ISP/ESPN Form Partnership to Manage USF Multimedia

[Brad]

Courtesy USF

ISP and ESPN Regional Form unique partnership to manage the multimedia rights for USF Athletics

TAMPA, FLA. (June 6, 2007) -- The University of South Florida Department of Athletics has entered into a ten year multimedia contract with ISP Sports, the country’s leader in the college sports marketing industry.  The deal, worth a minimum of $22 million, announced today by USF Director of Athletics Doug Woolard, strategically aligns both ISP Sports and ESPN Regional Television as USF’s multimedia rights holders.  

           Under the terms of the agreement, ISP Sports will conduct full management of USF Athletics sales and marketing, while ESPN Regional TV, which previously held USF’s marketing rights, continues to provide support in various areas including distribution of local and regional television.

           Ã¢â‚¬Å“We are extremely pleased to have developed a unique partnership with two of the top multimedia rights holders in the country,” says Woolard. “ISP Sports brings its well earned status as the strongest marketer of college athletics in the country, and we continue to enjoy a healthy partnership with ESPN. This new partnership promises to increase awareness of the USF brand nationwide and provides additional resources assisting our student-athletes to be competitive on a national stage.”

           An announcement was also made today by Ben Sutton, Chairman and CEO of ISP, America’s Home for College Sports, and Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President of ESPN Regional.

ISP will produce and market a variety of corporate sponsorship opportunities involving Bulls sports, including live radio programming (game broadcasts and coaches call-in shows), signage in athletic facilities, and at-event promotional activities.  The company will also serve as a sales representative for the official athletic website (www.GoUSFBulls.com) along with various athletic department publications.

Among the many objectives of this partnership are plans to develop USF Football radio broadcasts in Spanish as well as radio broadcasts of USF Men’s Baseball and USF Women’s Softball home contests.  ISP will also work to expand USF Athletics’ current broadcast outlets.

“We have worked with ESPN Regional on individual projects in the past but are delighted to now be aligning with them in this capacity,” says Ben Sutton, Chairman and CEO of ISP, America’s Home for College Sports.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“In addition, we are extremely excited to form a new partnership with the athletic program at the University of South Florida.”

Based in Winston-Salem, NC, ISP is the multimedia rights holder for 45 collegiate athletic properties, including Big East members Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Villanova.  Additionally, ISP is the exclusive marketing partner of the Big East Conference.

"In conjunction with ISP, this opportunity will continue to build on the outstanding relationships ESPN has enjoyed with the University of South Florida,” says Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President of ESPN Regional.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“The university will reap tremendous benefits from this collaboration.”  

The South Florida ISP Networks team in Tampa will consist of General Manager Chris Lahey, Associate General Manager Brett Dulaney, Senior Account Executive Sarah Kay, and Account Executive Ivy Willing.

[Rabbi Bull]

Sounds good, so they paid us 22 million?

[86atlbull]

Now maybe we will see some movement in upgrading the athletic facilities.

[Eric_Soncrant]

It's $22 million over 10 years.  This money really won't be used for facilities but will be used mostly to increase budgets throught the sports.

Eric

[bull4evr]

sounds more to me like a collaboration that was forced rather than asked for. The big east recognizes tampa as a large market and their sole marketing firm had no access.  In the end looks like a good deal, if ISP will handle sales and marketing rather ESPN regional. A national company over a regional company to handle it doesnt sound like a bad deal.

Someone with more knowledge on this topic please reply, I would like to understand for myself if this was for the big east to avoid a lawsuit or really a win win situation

[crambone]

hmmm....

[Joe]

Ugh. Very similar to the deals forced upon C-DOA with CSTV after we left.

The length of the contract bothers me, because it limits us through 2017.

Further, ESPN is the devil, and anything they touch usually ends up becoming a second thought if it doesn't make them money or give them a platform.

The money is very nice. I just hate exclusive deals like this.

[Bullpride08]

Ugh. Very similar to the deals forced upon C-DOA with CSTV after we left.

The length of the contract bothers me, because it limits us through 2017.

Further, ESPN is the devil, and anything they touch usually ends up becoming a second thought if it doesn't make them money or give them a platform.

The money is very nice. I just hate exclusive deals like this.

But FSU was willing to sign for 10 years with ISP.  It didn't bother them, albeit for quite a bit more dollars but their name is worth more right now.

[Joe]

Ugh. Very similar to the deals forced upon C-DOA with CSTV after we left.

The length of the contract bothers me, because it limits us through 2017.

Further, ESPN is the devil, and anything they touch usually ends up becoming a second thought if it doesn't make them money or give them a platform.

The money is very nice. I just hate exclusive deals like this.

But FSU was willing to sign for 10 years with ISP.  It didn't bother them, albeit for quite a bit more dollars but their name is worth more right now.

For 66 Million, sign me up.

However 22 Million, while it seems like a nice number now, is not the type of number that (I hope) is going to be viable to this school in 5-6 years.

I guess I'm saying the agreement is way too long.

[Who'sYourData?]

But realistically, a shorter agreement wouldn't have gotten us an average of $2.2 mil per year.  Sounds like a good agreement, though I wonder what it really means to us.