(06-04-2014 01:15 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 09:52 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 08:20 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  I'm interested in who CBS sub licenses the games out to as well. You'd think the contract states we must have X amount of games on tv. If they don't pick them up they have to find a network to air the games for them or they'd be in breach of contract.

I thought I read that the C-USA / CBSSN contract has a maximum number of games and an option to sub-license, but NO "minimum" number of games.

If true, CBSSN could decide to broadcast zero C-USA games as long as they pay the required dollar amount.

The Big Sky has a similar arrangement with Root Sports and Root isn't picking up Big Sky games, just paying the fee.

Terrible oversight in contract.

Actually Root Sports has 3 networks, or channels, Northwest, Pittsburgh and Rocky Mountain. The Root Rocky Mountain announced an 11 game slate for the Big Sky recently, so they are covering that conference. They will also televise about 10 MWC games this season but haven't picked them yet.

Fox Sports in obligated to televise at least 20 C-USA games over their various outlets. They have picked 31 so far this year and they picked a total of 30 last year. A gain of 1.

CBSsn has only picked 7 C-USA controlled games so far with 2 more games for C-USA teams on CBSsn thru the Army and Navy contracts. We had 12 C-USA controlled games on CBSsn last season, a loss of 5 unless some are added in the coming months. Can't seem to find how many they are obligated to carry.

The following is from the Sports Business Journal as of May, 2013. It shows the Fox contract worth about $7 million more than the CBS contract.

CONFERENCE USA

$42 million/5 years 2011-12 through 2015-16 Fox

$35 million/5-$37.5 million/5 years 2011-12 through 2015-16 CBS Sports Network

$22 million/5 years 2011-2015** ESPN


http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journ...twork.aspx

I think that chart may be a little misleading. Im pretty sure the 22 million from ESPN goes to Fox, not CUSA. If I remember correctly CUSA signed with Fox selling a 20 game per year package that included the championship game. ESPN then filed suit against Fox and CUSA saying that CUSA did not follow the proper procedure when they left ESPN and signed with Fox. In the end ESPN was awarded the rights for the championship game out of the Fox package, but they have to pay Fox for it (since Fox had already purchased the game from CUSA as part of the previously signed deal).

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily.../ESPN.aspx

(06-04-2014 01:35 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I have a feeling that the next TV deal will be better in both exposure and payout. There are a couple of networks that desperately need live college football content (FOX and NBC Sports). We should leave ESPN completely behind. They don't care at all about us.

I'm not sure NBC wants to be a player in this. I read recently that they are not going to get involved in the bidding wars. They have their CAA and Ivy League packages... We'll see.

I dont understand how most games arent on tv nowadays. There is going to be some market for live games in college football no matter what teams are playing . It is that huge. I cant comprehend how sports like bowling, rugby etc are getting on over mid major college football games on ESPN. And they have very low level racing and such on NBCSports too. And there are replays on FS2 and such too.

I cant see how live programming in the 2nd biggest sport isnt more of a priority for these channels.

I mean half our games seem to be on Fox College Sports which sucks because it isnt even in HD. How the heck can you show football at any level in non HD now? I mean we have high school games in Ohio that are in HD but CUSA is gonna be in non HD... It sucks.

(06-04-2014 01:40 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  As of right now, C-USA deals are worth about $1.4 million per school. The MWC deal is worth about $1.38 million per school and the American at about $1.6 million per school counting Navy as number 12 starting in 2015. Coverage is better for both the MWC and the American, yes, but so far C-USA coverage is holding it's own or pretty close to it.

Navy will continue to have their own TV contract through 2018, when their home rights will finally roll into the conference, until that happens, they will NOT receive a conference payout of media money - the American is scheduled to payout to only 11 members.

Also, it was mentioned during the Big East/American media negotiations that ESPN said it would keep the American and Navy whole, and in contract terms that means that a new member will bump the total conference contract value by a full share, not shrink the size of each member's share.

