WAC signs TV deal

[PonyPride]

From the Western Athletic Conference:

Western Athletic Conference signs television broadcast contract with SportsWest
Agreement covers 10 football and 10 basketball games during each of the 2003-2006 seasons

Denver, Colo. July 21, 2003 -- Western Athletic Conference Commissioner Karl Benson announced today that SportsWest has signed a three year agreement to broadcast conference football and basketball games. Benson said the television deal - featuring SportsWest's unique point to point broadcasting capability -- will bring heightened exposure to WAC universities throughout the Western and South Central regions, benefiting athletic department recruitment efforts and local fans.

With the contract, which includes 10 football and 10 basketball games and the quarterfinals and semifinals of the men's basketball tournament, SportsWest becomes the largest single provider of television sports programming for the WAC.

"All of our WAC schools will have guaranteed television exposure," said Benson, "bringing more equity across the conference and giving our athletes, coaches and fans a golden opportunity to show the excellence of WAC sports. SportsWest's point to point broadcast model is the trend in television sports programming. This will be exciting news for our fans and bring new synergy and rivalries to a conference as geographically diverse as ours."

Dan Checketts, president of SportsWest, said the agreement with the WAC "is part of SportsWest's strategic goal to be the premier provider of local sports programming. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with the WAC."

SportsWest is the first television production company to leverage the dual market point-to-point broadcast concept, which enables college sports fans of the two competing team to view the same game on television in their local market.

Traditionally athletic teams have had to rely on being selected for regional or national television feeds - leaving many schools without local TV coverage. Most independent or network affiliate stations don't have the resources to individually produce major college sporting events.

Other major benefactors will be athletic departments at WAC universities that have been seeking greater television exposure to support their recruiting efforts, and local college sports fans who rarely see their teams on television.

Jim Oakes, athletic director at Louisiana Tech, said SportsWest's television exposure "will add clout to our recruiting effort and help us build excitement and interest among our own fans for Louisiana Tech football and basketball."

SportsWest is doubling its production capability to handle WAC conference games, according to Mikel Minor, vice president of Production, by hiring additional broadcasters, staff and contractors. The games will be carried on network and independent stations.

Besides the WAC, SportsWest broadcasts football and basketball games featuring Mountain West Conference schools. With the addition of both conferences, SportsWest will reach a potential of 37 million fans in 11 states and 18 university cities from Hawaii to Louisiana. SportsWest not only holds television broadcast rights to these games but many local marketing rights in basketball arenas and football stadiums.

Sports marketing continues to be one of the most lucrative and attractive advertising arenas with sales reaching more than $400 billion in 2002.

SportsWest became an independent production company in 2002 when it was purchased by sports entrepreneur Dave Checketts. That same year, SportsWest announced contractual agreements with seven Mountain West Conference schools and seven network affiliate TV stations to carry about one-third of the MWC football and men's basketball games as well as women's basketball and volleyball. Annually, SportsWest broadcasts about 50 to 60 sporting events in the Western region. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah SportsWest was originally created in 1999 through an agreement with KSL TV and Bonneville International. It became the sports production arm of Bonneville International for Brigham Young University football and men's
basketball games not broadcast by ESPN, ESPN2, ABC or ERT. SportsWest traces its origins to Video West Productions in 1986 when the concept of nationally syndicating BYU football games was first realized. It became the Blue and White Network in 1994 with a peak audience of 34 million in 30 states.

[Southland]

It will be interesting to see what distribution deals they can strike in Texas considering neither SMU nor Rice is in demand.

Certainly, it is a good relationship to start, and could be very fruitful if SMU-TCU-Rice-Houston ever get together.

[The PonyGrad]

I notice it says nothing about generating any revenue and only hypes coverage and recruiting benefits.

What is the impact of this on the ESPN contract?

[Corso]

Doesn't it say in there somewhere that EVERY school in the WAC will get exposure? Should benefit all of us, at least a little....





[This message has been edited by Corso (edited 07-21-2003).]

[Southland]

It sounds like a turnkey operation, in which the revenue stream depends heavily on the distribution level… similar to a radio deal with the programming supplier (WAC) getting a small upfront fee, a percentage of each affiliate deal, and a percentage of “national” spots sales. The producer (SportsWest) is the software provider, and makes money largely on the affiliate deals and addition monies on national spots and second run syndication (ESPN Classic). The affiliates make their money on the local avails, and get cheap programming in return for the affiliate fee.

Turnkey deals are never going to generate the kind of money that a network or cable deal would. However, it is great for schools with a regional or statewide appeal because the affiliates can pile up quickly.

Stations that rely on syndicated programming for their weekend schedule would probably be interested if there were a strong alumni base in the market (for example= the UPN affiliate in Fresno would probably be interested in carrying a Fresno game and pre-empt Beastmaster or Jeopardy).

[Stallion]

SMU was on at least 2 broadcasts of the old Blue and White Network(predecessor to SportsWest)-one against Air Force and one against BYU. The way it worked back then was that the broadcast would be televised to stations in each teams hometown or region. Back then the game was picked up in Dallas by that UPN channel that was channel 18 I believe on my Concast cable system. I'm not sure that station is still broadcasting-probably it would be picked up by the same station that handles TCU's games in the Metroplex.

[SMUstang]

Not knocking any good news for the Ponies, but what about all the alumni that don't live in the metroplex? Like myself who lives in the Austin area. Will this package be shown in other markets in Texas? If it is not, it is not much of a recruiting tool and not worth much. Many of our athletes come from areas such as south Texas, etc.

[EastStang]

Will these games be on DirectTV?

[PonyFan]

Wouldn't you think the conference would release financial terms of the contract, so that people can get excited about increased revenue to each school?

[Southland]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SMUstang:
<B>Not knocking any good news for the Ponies, but what about all the alumni that don't live in the metroplex? Like myself who lives in the Austin area. Will this package be shown in other markets in Texas? </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

SportsWest would need to sign partnership deals with affiliates in other markets... If it is structured like a turnkey deal, it's a game-by-game basis, not a package. For Austin... maybe (and a weak maybe) they might find an affiliate to buy SMU-Rice or SMU-TCU.

[The PonyGrad]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyFan:
<B>Wouldn't you think the conference would release financial terms of the contract, so that people can get excited about increased revenue to each school?</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Exactly, unless as I suspect it is not much. That is why they hyped the coverage and recruiting benefits. Those are the only significant benefits.

[Peruna's Pal]

Southland, let me ask you a question.

Besides recruiting and added exposure, why did TCU pay hundreds of thousnads of $$$$ to ESPN to syndicate their radio and TV?

I's try and answer the question. First of all, they pay in hopes that advertisers will pay them back for their broadcasts. When they don't sell enough to pay for the broadcasts, TCU eats the balance of the cost of the broadcast. All in the name of recruiting and exposure.

Now, I am not saying TCU is in a real bad deal, but unless you are in the BCS, you have to pay for exposure. Even the Dallas Morning News was getting the Mavericks, Mustangs. etc. to pay for their coverage three years ago.

[Southland]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Peruna's Pal:
<B>
Now, I am not saying TCU is in a real bad deal, but unless you are in the BCS, you have to pay for exposure. Even the Dallas Morning News was getting the Mavericks, Mustangs. etc. to pay for their coverage three years ago. </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You don't know what you are talking about... not even worth getting into a discussion and explaining.

Obviously the lines between legitimate news coverage and marketing are confusing to you.