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ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
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slhNavy91 Offline
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Post: #61
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-27-2019 09:01 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 02:14 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 01:50 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 01:48 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 01:41 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I probably have more interest in this situation than just about anyone here, because I support two schools, one in the Big East and one in the AAC.

Believe me, I *wish* the hack/fanboy interpretation of the Navy AD's off-the-cuff vague comments were more reliable than an article in Sports Business Journal, as USF would then benefit, but I can't.

Especially when the SBJ article is on the side of common sense. 07-coffee3

Do you mean the SBJ article that said "The fact that ESPN included the clause in its contract does not mean that the network definitely will open up the deal, which goes into effect with the 2020-21 season. After all, football is the main driver of these media deals, and UConn’s football performance over the last decade has been awful...Sources told me that ESPN will wait and see how -- and if -- the AAC fills the spot vacated by UConn."

Yes, that article. I don't know if ESPN will decide to "renegotiate" the AAC deal or not. I suspect not, as UConn leaving doesn't change anything substantive that was already agreed on by ESPN and the AAC. The only difference is that one of the 12 schools is now gone, so the deal will just be adjusted such that ESPN will now be paying 11 schools $7m a year rather than 12 schools $7m a year.

If the AAC does decide to add a 12th team, then that might complicate things, as ESPN might decide that the 12th team is worth more, or less, than UConn was. But I doubt any team willing to join the AAC would vary by much in value, so again, no need for a full-blown renegotiation.

Contract isn't written on a $ per school, per year basis.
ESPN total $ for AAC total inventory, with numbers of appearances (really ranges of numbers of appearances) on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2/U, and ESPN+. Look at the conference press release from deal signing.
http://theamerican.org/news/2019/3/27/ge...nsion.aspx

"Football" says "A minimum of 40 regular-season telecasts per season on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, including at least 20 across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, which represents increased annual exposure across those ESPN networks. A similar number of Thursday and Friday contests."
and "ESPN+" says "It is estimated that between 30-35 conference-controlled football games and approximately 135 men's basketball games will be distributed annually on the cutting-edge platform. An estimated 160 conference-controlled women's basketball games, plus first and quarterfinal rounds of the women's basketball championship, will also be streamed on the digital platform. In addition, hundreds of Olympic sports events ..."

So long as the inventory can be delivered within those ranges, albeit with a handful fewer games with the absence of our last place football team and ninth place basketball....no reason to decrement from $1B over 12 years, or $83,333,333,33 per year to the conference...

Thanks Mike.
A Navy fan (with a contract with CBS and no skin in this) is a terrible cover.
Just a reminder - the CBSSN contract for the "Navy tier" pays the AAC, not Navy.
And the second biggest day on Chet's calendar each year is Navy ND, which delivers about 5% of the AAC-ESPN contract value all by itself.
And the strategic goal of Navy's 2011-12 decision to join the (then) Big East has like 91% overlap with the "P6" strategic goals so there's plenty of skin in the game.
06-28-2019 04:51 AM
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b0ndsj0ns Offline
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Post: #62
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-27-2019 10:41 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  Wrong, ESPN's right to negotiate only included any of 5 schools leaving, of which UConn was not one.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/...057439.php

Another important issue revolves around what impact if any, UConn’s departure will have on the league’s new media rights deal that goes into effect in 2020. The $1 billion deal has a clause that would allow ESPN to renegotiate if a member leaves, according to the Sports Business Journal. A source said the clause is specifically tied to five schools (Houston, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Memphis and South Florida), which UConn was not included.

Under the current terms, each AAC school was projected to receive about $7 million annually. UConn’s departure could mean an additional $700,000 bump.

I had been wondering about that because I believe in the past deal there were tiers of members that ESPN made clear they valued more. If UCONN really isn't included in that group then that actually puts the AAC in the catbird's seat and they don't have to do anything unless it makes them more money not just keeps it even. Again if that's true (since none of us have or will ever read the contract who knows) it would explain the Navy AD's confidence and Areso's confidence completely.
06-28-2019 06:27 AM
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CougarRed Offline
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Post: #63
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
So the Navy AD was right?

