(04-18-2015 09:13 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-18-2015 07:08 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 09:32 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  If nobody is watching anyway, why not go to the network that pays the most?

Which is ESPN. I haven't seen any evidence that anyone else would pay even a good fraction of what ESPN pays the MAC.

If you ran a smaller sports network (and they are all smaller than ESPN) and you saw the ratings and attendance numbers for MAC games, how much would you pay for a conference that will generate a small regional audience?

I haven't understood why some MAC fans think the conference is being underpaid. It seems more likely that the deal is generous.

I also agree.

As we know, ESPN has a big, big appetite for programming (lot of hours of programming to fill) so locking up the MAC makes sense for them not so much as to what we bring in market share today, but against the possibility that they (ESPN) could lose OTHER conferences in the future.

If they do (lose other conferences) then the MAC gets more programming hours (e.g., MACtion in October. If things change).

BTW, don't some of the suggestions here (and elsewhere) in the past that the MAC create their own television network seem pretty silly...

Not only were the individual webcasts of basketball game highly amateurish the TWC games were bush league as well. Cheap graphics, took 3 minutes to rack up a replay, etc. The ESPN3 broadcasts this year were exponentially better, and every game is archived for a year to review. Having all of our games easily accessible for review will help us in landing recruits, attracting quality non-conference opponents, and could help us be seen more often by members of the selection committee. Speaking of, starting next year OU's AD will be on the selection committee.