 live minutes viewed (31 percent growth) and 33 minutes per viewer (6 percent increase). In an average Saturday, ESPN.com had 3,700,000 video starts
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-espn-d...ZJUDMwNF8x
excerpt:
Quote:The cable networks group produces its own programs or acquires rights from third parties to air programs on its networks. Disney also has interests in joint ventures that operate cable and broadcast programming services and are accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
How is revenue generated?
Cable networks derive a majority of their revenues from fees charged to multi-channel video programming distributors (MVPDs) for the right to deliver their programming to their customers and, for certain networks (primarily ESPN and ABC Family), advertising. Generally, the company’s cable networks operate under multi-year agreements with MVPDs that include contractually determined fees. The amounts that it can charge to MVPDs for its cable network services largely depend on the competitive market and the quality and quantity of programming it can provide. The ability to sell time for commercial announcements and the rates received primarily depend on the size and nature of the audience that the network can deliver to the advertiser as well as overall advertiser demand. The company also sells programming developed by its cable networks worldwide in pay and syndication television markets, in DVD and Blu-ray format, and online. Significant operating expenses include programming and production costs, technical support costs, distribution costs, and operating labor.
Advertising revenues at the Media Networks segment are subject to seasonal advertising patterns and changes in viewership levels. Revenues are typically somewhat higher during the fall and somewhat lower during the summer months. Affiliate revenues are typically collected ratably throughout the year. Certain affiliate revenues at ESPN are deferred until annual programming commitments are met. These commitments are typically satisfied during the second half of Disney’s fiscal year, which generally results in higher revenue recognition during this period.
Fiscal 2013 performance
Cable Networks revenue increased 6%, to $14.45 billion, due to growth at ESPN, the domestic Disney Channels, and A&E Television Networks (AETN). Growth at ESPN was due to increased affiliate and advertising revenues, partially offset by increased programming and production costs. The increase in programming and production costs was due to contractual rate increases for college sports, NFL, MLB, and NBA rights, production costs for new X Games events, and the addition of new college football rights.
Domestic Disney Channels’ growth was due to higher affiliate revenues from contractual rate increases, partially offset by higher programming costs driven by more episodes of original programming. Higher equity income from AETN reflected advertising and affiliate revenue growth, along with the benefit of the increase in the company’s ownership interest from 42% to 50%.
However, the cable networks segment saw operating income decline by $95 million in 4Q 2013, as ESPN had $172 million less in deferred affiliate fee revenues, which were recognized earlier in the year. Disney said that without the change in deferred affiliate revenue at ESPN, operating income would have increased $77 million with affiliate fee increases at both ESPN and Disney Channel and higher ad revenue at ESPN.
Disney launched a WatchESPN app in 2011 that allows fans to watch ESPN online, on the go, from their tablets and mobile devices, and through Xbox. Disney has carriage deals with most major pay-TV operators for distributing this app, and it expects to generate ad revenue from its mobile apps such as Watch ESPN and Watch Disney in the near future.
The basketball coverage of the AAC so far has been very good.
If we get similar exposure for football as we are getting for basketball I'll be very happy
Saw an AAC basketball game on CBS-Sports the other night. It appears even the games being sublicensed will look good and have solid production values. Im anxious to see how football is handled next year. If we get an exposure level similar to basketball (which is what is supposed to happen), that's going to be very impressive and quite attractive to recruits.
(01-10-2014 07:52 PM)Cubanbull Wrote: [ -> ]If we get similar exposure for football as we are getting for basketball I'll be very happy
That will be tough Cuban...Memphis vs UC or UCONN vs Temple are games that will draw some eyes in hoops across the nation, especially if one or both teams are ranked.
The same combination for football matchups don't really have that kind of pop unfortunately.
(01-10-2014 08:23 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-10-2014 07:52 PM)Cubanbull Wrote: [ -> ]If we get similar exposure for football as we are getting for basketball I'll be very happy
That will be tough Cuban...Memphis vs UC or UCONN vs Temple are games that will draw some eyes in hoops across the nation, especially if one or both teams are ranked.
The same combination for football matchups don't really have that kind of pop unfortunately.
One thing I like about ESPN is that I rarely miss a moment of action. Be it football or basketball, if the game prior to ours goes into overtime, ESPN will move my game onto one of their other channels a few clicks away. If my game goes into overtime, they don't cut it off.
The other networks just can't do that.
Also, if there is an exciting game in the last few minutes, they can cut away to it if they have the time or can make the time.
Bottom line that 3/4 of the conference can agree with, is that ANYTHING is better than C-USA's TV situation. And I mean anything. I know we're not "technically" in the conference yet, but dear jesus C-USA's TV deals are horrible.
(01-10-2014 08:02 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: [ -> ]Saw an AAC basketball game on CBS-Sports the other night. It appears even the games being sublicensed will look good and have solid production values. Im anxious to see how football is handled next year. If we get an exposure level similar to basketball (which is what is supposed to happen), that's going to be very impressive and quite attractive to recruits.
Why would it be better next year?
Why would it be better next year?
[/quote]
Because this past football season was still on the old Big East and ESPN contract. While as next year it will be with the new AAC and ESPN tv contract which was suppose to have better exposure and more games on ESPN networks than the old one.
FS1 doesn't draw the eyeballs. The two most watched games on FS1 involving C-USA teams (347K viewers) were ECU-Va.Tech and Ok.St vs. UTSA. The bulk of CUSA v CUSA games drew like Sun Belt or MAC on ESPNU or worse.
It's actually exceeded my expectations a bit, and at the time I was pretty positive on the decision (if not the money, but that ship was already an alligator den at the bottom of the Hudson River). Being the black sheep of the Biggest Bad's family is better than being in its way.
And yeah, C-USA's TV has been utterly miserable for a while now.
(01-12-2014 10:36 PM)Psicosis Wrote: [ -> ]It's actually exceeded my expectations a bit, and at the time I was pretty positive on the decision (if not the money, but that ship was already an alligator den at the bottom of the Hudson River). Being the black sheep of the Biggest Bad's family is better than being in its way.
And yeah, C-USA's TV has been utterly miserable for a while now.
I looked all weekend for a CUSA game on TV and could not find one. I saw 3 AAC games just on Saturday on ESPN. Despite my hatred for ESPN and their prick broadcasters, it's the best deal going for exposure.
The basketball TV coverage for UC has been a huge step up compared to the old Big East deal. No more ESPN3 conference games, no more Big East game of the week in SD, and goodbye second tier status.
CBSSN needs to stream every game because their game almost always run late; however, I watched Louisville-SMU and Xavier-Creighton yesterday and thought both broadcast were fine. Its nice to have ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, CBSSN, and Fox1 all showing high major college basketball just about every day during the week. Add in CBS on weekends, NBCSN, regional sports networks like Fox Sports Ohio and conference networks has allowed me to watch just about every college basketball game that matters.
Sticking with ESPN was ABSOLUTELY the right choice. A lot of people on this board got their panties in a wad because the money sucks, but in reality if you aren't getting BCS money its all peanuts anyhow. Another 1 or 2 million isn't a game changer, its only a pride thing.
Having every conference game televised is HUGE, and its also best to be on the dominant network.
![[Image: ca91c995375ccb08ff408aadf6142f2e.jpg]](http://1.media.collegehumor.cvcdn.com/24/68/ca91c995375ccb08ff408aadf6142f2e.jpg)