That means the 20-22 million the American was making yearly will increase by a share... so the American members will not see a reduction of their payments with media partner approved additions. The American also has a look-in period coming up in 2015 and will add a championship for football which will increase their contract value further.

Now that money is still peanuts in the grand scheme, but its more than 1/3 more than any other G5, but what makes their contract great is every conference-owned basketball game is on national television and 80-90% of their football games are on national television with the remainder available digitally... that is P5-like coverage, no other G5 conference is anywhere near that.

I wish NBC would make a play to at least partner with FOX or ESPN in the next go round. I was really really impressed with their college basketball production last season.

(06-05-2014 11:16 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  I wish NBC would make a play to at least partner with FOX or ESPN in the next go round. I was really really impressed with their college basketball production last season.

Just a gut feeling, but I suspect part of the CUSA package will end up on NBC-Sports when the next negotiation period ends. NBC needs FBS football and CUSA needs more exposure windows. There's a deal to be made there.

Let's be clear about one thing. What happened this year has no bearing on what the next contract will look like. It's clear that CBS Sports has elected to carry less games plus they are not able to sub license games to CSS after that network became defunct. That is not a good sign for us; however, is not necessarily an indicator of how the next rounds of negotiations will go. There are perhaps some extenuating circumstances that caused CBS to select less games. I am somewhat optimistic that Fox picked up a lot more of the CBSSN/CSS content that essentially results in no net loss in the number of TV games compared to last year. Personally, I don't consider CBSSN a national channel anyway, because you have to purchase an extra sports package to gain access to it, so it's not like it's ESPN or FS1.

So, what conclusions can we draw from this as the negotiations take place over the next 6 to 12 months? The answer is not much. One thing I believe we can probably anticipate is we could be looking at more regional coverage than we will national broadcasts particularly if we stay with Fox. We'll see.

There is a crapload of content need, which is true. However, networks can simply look to televise more P5 games at the expense of showing G5 games though there is one caveat to that which likely precludes if from happening (below). I'm really concerned that these monikers are going to impact TV negotiations. If you're a P5 conference you get good TV package. If you're G5 conference you get a crap TV package. One advantage for us is P5's developing their own networks. The Big Ten Network, the Pac 12 Network, the SEC Network means that they'll want to get as much content on their own channels as they can. And if you're fledgling network like FS1 and FS2, NBC and CBS you're going to see less opportunity for second tier rights opportunities to the P5 schools, particularly if P5 conference can create higher profit margins through their own networks than they can by signing a second tier TV package with one of the networks. That's likely a saving grace for TV coverage.

(06-05-2014 11:58 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Let's be clear about one thing. What happened this year has no bearing on what the next contract will look like. It's clear that CBS Sports has elected to carry less games plus they are not able to sub license games to CSS after that network became defunct. That is not a good sign for us; however, is not necessarily an indicator of how the next rounds of negotiations will go. There are perhaps some extenuating circumstances that caused CBS to select less games. I am somewhat optimistic that Fox picked up a lot more of the CBSSN/CSS content that essentially results in no net loss in the number of TV games compared to last year. Personally, I don't consider CBSSN a national channel anyway, because you have to purchase an extra sports package to gain access to it, so it's not like it's ESPN or FS1.

So, what conclusions can we draw from this as the negotiations take place over the next 6 to 12 months? The answer is not much. One thing I believe we can probably anticipate is we could be looking at more regional coverage than we will national broadcasts particularly if we stay with Fox. We'll see.

There is a crapload of content need, which is true. However, networks can simply look to televise more P5 games at the expense of showing G5 games though there is one caveat to that which likely precludes if from happening (below). I'm really concerned that these monikers are going to impact TV negotiations. If you're a P5 conference you get good TV package. If you're G5 conference you get a crap TV package. One advantage for us is P5's developing their own networks. The Big Ten Network, the Pac 12 Network, the SEC Network means that they'll want to get as much content on their own channels as they can. And if you're fledgling network like FS1 and FS2, NBC and CBS you're going to see less opportunity for second tier rights opportunities to the P5 schools, particularly if P5 conference can create higher profit margins through their own networks than they can by signing a second tier TV package with one of the networks. That's likely a saving grace for TV coverage.

