(07-28-2021 08:17 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:07 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:01 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  That fact that ESPN is on the side of the AAC is absolutely huge for AAC. ESPN does not mess around. The B12's TV value just plummeted further.

Mike Aresco might be the best commissioner in college football.

Aresco is good but it’s always been reactive. He’s trying to make his last stand here, but he will lose as he always has. There is no way 5 teams are leaving for the AAC.

Guaranteed every AAC school is having second thoughts about joining B12.

B12 TV value plummeted further and has made an enemy of ESPN. ESPN will not bid on next TV deal and their next deal will probably be peanuts.

Nah. After the OU/UT departure is negotiated, Bowlsby will resign, take all the responsibility for going after ESPN, and let a new commissioner negotiate with ESPN.

The Athletic is reporting they have multiple sources on this as well...From The Athletic:

Multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic that the American Athletic Conference has attempted to engage three to five Big 12 members about potentially joining the conference with ESPN’s support. CBS Sports first reported the AAC is the league Bowlsby is referencing.

Last week, multiple high-ranking sources within the conference told The Athletic that the AAC plans to act as an aggressor during realignment and intends to poach remaining Big 12 schools. “We’ve already got ESPN at the table,” a source in the conference said last week.

While Bowlsby is taking aim at attempts to persuade the Big 12’s remaining schools not to leave and destabilize or destroy the conference, he believes ESPN’s actions are not unrelated to the efforts of Texas and Oklahoma to depart for the SEC.

Bowlsby believes he’s in a “good place” with his eight remaining schools, and his presidents and ADs are continuing to meet regularly since the rumors of Texas and Oklahoma departing emerged last week. The Athletic has reported that those leaders are doing their due diligence and looking into whatever options in other conferences might exist if more realignment occurs. The Big 12 does have a bylaw requiring members to notify Bowlsby within 12 hours of contact or conversations with other conferences, which Texas and Oklahoma both violated.

“I understand the pressure that the broadcasters are under,” Bowlsby said. “They have huge rights fees and they have a cable architecture that is crumbling. It’s gone down 3, 4, 5 percent a year and it’s gonna continue until it gets way lower than what it is today. What has been a very lucrative financial model is now declining rapidly. So I understand why they’re trying to get out of rights fees and trying to look for economies and maybe even why they might be articulating moves like OU and Texas to the SEC.

“But there’s certain things you can do that are right and there are certain things you can’t do that are wrong. This is across the line. They’ve been accused of it previously and bristled. But I can tell you, I wouldn’t be saying these things if I wasn’t absolutely certain.”

“They’re all getting pressure, and I understand it,” Bowlsby said. “Their boosters and donors and board members are concerned, and I understand the concern. On the other hand, these are not things that happen very rapidly. The OU-Texas transition hasn’t happened quickly and our decisions in the wake of it are not going to happen quickly, either. But I feel like if the eight schools hang together, we will have good options going forward.”

Whenever Texas and Oklahoma do eventually exit the conference, sources say the conference’s TV partners could immediately approach the Big 12 about reworking the rest of its TV deal to reflect the loss of value.

Bowlsby acknowledged that’s a possibility. He knows the move he’s making now, threatening legal action against a partner that has immense influence on the Big 12’s long-term survival, could certainly prove costly later.

https://theathletic.com/2737350/2021/07/...ed_article

(07-28-2021 08:31 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:17 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:07 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:01 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  That fact that ESPN is on the side of the AAC is absolutely huge for AAC. ESPN does not mess around. The B12's TV value just plummeted further.

Mike Aresco might be the best commissioner in college football.

Aresco is good but it’s always been reactive. He’s trying to make his last stand here, but he will lose as he always has. There is no way 5 teams are leaving for the AAC.

Guaranteed every AAC school is having second thoughts about joining B12.

B12 TV value plummeted further and has made an enemy of ESPN. ESPN will not bid on next TV deal and their next deal will probably be peanuts.

Nah. After the OU/UT departure is negotiated, Bowlsby will resign, take all the responsibility for going after ESPN, and let a new commissioner negotiate with ESPN.

Yup...Bowlsby going to = Fall Guy....

This approach worked out so well for Connecticut in 03...

Bowlsby committed conference suicide today. No doubt about that.

If this is true and they have proof then the Big8 schools should refuse to play OU and TX in 21-22 - make them come after them in court. Maybe they’d forfeit all the games meaning OU and TX would be ineligible for the post season bowls and playoffs.

(07-28-2021 06:42 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  This doesn't make dollars and cents.

The AAC contracts are only $7m per school, while the B12 is drawing over $30m counting the digital ESPN+ part. To lure away one school would require $100m just for 2022-25 time frame, and it would have to run longer than that. But that even assumes 100% of that money goes to the new school and no bonuses to existing members. In reality they'd have to bump the whole conference up almost $20m per school which is $220m a year on top of the $300m a year for three Big 12 schools. We are talking over the remainder of the current AAC contract of ten years or almost $5B.

That just doesn't add up in order to get Texas and Oklahoma out to save $160m.

Exactly right. No possible way any Big 12 teams would consider moving to the AAC.

Now as shady and underhanded as ESPN has been I could see them conspiring with the other P5 conferences to raid the Big 12. Then when 2 or 3 teams are left ESPN would push those schools to join the AAC as a last resort. Saving ESPN millions of dollars

Bottom line it is all about ESPN saving millions of dollars.

Best Case for ESPN is for the P5 to raid the Big 12 and the Big 12 folds then the 2 or 3 leftover move to the AAC with their 7 million locked in for 12 year contract with ESPN

Big 12 is about to sue the pants of ESPN and they will win

(07-28-2021 08:39 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  Bowlsby committed conference suicide today. No doubt about that.