Shocking.
06-28-2019 06:31 AM
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quo vadis Offline
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Post: #64
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 06:31 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  So the Navy AD was right?

Shocking.

Not so fast my friend ... the Houston Chronicle article cites the Sports Business Journal article. But it appears they might be misinterpreting it in saying that the renegotiate clause is specifically tied to those 5 schools. In fact, the author of the SBJ article says that ESPN *can* renegotiate based on UConn leaving. From Ouran's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/11...4410135553

The Houston C writer might be misinterpreting ESPN's motivation for including the clause - the five schools mentioned - with the nature of the clause, which SBJ says is not linked to just those five schools.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 06:53 AM by quo vadis.)
06-28-2019 06:52 AM
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b0ndsj0ns Offline
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Post: #65
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 06:52 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 06:31 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  So the Navy AD was right?

Shocking.

Not so fast my friend ... the Houston Chronicle article cites the Sports Business Journal article. But it appears they might be misinterpreting it in saying that the renegotiate clause is specifically tied to those 5 schools. In fact, the author of the SBJ article says that ESPN *can* renegotiate based on UConn leaving. From Ouran's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/11...4410135553

The Houston C writer might be misinterpreting ESPN's motivation for including the clause - the five schools mentioned - with the nature of the clause, which SBJ says is not linked to just those five schools.

That tweet isn't a clarification on what the Houston article said, just the original link to the original story.
06-28-2019 07:17 AM
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quo vadis Offline
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Post: #66
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 07:17 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 06:52 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 06:31 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  So the Navy AD was right?

Shocking.

Not so fast my friend ... the Houston Chronicle article cites the Sports Business Journal article. But it appears they might be misinterpreting it in saying that the renegotiate clause is specifically tied to those 5 schools. In fact, the author of the SBJ article says that ESPN *can* renegotiate based on UConn leaving. From Ouran's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/11...4410135553

The Houston C writer might be misinterpreting ESPN's motivation for including the clause - the five schools mentioned - with the nature of the clause, which SBJ says is not linked to just those five schools.

That tweet isn't a clarification on what the Houston article said, just the original link to the original story.

I know. But the HC article cites that SBJ story as its basis for saying that the renegotiate clause is tied to only to five schools. So i think it is worth nothing that the author of that SBJ story does not characterize it that way. In his story, he's saying that the clause does allow for renegotiation based on UConn leaving.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 07:32 AM by quo vadis.)
06-28-2019 07:31 AM
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b0ndsj0ns Offline
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Post: #67
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 07:31 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 07:17 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 06:52 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 06:31 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  So the Navy AD was right?

Shocking.

Not so fast my friend ... the Houston Chronicle article cites the Sports Business Journal article. But it appears they might be misinterpreting it in saying that the renegotiate clause is specifically tied to those 5 schools. In fact, the author of the SBJ article says that ESPN *can* renegotiate based on UConn leaving. From Ouran's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/11...4410135553

The Houston C writer might be misinterpreting ESPN's motivation for including the clause - the five schools mentioned - with the nature of the clause, which SBJ says is not linked to just those five schools.

That tweet isn't a clarification on what the Houston article said, just the original link to the original story.

I know. But the HC article cites that SBJ story as its basis for saying that the renegotiate clause is tied to only to five schools. So i think it is worth nothing that the author of that SBJ story does not characterize it that way. In his story, he's saying that the clause does allow for renegotiation based on UConn leaving.

