Per Arkley's Twitter, new deal is worth over $100M over 13 years. Schools go from getting $90K per year to $650K.
That's a nice improvement. Still not as good as CUSA or MWC.
13 years seems like a long, long time however.
Hey, at least ESPN thinks there will still be an audience for non-big 5 football.
If our deal is really only ahalf of CUSA and MWC, and is locked in for 13 years, every person in the front office should be fired. We're going to prostitute ourselves on weeknights to make half the money as a conference with FIU, FAU, ODU and MTSU? Seriously? Oh but look, "digital streaming. ooooh" Not pleased.
I disagree, I am very pleased with this deal. FIU, FAU, ODU and MTSU are all playing on second rate networks. We are playing on the worldwide leader.
It seems like you did a good job researching the value of conference TV deals. Where I disagree is on the value of being on ESPN.
I don't particularly
like ESPN but I cannot deny they are clear and away the #1 in sports. It isn't even close. It is probably a monopoly.
I think it is wise for the MAC to tie its boat to ESPN. Yeah, we had to take a discount pay rate to do it, but in return we get placement on the biggest network.
College sports IS changing and I think getting with ESPN is a good way to keep us relevant. As others have mentioned, the potential placement on their network of families is amazing. It isn't just MACtion weekday games. Football right now is gold. These networks want content for their channels. ESPN will be showing the MAC. That is really, really, really good for us.
5 years ago, I was NOT a fan of MACtion. I'm a full convert. The exposure for OHIO has been beyond good. It has been GREAT. The times aren't good for working folks (i am a season ticket holder living in NEO, that is me) but for students it is ideal. Athens/Peden is the PERFECT MACtion setup. The students at OHIO will come out on a Wednesday and it'll look better than any other MAC school when they do. We just need to limit camera shots of the tower side.
- talk about media markets is a red herring when you're talking about G5 teams. MACtion is a nationwide market, people don't tune in to MACtion because they live in a certain market near one of the teams playing, they tune in because its Tuesday night and they want to watch college football. I refuse to believe MTSU being near Nashville is more valuable to a network than NIU playing Toledo on a Wednesday night.
Using what you said against you... MACtion is a NATIONWIDE market. People tune in because this country is football crazed and they see OHIO. That is good.
How much is the exposure of NIU playing OHIO in the blackout game worth to OHIO. I would argue a lot. And I would argue it is a LOT higher because it is on ESPN and not some second rate network directionals in the south are playing on.
Sidenote: It blows my mind to think about the fact the Disney (DIS) owns ABC and ESPN and how many other channels... People talk about all various companies who could steal billions from cable companies providing strictly online content to people trying to cut the cord and I think about how ESPN is really the only thing stopping me to prevent cutting the cord.
Seems to me Disney is holding pocket aces.