So much for The SEC Network...?

HandSanitizer · 08-26-2008, 02:04 AM

The Southeastern Conference has signed a 15-year deal with ESPN reportedly worth more than $2 billion to televise sporting events, including football and men's and women's basketball.
The agreement announced Monday is the longest ESPN has ever signed and matches the length of the powerhouse league's deal with CBS earlier in August.
"This agreement makes the SEC the most widely distributed conference in the country," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. He declined to disclose financial terms.
"The bottom line here is that fans of SEC football will have more access to games and better distribution than they ever have in the past," Slive added.
The deal begins with the 2009-10 season and ends the league's look into starting a network to carry its sporting events.

Read the rest here.
ESPN - ESPN signs 15-year deal with SEC - College Sports

What does this mean for us if the SEC has moved into the ESPN world and still has CBS?? It just seems like there is not enough espn channesl to carry all these schools.
I wonder if the Big 12 will try an launch its own network sooner due to this.

theshadow · 08-26-2008, 03:11 AM

CBS only has 1 SEC football game per week during conference play, except for T-giving weekend when I believe they have 2 games.

I could see them using ESPNU and ESPN Classic for the majority of the contests in all sports. Those two channels are underused right now. I can't imagine ESPN would take games off of ESPN/ESPN2 just to plug in SEC contests.

jbhtexas · 08-26-2008, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by HandSanitizer

What does this mean for us if the SEC has moved into the ESPN world and still has CBS?? It just seems like there is not enough espn channesl to carry all these schools.
I wonder if the Big 12 will try an launch its own network sooner due to this.

There is another potential network player...NBC/Universal. There have been rumors that they want to jump into the cable sports market (i.e. ABC/ESPN). NBCU has recently joined up with World Championship Sports Network to create Universal Sports, which will be dedicated to Olympic-type sports. I would guess that if NBCU were serious about launching a more conventional sports network, they would want an alliance with a BCS conference or two.

I still like the idea of a joint Big 12/Pac-10 network venture to get the number of TV sets up and make the project more economically feasible.

Anyway, the Big 12 already has TV deals, and they seem to tie the hands of the Big 12 for the next few years...

BryceC · 08-26-2008, 10:37 AM

I'd like a Big 12/Pac-10 network or something, and they could just have multiple channels to show games being played at the same time like DTV does now for the BTN. Why not, it would make a lot more sense.

cardinal&gold · 08-26-2008, 10:41 AM

I guess Big 12 games -- and ISU games in particular -- will be relegated to ESPN 8 "The Ocho" in the future.

But seriously, I like the idea of a Big 12/Pac 10 network, "The Big Pac 22 Network" or something. Since it seems like most of the major players in sports media are content to glorify the Big Ten, SEC, and Big East/ACC (to a lesser extent), it seems like the Big 12 and Pac 10 will have to rally together to get much of anything done. Could be a good partnership.

CyBobby · 08-26-2008, 11:46 AM

Whats wrong with the tv deals that big 12 has rite now?

The Texas Longhorns and the Okie Sooners are on every week...what more could a football fan ask for????

garn91 · 08-26-2008, 12:25 PM

The Big 12 already has a very large presence across the ESPN family of networks:

ESPN MediaZone

ESPN and the Big 12 Conference have reached a new wide-ranging, eight-year agreement, calling for coverage of football, men’s and women’s basketball and several other sports across 14 platforms, beginning in 2008-09 and continuing through 2015-16, it was announced today by Kevin Weiberg, commissioner of the Big 12 Conference and John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming and acquisitions.

As part of the agreement, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will offer extensive Big 12 action, while ESPNU – the 24-hour college sports network – will have significantly more Big 12 coverage with up to 50 exclusive games each academic year plus weekly studio programming.

Additionally, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN360.com (customized broadband network), ESPN PPV, ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN International and several other outlets will deliver Big 12 content to fans worldwide.

Men’s Basketball – Regular Season and Conference Tournament
Regular-season: first selection to approximately 95 games per season across ESPN’s entities, including over 60 games on national services ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com and broadcast television.

Broadcast television: exclusive rights to over-the-air coverage, featuring action on ABC

ESPN and ESPN2: Exclusive national cable rights will include the addition of a weekly ESPN2 game Wednesdays during conference play joining returning Big 12 action on ESPN’s Big Monday as well as a Saturday game on ESPN or ESPN2.

