(01-24-2022 07:21 PM)LUbball23 Wrote:  Our ESPN deal runs through 2025. I know we have a great relationship with ESPN. Maybe once we officially join, CUSA can be a part of it. As some said, a short term deal.

Our deal, guarantees one game on one of their main channels and a week day game, if one is scheduled.

(01-24-2022 06:27 PM)All4One Wrote:  

(01-24-2022 04:19 PM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  

(01-24-2022 10:02 AM)whupemall Wrote:  As a JSU fan, I'm obviously new to the drama between ESPN and CUSA, but I definitely understand how the mouse could hold a grudge.

That said, what do you think the odds are that CUSA signs a short-term deal with ESPN?

Understand, I'm not expecting a huge multi-zillion dollar deal putting multiple games on the big network on a weekly basis. I'm just talking about a low-end primarily ESPN3 deal on par with (or only slightly better than) what FCS leagues like the OVC and ASUN have.

The conference would have two goals with this deal: 1) mend the old rift between the league and the mouse... and 2) use this deal as a stepping stone to a better deal once this one expires. (That second goal would of course depend on the teams and fan bases holding up their end of the bargain.)

I'm just having a hard time understanding how signing an equally crappy deal with a less accessible platform would be any better.

the issue is that even if ESPN didn't have a grudge, they have few open slots that aren't currently in their other properties. You'd basically have to agree to all midweek games all year.

IMO CUSA best move is to go all in on CBS sports/Paramount + deal since you already have the relationship. Maybe you could even get a CBS showing occasionally since they are losing the SEC. Paramount + would be a relative easy sell to fans since they get access to other nice content (i love this about ESPN+ and the espn/hulu/disney+ bundle). I think its imperative CUSA gets under 1 banner, whether its ESPN or CBS or some other service

Like the Suck Belt? #FunBelt midweek games.

(01-25-2022 11:36 AM)chidave Wrote:  Wasn't it Fox that wanted mid-week games to be part of the deal? I could be wrong but that's in my head for some reason. It could be a nice fit for FS1.

(01-24-2022 11:08 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  UNFORTUNATELY, basketball seems to pull very little weight. It is hard for me to identify with this reality but that is the fact.

(01-25-2022 11:36 AM)chidave Wrote:  Wasn't it Fox that wanted mid-week games to be part of the deal? I could be wrong but that's in my head for some reason. It could be a nice fit for FS1.

(01-25-2022 12:13 PM)inutech Wrote:  It's a really hard choice.

Everyone (nationally) loves MACtion and it's certainly increased the buzz around some of those schools from time to time (and the conference as a whole). Same for SB. But (especially) with the MAC, it hasn't seemed to have translated into anything tangible. Which may be fine. Maybe it's worth it just for marketing and recruiting (both football players and just regular students). Who knows?

But it's awful for the local fans. Or the ones that aren't local but might be able to drive in for a weekend but can't on a weeknight. And of course the more G5 games get shunted off to Thursdays and Fridays the more diluted the eyeballs and the twitter buzz will be (not to mention the NFL having more Thursday night presence). So the return for the trade-off is weakened.

But if that's what the media partners insist on, you're kind of stuck (or you end up with a crappy deal like current CUSA with mostly Saturday games but they move around all the time, hard to find, very little payout, and still have the normal G5 problem of getting over-shadowed by the big P5 games happening the same time).

It's a rock and a hard place situation to be in. I'm not sure there is one right approach.

(01-25-2022 12:16 PM)FrankyP Wrote:  

(01-25-2022 12:13 PM)inutech Wrote:  It's a really hard choice.

Everyone (nationally) loves MACtion and it's certainly increased the buzz around some of those schools from time to time (and the conference as a whole). Same for SB. But (especially) with the MAC, it hasn't seemed to have translated into anything tangible. Which may be fine. Maybe it's worth it just for marketing and recruiting (both football players and just regular students). Who knows?

But it's awful for the local fans. Or the ones that aren't local but might be able to drive in for a weekend but can't on a weeknight. And of course the more G5 games get shunted off to Thursdays and Fridays the more diluted the eyeballs and the twitter buzz will be (not to mention the NFL having more Thursday night presence). So the return for the trade-off is weakened.

But if that's what the media partners insist on, you're kind of stuck (or you end up with a crappy deal like current CUSA with mostly Saturday games but they move around all the time, hard to find, very little payout, and still have the normal G5 problem of getting over-shadowed by the big P5 games happening the same time).

