Well, I read the news accounts of the two contracts and, if I got it right, the details of the two contracts follow. The MAC signed an 8 year deal and the SBC signed a 3 year deal.

Long term contracts can be good or bad; only time will tell. I prefer the shorter term approach the SBC took. A lot of things can change in 8 years !!!


SBC's 2009 contract with ESPN for 3 years

-- There is the potential for the SBC to have over 40 appearances on the ESPN platform (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN Regional) each academic year


FOOTBALL:

-- 4 potential nationally televised games annually on ESPN or ESPN2

--- 2 guaranteed, nationally televised games annually on either ESPN or ESPN2
--- 2 additional mid-week games MAY be nationally televised, upon request of ESPN/ESPN2

-- 5 games annually MAY be aired on ESPN Regional

-- ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU will also be granted additional opportunities to select games to air

--- Will be granted a 12 day rolling window during the season to select additional games to televise.
--- Games available for selection are after the third Saturday of the season


BASKETBALL:

-- Men's tournament final will be on ESPN or ESPN2

-- 4 men's games annually on ESPN or ESPN2

-- 8 men's games annually MAY be aired by ESPN Regional

-- 2 women's games guaranteed annually on ESPNU

--- ESPNU will televise either the women's basketball championship game or 2 regular season games


MAC's 2009 contract with ESPN for 8 years


2009: MAC & ESPN Contract (8 years)

-- The MAC has always had a shared vision of the benefits of CREATIVE SCHEDULING.
--- The new agreement calls for continuation of the NOVEMBER MID-WEEK national football package.

-- The new deal calls for a minimum of 25 events annually to be produced and aired on an ESPN platform


FOOTBALL:

-- 6 nationally televised games annually on either ESPN or ESPN2
--- Includes the MAC championship game
--- Includes the November mid-week games

-- 5 games annually on ESPNU

-- 6 games annually on ESPN Regional


BASKETBALL

-- 6 men’s OR women’s regular season conference games annually on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU

-- Men’s tournament final will be broadcast on ESPN/ESPN2

-- Women’s tournament MAY be selected by ESPNU

As the Sun Belt grows so will their contracts. I think the SBC is a great conference. Scheduling SEC teams twice a year will pay off in the long run. Espn did not spend that much money on the SEC to not show their games. Their will be a steady spill over effect that the Sun Belt will benefit from by increased exposure,increased market value, and recruiting. The new contract might be short but I do fill that the next one will be even greater. The growth of the SBC will only increase the SBC marketablity, adding South Alabama and possibly a team(s) in Georgia or Texas will only strengthen a already strong conference.

So does this contract mean there will be 2 nationally televised games next season??

That is a great increase in coverage on the basketball side, I am not too familiar with the football deal to comment, but right now I think we only get one ESPN/ESPN2 season game.

(02-19-2009 11:29 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  So does this contract mean there will be 2 nationally televised games next season??

This is the language from the article:

Football

· The Sun Belt Conference receives GUARANTEED national exposure on ESPN or ESPN2 with a MINIMUM of 2 SUN BELT CONTROLLED games a year.
(Since midweek games are addressed below, these games appear to be weekend games. However, 'Sunbelt controlled' could also mean the SBC selects the games to be aired ???)

· UPON REQUEST (BY ESPN) the Sun Belt Conference will make available two midweek games to ESPN/ESPN2.

· Through a 12 day rolling window (i.e., by the second Monday preceding each Saturday telecast date) ESPN MAY SELECT ADDITIONAL GAMES to air after the first three weeks of the season for inclusion on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. PREVIOUSLY THIS OPTION DID NOT EXIST.

My understanding based upon the above -- 2 guaranteed nationally televised games (on the weekends ???), a possibility of 2 midweek games selected by ESPN. Under the '12 day rolling window' clause, additional games could be aired on the ESPN platform (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Regional, ESPNU).

I'm thinking that ESPN doesn't have to guarantee those games on the weekend, so ESPN could ask for two midweek games and fulfill the teams of the ESPN/ESPN2 minimum.

(02-20-2009 11:15 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  I'm thinking that ESPN doesn't have to guarantee those games on the weekend, so ESPN could ask for two midweek games and fulfill the teams of the ESPN/ESPN2 minimum.

You could be right; it all depends on the actual contract language to include the legal definition of 'Sunbelt controlled'.

After last year's bowl debacle, SBC fans can not be sure what our Commish agreed to or what he THINKS he agreed to do.

(02-20-2009 11:32 AM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  

(02-20-2009 11:15 AM)mattsarz Wrote:  I'm thinking that ESPN doesn't have to guarantee those games on the weekend, so ESPN could ask for two midweek games and fulfill the teams of the ESPN/ESPN2 minimum.

You could be right; it all depends on the actual contract language to include the legal definition of 'Sunbelt controlled'.

After last year's bowl debacle, SBC fans can not be sure what our Commish agreed to or what he THINKS he agreed to do.