ESPNU and ESPN360.com: These growing networks will combine to offer 20 exclusive Big 12 basketball games and ESPNU will also present a weekly 30-minute program highlighting all Big 12 sports.

Syndication: ESPN Regional Television (ERT) will remain the exclusive syndicator of the conference’s basketball games, presenting 32 games a season, highlighted by Saturday doubleheaders and studio shows. A new element will be the branding of all ERT syndicated productions as “The Big 12 Network.”

ESPN PPV: ESPN FULL COURT, the season-long pay-per-view package, will feature Big 12 games extensively
.
Additional ESPN outlets: Big12 basketball content will be featured prominently across many other ESPN entities, such as extensive video and audio content on ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, ESPN International, ESPN Classic and much more.

Football
Broadcast television – Regular Season and Championship: ABC will continue as the exclusive over-the-air home of Big 12 football with first pick of 19 games each season, including primetime action and the Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship. In addition, ESPN retains entitlement rights to the conference championship.

Women’s Basketball and More
ESPN and ESPN2: The networks will televise at least six other Big 12 events each year, including select events from women’s basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling and volleyball.

ESPNU: True to its mission serve the passion of college sports fans, ESPNU will complement its increased Big 12 men’s basketball lineup with up to 25 additional Big 12 events each academic year, including women’s basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling and volleyball.

ESPN MediaZone

ESPN will continue to televise regular-season Big 12 Conference college football games through a new two-year agreement with Fox Sports Net. Through an agreement last year, ESPN televised regular-season Big 12 home games for the first time. As part of the new pact, seven Big 12-controlled contests will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2 each year, with games being played on a Thursday or Saturday.

BryceC · 08-26-2008, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

The Big 12 already has a very large presence across the ESPN family of networks:

As an ISU fan, I never would have known.

MidwestZest · 08-26-2008, 12:33 PM

scott van pelt announced this on sportscenter last night, and had a very funny quip about it. Talked about espn adding more mbb games during hte week, etc, and then said something like "but even with this announcement, surely the internet message boards will continue to clutter with sec fans who will undoubtedly still be enraged that espn does not cover them enough or give them enough credit." Really good dig by him :-)

cyclonenum1 · 08-26-2008, 01:42 PM

This is a great deal for the SEC. Not only is ESPN the undisputed leader in sports television, they are a finely tuned promotional machine that rigorously promotes its ventures across all of their businesses (Disney, ABC, ESPN).

I guess I have never really understood the thinking of the Big 10 Network. They are basically regionalizing their product (I can assure that most cable systems in the southeast and west do not carry the Big 10 Network but certainly carry ESPN) whereas a contract with ESPN nationalizes your product.

HandSanitizer · 08-26-2008, 01:55 PM

I think the Big12 has a good deal. I just wish they would adjust it a little better.
Look at all the TV possibilities each week. yet there are several team that don't find there way on. I understand they don't want Iowa State versus Nebraska competing with there main picked game (Texas versas Whoever), but below are 10 open channels that could play the games. It would be nice to know that these are the channels our games WILL be on meaning your game will be televised, but you don't know when and what channel it would be on until 1 week before. Then I would see know reason for a Big12 network.
11, 2:30, 7:00 Time slots.
1 ABC Game
1 ESPN Game
1 ESPN 2 Game
1 ESPN Classic
1 ESPN U
1 Fox Sports South Game
1 Fox Sports Midwest Game
1 Versus Game
1 FCSC Game
PPV

