Big East Will Not Sign With ESPN

[gostangs]

look there isnt anything different about where we are then where we thought...espn attempts to talk down value to hope to sign on the cheap before exclusive runs out. That was 100% predictable.

Now is when it gets interesting - if it were me i would ice ESPN and talk to NBC and Fox and see where that ends up. its not really about market share - its about the need for content. There are several sleeping giants on the list, and some nice brand names.

i think we end up around 11-13

[ponyinNC]

NBC knows with major money invested in BE teams that they can upgrade facilities, recruiting, and staffs over the years. They can build the BE into a powerhouse by providing much needed resources. That is how these other conference got better.

Quick note - ESPN and FOX have pulled out of bidding for EPL (English Premier League), with NBC likely securing the rights. Sounds like NBC/Comcast is serious.

Also means that Fox Soccer channel and some of their other channels will need inventory. FWIW

[ponyinNC]

The EPL story shows yet another instance of ESPN and Fox bidding on a high profile property together while NBC is on its own. That's not an accident, folks. It has kept happening again and again over the past couple of years.

Thus, when looking at the Big East, a rumor of an NBC/Fox combo should leave you scratching your head. It might be NBC taking everything for the Big East or it might be an ESPN/Fox combo, but it seems pretty unlikely that it would be NBC combining with either ESPN or Fox.

FWIW

[SMU 86]

its not really about market share - its about the need for content.

[redpony]

Quick note - ESPN and FOX have pulled out of bidding for EPL (English Premier League), with NBC likely securing the rights. Sounds like NBC/Comcast is serious.

Also means that Fox Soccer channel and some of their other channels will need inventory. FWIW

Gee- do you suppose they would have interest in us if we got jj to change the name of his offense to
'the run and boot'.

[ponyinNC]

NBC downplayed their interest in EPL the entire time, and reports are that they will pay $83MM (more than triple what Fox paid for the same rights!!).

I would use this to counter Stallion's post about being #1 in your market. It simply doesn't matter. Prices for live sports programming are escalating across the board. Networks need inventory. Hell, even CUSA should make more money on their next deal. And until this bubble bursts (if ever), I expect the BE to cash in.

One more point - the Cleveland Browns just sold for over $1 Billion. Yes, those Browns. I remember when there were only a handful of Billion Dollar teams - the Yankees, Cowboys and Redskins among them.

[Comet]

EPL to NBC is news to me. I'm going to miss waking up on Saturdays and tuning in to Fox Soccer to catch some games. Hmm..

[Mustangs35SMU]

Also means that Fox Soccer channel and some of their other channels will need inventory. FWIW

You mean no more Being Liverpool reruns 3/4ths of the day? How sad.

[Rebel10]

Time to get some big time cash.

[SMU2007]

how much do we currently get in cusa?

[gostangs]

1.2 million

[SMU_Alumni11]

1.2 million

That's a lot of money.... For one person, geez cupcake USA needs to work on better contracts or something, how can schools build up if the top non BCS coach salary is almost twice that amount and that just gets you a 7-5 record...

[SMU2007]

They probably just don't want more than 1.2 mil. I'm sure it's unrelated to the 2nd rate product that no one really cares about.