I live in the Philly burbs, and with my second-level FiOS package, I am a rich and fat man where it concerns college football sustenance. There is no shortage of Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, Notre Dame, and other local teams (Lafayette, Lehigh, Villanova/Delaware/CAAF, and Penn), spread across local stations, national, and flagship cable ones, as well as the "extras" given to me in my cable package.

The ACC might as well be the AAC which might as well be the MWC. I know going up the next level in cable opens the door for access to them, but I'm not seeing them. So, I don't doubt the ACC's digital network is thumping the others'. Well, when the others are easily found on basic platforms, they don't need that little extra. So, Ms. Dosh's statistic is a bit...un-contextualized?

It's not like I'm not in the ACC's footprint. If I'm not, then somehow whoever says so somehow thinks eastern PA loves West Virginia football, since it's about as accessible as PSU football is. Pitt, 'Cuse, and even UMD when they were a member of the ACC...nope. Never a weekly constant.

The ACC didn't do a good job at the table. Accept that truth. What they can only hope to happen is for one of the other major conferences to restructure and withdraw from ESPN. That gap in content will open up some opportunities for the ACC. I think they blew it by not tapping into Comcast/NBC during the negotiations. It might have made things with Notre Dame a bit more favorable for all...

(07-10-2015 07:30 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  I live in the Philly burbs, and with my second-level FiOS package, I am a rich and fat man where it concerns college football sustenance. There is no shortage of Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, Notre Dame, and other local teams (Lafayette, Lehigh, Villanova/Delaware/CAAF, and Penn), spread across local stations, national, and flagship cable ones, as well as the "extras" given to me in my cable package.

The ACC might as well be the AAC which might as well be the MWC. I know going up the next level in cable opens the door for access to them, but I'm not seeing them. So, I don't doubt the ACC's digital network is thumping the others'. Well, when the others are easily found on basic platforms, they don't need that little extra. So, Ms. Dosh's statistic is a bit...un-contextualized?

It's not like I'm not in the ACC's footprint. If I'm not, then somehow whoever says so somehow thinks eastern PA loves West Virginia football, since it's about as accessible as PSU football is. Pitt, 'Cuse, and even UMD when they were a member of the ACC...nope. Never a weekly constant.

The ACC didn't do a good job at the table. Accept that truth. What they can only hope to happen is for one of the other major conferences to restructure and withdraw from ESPN. That gap in content will open up some opportunities for the ACC. I think they blew it by not tapping into Comcast/NBC during the negotiations. It might have made things with Notre Dame a bit more favorable for all...

The ACC is late to the game. ESPN just re-worked most of its deals over the last two years. The next window is 4 years from now. That's when ESPN can use its own weight to force carriage. In the meantime, the ACC will have to do it on its own, which will be a long hard fight. Comcast does come up in 2016, but most of the other majors are early in their deals.

I hope all these conferences get more networks for the money $ then watch the bubble pop on it. In return the American is getting more games on ESPN, ESPN2, etc. because they need more content for them as more games go to the Big Ten network, SEC network, ACC Digital Network (Raycom), PAC-12 network, and Long Horn Network.

If the bubble bursts, the P5 would just take back their tv slots from the AAC. It's not really a concern.

(05-08-2013 09:17 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  I'm still skeptical about them packaging the networks together. What would be the competitive advantage for the conferences? You think the SEC wants the ACC to share in the profits from subscribers in Texas..or the ACC wants the SEC to share in the profits from subscribers in NC/VA?

The bundle might change price elasticities, depending on geographic overlaps with fan bases.

That said, I'm not overly optimistic about an ACCN. I think that the conference will probably get one, but I doubt that it will be a gold mine. I actually have my doubts about all conference networks. They aren't as profitable as most think that they are. For example, most, if not all people, forget that there are startup costs. Of course the network is going to increase revenue. It happened because the schools in the conference increased their investment in the conference AND took on more risk. The question is whether the increase payout is A) worth the startup costs and B) worth the risk. That's MUCH harder to answer, and I have yet to hear a compelling story/explanation.

(07-10-2015 09:31 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(07-10-2015 07:30 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  I live in the Philly burbs, and with my second-level FiOS package, I am a rich and fat man where it concerns college football sustenance. There is no shortage of Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, Notre Dame, and other local teams (Lafayette, Lehigh, Villanova/Delaware/CAAF, and Penn), spread across local stations, national, and flagship cable ones, as well as the "extras" given to me in my cable package.

The ACC might as well be the AAC which might as well be the MWC. I know going up the next level in cable opens the door for access to them, but I'm not seeing them. So, I don't doubt the ACC's digital network is thumping the others'. Well, when the others are easily found on basic platforms, they don't need that little extra. So, Ms. Dosh's statistic is a bit...un-contextualized?

It's not like I'm not in the ACC's footprint. If I'm not, then somehow whoever says so somehow thinks eastern PA loves West Virginia football, since it's about as accessible as PSU football is. Pitt, 'Cuse, and even UMD when they were a member of the ACC...nope. Never a weekly constant.

