The 5 could leverage a better deal and distribute money based on appearances and make more but no one trusts anyone else and being on the same deal would bruise some fragile egos

(12-08-2013 11:00 AM)HCJag Wrote:  

(12-08-2013 04:13 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Looking at the ratings for this season.
The two ESPN2 games for the Sun Belt.
UL vs. WKU 456,000 viewers
UL vs. AState 767,000 viewers

Most watched CUSA game that didn't involve a P5 conference team?
USM vs. Boise State 329,000 viewers (least watched Boise game of the year).

How did things go on FS1?
In order of audience
181,000 ECU-FAU
155,000 Tulsa-Marshall
148,000 Tulsa-UTEP
129,000 Army-LaTech (least watched Army national telecast)
124,000 Tulane-LaTech
91,000 MTSU-Marshall
79,000 UAB-Rice
46,000 FIU-FAU

All of the top 5 rated games (excluding the Army game) involved teams that are leaving next year.

This is not going to help Cusa when contract time arrives.

(12-08-2013 10:19 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  TV viewers

Rank Conference Avg Viewers
1 SEC 3,596,643
2 Big 10 2,643,794
3 ACC 1,918,042
4 Pac-12 1,799,596
5 Big 12 1,571,833
6 AAC 1,040,547
7 MWC 1,017,701
8 C-USA 825,796
9 MAC 765,792
10 Sun Belt 603,694

http://www.goodbullhunting.com/2013/12/4...m-missouri

Bad link, so maybe you know the answer. Do these numbers include the online games, or just those on tv? But either way, I'm surprised its even that high for the average. I could see the SBC and CUSA numbers swap over the next few years or at least be equal. Having one more quality add in a new market (doesn't have to be big just new) and a championship game would go a long way to getting a better deal.

Also. All SBC fans should make an effort to watch or at least record any SBC game on tv. Gotta get those ratings up. You can blame Benson all you want, but at least give him the ammo to fight with.

No online numbers.

(12-09-2013 07:53 AM)trueeagle98 Wrote:  

(12-08-2013 10:19 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  TV viewers

Rank Conference Avg Viewers
1 SEC 3,596,643
2 Big 10 2,643,794
3 ACC 1,918,042
4 Pac-12 1,799,596
5 Big 12 1,571,833
6 AAC 1,040,547
7 MWC 1,017,701
8 C-USA 825,796
9 MAC 765,792
10 Sun Belt 603,694

http://www.goodbullhunting.com/2013/12/4...m-missouri

Bad link, so maybe you know the answer. Do these numbers include the online games, or just those on tv? But either way, I'm surprised its even that high for the average. I could see the SBC and CUSA numbers swap over the next few years or at least be equal. Having one more quality add in a new market (doesn't have to be big just new) and a championship game would go a long way to getting a better deal.

Also. All SBC fans should make an effort to watch or at least record any SBC game on tv. Gotta get those ratings up. You can blame Benson all you want, but at least give him the ammo to fight with.

It doesn't even include games on regional networks, only national games.

(12-08-2013 04:13 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Games on CBS Sports Net aren't included because it is not in enough homes nor draws large enough of audiences to be included in national rankings.

Mark, do you have any idea how many homes CBSSN is in?

They say they are "available" in 96 million, but they doesn't tell us how many people buy the extra sports package (what about $5 for most cable companies?) that gives you that network.

FS1 obviously has a long way to go to catch up with the beast that ESPN has created.

(12-09-2013 10:44 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(12-08-2013 04:13 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Games on CBS Sports Net aren't included because it is not in enough homes nor draws large enough of audiences to be included in national rankings.

Mark, do you have any idea how many homes CBSSN is in?

They say they are "available" in 96 million, but they doesn't tell us how many people buy the extra sports package (what about $5 for most cable companies?) that gives you that network.

FS1 obviously has a long way to go to catch up with the beast that ESPN has created.

No I don't, I just know they aren't considered a national reach network and therefore excluded from national ratings.

FS1 had some impressive numbers for some of the AQ games but I don't have that in front of me right now.

I'm going to work deeper in the numbers later in the week but my eyeball estimate based on the last two years is if a conference were looking to raid the MAC or Sun Belt based upon actual viewership rather than markets the clear number one choice is easily NIU and then after that either AState or Toledo and I think Toledo would have the edge.

But market model is what leagues have embraced, not viewership.

Two things of importance though.

We saw a new model in pricing come in with the AAC. ESPN's last offer according to a TV insider was just over half what they ended up paying. NBC Sports ran it up to the price they got and ESPN exercised its right of refusal to match. So basically half of what ESPN paid was a premium to keep NBCSports out of college football.

The other is the subscription model matters, the nets want people who are going to call and demand that you add or keep the channel. We've only seen that partially in play so far. I think it dramatically harms the value of schools like SMU and Tulane who are wonderful additions in a market driven model but of little value in a subscription model.