Whenever Independence in regards to a team like Uconn is mentioned it’s said they could get their own media deal. Can they, what network, and how much?

Independents and their media deals:
Notre Dame: Big $ long term contract with NBC. And ESPN for Olympics
Army: Stable contract with CBS. Most homes e games on CBS-SN. Huge $ game with Navy on CBS OTA. The game vs Air Force can be put on CBS as well as vs ND.
BYU: 800k per game on ESPN channels with min 3 games per year. BYUtv gets 1 game per year. Ends this year.
UMASS: ? A local station. CBS-SN may have picked up a game..
New Mexico St: Has their own network “Aggie Vision”; don’t know any details on terms or reach. ESPN has put them on as well...
Liberty: ESPN + and was told they’d be put on the “Liberty Flames Network”
UCONN: ?

Anyone with more Indy media deatails and ideas on other schools that could make it work if they went Indy?
(Texas has espn owned LHN for example)

Sorry...I meant to post this on the realignment board. I’ll move it if someone tells me how and if you guys want me too....

https://www.heraldextra.com/sports/byu-s...002e0.html

The new television deal gives ESPN exclusive rights to all of BYU's home games for its family of networks, which includes ESPN, ABC, ESPN2 and ESPNU. Any home game that isn't selected by ESPN can be picked up by BYU-TV, which is available in 55 million North American homes. BYU also has same day re-broadcast rights of any home game.

https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/n...-contract/

ESPN has exercised its contract option to extend broadcast rights of BYU football through the 2019 season. On Sept. 1, 2010, BYU announced an exclusive eight-year contract (2011-18) with ESPN to broadcast its home football games on the ESPN networks. The term of the agreement will now include a ninth year (2019).
...
Over the past six seasons, BYU has played 32 of its 37 home football games on ESPN networks and platforms.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/8656...-them.html

Your estimate of ~$800k/game on ESPN is probably about right. The amount does vary based on the game with neutral site games paying a bit more. This link estimates around $1 mill/game when you factor in the payouts for neutral site games.

Since BYU's deal expires at the end of 2019, negotiations around another deal are expected to take place over the next year.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-deal-2025

NBC Sports Group announced a 10-year contract extension to televise Notre Dame football games Thursday, doubling the length of its previous agreement.
NBC and Notre Dame said the extension would begin in 2016 and run through the 2025 season. The contract, reportedly worth $15 million annually for football, had never run for more than five years.

Umass pretty much posts live Facebook feeds from a kids I-Phone for free


We get picked up by NESN and NESN-Plus for about half our games. Not much money in it from what I know of it. Occasionally they will get on ESPN3 but that is based on the opponent's deal - not our own.

(05-01-2018 10:21 AM)Eldonabe Wrote:  Umass pretty much posts live Facebook feeds from a kids I-Phone for free


We get picked up by NESN and NESN-Plus for about half our games. Not much money in it from what I know of it. Occasionally they will get on ESPN3 but that is based on the opponent's deal - not our own.

Poor UMASS. I hope y'all are able to find a conference soon.

A bunch of UMass games were on this past season and the one before. Some were on major networks because they were playing SEC teams, but others were on a station I can’t recall that also does games for the American (not ESPN).

(05-01-2018 09:50 AM)f1do Wrote:  https://www.heraldextra.com/sports/byu-s...002e0.html

The new television deal gives ESPN exclusive rights to all of BYU's home games for its family of networks, which includes ESPN, ABC, ESPN2 and ESPNU. Any home game that isn't selected by ESPN can be picked up by BYU-TV, which is available in 55 million North American homes. BYU also has same day re-broadcast rights of any home game.

https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/n...-contract/

ESPN has exercised its contract option to extend broadcast rights of BYU football through the 2019 season. On Sept. 1, 2010, BYU announced an exclusive eight-year contract (2011-18) with ESPN to broadcast its home football games on the ESPN networks. The term of the agreement will now include a ninth year (2019).
...
Over the past six seasons, BYU has played 32 of its 37 home football games on ESPN networks and platforms.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/8656...-them.html

Your estimate of ~$800k/game on ESPN is probably about right. The amount does vary based on the game with neutral site games paying a bit more. This link estimates around $1 mill/game when you factor in the payouts for neutral site games.