Waters doesnt understand why all these "deals" need to be in a written contract or that he needs to read what is written in those contracts - words confuse Wright, he prefers to communicate through a series of grunts and yelps, and signify agreement though an ass-slap and a giggle. Those around him can also tell when he is upset because of the way he rubs his belly in a counter-clockwise circle motion - not to be confused by the clockwise motion he uses when he is hungry. I was told that ESPN solidified this deal when they included a box of little debbies and a carton of frozen waffels for Wright and his legal team.
- Thats all just a rumor (except for the frozen waffles.)

Haha.... that was just too funny.

Props.

I could be wrong, but weren't there two nationally televised games last year? MTSU/FAU and Troy/FAU - both on Tuesday nights?

(02-20-2009 12:42 PM)RDA Trojan Wrote:  I could be wrong, but weren't there two nationally televised games last year? MTSU/FAU and Troy/FAU - both on Tuesday nights?

Yes,

But that wasnt a gurantee. ESPN asked to put them on of the SBC and could of chosen any other teams.

NOW ESPN has to put 2 games on and still has the right to choose others if they want.

The old contract guaranteed five games over a five year span, but never said the Sun Belt had to have a telecast every year. ESPN/2 did, by my count, televised at least two SBC games per year with the exception of 2003. But over the length of the original contract (2003-2007), the average was two telecasts per year.

2008 was run on a mutual option between ESPN and the SBC using the terms of the previous contract.

2003: N. Texas at New Mex St.
2004: Missouri at Troy, N. Texas at ULL
2005: OK State at FAU, Troy at N. Texas
2006: Louisville at MTSU, ULL at FAU
2007: Tulsa at ULM, OK State at Troy, MTSU at Troy
2008: FAU at MTSU, Troy at FAU

I was reviewing the Ohio University Bob Cats wed site this morning,
and found the Bob Cats, a middle of the pack MAC team at 4-8 in
2008, had 7 of their 8 away games on TV.

Wyoming on "The Mountain" network on 08-30-08
Ohio State on ESPN, 09-06-08
Northwestern on the "Big Ten Network", 09-20-08
Kent St on "FSN Ohio", 10-11-08
Temple on ESPN2, 10-21-08
Buffalo on ESPNU, 10-28-08
and
Miami (OH) on ESPNU, 11-28-08

4 games with the ESPN network. Notice in Oct, ESPN ran 3 Bob Cats games.
ESPN loves the MAC.

http://ohiobobcats.cstv.com/sports/m-foo...sched.html

(02-20-2009 02:52 PM)Charlie NT73 Wrote:  I was reviewing the Ohio University Bob Cats wed site this morning,
and found the Bob Cats, a middle of the pack MAC team at 4-8 in
2008, had 7 of their 8 away games on TV.

Wyoming on "The Mountain" network on 08-30-08
Ohio State on ESPN, 09-06-08
Northwestern on the "Big Ten Network", 09-20-08
Kent St on "FSN Ohio", 10-11-08
Temple on ESPN2, 10-21-08
Buffalo on ESPNU, 10-28-08
and
Miami (OH) on ESPNU, 11-28-08

4 games with the ESPN network. Notice in Oct, ESPN ran 3 Bob Cats games.
ESPN loves the MAC.

http://ohiobobcats.cstv.com/sports/m-foo...sched.html

Their TV exposure is not who they are but in three appearances who they are playing. A lot of games are put on ESPNU. Looks like they have one legit MAC appearance on ESPN2 vs Temple.

Wyoming is a Mountain West team on the Mountain Network.
Ohio State is the ESPN attraction.
Northwestern is on their Big 10 Network

(02-20-2009 05:57 PM)MeanGreen61 Wrote:  

(02-20-2009 02:52 PM)Charlie NT73 Wrote:  I was reviewing the Ohio University Bob Cats wed site this morning,
and found the Bob Cats, a middle of the pack MAC team at 4-8 in
2008, had 7 of their 8 away games on TV.

Wyoming on "The Mountain" network on 08-30-08
Ohio State on ESPN, 09-06-08
Northwestern on the "Big Ten Network", 09-20-08
Kent St on "FSN Ohio", 10-11-08
Temple on ESPN2, 10-21-08
Buffalo on ESPNU, 10-28-08
and
Miami (OH) on ESPNU, 11-28-08

4 games with the ESPN network. Notice in Oct, ESPN ran 3 Bob Cats games.
ESPN loves the MAC.

http://ohiobobcats.cstv.com/sports/m-foo...sched.html

Their TV exposure is not who they are but in three appearances who they are playing. A lot of games are put on ESPNU. Looks like they have one legit MAC appearance on ESPN2 vs Temple.

Wyoming is a Mountain West team on the Mountain Network.
Ohio State is the ESPN attraction.
Northwestern is on their Big 10 Network

The SBC plays a lot of SEC teams OOC; this will put the SBC on ESPN more often not because of who we are, but who we are playing. Same as the MAC playing a Big 10 team.

Hey Charlie, Troy had 8 of our 12 teams on tv in some capacity this past season. most of those were ESPN regional broadcasts aired on local tv, but we were on in our nearby markets (i.e. Montgomery metro and Dothan metro).