(02-21-2013 02:15 PM)stever20 Wrote: if ESPN matches the $$$ and the terms, the BE does have to sign with ESPN.
No they don't. ESPN just has to be offered the chance to match the reoffer from the third party for the same monetary terms. If the BE's contract reads anything liek CUSA's contract did, here's the specific language:
"...[the] Conference may then enter into an agreemnet with a third party with respect to the same package of events set forth herein, but not for monetary consideration less than that contained int the Offer [BE had $300M/year in their Offer last October] without first offering to ESPN the same monetary terms as offered to the third party (the "Reoffer"). ESPN shall accept or reject a Reoffer by COnference no later than seven days from its receipt."
The contract then goes on to say:
"In accepting of an Offer or Reoffer, ESPN shall not be required to comply with any term or condition that imposes on ESPN any obligation with which ESPN cannot comply because of impossibility or prior contractual commitment. ESPN shall notify Conference of any such terms or conditions as promptly as possible prior to acceptance."
So in reading that, I would say ESPN has no requirement to match the terms if it cannot meet them. They just have to match the money. So even if the NBC deal says that they will put 3 games every Saturday on NBC OTA, ESPN doesn't have to match that.
But nowhere does it say that the Conference *has* to re-sign with ESPN, just that they have to give ESPN the chance to match the offer.