Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[Jim Johnson]

1 hour ago, Cubanbull said:

So it is in ESPN best financials to keep ACC intact, if they control both SEC and ACC they already have those match ups you pointed out. But in order to do that they must keep the ACC deal be at least a good deal as to not have BigTen raide it.

Right... but ESPN doesn't have to do it now - it can wait until 2030... by then their financial situation might change entirely... ESPN is bleeding subscribers are more and more people cut the cord... and only a small percentage of them are signing up for ESPN+ (directly or through the Disney bundle)... ESPN tries to keep some by only allowing some people to view games if they also have a cable subscription... but even that isn't going to keep them afloat.  They're down to 73 million from a high over over 100 million.... and that will only keep falling.

I think we're witnessing the apex of TV contracts now or perhaps in the very next round in 6-8 years... and because of that ESPN will (eventually) be forced to cut the ACC loose to feed the SEC... Fox is already doing it with the Pac 12, cutting that conference loose to shore up their financing of the Big Ten contract.

[goingbackbull]

So with the news of the Big 10 shutting out ESPN make ESPN overpay for Pac 12?  and then make Pac 12 grab some Big 12 teams?     HMMMM very interesting

[NewEnglandBull]

6 minutes ago, goingbackbull said:

So with the news of the Big 10 shutting out ESPN make ESPN overpay for Pac 12?  and then make Pac 12 grab some Big 12 teams?     HMMMM very interesting

ESPN never overpays for anybody and they will be carrying Big10 games. PAC has 3/5 years of life left. 

[Jim Johnson]

45 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

ESPN never overpays for anybody and they will be carrying Big10 games. PAC has 3/5 years of life left. 

ESPN will not have Big Ten games.  This time from someone with a blue checkmark.

 

 

[NewEnglandBull]

12 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

ESPN will not have Big Ten games.  This time from someone with a blue checkmark.

 

 

We will see, it’s not over yet. Regardless, this not mean espn will overpay for PAC games. 

[Jim Johnson]

7 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

We will see, it’s not over yet. Regardless, this not mean espn will overpay for PAC games. 

All the blue checks on Twitter seem to think this is fait acompli -- with a few suggesting it's public negotiation.

ESPN may be forced to slightly overpay for the PAC games to ensure they have inventory for their evening time slots... and they won't have much time to agree, the Pac 12 is beyond their exclusive window now and ESPN apparently low-balled the first offer (because they were bidding against themselves).  It depends significantly on who else bids now... the Pac 12 could be stuck with a low-ball effort from ESPN as their best offer.

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Jim Johnson

[NewEnglandBull]

19 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

All the blue checks on Twitter seem to think this is fait acompli -- with a few suggesting it's public negotiation.

ESPN may be forced to slightly overpay for the PAC games to ensure they have inventory for their evening time slots... and they won't have much time to agree, the Pac 12 is beyond their exclusive window now and ESPN apparently low-balled the first offer (because they were bidding against themselves).  It depends significantly on who else bids now... the Pac 12 could be stuck with a low-ball effort from ESPN as their best offer.

 

Yes, I see that now. Well at least that’s one conference that does not have to listen to Beth Mowins.l broadcast a game.  I still bet that their will be no separation between the PAC and B12. Espn has to know that at least two and probable three of those schools will be gone when the GOR is done (and doubtful the GOR goes past 5/6 years). 

Edited August 9, 2022 by NewEnglandBull

[Rocky Style]

On 8/7/2022 at 6:35 PM, Jim Johnson said:

Right... but ESPN doesn't have to do it now - it can wait until 2030... by then their financial situation might change entirely... ESPN is bleeding subscribers are more and more people cut the cord... and only a small percentage of them are signing up for ESPN+ (directly or through the Disney bundle)... ESPN tries to keep some by only allowing some people to view games if they also have a cable subscription... but even that isn't going to keep them afloat.  They're down to 73 million from a high over over 100 million.... and that will only keep falling.

I think we're witnessing the apex of TV contracts now or perhaps in the very next round in 6-8 years... and because of that ESPN will (eventually) be forced to cut the ACC loose to feed the SEC... Fox is already doing it with the Pac 12, cutting that conference loose to shore up their financing of the Big Ten contract.

This is what I don't understand.  Why are the money payouts going exponential while ESPN is slowly dying?  The money flow doesn't match the reality of the landscape to me.  I am very careful about how many dollars I give them (as in 0 unless I have no other option, and then as little as possible). 

[Jim Johnson]

48 minutes ago, Rocky Style said:

This is what I don't understand.  Why are the money payouts going exponential while ESPN is slowly dying?  The money flow doesn't match the reality of the landscape to me.  I am very careful about how many dollars I give them (as in 0 unless I have no other option, and then as little as possible). 

Because sports are the one of the last things that people watch live, which makes the advertising more valuable.  Cable subscribers are declining, but viewership is holding steady or growing. 

Plus ESPN, CBS, and NBC all have streaming services they want to sell.  So they pay $$ for football and basketball, but get fans of the schools to sign up to stream soccer and hockey and baseball and softball to make up for it... and use a football or basketball game here or there to drive more subscriptions.

So between the advertising and the subscriptions, that makes up for the increased money they are providing.  But there is a limit... and this round could be it.

I have the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle, Paramount+, and Peacock for reasons other than sports ... but I do watch some sports on all three from time to time.

[zarnozdabull]

10 hours ago, Jim Johnson said:

All the blue checks on Twitter seem to think this is fait acompli -- with a few suggesting it's public negotiation.

ESPN may be forced to slightly overpay for the PAC games to ensure they have inventory for their evening time slots... and they won't have much time to agree, the Pac 12 is beyond their exclusive window now and ESPN apparently low-balled the first offer (because they were bidding against themselves).  It depends significantly on who else bids now... the Pac 12 could be stuck with a low-ball effort from ESPN as their best offer.

 

This is ridiculous 

Most of the country is asleep during Pac 12 games.

Now just doing damage control because the Big 10 is telling them to kick rocks.