ESPN, Fox Open Discussions for Next Big 12 Deal

[Cyinthenorth]

I really really really hope we don't have to resort to midweek games. Don't even want to let one game a year into the conversation, that'll lead to more and and non-saturday game days.
Would kill most of the festivities around Iowa State football even if it nets us a few extra million.
Tailgating sustained us through most of our existence, can't give that up.
Look at West Virginia, they got screwed, 3 Thursday night games and their attendance sucks (could be because they had been sucking)

I don't know how I feel about Thursday/Friday night games. I don't attend very many, so the tailgating aspect doesn't really bother me much. I also don't give a f***about high school football so would gladly rather stay home and watch a college football game. All of that to say, I'd still much rather watch on Saturday where I can scream at my TV and drink beer, then sleep it off for an hour afterwards and be fine.

 

[2speedy1]

Per team? That would be amazing. If its anything 45 or over then we should all be thrilled.

Ha Ha Ha, I love it. I suggested 60M+ a month ago and everyone said I was crazy. Now there are media stories suggesting this.

I suggested that as an all in number just like this is with new playoff money. But everyone said no no no way, that is just crazy talk.

 

[CoachHines3]

Good, I can take my afternoon nap while watching Northwestern and Indiana race to 17 points. F*** the Big 10

you're going to need Peacock for that

 

[CycloneDaddy]

Ha Ha Ha, I love it. I suggested 60M+ a month ago and everyone said I was crazy. Now there are media stories suggesting this.

I suggested that as an all in number just like this is with new playoff money. But everyone said no no no way, that is just crazy talk.

If ISU gets $60+ mil a year Im streaking the Quad!!!!

 

[cykadelic2]

Has Yormark said a deal is imminent or a decision is imminent?

Those could be different things.

They are different and Yormark emphasized "decision" meaning an extension with ESPN/Fox OR wait 16 months to facilitate open bidding from Amazon and others.

 

[isucy86]

'always' is only a moment in time. We can easily become the new darling of ESPN marketing. I like our brand. I like our fan base. I like our AD. I like our facilities vision. I like our coaching staffs. And I like them all as a package deal.

And, most importantly, if we increase our own value, being on ESPN+ is a very short step to ESPN or ABC and decided upon by those entities weekly.

The only flaw with that logic is ESPN's current investments in the SEC and ACC conferences.

Obviously the SEC is going to get at least 2 Saturday games on ABC each week. And I would expect ESPN's 7p game.

So where does the Big 12 fit compared to the ACC?

I would expect the Big12's premier games would be on Fox and rotate with the ACC in ABC's 3rd Saturday spot.

IMO much of the Big12's value to Disney/ESPN would be:

• Thursday and/or Friday night games.
• Late on Saturday night
• Significant inventory for ESPN+.
• Rotation of top tier games with ACC on ABC&ESPN.

Game slots by Network are contractual, so it's not really a "step" process.

 

[KnappShack]

They are different and Yormark emphasized "decision" meaning an extension with ESPN/Fox OR wait 16 months to facilitate open bidding from Amazon and others.

If "decision" was used it could even be a shot across the bow to get the process moving.

Who knows at this point

 

[AuH2O]

Ha Ha Ha, I love it. I suggested 60M+ a month ago and everyone said I was crazy. Now there are media stories suggesting this.

I suggested that as an all in number just like this is with new playoff money. But everyone said no no no way, that is just crazy talk.

If the Big 12 teams like ISU get to an all inclusive number that is north of $50k with a reasonable level of playoff access secured, then that's massive.

All that doom and gloom goes away. While the raw dollar amount separating the SEC/Big 10 and Big 12 will be large and unprecedented, we've seen in the most critical facility build-up era in college football those conferences had a massive advantage over ISU and most of the Big 12 teams for a couple decades. The marginal value of that gap was massive during that time, and ISU still gained a ton of ground in facilities, recruiting, and on the field results.

The other advantage of all the money being at ridiculous levels for all these teams is that if this comes through pretty much EVERY coach in Big 10, SEC AND Big 12 will be making "life changing" money. Now, I'm sure if there was a G5 hot commodity, Big 10 and SEC are going to outbid the Big 12 for him. But I think the chances of a Big 10 and SEC team poaching a Big 12 coach solely due to salary becomes pretty low. Obviously going from $4m to $10m is a huge amount of money, but for a lot of guys they are making so much money as it is that they aren't willing to sacrifice fit, family, etc. if they are in a good position. If a guy is making $4M in Ames or Manhattan and has a good thing going, is he going to bolt to make $10M somewhere to perhaps have a shorter leash, less control, and a more difficult route to a playoff?

There will always be guys chasing dollars, but the salaries are all so large now that the marginal value of every dollar keeps shrinking. This isn't like Cael going from ISU to PSU. Now that was a case where his quality of life and security for his family truly went through the roof.

 

[cykadelic2]

The only flaw with that logic is ESPN's current investments in the SEC and ACC conferences.

Obviously the SEC is going to get at least 2 Saturday games on ABC each week. And I would expect ESPN's 7p game.

So where does the Big 12 fit compared to the ACC?

I would expect the Big12's premier games would be on Fox and rotate with the ACC in ABC's 3rd Saturday spot.

IMO much of the Big12's value to Disney/ESPN would be:

• Thursday and/or Friday night games.
• Late on Saturday night
• Significant inventory for ESPN+.
• Rotation of top tier games with ACC on ABC&ESPN.

