As the cable sports channels see their revenue decreasing from the Fans unplugging their cable companies it looks like the MAC who was criticized at the time for signing a long term deal may have been the smart one.

The MAC deal was 13-year deal when signed in 2014 with ESPN. It was reported worth more than $100 million, or roughly about $8 million a season. That factors out to about $670,000 per school

Link to MAC deal below:
http://www.hustlebelt.com/2014/8/19/6045...pn-tv-deal


CUSA has been quiet as far as the next TV package

It was pretty quiet last time around, too. That deal was announced in early January of 2011. Soon.

These type of deals aren't hashed out in the public eye. We'll learn something when the deal is done and the ink is drying.

(12-23-2015 11:25 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  As the cable sports channels see their revenue decreasing from the Fans unplugging their cable companies it looks like the MAC who criticized at the time for signing a long term deal may have been the smart one.

CUSA has been quiet as far as the next TV package

The last thing I heard was the tv interview of our new commish when she said (and I will paraphrase) that we expect to have the new contracts wrapped up in a couple of months (that was said around Nov 1st) and that she thought having a shorter term contract would be better right now due to the changing nature of broadcasting. I believe she was indicating that we might have to take a lower offer now but that in a few years we would be better positioned to make better deals. I could be all wet with that. There was a mention when BB was still on the job that we could expect a surprise broadcaster to join with us. Not sure what that meant but many here thought espn3 could be the surprise.

If she is able to get each school a coupon book for Pizza Hut then we should go for it!

I'm fairly convince that the period of free flowing tv money is gone. Unfortunately for us, we are the first contract under the new reality.

(12-23-2015 12:16 PM)banker Wrote:  I'm fairly convince that the period of free flowing tv money is gone. Unfortunately for us, we are the first contract under the new reality.

Might end up going back home. #MACtion

In my opinion the best part of the MAC deal wasn't the TV part of the agreement, but the web part. The MAC has 4 years (by 2017) to invest in the necessary AV equipment to produce their own ESPN quality broadcasts for their indoor sports (basketball, volleyball, wrestling). This includes multiple cameras, instant replay and on-air talent. The cost for each school is approx $2M.

Once a school has their equipment up to ESPN standards ESPN will begin hosting all of their events on ESPN3/WatchESPN for live viewing and on demand replay. For the schools that have already completed the upgrade the quality of the broadcast and graphics is no less than an ESPN telecast. With the exception of the local on-air talent which can be hit or miss the quality of the broadcast is 1st rate, ESPN quality. No cheesy regional graphics, etc. And if you've ever tried to watch a MAC webcast you know how low tech and lame the production has been. The upgrade will be great for fans and for appealing to potential recruits.

Having ESPN approved broadcasts in progress also allows ESPN to pick up games and add them to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, etc. with the flip of a switch. As a MAC fan that lives across country I'm excited about it. Of course I wish the money would have been greater but overall I think its a smart way to position the conference for increased exposure. Its not a bad model for other G5 conferences to emulate.

Well, in all honesty, the TV package is a very small part of G5 budgets. How much does it matter if you get $1.5MM per school $500k? For schools like us that's a 3-4% budget swing. If it's not the $20MM the P5 are getting, it's replaceable.

I just hope we can stay on the weekends and get better exposure. Like banker pointed out, its really not that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things. I would much rather we get great exposure.

I liked how when WKU moved the CUSA our self-produced broadcasts are now on Fox College Sports nationally instead of only on ESPN3. Literally 100% of our home basketball games and women's basketball games are on national TV this way due to our partnership with Fox.

In the SBC, our partnership was with ESPN, so we streamed to ESPN3. It's been really great for exposure. You can find more WKU games on TV than 90% of schools.

And, I agree with above. The money really means squat in the big picture. It's such a minuscule amount. What's important is exposure.

Since MT joined CUSA, we've had more Men's BB and more FB games on TV stations on everybody's traditional TV packages that we ever did with Sun Belt. Exposure is more important to me as an alum, than Money. But, we got to get more money just to keep up with AAC and Mountain West. Forget about Cartel-5 Money. It is an arms race.