But 'ole Slick Slive knows this too, and I fear that they will do everthing in the power to try and shut us out of every penny's worth of exposure that they can.

(06-05-2014 01:17 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(06-05-2014 11:58 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Let's be clear about one thing. What happened this year has no bearing on what the next contract will look like. It's clear that CBS Sports has elected to carry less games plus they are not able to sub license games to CSS after that network became defunct. That is not a good sign for us; however, is not necessarily an indicator of how the next rounds of negotiations will go. There are perhaps some extenuating circumstances that caused CBS to select less games. I am somewhat optimistic that Fox picked up a lot more of the CBSSN/CSS content that essentially results in no net loss in the number of TV games compared to last year. Personally, I don't consider CBSSN a national channel anyway, because you have to purchase an extra sports package to gain access to it, so it's not like it's ESPN or FS1.

So, what conclusions can we draw from this as the negotiations take place over the next 6 to 12 months? The answer is not much. One thing I believe we can probably anticipate is we could be looking at more regional coverage than we will national broadcasts particularly if we stay with Fox. We'll see.

There is a crapload of content need, which is true. However, networks can simply look to televise more P5 games at the expense of showing G5 games though there is one caveat to that which likely precludes if from happening (below). I'm really concerned that these monikers are going to impact TV negotiations. If you're a P5 conference you get good TV package. If you're G5 conference you get a crap TV package. One advantage for us is P5's developing their own networks. The Big Ten Network, the Pac 12 Network, the SEC Network means that they'll want to get as much content on their own channels as they can. And if you're fledgling network like FS1 and FS2, NBC and CBS you're going to see less opportunity for second tier rights opportunities to the P5 schools, particularly if P5 conference can create higher profit margins through their own networks than they can by signing a second tier TV package with one of the networks. That's likely a saving grace for TV coverage.

But 'ole Slick Slive knows this too, and I fear that they will do everthing in the power to try and shut us out of every penny's worth of exposure that they can.

Absolutley, which is why I have concern about these monikers (and why we probably shouldn't use them ourselves), because IMO they are just as egregious as BCS vs non-BCS terms that were used in the past. It helps maintain that separation perceptually.

Though there is increased demand the P5 could easily fill it without a single G5 vs. G5 game being broadcast by placing every single P5 game on TV. If the NFL can fill all of the content needs with 32 teams, the P5 can certainly achieve that with double the number of P5 programs. That's where we're potentially looking at problems for both TV coverage and dollar value. It's definitely a concern.

(06-05-2014 11:58 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Let's be clear about one thing. What happened this year has no bearing on what the next contract will look like. It's clear that CBS Sports has elected to carry less games plus they are not able to sub license games to CSS after that network became defunct. That is not a good sign for us; however, is not necessarily an indicator of how the next rounds of negotiations will go. There are perhaps some extenuating circumstances that caused CBS to select less games. I am somewhat optimistic that Fox picked up a lot more of the CBSSN/CSS content that essentially results in no net loss in the number of TV games compared to last year. Personally, I don't consider CBSSN a national channel anyway, because you have to purchase an extra sports package to gain access to it, so it's not like it's ESPN or FS1.

So, what conclusions can we draw from this as the negotiations take place over the next 6 to 12 months? The answer is not much. One thing I believe we can probably anticipate is we could be looking at more regional coverage than we will national broadcasts particularly if we stay with Fox. We'll see.

