Williams & Blum Wednesday: What's next for realignment and Anthony Becht interview

[Aiden Wyatt]

Fresh Williams & Blum for you guys. Diving more into what could be next in conference realignment and more on Big 12 football. Ended the show with a replay of July 13th's interview with Anthony Becht.

Enjoy!

Williams & Blum Wednesday: What's next for realignment and Anthony Becht interview

Chris Williams and Brent Blum discuss the latest in conference realignment, how ESPN fits in, and what the change could do to college sports. Discussing question marks on some Big 12 teams before closing out the show with a replay of their interview with Anthony Becht from Rocco Becht's Football Cam

cyclonefanatic.com

 

[Cycsk]

Was this live? I didn't see anything on the YouTube CFTV page or on CW/BB Twitter pages when I checked late this morning. If it was live, I'm sorry I missed it. Now that you've gotten me hooked on live podcasts, they just aren't the same listening while walking my dog or on the treadmill.

 

[Aiden Wyatt]

Was this live? I didn't see anything on the YouTube CFTV page or on CW/BB Twitter pages when I checked late this morning. If it was live, I'm sorry I missed it. Now that you've gotten me hooked on live podcasts, they just aren't the same listening while walking my dog or on the treadmill.

We were not live! Knew I was going to have to do some post-production editing with the interview at the end so we opted to record and release. Thanks for tuning in live when you can! I certainly agree it makes the show more enjoyable!

 

[IowaState88]

Solid discussion on UCF and their potential ceiling. KJ Jefferson, who was awesome at Ark at times, plus their RB room (which is arguably Top 3 in the entire country!) is super intriguing. I'm pretty high on their ability to make some noise this year.

Their last game vs. Utah has the potential to be a "win and in' game for either team to get to the B12 Championship game.

 

[cykadelic2]

@ChrisMWilliams @brentblum

A couple of things that were discussed on today's pod:

1) FSU is not in court to invalidate the ACC GOR (and thus make other conference GORs useless) as suggested by Chris. FSU is in court to challenge the process/procedure by which the ACC TV deal and GOR was extended to 2036 and they are also challenging what they consider an onerous $120M exit fee (separate from GOR buyout fees). Clemson is challenging the GOR on a technicality (the use of "is" to describe existing member status) which I think will be dismissed. But I think the use of GORs for future TV deals will remain.

2) You did not mention or not aware of that ESPN has a 2027 option on the ACC TV deal and it has been reported that ESPN has to make a decision on that option by JAN 2025. If ESPN doesn't pick up that option, the ACC is probably toast. That decision by ESPN is far more relevant to the ACC's future than any of the existing court proceedings. I don't expect ESPN to pick up that option.

3) Brent was talking about the B10 deal and their current relationship with Fox, NBC and CBS. It was previously disclosed that Fox owns 100% of the B10's rights in addition to majority stake of BTN and no media outlet knows for sure how long they own those rights, presumably well into the 2030s. The NBC and CBS deals are essentially sublicensing deals with Fox and Tony Pettiti is Fox's puppet. Further clear evidence of ESPN and Fox control of the sport and how they will manipulate realignment for their sole benefit and to keep tech companies out of the CFB production space. My hope is that Yormark can somehow engage a new entrant to fund the additional inventory at a premium price for B12 expansion that includes FSU and Clemson. But I am sure that ESPN and Fox will fight to prevent the new entrant from engaging with the B12.

 

[Sigmapolis]

(the use of "is" to describe existing member status) which I think will be dismissed.

It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

2) You did not mention or not aware of that ESPN has a 2027 option on the ACC TV deal and it has been reported that ESPN has to make a decision on that option by JAN 2025. If ESPN doesn't pick up that option, the ACC is probably toast. That decision by ESPN is far more relevant to the ACC's future than any of the existing court proceedings. I don't expect ESPN to pick up that option.

Why would ESPN not want to pick up that option?

Don't they have the ACC locked in at a very below-market rate?