So take this year...
Thu, Aug 28 South Dakota State Ames, Iowa 7:00 p.m. ----FCSC
Sat, Sep 06 Kent State Ames, Iowa 6:00 p.m. --------------FSM
Sat, Sep 13 Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa 11:00 a.m. Big Ten ----BTN
Sat, Sep 20 UNLV at Las Vegas, Nev. 8:00 p.m. --------MTN
Sat, Oct 04 Kansas * Ames, Iowa ---------------------------FSM
Sat, Oct 11 Baylor * at Waco, Texas ------------------------ESPN CLASSIC
Sat, Oct 18 Nebraska * Ames, Iowa -------------------------ESPN
Sat, Oct 25 Texas A&M (Homecoming) * Ames, Iowa -------ESPN2
Sat, Nov 01 Oklahoma State * at Stillwater, Okla. -----------Versus
Sat, Nov 08 Colorado * at Boulder, Colo. ----------------------ESPNU
Sat, Nov 15 Missouri * Ames, Iowa ---------------------------ABC
Sat, Nov 22 Kansas State * ------------------------------------FCSC

cygrads · 08-27-2008, 08:54 AM

I was watching ESPN the other night and saw on the crawler that the SEC and ESPN have come to a 15 year agreement to broadcast 5,500 SEC events including SEC football, mens and womens basketball. Has anyone else heard of this? It also stated the coverage would start in 2009.

I would think this would open up CBS to broadcast Big XII football. It would be nice to have one major network pushing our conference.

theshadow · 08-27-2008, 09:00 AM

CBS will still have its 1 SEC game per week. ESPN gets everything else.

cygrads · 08-27-2008, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by HandSanitizer

I think the Big12 has a good deal. I just wish they would adjust it a little better.
Look at all the TV possibilities each week. yet there are several team that don't find there way on. I understand they don't want Iowa State versus Nebraska competing with there main picked game (Texas versas Whoever), but below are 10 open channels that could play the games. It would be nice to know that these are the channels our games WILL be on meaning your game will be televised, but you don't know when and what channel it would be on until 1 week before. Then I would see know reason for a Big12 network.
11, 2:30, 7:00 Time slots.
1 ABC Game
1 ESPN Game
1 ESPN 2 Game
1 ESPN Classic
1 ESPN U
1 Fox Sports South Game
1 Fox Sports Midwest Game
1 Versus Game
1 FCSC Game
PPV

So take this year...
Thu, Aug 28 South Dakota State Ames, Iowa 7:00 p.m. ----FCSC
Sat, Sep 06 Kent State Ames, Iowa 6:00 p.m. --------------FSM
Sat, Sep 13 Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa 11:00 a.m. Big Ten ----BTN
Sat, Sep 20 UNLV at Las Vegas, Nev. 8:00 p.m. --------MTN
Sat, Oct 04 Kansas * Ames, Iowa ---------------------------FSM
Sat, Oct 11 Baylor * at Waco, Texas ------------------------ESPN CLASSIC
Sat, Oct 18 Nebraska * Ames, Iowa -------------------------ESPN
Sat, Oct 25 Texas A&M (Homecoming) * Ames, Iowa -------ESPN2
Sat, Nov 01 Oklahoma State * at Stillwater, Okla. -----------Versus
Sat, Nov 08 Colorado * at Boulder, Colo. ----------------------ESPNU
Sat, Nov 15 Missouri * Ames, Iowa ---------------------------ABC
Sat, Nov 22 Kansas State * ------------------------------------FCSC

So with ESPN covering so much of the SEC beginning next season what channels are left to cover Big XII? We may be on the Ocho yet!

HandSanitizer · 08-27-2008, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by cygrads

So with ESPN covering so much of the SEC beginning next season what channels are left to cover Big XII? We may be on the Ocho yet!

We still have a contract with ESPN, I am not sure how many games though.

We just need to utilize the fox networks and we would be fine. The problem is The Big12 and Fox won't do it.

We are still guaranteed 1 game on ABC and 1 Game on versus for sure I know. All I am looking for is a guaranteed 6 games each week. That gets everyone on TV in conference season. If we could get 10-11 games on TV each year I would be VERY happy and would help recruiting a bunch.

I don't understand why the big 12 can't swing this. They would have to do something so Texas and OU don't always get on the top networks all the time, but that is what makes sense for the networks to do. You would have to almost have Versus and Fox guaranteed a few games from the big schools, but I am not sure how that would work. We have so many networks with Fox which makes me mad that there are so many Big12 teams that don't get on. I mean wasn't Mizzou in the Top 10 last year when we played them and that wasn't on TV? I think Nebraska wasn't even on TV a few times.

ABC
ESPN Networks
VERSUS
FOX M/S
FOX M/S
FCSC

I wish some network would pick up a game also. I loved the TBS saturday night game. That rocked.