There is a crapload of content need, which is true. However, networks can simply look to televise more P5 games at the expense of showing G5 games though there is one caveat to that which likely precludes if from happening (below). I'm really concerned that these monikers are going to impact TV negotiations. If you're a P5 conference you get good TV package. If you're G5 conference you get a crap TV package. One advantage for us is P5's developing their own networks. The Big Ten Network, the Pac 12 Network, the SEC Network means that they'll want to get as much content on their own channels as they can. And if you're fledgling network like FS1 and FS2, NBC and CBS you're going to see less opportunity for second tier rights opportunities to the P5 schools, particularly if P5 conference can create higher profit margins through their own networks than they can by signing a second tier TV package with one of the networks. That's likely a saving grace for TV coverage.

This is a very good point and I hope you're right. What we don't know is if the P5 really wants to limit our coverage that badly. My feeling is that they would rather make more money for themselves, not necessarily limit our exposure. Given the scraps that G5 conferences make off their TV deals, they know that we are no threat to their empire.

(06-05-2014 08:19 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 01:40 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  As of right now, C-USA deals are worth about $1.4 million per school. The MWC deal is worth about $1.38 million per school and the American at about $1.6 million per school counting Navy as number 12 starting in 2015. Coverage is better for both the MWC and the American, yes, but so far C-USA coverage is holding it's own or pretty close to it.

Navy will continue to have their own TV contract through 2018, when their home rights will finally roll into the conference, until that happens, they will NOT receive a conference payout of media money - the American is scheduled to payout to only 11 members.

Also, it was mentioned during the Big East/American media negotiations that ESPN said it would keep the American and Navy whole, and in contract terms that means that a new member will bump the total conference contract value by a full share, not shrink the size of each member's share.

That means the 20-22 million the American was making yearly will increase by a share... so the American members will not see a reduction of their payments with media partner approved additions. The American also has a look-in period coming up in 2015 and will add a championship for football which will increase their contract value further.

Now that money is still peanuts in the grand scheme, but its more than 1/3 more than any other G5, but what makes their contract great is every conference-owned basketball game is on national television and 80-90% of their football games are on national television with the remainder available digitally... that is P5-like coverage, no other G5 conference is anywhere near that.

The AAC is doing well after skimming off 7 C-USA members. For C-USA to then bring in 9 new members, we are holding on pretty well, all things considered. C-USA admins, commish, ADs and presidents all decided to gamble a bit on the future of the conference and did as well as they could, imho. Now we need time to assimilate, improve and grow our brand, again. Complain if you feel the need but this conference will be pretty damn good as time goes on.

(06-06-2014 07:59 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(06-05-2014 08:19 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 01:40 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  As of right now, C-USA deals are worth about $1.4 million per school. The MWC deal is worth about $1.38 million per school and the American at about $1.6 million per school counting Navy as number 12 starting in 2015. Coverage is better for both the MWC and the American, yes, but so far C-USA coverage is holding it's own or pretty close to it.

Navy will continue to have their own TV contract through 2018, when their home rights will finally roll into the conference, until that happens, they will NOT receive a conference payout of media money - the American is scheduled to payout to only 11 members.

Also, it was mentioned during the Big East/American media negotiations that ESPN said it would keep the American and Navy whole, and in contract terms that means that a new member will bump the total conference contract value by a full share, not shrink the size of each member's share.

That means the 20-22 million the American was making yearly will increase by a share... so the American members will not see a reduction of their payments with media partner approved additions. The American also has a look-in period coming up in 2015 and will add a championship for football which will increase their contract value further.

Now that money is still peanuts in the grand scheme, but its more than 1/3 more than any other G5, but what makes their contract great is every conference-owned basketball game is on national television and 80-90% of their football games are on national television with the remainder available digitally... that is P5-like coverage, no other G5 conference is anywhere near that.

The AAC is doing well after skimming off 7 C-USA members. For C-USA to then bring in 9 new members, we are holding on pretty well, all things considered. C-USA admins, commish, ADs and presidents all decided to gamble a bit on the future of the conference and did as well as they could, imho. Now we need time to assimilate, improve and grow our brand, again. Complain if you feel the need but this conference will be pretty damn good as time goes on.

