Lotsa folks rightly pointing out that ESPN is going to have a great deal of say with what the ACC does with it's membership. SO ....

What does ESPN want?

In short, I would guess that they want to maximize the revenues that their networks get. So who would do that?

-- Is ESPN looking for new markets for the ACC?
-- Or is ESPN more concerned with content that schools bring (potential matchups)?

With the SEC move to grab Texas and Oklahoma, ESPN got BOTH content, and new markets. Texas gets ESPN "the other half" of a HUGE state. Oklahoma is a new state for their footprint.


So what does ESPN want for the ACC?

Potential New Markets
The state of Texas
The state of Ohio
The state of Oklahoma
The state of Iowa
The state of Kansas
The state of West Virginia


It would seem market-wise, that the Texas schools could bring better access to a huge state, and the fastest growing state in the country.


Potential Content Drivers
West Virginia - Pitt, Va Tech, BC, Cuse, Louisville
Cincinnati - Louisville, Pitt
Kansas (hoops) - (hoops) UNC, Duke, Cuse, Lou


That's about it, unless I'm missing something.


One thing I think we can all agree on, is that ESPN would absolutely LOVE to rip Notre Dame away from NBC, like they gut punched Fox by ripping away Texas and Oklahoma. So ESPN will do what they can to help the ACC achieve that goal.

They are also going to want to make sure the Big Ten (and Fox) can't poach people away from the ACC into the Big Ten. I would NOT be shocked if they enhanced their payouts to the ACC as a form of "defense"



But after that? I'm not sure what ESPN will want for the ACC. It may be a combination of things ... and it will probably be different than their motivations for the SEC.




.

I was just getting ready to post a similar question: who in the ACC would attempt to break the GOR and bail to either the Big 10 or SEC if presented an opportunity?

I’d say Florida St and Clemson for sure but you guys know your conference better than I do.

(07-25-2021 07:59 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I was just getting ready to post a similar question: who in the ACC would attempt to break the GOR and bail to either the Big 10 or SEC if presented an opportunity?

I’d say Florida St and Clemson for sure but you guys know your conference better than I do.

Every school in the ACC would.

Nobody is going to intentionally allow a $20-$30 million revenue gap to stay in the ACC

(07-25-2021 08:39 PM)nole Wrote:  

(07-25-2021 07:59 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I was just getting ready to post a similar question: who in the ACC would attempt to break the GOR and bail to either the Big 10 or SEC if presented an opportunity?

I’d say Florida St and Clemson for sure but you guys know your conference better than I do.

Every school in the ACC would.

Nobody is going to intentionally allow a $20-$30 million revenue gap to stay in the ACC

I think ESPN is going to get the ACC to take Kansas and one other team (not sure which one) as part of the strategy to build the best basketball college league in the US. This will be folded into the Disney streaming services and marketed to a worldwide audience to make even more money in countries around the world for Disney. Of course they will pay a small amount to the ACC and not mention this in the conversations so they can hit the jackpot while only giving the ACC a few more $$$. I suspect the ACC will get screwed again but Disney will hit the jackpot by selling this content to a worldwide basketball audience so at least their profits will be up and it will be good for people who are long Disney stock like myself.

I believe the GoR is with ESPN as a means of protecting their investment in the ACCN.

So.... One thing ESPN is definitely going to do is not give anyone a free pass to leave the conference. They will enforce the GoR to the fullest extent of the contract. Since that contract runs 15 more years, a team would be looking at what, $300-$400 million to buy out the GoR?

Who does ESPN want us to take, that they will give us more money, that we can get? No One. So we won't be expanding.

(07-26-2021 06:15 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  I believe the GoR is with ESPN as a means of protecting their investment in the ACCN.

So.... One thing ESPN is definitely going to do is not give anyone a free pass to leave the conference. They will enforce the GoR to the fullest extent of the contract. Since that contract runs 15 more years, a team would be looking at what, $300-$400 million to buy out the GoR?

Who does ESPN want us to take, that they will give us more money, that we can get? No One. So we won't be expanding.

Just to clarify a common misunderstanding, the GoR is not with the TV network, it's with the conference. The ACC owns the rights granted under the GoR, which it then sells (ok, rents) to ESPN (for 15 more years). ESPN only wants to deal with one entity (the conference), but it also wants assurance that the composition of said conference will not change - hence the GoR. But the GoR is not between the schools and ESPN, it's between the schools and the ACC.

No doubt it boils down to what ESPN wants. It will be up to Jim Phillips to determine what that is.
If Swofford was still running the show, I would say The ACC wasn’t going to expand. With a new commissioner, I believe he will want to make his mark.