It's like picking up the team option for an underplayed player, no?

3) Brent was talking about the B10 deal and their current relationship with Fox, NBC and CBS. It was previously disclosed that Fox owns 100% of the B10's rights in addition to majority stake of BTN and no media outlet knows for sure how long they own those rights, presumably well into the 2030s. The NBC and CBS deals are essentially sublicensing deals with Fox and Tony Pettiti is Fox's puppet. Further clear evidence of ESPN and Fox control of the sport and how they will manipulate realignment for their sole benefit and to keep tech companies out of the CFB production space. My hope is that Yormark can somehow engage a new entrant to fund the additional inventory at a premium price for B12 expansion that includes FSU and Clemson. But I am sure that ESPN and Fox will fight to prevent the new entrant from engaging with the B12.

This strategy is a war-winning one.

Fox and the Big Ten and ESPN and the SEC are practically indistinguishable at this point.

I can see why they'd want to stop the Big 12 from going hard in with somebody like Amazon. I just don't know how they're going to do it if the demand from the tech streamers is there.

 

[cykadelic2]

Why would ESPN not want to pick up that option?

They likely won't pick up the option in order to share FSU/Clemson/NCSt/VT with Fox and save money there. They also will be free to renegotiate smaller payouts for the rest of the ACC or simply let them walk to another media partner. Their savings from ending the ACC relationship will also enable them to spend more on other properties such as the SEC (Sankey wants more to fund 9th SEC conference games), NBA and NFL.

 

[werdnamanhill]

Why would ESPN not want to pick up that option?

Don't they have the ACC locked in at a very below-market rate?

It's like picking up the team option for an underplayed player, no?

Maybe they'd rather pay 100M for Clemson and FSU instead of 40M*16 for the ACC

 

[WhoISthis]

It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.



Why would ESPN not want to pick up that option?

Don't they have the ACC locked in at a very below-market rate?

It's like picking up the team option for an underplayed player, no?

Why would they pick up the option?

It’s a conference with mediocre ratings, particularly past 3 schools. This is the consolidation era. Why pay for 17 schools to get 3 or 4?

In the decreasing linear era, espn doesn’t need 17 ACC schools and 16 Big 12- tv window filler content. Decline the option, then grab the leftover ACC at a much lower rate. Play nice with Fox to share wherever top ACC leaves


In the consolidation era, the ACC is the first to go…if not for the long GOR.

Perhaps that’s why in 2021 ESPN didn’t pick up the option, but was instead given a free extension by ACC HQ?

 

[Rogue52]

Unless I’m mistaken, the SEC and B1G schools are not under a Grant of Rights. Any school could leave today if they wanted with whatever penalty exists in bylaws.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Unless I’m mistaken, the SEC and B1G schools are not under a Grant of Rights. Any school could leave today if they wanted with whatever penalty exists in bylaws.

There might not be a big penalty but they certainly gave their TV rights to ESPN and Fox.

 

[cykadelic2]

It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

I think Clemson's argument on this is BS but we shall see:

Why Clemson believes the word 'is' could punch a loophole in the ACC's contract with ESPN

Clemson is pointing to an "is" in the ACC's contract with ESPN to say the conference owns the Tigers' broadcast rights while it "is" a member — but not after.

www.postandcourier.com

 

[Sigmapolis]

Maybe they'd rather pay 100M for Clemson and FSU instead of 40M*16 for the ACC

Why would they pick up the option?

It’s a conference with mediocre ratings, particularly past 3 schools. This is the consolidation era. Why pay for 17 schools to get 3 or 4?

In the decreasing linear era, espn doesn’t need 17 ACC schools and 16 Big 12- tv window filler content. Decline the option, then grab the leftover ACC at a much lower rate. Play nice with Fox to share wherever top ACC leaves


In the consolidation era, the ACC is the first to go…if not for the long GOR.

Perhaps that’s why in 2021 ESPN didn’t pick up the option, but was instead given a free extension by ACC HQ?

