http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...LB-TV.aspx

...because they lost out on getting MLB from ESPN, FOX and TBS.

FOX and TBS kept their packages with FOX moving some of their games to an all-sports cable network (the rumored flipping of SPEED into an all-sports network)

(09-19-2012 03:24 PM)mattsarz Wrote:  http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...LB-TV.aspx

...because they lost out on getting MLB from ESPN, FOX and TBS.

FOX and TBS kept their packages with FOX moving some of their games to an all-sports cable network (the rumored flipping of SPEED into an all-sports network)

Good news all around, assuming NBC is willing to let go of any money for anything, lol. So far, they really haven't, besides the NHL.

(09-19-2012 03:25 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good news all around, assuming NBC is willing to let go of any money for anything, lol. So far, they really haven't, besides the NHL.

That really is the other part.

TBS is doling out money for sports.... I'd much rather be there than NBC.

(09-19-2012 03:28 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  TBS is doling out money for sports.... I'd much rather be there than NBC.

As I've said before, in terms of an all-sports network competitor to ESPN, it's really Fox that has the best chance of gaining legit traction as opposed to NBCSN. Looking at this new MLB deal, the new Fox Sports One is going to take some of the regular season Saturday and playoff games, which is on top of the Big 12, UFC, and soccer (UEFA, Champions League, World Cup) rights that the cable channel has access to. That's much more of a foundation to build a competitor to ESPN than what NBCSN has.

I'm not so sure it's NBC not willing to pay, as it is multiple networks working together to beat NBC bids... no one network has beat them in any bid recently... they won NHL, MLS, Racing, & Golf contracts...

fox sports national is also someone that hopefully will be bidding

JUST MAKE IT RAIN ARESCO

I DON'T CARE HOW

(09-19-2012 04:01 PM)justinslot Wrote:  JUST MAKE IT RAIN ARESCO

I DON'T CARE HOW

ACCESS and PROMOTION and PR and SATURDAY TIME SLOTS ≥ Money

Aresco and others already noted...the the conf won't automatically take the top $$$ offer...unless that same offer meets ALL of his requirements for access/promo/pr/SATURDAY game time slots for football, etc...

The new conf will need a ton of FREE airtime to help promote the "new" conf....and thats something NBC said they could do...(something ESPN has rarely ever done).

(09-19-2012 03:53 PM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I'm not so sure it's NBC not willing to pay, as it is multiple networks working together to beat NBC bids... no one network has beat them in any bid recently... they won NHL, MLS, Racing, & Golf contracts...

You could argue that NBC got outbid by ESPN, Fox and Turner combined. Or you could argue that NBC got outbid on three separate packages. Which I would say is more accurate.

I was surprised when MLB re-upped with ESPN, actually. I thought that, with all the smoke Comcast is blowing about NBC-SN, they would drop $2B a year on the table, just under triple the current total, for the whole enchilada and see if ESPN, Turner and Fox would top THAT offer.

I don't see a lot of evidence that Comcast is throwing a ton of money out to build up NBC Sportsnet.

The only other TV contract that NBC could really get besides the Big East stuff is getting the new NASCAR tv contract. So I would be absolutely shocked if they don't get the Big East.

(09-19-2012 03:51 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 03:28 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  TBS is doling out money for sports.... I'd much rather be there than NBC.

As I've said before, in terms of an all-sports network competitor to ESPN, it's really Fox that has the best chance of gaining legit traction as opposed to NBCSN. Looking at this new MLB deal, the new Fox Sports One is going to take some of the regular season Saturday and playoff games, which is on top of the Big 12, UFC, and soccer (UEFA, Champions League, World Cup) rights that the cable channel has access to. That's much more of a foundation to build a competitor to ESPN than what NBCSN has.

I'd be okay with Fox, if it mean some expsore on F/X as well as the new fox sports station. But since there would be more basketball than they coudl handle on their own.... copartner TBS

(09-19-2012 04:19 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  I was surprised when MLB re-upped with ESPN, actually.

I heard the MLB got nervous that ESPN would advise the ACC to pick up the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians. Guess they dodged a bullet there.

One piece of good news in the OP link is that this likely pushes Fox to go ahead with converting the Speed Channel into a national sports network, which would put one more legit bidder into the BE contract process.

(09-19-2012 04:24 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  I'd be okay with Fox, if it mean some expsore on F/X as well as the new fox sports station. But since there would be more basketball than they coudl handle on their own.... copartner TBS

I've heard that the goal is to pull the sports from F/X and on to FOX Sports ONE. F/X would go back to being an entertainment channel full time. F/X is being used as a bridge until that channel is up and running.

(09-19-2012 04:19 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 03:53 PM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I'm not so sure it's NBC not willing to pay, as it is multiple networks working together to beat NBC bids... no one network has beat them in any bid recently... they won NHL, MLS, Racing, & Golf contracts...

You could argue that NBC got outbid by ESPN, Fox and Turner combined. Or you could argue that NBC got outbid on three separate packages. Which I would say is more accurate.

I was surprised when MLB re-upped with ESPN, actually. I thought that, with all the smoke Comcast is blowing about NBC-SN, they would drop $2B a year on the table, just under triple the current total, for the whole enchilada and see if ESPN, Turner and Fox would top THAT offer.

