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BE TV deal. Next week will be telling.


Dhambuc

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First off, Aresco knows where NBC is starting at, ESPN has no clue. If you want to compare the most successful sports media cos. of all time, no matter how you slice it, ESPN comes out 4th. NBC has more at stake than just FB revenues. They are building a Sports Network and CFB is only one element of it, albeit an important one. In this situation there is a multiplier effect gained by NBC in obtaining the last remaining CFB media property. With a long term deal, not only does the Big East become more valuable day one, it will be able to build on that value going forward. Schools will be able to build new facilities, Big East will have other ways to promote its sports(other than the constant barrage of negative propaganda from ESPUTUM), A new bowl during Jan 1 prime programming hours will come on., Big East will now have marquee games on Saturday. ESPN loses some of the Top BB programming in the country. NBC also has the clout to bully it's way to the negotiating table for NC consideration. Comcast/NBC Universal have vast political wherewithal and are cash rich off of the most successful Olympics ever in terms of media(double quaterly net revenues) and they hold the rights to the next 4 Olympics. Don't forget Comcasts ability to enhance the deal as they are the hose the water get's pumped through. Imagine if NBC Sports winds up just before ESPN in channel order. Hold on to your hats ladies. I expect we will get some well placed leaks starting late this week to try to help the negotiations along.

First off, Aresco knows where NBC is starting at, ESPN has no clue. If you want to compare the most successful sports media cos. of all time, no matter how you slice it, ESPN comes out 4th. NBC has more at stake than just FB revenues. They are building a Sports Network and CFB is only one element of it, albeit an important one. In this situation there is a multiplier effect gained by NBC in obtaining the last remaining CFB media property. With a long term deal, not only does the Big East become more valuable day one, it will be able to build on that value going forward. Schools will be able to build new facilities, Big East will have other ways to promote its sports(other than the constant barrage of negative propaganda from ESPUTUM), A new bowl during Jan 1 prime programming hours will come on., Big East will now have marquee games on Saturday. ESPN loses some of the Top BB programming in the country. NBC also has the clout to bully it's way to the negotiating table for NC consideration. Comcast/NBC Universal have vast political wherewithal and are cash rich off of the most successful Olympics ever in terms of media(double quaterly net revenues) and they hold the rights to the next 4 Olympics. Don't forget Comcasts ability to enhance the deal as they are the hose the water get's pumped through. Imagine if NBC Sports winds up just before ESPN in channel order. Hold on to your hats ladies. I expect we will get some well placed leaks starting late this week to try to help the negotiations along.

I do not see what the multiplier effect would be for NBC gaining the "last available" college football conference. NBC is likely to gain what any network gains: Advertising revenues from showing the games. Yes, Big East basketball is valuable, but obviously ESPN did not think it so valuable that they would over-pay for Big East football, and that is because football drives the bus in these media deals. I doubt NBC executives will think otherwise. The fact that they and their parent company had a great revenue year does not mean they will be profligate with that money.

I would dearly like to be wrong about this because obviously I would like USF to get maximum media dollars. But, the reality seems to be that our football product is significantly less attractive than it was before the realignment (raids) of the past year, and thus we can expect the offers we get from NBC or FOX to reflect that, just as it did for ESPN.

The thing that no one beyond the offices at NBC Sports Network knows as of right now is what their plans and strategy is. That's the wild card in this entire process. If they are indeed trying to build a network to rival ESPN they will invest in the BE. Right now they are showing Ivy League football on Saturdays.

It all depends on what they are trying to do. If they are trying to make NBC Sports Network big time then they will spend and invest.

Let us say that Comcast wants to turn NBCSN into another ESPN. Even in that case, i do not see how offering significantly more than ESPN offered advances that strategy. It would just mean they are paying more. And i am really not sure why they would invest in us unless they actually bought equity in our programs, which of course is impossible. The reality is if exposure and big money from NBCSN allows the Big East to grow in popularity, that 'investment' can easily be lost to another network when the contract is up for renewal.

This is exactly why you don't do your negotiating in public. You say "offering significantly more than ESPN". What has ESPN really offered? No one knows for sure except those involved directly with the negotiations. Negotiations of any kind are a game of poker and one upsmanship. This is truly a high stakes negotiation. The question is; what can Aresco sell NBCSports on what the value is and what he can make the believe.

Why invest in the BE if it can be lost to another network years down the road? Who thinks like that? NBC Sports doesn't have access to another major college football league. Both sides will try to get the best deal they can. Let the contract run its course and worry about the next contract the next go 'round.

If it works well for everyone then NBC Sports will have the money to re-negotiate a higher contract and the BE will then command a higher package.

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big east needs to stabilize before anyone offers them a contract

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