Hook, line and sinker

IT IS ABOUT ERODING TEXAS AND OKLAHOMAS LEVERAGE DURING GOR NEGOTIATIONS TO PORTRAY THEM AS BAD FAITH ACTORS…. At the expense of any potential future dealings with ESPN

(07-28-2021 08:49 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  Bottom line it is all about ESPN saving millions of dollars.

Best Case for ESPN is for the P5 to raid the Big 12 and the Big 12 folds then the 2 or 3 leftover move to the AAC with their 7 million locked in for 12 year contract with ESPN

Big 12 is about to sue the pants of ESPN and they will win

Nah...they are angling IMO for a settlement...

(07-28-2021 08:45 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 06:42 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  This doesn't make dollars and cents.

The AAC contracts are only $7m per school, while the B12 is drawing over $30m counting the digital ESPN+ part. To lure away one school would require $100m just for 2022-25 time frame, and it would have to run longer than that. But that even assumes 100% of that money goes to the new school and no bonuses to existing members. In reality they'd have to bump the whole conference up almost $20m per school which is $220m a year on top of the $300m a year for three Big 12 schools. We are talking over the remainder of the current AAC contract of ten years or almost $5B.

That just doesn't add up in order to get Texas and Oklahoma out to save $160m.

Exactly right. No possible way any Big 12 teams would consider moving to the AAC.

Now as shady and underhanded as ESPN has been I could see them conspiring with the other P5 conferences to raid the Big 12. Then when 2 or 3 teams are left ESPN would push those schools to join the AAC as a last resort. Saving ESPN millions of dollars

It's about current value of those schools left behind. They are nowhere close to being valued at $30M per yr. Contracts are made to be broken as long as such a breach creates profit.

Bowlsby said it perfectly ESPN is drastically losing revenue and subscribers every quarter. And they underhandedly looking for a way to get out of the expensive Big 12 contract and push a few of the schools to the drastically cheaper AAC long term 12 year 7 million deal

(07-28-2021 08:49 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  Bottom line it is all about ESPN saving millions of dollars.

Best Case for ESPN is for the P5 to raid the Big 12 and the Big 12 folds then the 2 or 3 leftover move to the AAC with their 7 million locked in for 12 year contract with ESPN

Big 12 is about to sue the pants of ESPN and they will win

And ESPN will never bid on them again. Good luck with that. The reality is the game is rigged.

Bowlsby committed conference suicide today. Hate to see it.

(07-28-2021 08:50 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:49 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  Bottom line it is all about ESPN saving millions of dollars.

Best Case for ESPN is for the P5 to raid the Big 12 and the Big 12 folds then the 2 or 3 leftover move to the AAC with their 7 million locked in for 12 year contract with ESPN

Big 12 is about to sue the pants of ESPN and they will win

Nah...they are angling IMO for a settlement...

Exactly.

(07-28-2021 08:51 PM)B easy Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:45 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 06:42 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  This doesn't make dollars and cents.

The AAC contracts are only $7m per school, while the B12 is drawing over $30m counting the digital ESPN+ part. To lure away one school would require $100m just for 2022-25 time frame, and it would have to run longer than that. But that even assumes 100% of that money goes to the new school and no bonuses to existing members. In reality they'd have to bump the whole conference up almost $20m per school which is $220m a year on top of the $300m a year for three Big 12 schools. We are talking over the remainder of the current AAC contract of ten years or almost $5B.

That just doesn't add up in order to get Texas and Oklahoma out to save $160m.

Exactly right. No possible way any Big 12 teams would consider moving to the AAC.

Now as shady and underhanded as ESPN has been I could see them conspiring with the other P5 conferences to raid the Big 12. Then when 2 or 3 teams are left ESPN would push those schools to join the AAC as a last resort. Saving ESPN millions of dollars

It's about current value of those schools left behind. They are nowhere close to being valued at $30M per yr. Contracts are made to be broken as long as such a breach creates profit.

You can’t conspire with other entities to get out of a contract.

And Bowlsby has proof from the schools the AAC/ESPN contacted.

Aresco is about to look like a fool if was in on this

(07-28-2021 08:58 PM)Owls9878 Wrote:  Bowlsby committed conference suicide today. Hate to see it.

Nah. Brutus already stuck the knife in Caesar's back.
Just trying to get compensation.

(07-28-2021 08:17 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:07 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:01 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  That fact that ESPN is on the side of the AAC is absolutely huge for AAC. ESPN does not mess around. The B12's TV value just plummeted further.

Mike Aresco might be the best commissioner in college football.

Aresco is good but it’s always been reactive. He’s trying to make his last stand here, but he will lose as he always has. There is no way 5 teams are leaving for the AAC.

Guaranteed every AAC school is having second thoughts about joining B12.

B12 TV value plummeted further and has made an enemy of ESPN. ESPN will not bid on next TV deal and their next deal will probably be peanuts.

This. Ask CUSA how this song goes. Bye the way—to make matters worse—CUSA even lost the court case.

(07-28-2021 08:57 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(07-28-2021 08:49 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  Bottom line it is all about ESPN saving millions of dollars.

Best Case for ESPN is for the P5 to raid the Big 12 and the Big 12 folds then the 2 or 3 leftover move to the AAC with their 7 million locked in for 12 year contract with ESPN

Big 12 is about to sue the pants of ESPN and they will win

And ESPN will never bid on them again. Good luck with that. The reality is the game is rigged.

He’s know that. Bowlsby issued this statement know full well the implications, with the amount streaming options available ESPN is far from the only option.

This ain’t 2005 my friend start living in the present, ESPN has drastically lost revenue and subscribers every quarter the last few years. And that trend will continue even further