True, but the HC cites a source that supposedly has seen the contract and is rebutting his story. It's really just a guessing game because I doubt Ourand has actually read the contract and is going by some source and it's just a battle of who's source knows more. I'd still default lean towards ESPN has something in there that allows for renegotiation if any member leaves, but it's possible ESPN only actually values the football side and really only does materially care about those 5 teams.
06-28-2019 07:42 AM
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CougarRed Offline
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Post: #68
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
There may be a simple explanation, like ESPN can void the contract if one of the 5 schools leave. Otherwise, if conference composition changes, there is an agreement to meet in good faith to discuss whether any adjustments are needed.
06-28-2019 07:45 AM
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b0ndsj0ns Offline
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Post: #69
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 07:45 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  There may be a simple explanation, like ESPN can void the contract if one of the 5 schools leave. Otherwise, if conference composition changes, there is an agreement to meet in good faith to discuss whether any adjustments are needed.

That would also make sense. No matter what it actually says the AAC and ESPN are going to sit down and there's no chance the AAC is going to do something that ESPN is dead set against. The only difference this makes really is who holds a slight leverage advantage, but as we've seen from the Big East implosion of the late 00's if you think you hold an advantage over ESPN and try to exploit it they can kill you off. If there's nothing in there that allows ESPN to renegotiate the deal down then you may just see ESPN be a lot more helpful in trying to get BYU/Army/whoever they actually would value to join.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 07:55 AM by b0ndsj0ns.)
06-28-2019 07:53 AM
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slhNavy91 Offline
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Post: #70
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-27-2019 05:14 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 04:38 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 04:20 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 02:14 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  
(06-27-2019 01:50 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Yes, that article. I don't know if ESPN will decide to "renegotiate" the AAC deal or not. I suspect not, as UConn leaving doesn't change anything substantive that was already agreed on by ESPN and the AAC. The only difference is that one of the 12 schools is now gone, so the deal will just be adjusted such that ESPN will now be paying 11 schools $7m a year rather than 12 schools $7m a year.

If the AAC does decide to add a 12th team, then that might complicate things, as ESPN might decide that the 12th team is worth more, or less, than UConn was. But I doubt any team willing to join the AAC would vary by much in value, so again, no need for a full-blown renegotiation.

Contract isn't written on a $ per school, per year basis.
ESPN total $ for AAC total inventory, with numbers of appearances (really ranges of numbers of appearances) on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2/U, and ESPN+. Look at the conference press release from deal signing.
http://theamerican.org/news/2019/3/27/ge...nsion.aspx

"Football" says "A minimum of 40 regular-season telecasts per season on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, including at least 20 across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, which represents increased annual exposure across those ESPN networks. A similar number of Thursday and Friday contests."
and "ESPN+" says "It is estimated that between 30-35 conference-controlled football games and approximately 135 men's basketball games will be distributed annually on the cutting-edge platform. An estimated 160 conference-controlled women's basketball games, plus first and quarterfinal rounds of the women's basketball championship, will also be streamed on the digital platform. In addition, hundreds of Olympic sports events ..."

So long as the inventory can be delivered within those ranges, albeit with a handful fewer games with the absence of our last place football team and ninth place basketball....no reason to decrement from $1B over 12 years, or $83,333,333,33 per year to the conference...

So you're clinging to the idea that ESPN is going to be willing to pay the AAC the same total amount even though it's now 11 schools not 12?

Good luck with that - seriously, as USF would stand to benefit. But I see very little chance that happens. To me, it's obvious that of course the dollar value arrived at was on a per-school-payout basis, as that is what the schools are interested in. That's what the AAC schools cared about. And ESPN was willing to pay that for the 12 specific schools in the conference, not 11. Heck, using your logic, the AAC could lose 5 schools but as long as it could provide 40 football games for the linear channels, 65 hoops games, etc. as indicated in the press release, the money would stay the same, but of course that beggars belief. And btw, if there's anything that's been offered in this thread *less* reliable pertaining to this than the vague comments from the Navy AD, it's the stuff from the AAC press conference you quoted, which tells us nothing about how the dollar values were arrived at.