I agree we seem to have a lot of naysayers both here and in the Sun Belt about how bad this conference is.....In time though I think it will be a solid conference, not worried about basketball....Main thing is improving on overall quality of football a little bit....

(06-06-2014 08:42 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  

(06-06-2014 07:59 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(06-05-2014 08:19 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 01:40 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  As of right now, C-USA deals are worth about $1.4 million per school. The MWC deal is worth about $1.38 million per school and the American at about $1.6 million per school counting Navy as number 12 starting in 2015. Coverage is better for both the MWC and the American, yes, but so far C-USA coverage is holding it's own or pretty close to it.

Navy will continue to have their own TV contract through 2018, when their home rights will finally roll into the conference, until that happens, they will NOT receive a conference payout of media money - the American is scheduled to payout to only 11 members.

Also, it was mentioned during the Big East/American media negotiations that ESPN said it would keep the American and Navy whole, and in contract terms that means that a new member will bump the total conference contract value by a full share, not shrink the size of each member's share.

That means the 20-22 million the American was making yearly will increase by a share... so the American members will not see a reduction of their payments with media partner approved additions. The American also has a look-in period coming up in 2015 and will add a championship for football which will increase their contract value further.

Now that money is still peanuts in the grand scheme, but its more than 1/3 more than any other G5, but what makes their contract great is every conference-owned basketball game is on national television and 80-90% of their football games are on national television with the remainder available digitally... that is P5-like coverage, no other G5 conference is anywhere near that.

The AAC is doing well after skimming off 7 C-USA members. For C-USA to then bring in 9 new members, we are holding on pretty well, all things considered. C-USA admins, commish, ADs and presidents all decided to gamble a bit on the future of the conference and did as well as they could, imho. Now we need time to assimilate, improve and grow our brand, again. Complain if you feel the need but this conference will be pretty damn good as time goes on.

I agree we seem to have a lot of naysayers both here and in the Sun Belt about how bad this conference is.....In time though I think it will be a solid conference, not worried about basketball....Main thing is improving on overall quality of football a little bit....

This conference will be fine. Most of the naysayers are Sunbelt or AAC fans that are hoping we fail and some fellow Eagle fans. The schools coming in are no different than USF and UCF were when they joined. We had 8 bowl eligible teams last year and Marshall was a FG away from an access bowl type year. We added a lot to our TV footprint so regardless of what people say our contract will not decrease.

All we have to do is win and we will. Stop listening to people who have an agenda. CUSA has a great future. The problem all these naysayers have is this. It doesn't matter what they say will happen. The only thing that matters is what actually happens on the field. I like our chances.

(06-05-2014 01:17 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  But 'ole Slick Slive knows this too, and I fear that they will do everthing in the power to try and shut us out of every penny's worth of exposure that they can.

And we (meaning every fan of a non BCS school--especially those with Neilsen monitoring) need to do everything in our power to shut those games off and watch our own schools. That is the only way to bring those guys back to reality.

Even with CBSSN's shenanigans, there's only a 5 game differential. Not too bad IMO. Good on Fox for stepping up. The main shift seems to be from national to broadly syndicated/regional telecasts. Considering CUSA's tighter divisional footprint, it may not be too bad...though not sure how many schools recruit students and athletes nationally...Rice perhaps? The only thing that's pretty safe to say about the future contract is CBSSN probably will not be a major player...which is fine by me b/c I'm still miffed at them for not televising the QF in bball.

Hmm, we may find out specifics about the contract yet. Anybody else following this?

Jon Solomon @JonSolomonCBS · 34m
O'Bannon lawyers: CUSA and Big 12 counsel weren't open to redacting some confidential TV contract provisions, want everything sealed.

Jon Solomon @JonSolomonCBS · 37m
O'Bannon lawyers: Court has already determined TV agreements aren't subject to wholesale sealing and in camera review.

Jon Solomon @JonSolomonCBS · 39m
O'Bannon lawyers: Big 12, C-USA requests to seal TV deals, memos & emails should be denied. No compelling reasons to deny public access.