So basically it's a repeat of what ESPN tried with the Big 12?

Get Texas and Oklahoma out and pay them a bunch of money?

And then pay the remainder peanuts either as an eight-team or eight-team plus backfill league or even somehow force a merger between the Irate Eight and the American (and yuck)?

Just swap out OUT with Florida State, Clemson, and maybe one or two others?

 

[werdnamanhill]

So basically it's a repeat of what ESPN tried with the Big 12?

Get Texas and Oklahoma out and pay them a bunch of money?

And then pay the remainder peanuts either as an eight-team or eight-team plus backfill league or even somehow force a merger between the Irate Eight and the American (and yuck)?

Just swap out OUT with Florida State, Clemson, and maybe one or two others?

That's my train of thought

 

[ClubCy]

So basically it's a repeat of what ESPN tried with the Big 12?

Get Texas and Oklahoma out and pay them a bunch of money?

And then pay the remainder peanuts either as an eight-team or eight-team plus backfill league or even somehow force a merger between the Irate Eight and the American (and yuck)?

Just swap out OUT with Florida State, Clemson, and maybe one or two others?

I forget what the breakdown of the media revenue % is from ESPN vs Fox but in this case wouldn’t Fox essentially get those 2 at a discount in the Big 12 vs paying them full share (either right away or eventually) as Big 10 members?

So if the Big 10 presidents are actually opposed to adding them, Fox can still get them but under their umbrella at discount despite having to share them with ESPN?

 

[Sigmapolis]

I forget what the breakdown of the media revenue % is from ESPN vs Fox but in this case wouldn’t Fox essentially get those 2 at a discount in the Big 12 vs paying them full share (either right away or eventually) as Big 10 members?

So if the Big 10 presidents are actually opposed to adding them, Fox can still get them but under their umbrella at discount despite having to share them with ESPN?

I wonder if both Clemson and Florida State could just go independent if it comes to that point.

A Clemson/Florida State/Notre Dame round robin would be fun and good TV.

I just don't know if they'd be able to fill their schedule up with high-quality opponents. Would the Big Ten and SEC play nice with letting them play 2-3 games against them every season?

Would the Big 12 offer up 2-3 if it came to that? (Yes.)

Notre Dame this year plays...

1 SEC (A&M)
2 MAC (NIU, Miami)
2 Big Ten (Purdue, U$C)
5 ACC (Louisville, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia)
2 American (Navy, Army)

That's a lot of games to find if even just one of FSU and Clemson tries it.

 

[WhoISthis]

So basically it's a repeat of what ESPN tried with the Big 12?

Get Texas and Oklahoma out and pay them a bunch of money?

And then pay the remainder peanuts either as an eight-team or eight-team plus backfill league or even somehow force a merger between the Irate Eight and the American (and yuck)?

Just swap out OUT with Florida State, Clemson, and maybe one or two others?

If it’s true that in the summer of 2021 that the ACC HQ, without a vote, gave ESPN an extension to 2025 on the option, perhaps in 2021 ESPN was going to decline the option, making similar moves on the ACC as they did with OUT

If so, the ACC gave them a free extension, hoping to delay until something changed. I wonder if not for that, if the R8 would have been added to 8 or 10 ACC, which would have made a good conference to later add the 4C.

 

[t-noah]

So basically it's a repeat of what ESPN tried with the Big 12?

Get Texas and Oklahoma out and pay them a bunch of money?

And then pay the remainder peanuts either as an eight-team or eight-team plus backfill league or even somehow force a merger between the Irate Eight and the American (and yuck)?

Just swap out OUT with Florida State, Clemson, and maybe one or two others?

Seems like this could give Congress something to do?

 

[t-noah]

Seems like this could give Congress something to do?

First act of Congress would be to give Finebaum a large timeout.

I wouldn't have to not, NOT click on him.

 

[Cycsk]

Back to the guest of honor. Anthony Becht is an impressive man! In so many ways!