UConn was 1/12 the conference, so i expect the deal will be pro-rated back by 1/12 in total dollars, keeping the per-school payout, the real thing ESPN and the AAC bargained over, the same.

In the end, as you say, ESPN doesn't *have* to do this, but ... what would their motivation NOT to do it be? The motivation TO do it is obvious - save themselves $7m per year.

To me, it's obvious that of course the dollar value arrived at was on a per-school-payout basis
- AND -
keeping the per-school payout, the real thing ESPN and the AAC bargained over, the same.
THIS IS JUST WRONG.
Network and conference talk total dollars and overall inventory. Per school payout is message board fodder, not the negotiaing points.


using your logic, the AAC could lose 5 schools but as long as it could provide 40 football games for the linear channels, 65 hoops games, etc.

This is what is referred to in logic as a reductio ad absurdum fallacy.

First,no, it's not wrong, otherwise ESPN would be willing to pay $83m a year to any conference with 12 teams that can deliver 1400 games of this and 60 games of that and 40 games for this. But obviously, that's not the case. ESPN wasn't paying for 1400 random games between random teams, what they were paying for was that number of games among 12 schools that if felt were worth that much. My 'reducto absurdim' point was offered to try to make that clear to you since other methods weren't working. Oh well.

And OF COURSE the AAC schools bargained with a per-school-payout in mind, as that is their specific bottom line. They don't care what the conference gets "as a whole", they care what their share is. That's not "message board fodder" it's exactly what the Presidents care about. To think that wasn't very much on the mind of Aresco when he was bargaining beggars belief.

Again, none of us knows exactly what ESPN will do. But the motivation for pro-rating the yearly payment from $83m to $76m seems clear - save $7m, whereas the motivation for paying the full $83m to the 11-school AAC seems unclear.

You said "the dollar value arrived at was on a per-school-payout basis" and "the per-school payout, the real thing ESPN and the AAC bargained over"

The negotiations did not open with "Our offer is $4million per school per year" "We believe our ratings make us worth $12million per school per year," nor did the final handshake come with "We're agreed - $6.944 million per school per year." (Were the university presidents at the table dividing every number by twelve in their heads? Of course. Duh)

The negotiations were about overall dollars from ESPN to conference and about numbers of games on which network, on which days of the week.

Any ESPN fair negotiation won't be "Each school is worth $6.944 million per year so that's the decrement" because that WASN'T the structure of the contract. If they open fair negotiation due to composition clause it will be "UConn was a key piece of Friday night games on ESPN/ESPN2 because we know they don't play high school football here, and the Friday night games are worth $x." or "You know volume of ESPN+ content was worth $y million dollars in our negotiations and since UConn would have been disproportionately represented on ESPN+ they are 10% of that $y million." And the conference position will be whether or not we can deliver inventory in the same numbers range on certain networks.
06-28-2019 07:55 AM
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GTFletch Offline
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Post: #71
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts have not been signed, said the deal will provide the conference with about $83.3 million per year, with each member school receiving an average of just under $7 million a year. The ESPN contract also includes language that would protect the network, should marquee schools, such as UCF, Cincinnati or UConn leave for another conference.

Link
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/cougars/ar...703486.php

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday.

Link
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/06...-olympics/
06-28-2019 08:55 AM
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Mestophalies Offline
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Post: #72
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 08:55 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts have not been signed, said the deal will provide the conference with about $83.3 million per year, with each member school receiving an average of just under $7 million a year. The ESPN contract also includes language that would protect the network, should marquee schools, such as UCF, Cincinnati or UConn leave for another conference.

Link
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/cougars/ar...703486.php

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday.

