It's about the survival of a bunch of very small schools trying to compete with state supported gigantic schools who don't care about how much money they can spend or lose. It's about keeping the FOX deal alive so we can survive. Why is this so hard for some of you to figure out. There isn't going to be any Big East as we now know it if Fox goes away. They have to stay happy with the deal. Say that to yourself a few times. This isn't about a lot of money for the league members. Please, tell me where do we go and what you think will happen if FOX goes away? Does the A-10 situation look very good? Oh and MSG might like it a lot too during TBET.
I agree with this to some extent, Gary. I do believe what's best for business should take priority over silly emotions. However, I don't believe the situation is as dire as you do.
Remember those posters poo-pooing the notion of a C7 break from the old Big East? Shut up and take the ESPN deal is what they told us. It'd be suicide to even think otherwise. I can't claim I absolutely knew differently, but I did know the landscape had already changed and was about to change even more. CBSSN and NBCSN were desperate for live sports content. And before the launch of FS1 & FS2 was the worst-kept "secret" in public, it was the worst-kept secret in sports media circles. ESPN began locking up much longer-term deals than they had prior. There was a jarring increase in rights fees being thrown around. I didn't know where a new Big East would land and anyone who says they did is a liar or a prophet. I just knew the opportunity was there. Luckily, the timing worked out perfectly for the Big East. In a day of overpaying for locking up media rights, the new Big East became a single gal on the market.
Fox isn't going anywhere. Relax a little bit. The panic isn't warranted. Yes, it's in the best interests of the Big East to have a positive relationship with Fox. I don't get how we have to keep the deal alive though. It's alive through 2024-25. That's something people need to say to themselves - alive through 2024-25. And if we're talking about the next deal...remember what the poo-pooing posters said about the C7 break and leaving ESPN? If someone knows what the sports media landscape is going to look like in 2024-25, you're a billionaire waiting to happen. Please contact me immediately. I'd like to join you. The way in which content is consumed is rapidly changing. Twitter and Yahoo have broadcast live sporting events. Netflix, Hulu, cord-cutting, digital streaming usage increases...what's next? You also have to consider what other rights deals are up around the same time and know who the players will be. I can't see beyond 2024-25 (or 5 years even), although I can make a stronger case for opportunity than I can for despair at this time.
Couple thoughts on reoccurring themes in this thread.
UConn - If it's good for business, do it. I'm assuming Fox and the conference (as well as conference members) have had some high-level conversations (at the very least) about expansion in general and UConn specifically. I'm not as strong a supporter of the narrative that the Big East does whatever Fox says as some posters opine. It's never that cut and dry. Even when rights deals are completed, that's not the last of the negotiating between the two sides. It's typically constant and wide-ranging in scope. Anyone watching postseason baseball? Notice the Statcast powered by Amazon references. That is a MLB pet project. It's their baby and they sold the sponsorship and wanted broadcasters to use it, which is completely backwards to how it normally works. It doesn't show up on the broadcasts without negotiation and every negotiation is different.
UConn brings a high-quality brand name and possibly/probably more eyeballs (more on ratings to come). While they have some advantages over the rest of the BE schools, I side with a 'what's good for the goose' approach here. I do believe adding UConn to the BE would have some benefit to the MSG relationship too, although it is locked up through 2025-26.
Fox Ratings - They're not good and that's predictable. I find the Fox network ratings, specifically the BE Champ game, a little more disappointing than FS1 and FS2 broadcasts. When Fox announced the launch of FS1 / FS2, they made the common mistake start-ups often make in blustery talk about taking an incumbent down. That wasn't and isn't going to happen. To some, I suppose that is sexier than stating a realistic goal of grabbing enough market share to operate at a profit and grow a solid business. It's going to be a slow grow. ESPN has a massive lead. FS1/FS2 are brand new. They aren't in the forefront in the minds of sports fans and the content options (especially live sports) are limited. FS1/FS2 are in building mode. Sports fan is not trained to see what's on FS1/FS2 yet. Casual fan doesn't know they exist. They just added some good Big 10 rights. Let's see where the ratings are in three years, while understanding the media consumption landscape is changing rapidly.
