Big East Will Not Sign With ESPN

[ojaipony]

SMU wins 2 Big East titles in a row in 3 and 4 years from now, finishes top 25 and when the next realignment begins in 5 years joins the Pac 16. We then win the NC in the Rose Bowl before I die (next 20-30 years).

My alarm clock just awoke me from a wonderful dream.

[ponyinNC]

I doubt they would pass over programs that have cracked the Top 25 in recent years like Tulsa and So Miss for Old Dominion or Charlotte. Those programs are not in a place where they have had even marginal success. But who knows anymore.

Well, the Big East picked SMU and we haven't been ranked in the last 30 years. But we fit the bill - school in urban area w/large media market. On-field success matters very little, otherwise USM/Tulsa/ECU should have been picked over SMU/SDSU. Especially now that the BCS system is gone. BE picked Boise to be it's bellcow, but that was a special circumstance. ECU is making some inroads, hiring Chuck Neinas and getting the Liberty Bowl prez to endorse ECU to the BE...but they just don't have what the BE is looking for.

I'm telling you, ODU packs their house and is in a very good Hampton/Va Beach market.

[StallionsModelT]

Say what you want about SMU, but it is a brand that people know and identify with nationwide. Whether thats negatively (death penalty) or whatever, SMU is an established brand in college athletics. SMU also has the infrastructure in place that leads one to believe that if it continues down the current path that it has the potential to be a Top 25 caliber program. We've poured millions into the football and basketball programs over the last several years and that is important in conference realignment. I'm unaware of ODU or Charlotte's capital improvements but I can't imagine that its anywhere near SMU.

Ultimately, what led to SMU being invited to the Big East was location, money, influence, and a renewed commitment to athletics. It wasn't JUST the location card otherwise Rice would've gotten an invite. Rice has made no commitment whatsoever to winning in the revenue sports. SMU has shown, through its actions on and off the playing field, that it intends to be a player in college athletics.

[SMU_Alumni11]

Like our conference; I hope they can spread the brand across all networks. I hate NBC and CBS but their money makes the difference. I'm sure Aresco is planning for this. Rather than getting 10 MM from ESPN, you can lower everyone's risk and have networks put 4 mil/team (all sports). That would be (NBC, ESPN, Fox, CBS) voila 20 MM and have it over 10 years. That would be the stability we need.

[ponyinNC]

Say what you want about SMU, but it is a brand that people know and identify with nationwide. Whether thats negatively (death penalty) or whatever, SMU is an established brand in college athletics. SMU also has the infrastructure in place that leads one to believe that if it continues down the current path that it has the potential to be a Top 25 caliber program. We've poured millions into the football and basketball programs over the last several years and that is important in conference realignment. I'm unaware of ODU or Charlotte's capital improvements but I can't imagine that its anywhere near SMU.

Ultimately, what led to SMU being invited to the Big East was location, money, influence, and a renewed commitment to athletics. It wasn't JUST the location card otherwise Rice would've gotten an invite. Rice has made no commitment whatsoever to winning in the revenue sports. SMU has shown, through its actions on and off the playing field, that it intends to be a player in college athletics.

Rice was never a thought since UH got the invite, which is another urban school w/ large media market. Fans tout on-field performance and/or attendance. These things are important, but Conferences are not that short-sighted. It is all about money. It is all about television. It is about penetrating market share in new areas.

Charlotte and ODU, like SMU, have poured millions into stadiums and infastructure. My friend Steven Ballard donated the funds to build ODU's stadium which bears his name. I am in no way comparing the two schools, just giving you the action plan that BE has followed thus far. Hopefully teams like Louisville and RU stay in the BE and there is no need to bring in new teams!

[StallionsModelT]

Didn't know that about ODU. I'd venture to say we still spend quite a bit more on athletics than ODU, but again I don't know for certain.