Link
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/06...-olympics/

03-lmfao That piece was added for clicks. It's the Hartford Current. They have papers to sell you know. {I'm calling Shenanigans on this.} The second link references the statements added in the first link.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 09:11 AM by Mestophalies.)
06-28-2019 09:08 AM
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DavidSt Offline
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Post: #73
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
P6 is inline of the P5 in football and both men and women's basketball which the contract mentioned basketball. UConn is the big name in both men and women's basketball. Them leaving would mean the ESPN would be void and reworked that all schools get less money.
06-28-2019 09:16 AM
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Post: #74
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 09:08 AM)Mestophalies Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 08:55 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts have not been signed, said the deal will provide the conference with about $83.3 million per year, with each member school receiving an average of just under $7 million a year. The ESPN contract also includes language that would protect the network, should marquee schools, such as UCF, Cincinnati or UConn leave for another conference.

Link
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/cougars/ar...703486.php

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday.

Link
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/06...-olympics/

03-lmfao That piece was added for clicks. It's the Hartford Current. They have papers to sell you know. {I'm calling Shenanigans on this.} The second link references the statements added in the first link.

That's some media consolidation right there. HArtford Courant writer sends it out over AP, with a tweak or two for the Houston paper, and the San Francisco Gate picks it up for their website. (Or is there a big Coog alum base in the Bay Area?)


And the SMW article cites to DigitalSportsDesk, not the AP article. I don't know if we trust DigitalSportsDesk now, but there you are
06-28-2019 09:20 AM
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gulfcoastgal Offline
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Post: #75
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 09:08 AM)Mestophalies Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 08:55 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts have not been signed, said the deal will provide the conference with about $83.3 million per year, with each member school receiving an average of just under $7 million a year. The ESPN contract also includes language that would protect the network, should marquee schools, such as UCF, Cincinnati or UConn leave for another conference.

Link
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/cougars/ar...703486.php

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday.

Link
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/06...-olympics/

03-lmfao That piece was added for clicks. It's the Hartford Current. They have papers to sell you know. {I'm calling Shenanigans on this.} The second link references the statements added in the first link.

Well, there are conflicting reports out there so who knows for sure? The second link doesn’t list UCONN as a protected property just that they fulfill the one school leaving clause that can trigger renegotiations. From that link:
Quote:According to SBD, the extension includes language allowing ESPN to renegotiate if one of the teams leaves the conference. However, that clause was put into the deal to safeguard against the loss of football schools such as UCF and Houston. As UConn is primarily a basketball school whose absence will not be felt during football season, it is not clear whether ESPN will exercise its option.
06-28-2019 09:27 AM
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The Cutter of Bish Offline
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Post: #76
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
My understanding was that the "must have" schools in the AAC arrangement were only ever and still remained Cincy, Houston, and UConn. Navy having their own weird piece. First time hearing about Memphis...considering the Big East resisted them so long, *now* they are crucial to the deal?

And, iirc, it used to be two of those special schools needing to leave to trigger the renegotiation.

Now we're hearing about UConn not being on a list, but them leaving automatically triggering a renegotiation? Something has definitely changed, but if one school's departure triggers a renegotiation, that's not a good thing for the AAC. Quite shocked the conference would agree to that with ESPN given what could have happened to Cincy and/or Houston with the Big XII not long ago.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 09:38 AM by The Cutter of Bish.)
06-28-2019 09:34 AM
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slhNavy91 Offline
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Post: #77
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 09:20 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 09:08 AM)Mestophalies Wrote:  
(06-28-2019 08:55 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts have not been signed, said the deal will provide the conference with about $83.3 million per year, with each member school receiving an average of just under $7 million a year. The ESPN contract also includes language that would protect the network, should marquee schools, such as UCF, Cincinnati or UConn leave for another conference.

Link
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/cougars/ar...703486.php

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday.

Link
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/06...-olympics/

03-lmfao That piece was added for clicks. It's the Hartford Current. They have papers to sell you know. {I'm calling Shenanigans on this.} The second link references the statements added in the first link.

That's some media consolidation right there. HArtford Courant writer sends it out over AP, with a tweak or two for the Houston paper, and the San Francisco Gate picks it up for their website. (Or is there a big Coog alum base in the Bay Area?)