Since BYU's deal expires at the end of 2019, negotiations around another deal are expected to take place over the next year.

Thank you for the info. I take it that BYU’s media deal brings in up to 4 million a year based on espn choosing 5 games. Maybe a bit higher factoring in a big neutral game. No idea how the 1 game vs FCS on BYUtv pays...

(05-01-2018 10:21 AM)Eldonabe Wrote:  Umass pretty much posts live Facebook feeds from a kids I-Phone for free


We get picked up by NESN and NESN-Plus for about half our games. Not much money in it from what I know of it. Occasionally they will get on ESPN3 but that is based on the opponent's deal - not our own.

Looking over UMASS 2018 schedule I see 2 games that could be worthy of national tv:
At home vs BYU
At home vs USF
Maybe ESPN or CBS-SN picks up these 2 games?

(05-01-2018 09:57 AM)f1do Wrote:  http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-deal-2025

NBC Sports Group announced a 10-year contract extension to televise Notre Dame football games Thursday, doubling the length of its previous agreement.
NBC and Notre Dame said the extension would begin in 2016 and run through the 2025 season. The contract, reportedly worth $15 million annually for football, had never run for more than five years.

Lazy reporting by the media on the $15 million per year number.

That was the amount paid under the previous 2010-15 contract.

The rumors around ND (private school, no official numbers released) are that the new 2015-25 deal pays $22 million per year.

(Unless you believe that at the time of renewal in 2013, ND locked itself into a ten year contract with no increase, at a time when other TV deals were increasing)

ND also has a stand alone deal with NBC Sports to televise all home ND hockey games, even though ND is a member of the Big Ten in that sport (ND gets no BTN revenues). No idea on that dollar figure, though.

ND also gets $6.4 million a year from the ACC/ESPN for its other 24 sports in the ACC.

It will get a full share, like the other 14 ACC members, of the ACC Network revenues.

Here's my thought on a "realistic" UConn independent schedule in a typical season:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Boston College) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Syracuse) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Ohio State/Alabama-type) (away payday game)
G5 opponent (e.g. Temple) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (e.g. Navy) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (random) (home-and-home)
FCS opponent (home payday game)

That gives UConn 6 home games per season with 3 P5 opponents (albeit one of them being an away payday game) and games against the other FBS independents (except for Notre Dame). I'm not sure whether that schedule is actually better than an AAC schedule and/or produce more revenue for UConn, but I could see it at least being somewhat feasible.

(05-01-2018 11:44 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Here's my thought on a "realistic" UConn independent schedule in a typical season:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Boston College) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Syracuse) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Ohio State/Alabama-type) (away payday game)
G5 opponent (e.g. Temple) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (e.g. Navy) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (random) (home-and-home)
FCS opponent (home payday game)

That gives UConn 6 home games per season with 3 P5 opponents (albeit one of them being an away payday game) and games against the other FBS independents (except for Notre Dame). I'm not sure whether that schedule is actually better than an AAC schedule and/or produce more revenue for UConn, but I could see it at least being somewhat feasible.

Without a Conference Championship and Bowl Tie-ins, what is UConn really playing for? Why should athletes go there?

Without the history and current fan base of a program like BYU, I would think the independent route is the quick way to kill the program. Even with a great year at 9-3 (As unlikely as that is), which bowl games are really chasing UConn?

It seems like something fun to project schedules and think would turn out okay. However, I just see serious recruitment issues (as if they didn't struggle already) and a lack of direction for a lackluster program.

I could see a bowl-eligible, indy UConn team garnering interest from the Pinstripe Bowl. What other tie-ins? Not sure, probably be in the same boat as UMass and Liberty.

There are only two possible regional bowl-games that UConn could get interest from as an independent: the Pinstripe Bowl (ACC/B1G) and the Military Bowl (ACC/AAC). I don't see how a non-local bowl game would automatically provide a tie-in to a school like UConn, who hasn't had any recent on-field success, nor have they historically traveled well to big bowl games.