One way Phillips can make an immediate impact is to expand with the right combination of available schools and trigger an increase in the media payout. Again ESPN would have to be on board and that’s the only way it will happen.

I still don’t think The ACC will expand.

(07-25-2021 07:45 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  One thing I think we can all agree on, is that ESPN would absolutely LOVE to rip Notre Dame away from NBC, like they gut punched Fox by ripping away Texas and Oklahoma. So ESPN will do what they can to help the ACC achieve that goal.

They are also going to want to make sure the Big Ten (and Fox) can't poach people away from the ACC into the Big Ten. I would NOT be shocked if they enhanced their payouts to the ACC as a form of "defense"

So ESPN is looking out for the ACC ... while simultaneously paying them well below market rate on a bad contract locked in for most of another two decades? When the look-in window closes with a chump change raise will you bail on that idea? How about after the Pac-12 presses home a lead after open market negotiations out there?

(07-26-2021 09:05 AM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  

(07-25-2021 07:45 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  One thing I think we can all agree on, is that ESPN would absolutely LOVE to rip Notre Dame away from NBC, like they gut punched Fox by ripping away Texas and Oklahoma. So ESPN will do what they can to help the ACC achieve that goal.

They are also going to want to make sure the Big Ten (and Fox) can't poach people away from the ACC into the Big Ten. I would NOT be shocked if they enhanced their payouts to the ACC as a form of "defense"

So ESPN is looking out for the ACC ... while simultaneously paying them well below market rate on a bad contract locked in for most of another two decades? When the look-in window closes with a chump change raise will you bail on that idea? How about after the Pac-12 presses home a lead after open market negotiations out there?

Of course I don't know how the negotiations went behind closed doors, but at some point when I compare the way ESPN has handled the SEC Vs the way they've handled the ACC, and the fact that ESPN has become a de facto monopoly, I wonder if the case could be made to a mediator that ESPN wasn't negotiating in good faith?

(07-26-2021 09:55 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 09:05 AM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  

(07-25-2021 07:45 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  One thing I think we can all agree on, is that ESPN would absolutely LOVE to rip Notre Dame away from NBC, like they gut punched Fox by ripping away Texas and Oklahoma. So ESPN will do what they can to help the ACC achieve that goal.

They are also going to want to make sure the Big Ten (and Fox) can't poach people away from the ACC into the Big Ten. I would NOT be shocked if they enhanced their payouts to the ACC as a form of "defense"

So ESPN is looking out for the ACC ... while simultaneously paying them well below market rate on a bad contract locked in for most of another two decades? When the look-in window closes with a chump change raise will you bail on that idea? How about after the Pac-12 presses home a lead after open market negotiations out there?

Of course I don't know how the negotiations went behind closed doors, but at some point when I compare the way ESPN has handled the SEC Vs the way they've handled the ACC, and the fact that ESPN has become a de facto monopoly, I wonder if the case could be made to a mediator that ESPN wasn't negotiating in good faith?

It was right there in front of the ACC for years.

This isn't rocket science. Swofford failed and was corrupt, ESPN took advantage, the ACC is held together by dysfunctional hostage like GOR, and the conference isn't financially viable.

ESPN has a network for us that pushes lacrosse when the SEC is about to bring in $70 million a year.

ACC is so screwed it is almost comical.

(07-26-2021 09:57 AM)nole Wrote:  ESPN has a network for us that pushes lacrosse when the SEC is about to bring in $70 million a year.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111

Time a bajillion. +3 rep.

Jim Phillips announced after the TX/OU news that the ACCN was going to re-emphasize football in coverage. Oh, so now that the fire has completely engulfed you, you wish to the reach for some water or an extinguisher?

ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

Acc should tell espn we will take WVU and BYU football only if you pay us some $. I also like adding WVU, Cincinnati and Georgetown than breaking into 2 nine team divisions with no overlap other than football title game

(07-26-2021 10:07 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

That is 100% how John Swofford & Co would've done it!



Now, seriously, if I'm the ACC Commish and ESPN asks me to take Big XII dregs, I'd say Sure, on 3 conditions:
1. ESPN must pay market rate for EVERY game from now until the contract expires - even the ones already under contract.
2. the ACC CG split out in a separate contract paying $30M
3. ESPN must guarantee the ACC 15 games per year on ABC, with at least 7 of them on Saturday night; on weeks when the ACC is not on ABC Prime Time, it gets a game on either ESPN or ESPN2 (ESPNU doesn't count).