And the SMW article cites to DigitalSportsDesk, not the AP article. I don't know if we trust DigitalSportsDesk now, but there you are

Actually, the SMW article credits Digital Sports Desk for the INITIAL report last Friday, but it is citing the 24 June Sports Business Journal piece by John Ourand...just like 91% of the reporting has.
At least SMW read to the SECOND bullet point of Ourand's post - "it is not clear whether ESPN will exercise its option."
06-28-2019 09:39 AM
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Mestophalies Offline
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Post: #78
RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
This is the article that was sited by BullsFanInTX: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/...057439.php

It stipulates that there are five teams in which the "Contract Termination Clause" pertains to. UConn was not one of them. We do know that a Grant of Rights was sought for those five schools. Again, UConn was not one of them.

So I doubt this Clause holds any sway over the AAC staying at 11 FB schools or adding another. I do know that ESPN want's a certain amount of games per the contract and that may be the only sticking point. In short, the AAC will do as ESPN wishes. The Conference has attached it's self to ESPN for better or worse. I'm not a fan of the amount of the contract or it's duration.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 09:49 AM by Mestophalies.)
06-28-2019 09:47 AM
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CougarRed Offline
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RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 09:34 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  My understanding was that the "must have" schools in the AAC arrangement were only ever and still remained Cincy, Houston, and UConn.

Nope. UConn, Cincy, Houston and Temple were designated Group A schools by NBC, which was adopted by ESPN.

In the current contract, the five schools where ESPN can void the contract if they leave are: Cincy, Houston, UCF, USF and Memphis.

ESPN can rip up the contract and start over if any one of those five leave. They cannot rip up the contract if UConn leaves. They probably can ask that the contract be adjusted. Remains to be seen if they will.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 09:53 AM by CougarRed.)
06-28-2019 09:53 AM
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gulfcoastgal Offline
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RE: ESPN can renegotiate new AAC TV deal with UConn leaving conference
(06-28-2019 09:34 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  My understanding was that the "must have" schools in the AAC arrangement were only only ever and still remained Cincy, Houston, and UConn. Navy having their own weird piece. First time hearing about Memphis...considering the Big East resisted them so long, *now* they are crucial to the deal?

And, iirc, it used to be two of those special schools needing to leave to trigger the renegotiation.

Now we're hearing about UConn not being on a list, but them leaving automatically triggering a renegotiation? Something has definitely changed, but if one school's departure triggers a renegotiation, that's not a good thing for the AAC. Quite shocked the conference would agree to that with ESPN given what could have happened to Cincy and/or Houston with the Big XII not long ago.

Back when the deal was first announced Michael Smith, who broke the story with John Ourand, of SBD mentioned UCF, UC, Houston and Memphis in two separate interviews as blue chip premium brands as far as politics, haves and have nots and the failed GOR are concerned. Granted one was on Memphis radio and the Orlando, but the schools remained the same. Could there be others? Sure, maybe none at all for all I know without looking at the contract. So far, the Hartford article is the only place I’ve read in print or heard about in interviews where UCONN is listed in that category. To be clear, I’ve only seen/heard specific schools mentioned from media types...haven’t had anything directly contributed to specific AAC personnel AFAIK. I guess the closest would be Navy’s AD who mentioned tv being heavily tied to fball which seems to match what’s come out from other sources.

As I understand it a school leaving triggering a negotiation or the possibility to open a contract is pretty standard language. From everything I’ve read and heard over the years, all conferences have contract composition clauses. How ESPN and the AAC choose to handle it remains to be seen. I guess my use of triggering a negotiation may have been too strong, but it does open the contract as it would for other conferences. Just offers more protection as it can’t be automatically voided like the previous contract.
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2019 10:13 AM by gulfcoastgal.)
06-28-2019 10:11 AM
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