With that being said, if you get to six wins, you are bowl-eligible - and I believe they would be taken by somebody. I do think it would be easier for UConn to get to six wins as an independent than as a member in the American. If the goal is still to get to the P5 (which it is), it will be hard to put a consistent on-field product together when you have been leapfrogged by many football programs that are now in the American.

ESPN helps BYU with bowl arrangements. If Fox really wanted to get UConn into the Big East as #11, I'd assume they would do something similar for them.

(05-01-2018 12:30 PM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 11:44 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Here's my thought on a "realistic" UConn independent schedule in a typical season:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Boston College) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Syracuse) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Ohio State/Alabama-type) (away payday game)
G5 opponent (e.g. Temple) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (e.g. Navy) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (random) (home-and-home)
FCS opponent (home payday game)

That gives UConn 6 home games per season with 3 P5 opponents (albeit one of them being an away payday game) and games against the other FBS independents (except for Notre Dame). I'm not sure whether that schedule is actually better than an AAC schedule and/or produce more revenue for UConn, but I could see it at least being somewhat feasible.

Without a Conference Championship and Bowl Tie-ins, what is UConn really playing for? Why should athletes go there?

Without the history and current fan base of a program like BYU, I would think the independent route is the quick way to kill the program. Even with a great year at 9-3 (As unlikely as that is), which bowl games are really chasing UConn?

It seems like something fun to project schedules and think would turn out okay. However, I just see serious recruitment issues (as if they didn't struggle already) and a lack of direction for a lackluster program.

I agree with these things, but more than maybe any other school, it’s P5 or bust for UConn. That’s because it’s really the only FBS school that has the Big East available as an option for basketball. As long as UConn believes it has a legit shot at a P5 invite in the nearish future (within the next decade), then they’ll just stay in the AAC. The challenge is if UConn truly doesn’t believe that a P5 invite will happen in that timeframe (if ever). Then it becomes more difficult. UConn is one of the few schools that can viably make more money by maximizing basketball revenue as opposed to chasing football revenue, so then it becomes more about what’s best for their basketball program.

(05-01-2018 01:49 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 12:30 PM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 11:44 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Here's my thought on a "realistic" UConn independent schedule in a typical season:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Boston College) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Syracuse) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Ohio State/Alabama-type) (away payday game)
G5 opponent (e.g. Temple) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (e.g. Navy) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (random) (home-and-home)
FCS opponent (home payday game)

That gives UConn 6 home games per season with 3 P5 opponents (albeit one of them being an away payday game) and games against the other FBS independents (except for Notre Dame). I'm not sure whether that schedule is actually better than an AAC schedule and/or produce more revenue for UConn, but I could see it at least being somewhat feasible.

Without a Conference Championship and Bowl Tie-ins, what is UConn really playing for? Why should athletes go there?

Without the history and current fan base of a program like BYU, I would think the independent route is the quick way to kill the program. Even with a great year at 9-3 (As unlikely as that is), which bowl games are really chasing UConn?

It seems like something fun to project schedules and think would turn out okay. However, I just see serious recruitment issues (as if they didn't struggle already) and a lack of direction for a lackluster program.

I agree with these things, but more than maybe any other school, it’s P5 or bust for UConn. That’s because it’s really the only FBS school that has the Big East available as an option for basketball. As long as UConn believes it has a legit shot at a P5 invite in the nearish future (within the next decade), then they’ll just stay in the AAC. The challenge is if UConn truly doesn’t believe that a P5 invite will happen in that timeframe (if ever). Then it becomes more difficult. UConn is one of the few schools that can viably make more money by maximizing basketball revenue as opposed to chasing football revenue, so then it becomes more about what’s best for their basketball program.

They have Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's. Why would they need a football playing public school in the northeast? I don't think the Big East would take them.