Oh, and I'm not extending the contract unless you throw in a guarantee that we will always be paid at least 80% of the highest-paid conference.

If I'm doing ESPN's dirty work, I want to get paid for it!

(07-26-2021 10:07 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

You nailed it.

100%

Same stupid type of BS Swofford did. Failed horribly but faked the 'victory' and morons called him a 'ninja'.

ACC is exactly stupid enough for all this....AGAIN.

(07-26-2021 10:07 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

It made me chuckle, but in honesty that could easily happen. The ACC could be the leftover conference.

(07-26-2021 12:35 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 10:07 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

That is 100% how John Swofford & Co would've done it!



Now, seriously, if I'm the ACC Commish and ESPN asks me to take Big XII dregs, I'd say Sure, on 3 conditions:
1. ESPN must pay market rate for EVERY game from now until the contract expires - even the ones already under contract.
2. the ACC CG split out in a separate contract paying $30M
3. ESPN must guarantee the ACC 15 games per year on ABC, with at least 7 of them on Saturday night; on weeks when the ACC is not on ABC Prime Time, it gets a game on either ESPN or ESPN2 (ESPNU doesn't count).

Oh, and I'm not extending the contract unless you throw in a guarantee that we will always be paid at least 80% of the highest-paid conference.

If I'm doing ESPN's dirty work, I want to get paid for it!

Too low...make it 90%...

Damn it sucks to see everyone so pissed off at the ACC now. I think some of what was said here was out there to see, but no one imagined that Fox would give up on college sports to such a degree and that CBS and NBC would just never step up. I think the real tell tale to me was the dealings on the ACCn ESPN slow rolled the hell out of that and let it go well past when they were cramming the SECn and even the LHN on cable MSOs. That wait resulted in the ACCn launching when it was clear to all that cable subs were dropping and that drop was going to accelerate and even the cable MSOs started to panic about cramming more channels and the cost on to subs.

Part of that was the Raycom deal and no need to hash that all out, but that gave ESPN a delay, but even after that ESPN still slow rolled the network for no reason. I hate to agree that ESPN would probably be happy for the ACC to take a few Big 12 cast offs especially for even money or a tad bit more (and yea probably some years on the contract), but I am not sure they care at this point.

None of this is going to turn out well in the long run, but you cannot blame some programs for taking what is offered to them. This has as much to do with the NIL as it does TV dollars, but ESPN is sure looking to "cut the fat" and make winners and losers and I am not sure in the long run the "winners" will even be really happy with what they "win".

I am not sure what the ACC can or should do here. I am not sure the castoffs is a good long term move and I can guarantee ESPN is not looking out for the best interest of the ACC or the castoffs or college sports in general. The ACC should really not be worried about saying "no" because 2036 is a hell of a long ways away, but do you say no to $1 million more each and some beads and trinkets?

Hey you could be in the Big 12 right now. Or possibly the PAC 12 because I think some of them are "next". Perhaps a deal to take some of them would work best, but I think the Big 10 (and perhaps Fox) has a say in that.

(07-26-2021 01:11 PM)domer1978 Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 10:07 AM)Lou_C Wrote:  ESPN is going to want the ACC to take the dregs of the B12 to lessen the threat of legal action.

They'll make the ACC take like OSU and Texas Tech. Then they'll give the ACC like $4M more per year per team, extend the contract to 2058, and then the ACC media and front office will do victory laps about Jim Phillips being Ninja II.

Oh, and they'll do it quick, before the new SEC and B1G and PAC deals, so the ACC will think they've "closed the gap" some.

It made me chuckle, but in honesty that could easily happen. The ACC could be the leftover conference.

Ahem, I had actually started a thread discussing a potential scenario where the ESPN asked the ACC to take OK state and TTU/TCU as a part of OU/UT - the SEC deal, and got thoroughly ridiculed. Are you people anti-Asian or something?

It’s still unlikely that the ACC gets any of the remaining Big 12 teams. But I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing for the ACC to get the left over teams.

As the college sports landscape changes in favor of football over basketball, it has been (painfully) obvious that the ACC would never become the number 1 or number 2 conference. Actually, I would say that the Big 12 and Pac had been better football conferences prior to 2012. But thanks to the series of expansions and the extremely conservative GOR strategy, the ACC is now in the better position than the Big 12 and Pac 12.

If we accept that cold truth, then what’s wrong with getting some of the leftovers as long as the ESPN handsomely pays for it? The ACC may never catches up with the SEC or the BIG in terms of money but the ACC can still filed competitive teams and win championships.

Potential New Markets
Connecticut, ESPN's home state and home to the UConn Huskies!