The ACC didn't do a good job at the table. Accept that truth. What they can only hope to happen is for one of the other major conferences to restructure and withdraw from ESPN. That gap in content will open up some opportunities for the ACC. I think they blew it by not tapping into Comcast/NBC during the negotiations. It might have made things with Notre Dame a bit more favorable for all...

The ACC is late to the game. ESPN just re-worked most of its deals over the last two years. The next window is 4 years from now. That's when ESPN can use its own weight to force carriage. In the meantime, the ACC will have to do it on its own, which will be a long hard fight. Comcast does come up in 2016, but most of the other majors are early in their deals.

Bundling with ESPN is where the real value add is because there are substantial built-in overlaps and I can see the relationship creating a much more inelastic product package. And you're right. It won't happen for several years (3?) at the earliest (I assume that ESPN will renegotiate about a year before their contract ends).

(07-11-2015 02:18 AM)nzmorange Wrote:  

(05-08-2013 09:17 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  I'm still skeptical about them packaging the networks together. What would be the competitive advantage for the conferences? You think the SEC wants the ACC to share in the profits from subscribers in Texas..or the ACC wants the SEC to share in the profits from subscribers in NC/VA?

The bundle might change price elasticities, depending on geographic overlaps with fan bases.

That said, I'm not overly optimistic about an ACCN. I think that the conference will probably get one, but I doubt that it will be a gold mine. I actually have my doubts about all conference networks. They aren't as profitable as most think that they are. For example, most, if not all people, forget that there are startup costs. Of course the network is going to increase revenue. It happened because the schools in the conference increased their investment in the conference AND took on more risk. The question is whether the increase payout is A) worth the startup costs and B) worth the risk. That's MUCH harder to answer, and I have yet to hear a compelling story/explanation.

I don't disagree with this, we see a number from time to time of what comes back, but we're probably clueless what must go in. BTN/Big Ten Network had a very tough time finding its niche early on, and before it went to the nearly "all sports, all the time" format, it was unwatchable most times of the year, and filled with school-produced "filler."

That "filler" was part of the network's original mission or goal, to highlight and promote the universities in the conference. While the network is more athletics-based, and may presently enhance profitability, what does it say about the thing when the original vision and purpose is so compromised? And so early on in its life? I don't know what Big Ten school presidents think of the network now...but it isn't much what they originally signed up for.

These are the growing pains of any network. And the costs are spread throughout the structure; visible and directly and others less so.

We know that these networks are a way to connect fans to their schools and teams, but I think about the mission of these ventures, their place in our culture and then the world when tied to the mission of the schools, and then added the whole enrollment issue facing universities in America. I think these networks have already plateaued. Those thinking people in the far East or Europe, or even deep into Canada or Mexico are going to crave amateur athletics...I really hope schools don't feed into that hype and speculation pipeline going forward.

ACC Network is coming!!!!!! Stay Tuned!!!!!!!

(07-11-2015 08:39 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-11-2015 02:18 AM)nzmorange Wrote:  

(05-08-2013 09:17 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  I'm still skeptical about them packaging the networks together. What would be the competitive advantage for the conferences? You think the SEC wants the ACC to share in the profits from subscribers in Texas..or the ACC wants the SEC to share in the profits from subscribers in NC/VA?

The bundle might change price elasticities, depending on geographic overlaps with fan bases.

That said, I'm not overly optimistic about an ACCN. I think that the conference will probably get one, but I doubt that it will be a gold mine. I actually have my doubts about all conference networks. They aren't as profitable as most think that they are. For example, most, if not all people, forget that there are startup costs. Of course the network is going to increase revenue. It happened because the schools in the conference increased their investment in the conference AND took on more risk. The question is whether the increase payout is A) worth the startup costs and B) worth the risk. That's MUCH harder to answer, and I have yet to hear a compelling story/explanation.

I don't disagree with this, we see a number from time to time of what comes back, but we're probably clueless what must go in. BTN/Big Ten Network had a very tough time finding its niche early on, and before it went to the nearly "all sports, all the time" format, it was unwatchable most times of the year, and filled with school-produced "filler."

That "filler" was part of the network's original mission or goal, to highlight and promote the universities in the conference. While the network is more athletics-based, and may presently enhance profitability, what does it say about the thing when the original vision and purpose is so compromised? And so early on in its life? I don't know what Big Ten school presidents think of the network now...but it isn't much what they originally signed up for.

These are the growing pains of any network. And the costs are spread throughout the structure; visible and directly and others less so.

We know that these networks are a way to connect fans to their schools and teams, but I think about the mission of these ventures, their place in our culture and then the world when tied to the mission of the schools, and then added the whole enrollment issue facing universities in America. I think these networks have already plateaued. Those thinking people in the far East or Europe, or even deep into Canada or Mexico are going to crave amateur athletics...I really hope schools don't feed into that hype and speculation pipeline going forward.

The main issues what ESPN is facing right now? ACC Network may not happen. Why? Look at the Cord Cutting that is taken place. ESPN may have to drop some channels as well if Disney wants ESPN to make cut backs. ESPNNews, Longhorn Networks and some others could be pulled off the air. When that happens? The price to carry ESPN and other channels of theirs could be a lot less.