It was inevitable that Navy would have second thoughts and probably review their decision based on recent developments. It appears the mid-week games required by the ESPN is the back breaker for Navy and, Navy, being an attractive team, would probably be a primary target for week nite games by ESPN. Article also mentions on-line only ESPN telecasts.....hmmmm.
So throw in Navy along with UConn and Cincy (when B1G expands by two) as leaving the Nbe/A12. This mid week issue has Temple concerned also, just like Navy. Is the very small gain in the A12/ESPN tv contract sufficient to offset the probably decrease in attendance for midweek games? For Navy and Temple, my guess is no.
BIG EAST TV DEAL SET BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN FOR NAVY FOOTBALL
By Kevin Lilley, Feb. 25, 2013
Military Times: AfterAction, Your Military Sports Report
http://militarytimes.com/
"The package reportedly pays $20 million a year for football and basketball rights by the time Navy joins up; right now, the league would have 11 members in 2015, so that's about $1.8 million per school--
less if the league expands to a more stable 12 teams, and even less for Navy, which wouldn't get basketball related revenue. It means less money for an entire season of conference play on TV than Navy gets from its share of the Army-Navy deal with CBS--the academies reportedly split about $5 million a year."
".....On ESPN, the Big East competes with every other major college conference for spots spread among three channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the ABC network---sure, UConn and Cincinnati will find a spot on Saturday afternoon or evening but will Navy-Houston be worth more ad dollars than a fourth tier SEC game? Probably not---
and that could mean some on line-only broadcasts or some midweek scheduling for the Mids, and less of a national sportlight than they currently enjoy with every home game locking into the CBS Sports Network's schedule."
"When Navy's move to conference play was announced, then league commissioner John Marinatto said: "That Navy would give up 100 years of football independence speaks to the long term viability of the Big East." That was 13 months ago--Marianatto is no longer commissioner, and the Big East's long-term viability is anybody's guess. Will the Mids get enough stability, national exposure and money out of all this new media arrangement to make conference life worthwhile?
Or would the ability to make your own rules when it comes to opponents, TV deals, and even kickoff times be worth a little less cash?"