Game slots by Network are contractual, so it's not really a "step" process.

Rotating the B12 #1 GOTW with the ACC on ABC should not be an option.

To optimize branding, B12 needs to establish a #1 FB GOTW on the same OTA network (likely Fox) at the same time every week and preferably not at the same exact time as the SEC and B10 GOTWs. Any start time from 3 PM to 6 PM CT would be ideal IMO.

I would love to see the #2 B12 GOTW on TNT at the same time every week as well but I doubt that happens.

ESPN simply cannot afford to lose B12 FB and BB and having Amazon ready to pounce on that inventory is extreme leverage for the B12 and I would love to see the B12 go to open bidding with Amazon actively involved. The BB factor in negotiations should not be understated.

 

[jcyclonee]

If ISU gets $60+ mil a year Im streaking the Quad!!!!

Let's be honest. You're streaking the quad anyway.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Could a deal with ESPN involve development of a Big 12 Network within the ESPN contruct, similar to what the ACC and SEC have? I would prefer that to having to utilize a different app entirely to watch games (ESPN+) since I can watch the ACC/SEC networks from my YTTV app.

 

[cykadelic2]

Could a deal with ESPN involve development of a Big 12 Network within the ESPN contruct, similar to what the ACC and SEC have? I would prefer that to having to utilize a different app entirely to watch games (ESPN+) since I can watch the ACC/SEC networks from my YTTV app.

Not going to happen IMO given the struggles of ACCN. ESPN will want T3 FB and BB on ESPN+.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Not going to happen IMO given the struggles of ACCN. ESPN will want T3 FB and BB on ESPN+.

I didn't realize ACCN was struggling. Still though, couldn't a Big 12 Network be T3 with ESPN/Fox getting T1 and T2?

 

[simply1]

I would rather have a big 12 network than be on ESPN plus so the production value could be higher, but realize it’s probably not feasible.

This stood out a bit as well

"I'm going to create … new events, go to new markets, do media blitzes, use music, celebratize our events, use influencer marketing," Yormark said.

 

[cykadelic2]

I didn't realize ACCN was struggling. Still though, couldn't a Big 12 Network be T3 with ESPN/Fox getting T1 and T2?

Sure it could but ESPN will want B12 inventory on ESPN+ to stimulate ESPN+ subs, not on a separate linear "network" like ACCN. ESPN is going to continue to jack up their pricing to linear providers and try to force subscribers to drop their linear providers and migrate to Hulu TV and ESPN+ to get ESPN produced inventory.

 

[isucy86]

Could a deal with ESPN involve development of a Big 12 Network within the ESPN contruct, similar to what the ACC and SEC have? I would prefer that to having to utilize a different app entirely to watch games (ESPN+) since I can watch the ACC/SEC networks from my YTTV app.

If the Big12 was going to have its own linear channel, it would have happened already.

Personally, I have no idea where the SECN or ACCN is on my linear streaming service because they don't show top tier games.

I use Roku as my interface and don't see the inconvenience of opening the ESPN/ESPN+ app vs. FuboTV app. Is it harder to toggle between games? Sure. But at some point Roku will make that a push of a remote key.

Today the buzz word is cord cutting. In 3 years is the buzz streaming drop as people unsubscribe from YTTV, Hulu+, DTV and FuboTV. How many people need to subscribe to a platform with 80+ channels? Probably 0% of the population. I bet 80% of households watch less than 15 channels.

IMO apps like Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Paramount, Peacock are the future. Purchase those base apps and buy programing bundles like ESPN, HGTV or HBO max ala carte.

 

[Antihawk240]

So I am hoping the negotiations with ESPN /Fox are : Agree to terms within 30 days now and sign the extension papers we offer $X. Wait until contact expires to test waters is fine but the offers drops to $Y.

Put me in the Amazon boat. I love Thursday Night Football on Prime and I think (yes I am aware the Schools are mindful about the actual business part of it) as a fan perspective Amazon would have a great product. Thursday Night Football for the NFL has turned into a very good night for football because of Amazon. I turn on the Prime App and scroll past 6 Big 12 games until I find the Cyclone game and click watch. Then during breaks Amazon launches my tailored commercials based off my purchasing history. That would be an enjoyable experience.

Having ESPN thinking they can convince me that I could make out with a hot lady under a table at a wedding only if I buy Robert Pattinson's cologne was getting annoying every. single. commercial break.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Sure it could but ESPN will want B12 inventory on ESPN+ to stimulate ESPN+ subs, not on a separate linear "network" like ACCN. ESPN is going to continue to jack up their pricing to linear providers and try to force subscribers to drop their linear providers and migrate to Hulu TV and ESPN+ to get ESPN produced inventory.

Yeah, it seems to me that the ESPN+ model is what they want to evolve to for all the extra content, rather than having yet another conference network that they basically throw in to various package deals that they negotiate with cable or other streaming services.

 

[KnappShack]

Yeah, it seems to me that the ESPN+ model is what they want to evolve to for all the extra content, rather than having yet another conference network that they basically throw in to various package deals that they negotiate with cable or other streaming services.

Mountain West Network
ACCN
Longhorn
PAC12

Traditional networks seem to be a hit and miss situation

 

[Cyclonepride]

Mountain West Network
ACCN
Longhorn
PAC12

Traditional networks seem to be a hit and miss situation

My point is that they'd almost certainly not want to expand that. I'm guessing all that will eventually just be ESPN+ (or go away to other providers).