I don't see a lot of evidence that Comcast is throwing a ton of money out to build up NBC Sportsnet.

Why would they go for the MLB package for NBC Sports content? They can fill up thier sports channel and fill out thier Saturday college football schedule on the NBC flagship far cheaper with the Big East package. College sports sells for about 10-15% the cost of professionsl sports. They could vastly over pay and still come out way ahead. Dont know the exact figure, but I wouldnt be surprised if college football easily outdraws the MLB--at a much lower price point.

(09-19-2012 03:51 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 03:28 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  TBS is doling out money for sports.... I'd much rather be there than NBC.

As I've said before, in terms of an all-sports network competitor to ESPN, it's really Fox that has the best chance of gaining legit traction as opposed to NBCSN. Looking at this new MLB deal, the new Fox Sports One is going to take some of the regular season Saturday and playoff games, which is on top of the Big 12, UFC, and soccer (UEFA, Champions League, World Cup) rights that the cable channel has access to. That's much more of a foundation to build a competitor to ESPN than what NBCSN has.

Does the Big East really care if NBC is looking to compete with ESPN or not? I don't really think so, we're just looking for a good pay day, optimal scheduling time, help with expansion, and help with owning a large scale bowl, with quality production of the games/shows regarding the Big East....after that doesn't really matter. As long as they have the cash to do it right for us in all aspects I stated above, we can be 5th in line behind ESPN, Fox, TBS, etc....

(09-19-2012 04:52 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 04:19 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 03:53 PM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I'm not so sure it's NBC not willing to pay, as it is multiple networks working together to beat NBC bids... no one network has beat them in any bid recently... they won NHL, MLS, Racing, & Golf contracts...

You could argue that NBC got outbid by ESPN, Fox and Turner combined. Or you could argue that NBC got outbid on three separate packages. Which I would say is more accurate.

I was surprised when MLB re-upped with ESPN, actually. I thought that, with all the smoke Comcast is blowing about NBC-SN, they would drop $2B a year on the table, just under triple the current total, for the whole enchilada and see if ESPN, Turner and Fox would top THAT offer.

I don't see a lot of evidence that Comcast is throwing a ton of money out to build up NBC Sportsnet.

Why would they do that. They can fill up thier sports channel and fill out thier Saturday college football schedule on the NBC flagship far cheaper with the Big East package. College sports sells for about 10-15% the cost of professionsl sports. They could vastly over pay and still come out way ahead. Dont know the exact figure, but I wouldnt be surprised if college football easily outdraws the MLB--at a much lower price point.

Saying "College football gets such-and-such ratings" doesn't mean "Big East college football will get such-and-such ratings." Rutgers ain't Penn State, Houston ain't the Longhorns, UCF ain't FSU, etc etc etc.

The thing about MLB baseball for TV programming is that there is a buttload of it. If they wanted to, they could put 1-2 games a week on NBC, 5-6 on NBC-SN and 5-7 a week on MLB Network. For 6 months, plus spring training coverage.

And having MLB--and being the only national channel with MLB--would put NBC-SN on the map in a way that the Big EAst just doesn't.

The first google hit for "mlb game of the week ratings" was a week in June with the NBA finals, US Open and a NASCAR race. Sunday Night Baseball drew 1.2M on ESPN, "regional coverage" on FOX drew 2.0 million viewers. MLB on NBC-SN would have pretty much guaranteed half a million viewers a night for NBC-SN, 5-6 nights a week, for 6 months. Instead of 63,000 people watching the MLS New York Red Bulls vs Chicago Fire. http://deadspin.com/5919646/a-big-bang-t...in-context

(09-19-2012 04:55 PM)dgrace4cards Wrote:  Does the Big East really care if NBC is looking to compete with ESPN or not?

It matters, because we'd rather not be hidden on a channel nobody watches (even if everybody has the channel on their cable system).

ESPN and the major networks have the advantage that people check out what's on those channels just to see. Maybe they stay, maybe they keep looking. But they check. ESPN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox also have other shows that people watch, so they can show promos for other programming. NBC-SN can run Big East promos on every commercial break during their MLS games, but only 60,000 people are going to see them, so it does no good.

(09-19-2012 04:05 PM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(09-19-2012 04:01 PM)justinslot Wrote:  JUST MAKE IT RAIN ARESCO

I DON'T CARE HOW

ACCESS and PROMOTION and PR and SATURDAY TIME SLOTS ≥ Money

Aresco and others already noted...the the conf won't automatically take the top $$$ offer...unless that same offer meets ALL of his requirements for access/promo/pr/SATURDAY game time slots for football, etc...

The new conf will need a ton of FREE airtime to help promote the "new" conf....and thats something NBC said they could do...(something ESPN has rarely ever done).

IIRC, the NHL TURNED DOWN more money from ESPN during their latest TV contract negotiations b/c they felt that NBC could do more for their product than EPSN. The NHL would of had to compete with MLB, NFL, NBA and NCAA sports among other programing if they remained at ESPN.

What happened?

The NHL has experienced a revival as a league in terms of merchandise sales, TV ratings and attendance. Of course, its even more bewildering why they are having a labor issues....AGAIN.