(05-01-2018 02:07 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 01:49 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 12:30 PM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 11:44 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Here's my thought on a "realistic" UConn independent schedule in a typical season:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Boston College) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Syracuse) (home-and-home)
P5 opponent (e.g. Ohio State/Alabama-type) (away payday game)
G5 opponent (e.g. Temple) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (e.g. Navy) (home-and-home)
G5 opponent (random) (home-and-home)
FCS opponent (home payday game)

That gives UConn 6 home games per season with 3 P5 opponents (albeit one of them being an away payday game) and games against the other FBS independents (except for Notre Dame). I'm not sure whether that schedule is actually better than an AAC schedule and/or produce more revenue for UConn, but I could see it at least being somewhat feasible.

Without a Conference Championship and Bowl Tie-ins, what is UConn really playing for? Why should athletes go there?

Without the history and current fan base of a program like BYU, I would think the independent route is the quick way to kill the program. Even with a great year at 9-3 (As unlikely as that is), which bowl games are really chasing UConn?

It seems like something fun to project schedules and think would turn out okay. However, I just see serious recruitment issues (as if they didn't struggle already) and a lack of direction for a lackluster program.

I agree with these things, but more than maybe any other school, it’s P5 or bust for UConn. That’s because it’s really the only FBS school that has the Big East available as an option for basketball. As long as UConn believes it has a legit shot at a P5 invite in the nearish future (within the next decade), then they’ll just stay in the AAC. The challenge is if UConn truly doesn’t believe that a P5 invite will happen in that timeframe (if ever). Then it becomes more difficult. UConn is one of the few schools that can viably make more money by maximizing basketball revenue as opposed to chasing football revenue, so then it becomes more about what’s best for their basketball program.

They have Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's. Why would they need a football playing public school in the northeast? I don't think the Big East would take them.

The Creighton AD is on record more or less saying that UConn would get the votes they need if they asked into the BE right now, and that they're the only viable option that could currently do so. There are a lot of reasons that the Big East would take UConn, but it more or less boils down to UConn offering both the most valuable content and the best geography relative to the tournament (which is a central piece of the conference identity).

(05-01-2018 02:07 PM)bullet Wrote:  They have Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's. Why would they need a football playing public school in the northeast? I don't think the Big East would take them.

The Big East would take UConn in heartbeat. I would even go so far to guess that UConn would be the only non-P5 program out there that would get unanimous support. It would also allow the BE to move to a 20-game conference schedule.

For NMSU's AggieVision it is picked up at the locally with Comcast Las Cruces and New Mexico. There is also a deal with Altitude, FOX Sports AZ and ESPN 3. Through the deal with FOX Sports AZ it has also been picked up by other regional FOX Sports channels in California, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia and other southern states too. Reach depends upon who is on our home schedule.

(05-01-2018 10:38 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 10:21 AM)Eldonabe Wrote:  Umass pretty much posts live Facebook feeds from a kids I-Phone for free


We get picked up by NESN and NESN-Plus for about half our games. Not much money in it from what I know of it. Occasionally they will get on ESPN3 but that is based on the opponent's deal - not our own.

Poor UMASS. I hope y'all are able to find a conference soon.

The exposure's pretty bad, but it's not that bad. The deal is with Eleven Sports (small network, but they are available on DirecTV and Verizon FiOS). All six home games in football last year were simulcasted on NESN or NESN+.

I don't get the impression that it's a lot of money, but it's still probably more than we got in FCS and it has allowed us to get even more coverage for our basketball and hockey programs.

I hope that in the near future a simulcast deal is worked out with ESPN+ on top of the current deal with Eleven Sports and NESN. That could help make our more attractive home games (BYU and USF this year as mentioned previously) more likely to be picked up by a larger network.

Oh and don't forget that we have the A10 deal for basketball. Yes that could be reduced in 2021, but for now I think it provides a good chunk of change.

(05-01-2018 10:42 AM)esayem Wrote:  A bunch of UMass games were on this past season and the one before. Some were on major networks because they were playing SEC teams, but others were on a station I can’t recall that also does games for the American (not ESPN).

Yes those games have been great for exposure, basketball OOC scheduling, and of course they help pay the bills.