As far as Louisville and Rutgers leaving I wouldn't worry too much about it in the short term. I think, for the most part, conference realignment has hit a lull. The big five conferences are not going to be in any big hurry to add more programs unless they seriously elevate their prestige. They all have highly lucrative TV deals and access to the highest level bowl games. I could MAYBE see the Big 12 making a play for Louisville, but if they were going to do that they would have done it already.

I think the 2013 version of the Big East will be stable for the next several years and the addition of Navy and probably BYU by 2015.

[ponyinNC]

Didn't know that about ODU. I'd venture to say we still spend quite a bit more on athletics than ODU, but again I don't know for certain.


As far as Louisville and Rutgers leaving I wouldn't worry too much about it in the short term. I think, for the most part, conference realignment has hit a lull. The big five conferences are not going to be in any big hurry to add more programs unless they seriously elevate their prestige. They all have highly lucrative TV deals and access to the highest level bowl games. I could MAYBE see the Big 12 making a play for Louisville, but if they were going to do that they would have done it already.

I think the 2013 version of the Big East will be stable for the next several years and the addition of Navy and probably BYU by 2015.

from your mouth to God's ears!

[SMU 86]

Come on NBC 14 million for full members which we are. NBC is the perfect fit because they do not have any football but Notre Dame.

http://www.bigeastcoastbias.com/2012/8/ ... -expansion

[Stallion]

Last spring when the conventional wisdom on here was 16 Million per team, I had negotiations starting at 6 Million maybe getting to 8 Million with an upside potential of 10 Million if there was heavy competitive bidding between networks. There simply is no rational basis for much more when not a single Big East Team is even the top dog in any of its own markets. Name any big market in the Big East and I'll show you that the Big East is the 2nd, 3rd or 4th option in that market. Therefore Big East doesn't deserve BCS money-still astep up for SMU though.

[StallionsModelT]

I would say Louisville is probably #1 in their market. Maybe not but I'm not sure. I'm sure Boise is #1 in their market but it really doesn't matter as Boise isn't relevant in TV ratings.

I agree with you that 6-8 is where we likely will land. If Aresco can negotiate 10M for full members then he hit an absolute home run.

[skurtn]

Show me any number and I'll say, "Why that much|little?"

[Comet]

They can still do a split deal with ESPN, in fact I hope they do. I'm sort of terrified to see what ESPN will do with their reporting when the Big East is no longer with them. They've done a hell of a job with their blitzkrieg campaign in devaluing a property they owned for these upcoming open negotiations already...

[ponyinNC]

Last spring when the conventional wisdom on here was 16 Million per team, I had negotiations starting at 6-8 Million with an upside potential of 10 Million if there was heavy competitive bidding between networks. There simply is no rational basis for much more when not a single Big East Team is even the top dog in any of its own markets. Name any big market in the Big East and I'll show you that the Big East is the 2nd, 3rd or 4th option in that market. Therefore Big East doesn't deserve BCS money-still astep up for SMU though.

Of course you could end up being correct, but if that was the case we could've just accepted ESPN's offer. I still maintain $10-13MM is the likely range, possibly backloaded like the ACC. So yes, the initial numbers may come in at $8-9MM. And while we are at it, the ACC has many, many teams that are not "top dog" in their own markets. Wake, Duke, Georgia Tech, BC. I would counter your argument about the Big East with Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers..and now Boise, and hopefully BYU/AFA.

Live sports programming is such a valuable commodity-and the BE is the last major entity up for grabs for quite a while. I agree with you that NBC/Comcast won't bid against itself, but I think ESPN, FOX, and CBS will be in the mix for different parts of the deal. Put it all together, and we should have a larger number...but still not ACC money.

[SMU2007]

I've always thought that should the bottom drop out of the Big East that we would see a "best of the rest" type of conference spring out of its remains. I could see something like this:

East

Temple, Navy, ECU, UCF, USF, So Miss

West

SMU, Houston, La Tech, Tulsa, Memphis, Boise State

You mean Boise + CUSA 2.0?

[SMU 86]

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. ESPN tried to low ball the BE.