It's a rock and a hard place situation to be in. I'm not sure there is one right approach.

Spot on. Except I kind of disagree with your last statement. I tend to think of it as a choice of the lesser of 2 evils. And it’s pretty clear that of the two of those choices more national exposure will help more. At least in the short-run.

(01-25-2022 12:13 PM)inutech Wrote:  It's a really hard choice.

Everyone (nationally) loves MACtion and it's certainly increased the buzz around some of those schools from time to time (and the conference as a whole). Same for SB. But (especially) with the MAC, it hasn't seemed to have translated into anything tangible. Which may be fine. Maybe it's worth it just for marketing and recruiting (both football players and just regular students). Who knows?

But it's awful for the local fans. Or the ones that aren't local but might be able to drive in for a weekend but can't on a weeknight. And of course the more G5 games get shunted off to Thursdays and Fridays the more diluted the eyeballs and the twitter buzz will be (not to mention the NFL having more Thursday night presence). So the return for the trade-off is weakened.

But if that's what the media partners insist on, you're kind of stuck (or you end up with a crappy deal like current CUSA with mostly Saturday games but they move around all the time, hard to find, very little payout, and still have the normal G5 problem of getting over-shadowed by the big P5 games happening the same time).

It's a rock and a hard place situation to be in. I'm not sure there is one right approach.

(01-25-2022 12:26 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-25-2022 12:13 PM)inutech Wrote:  It's a really hard choice.

Everyone (nationally) loves MACtion and it's certainly increased the buzz around some of those schools from time to time (and the conference as a whole). Same for SB. But (especially) with the MAC, it hasn't seemed to have translated into anything tangible. Which may be fine. Maybe it's worth it just for marketing and recruiting (both football players and just regular students). Who knows?

But it's awful for the local fans. Or the ones that aren't local but might be able to drive in for a weekend but can't on a weeknight. And of course the more G5 games get shunted off to Thursdays and Fridays the more diluted the eyeballs and the twitter buzz will be (not to mention the NFL having more Thursday night presence). So the return for the trade-off is weakened.

But if that's what the media partners insist on, you're kind of stuck (or you end up with a crappy deal like current CUSA with mostly Saturday games but they move around all the time, hard to find, very little payout, and still have the normal G5 problem of getting over-shadowed by the big P5 games happening the same time).

It's a rock and a hard place situation to be in. I'm not sure there is one right approach.

I live 1600 miles from Hattiesburg, so me going to a home game probably isn't happening, but if it's televised I'll watch it no matter where I am.

I think we have to look at it, does the school make money from full stadiums and very little media exposure, full media exposure but not full stadiums, or is it a happy medium between the two.

Unfortunately it sucks.

Moo U barely has a good season, but they pack out the stands and can be found on TV any given Saturday. I would kill for that exposure. Not literally.

Am I making sense or am I mudding the water more?

(01-27-2022 07:03 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Pretty sure CUSA left Espn for CBS sports, didnt they?

(01-28-2022 09:08 AM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-27-2022 07:03 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Pretty sure CUSA left Espn for CBS sports, didnt they?

No they signed a deal with Fox Sports, ESPN sued CUSA because it was done without giving ESPN a chance to counter as per their contract. Fox Deal ended and they jumped to CBSSports.

(01-28-2022 10:19 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:08 AM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-27-2022 07:03 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Pretty sure CUSA left Espn for CBS sports, didnt they?

No they signed a deal with Fox Sports, ESPN sued CUSA because it was done without giving ESPN a chance to counter as per their contract. Fox Deal ended and they jumped to CBSSports.

Banowsky screwed up. In 2011 CUSA had deals with FOX and CBS at about $7M each or $14M total for a 12 school conference.

(01-28-2022 08:08 AM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  I get the feeling from talking to an insider that Ian McCaw the athletic director from Liberty may be negotiating the next CUSA TV deal, a lot more than commissioner Judy. If true, this is very good news. He has a lot of experience and had negotiated successful deals with Liberty with ESPN. I wonder if this was a condition of Liberty joining, that he'd have a lot of say in the new TV deal.

Right now CUSA is primarily CBS, Stadium, and Facebook. Everyone else is ESPN, or a combination of ESPN/FOX or ESPN/CBS.