ESPn and Big East agree to TV deal

[admin]

Well this keeps the Big East on ESPN and maybe escalates what NBC might be willing to offer for C7 programming now they that need extra inventory after losing the Big East. I assume 2014 is the logical start date for new league at this time.

The Big East Conference confirmed Saturday that ESPN has matched a media rights deal offer, keeping the network as the league's primary rights holder.

The deal is for seven years and worth $130 million through the 2019-20 school year, league sources said. The Big East's new deal is worth less per school than its current ESPN deal and six times less than what ESPN presented two years ago.

The Big East's new deal is comparable to a new media rights deal the Mountain West signed with CBS Sports Network. Both, however, are substantially less than what the power five conferences -- Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC, Big 12 and ACC -- receive.

ESPN's deal with the Big East would include seven years for men's basketball (2013-20) and six years for football (2014-20). The deal would break down to $10 million for the 2013-14 basketball season and $20 million starting in 2014-15 for football and men's basketball, sources said.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ights-deal

[Hoya]

Is the Big East name worth $8-10M?

In December, a Big East attorney sent the Catholic 7 -- composed of DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's and Villanova – a document titled “Mutual Commitment Agreement – Initial Separation Issues List” asking the group whether it wishes to retain the name.

The basketball schools might have more attachment to it because of their history in the league. If the name is worth, say, $8-10 million, that's good money for a football league that resembles the old Conference USA after several waves of conference realignment.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... gotiations

[flyerlax06]

Is the Big East name worth $8-10M?

In December, a Big East attorney sent the Catholic 7 -- composed of DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's and Villanova – a document titled “Mutual Commitment Agreement – Initial Separation Issues List” asking the group whether it wishes to retain the name.

The basketball schools might have more attachment to it because of their history in the league. If the name is worth, say, $8-10 million, that's good money for a football league that resembles the old Conference USA after several waves of conference realignment.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... gotiations

I think it's worth $8-10MM but my concern is if they try to use it as a chip to bargain the earlier exit or NCAA tournament credits. I'd pay about $1-$1.5MM per school to retain the name if it was a straight up transaction. I have a hard time believing that will be the case though. I've also been leaning more towards a new name of late. But if the price is right, I'd like to keep the Big East name as I still think it has good brand recognition for basketball.

[Moliva]

What is the total NCAA Unit Revenue and exit fees from departed schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Louisville that's in play?

$8M sounds like alot for the name, but it may be worth it.

[QueRico]

Forgive my ignorance on the NCAA credits.
As I understand it, the credits go to the league not the individual school.
Example, Syr. is leaving the Big East but their credits earned don't go w/ them to the ACC, rather they stay w/ the BE.

So IF the C7+ retains the Big East name, are they now considered "the conference" in the eyes of the NCAA and therefore entitled to all of those credits?
If that is the case, things are even more complicated & the battle over the name will be even more contentious. I can't imagine that the NCAA will give up control & allow these 2 entities to decide the allocation for themselves. Is the buyout figure going to be essentially the value of the NCAA credits?
I feel like an idiot trying to understand this & obviously the parties involved are trying to play this as close to the vest as possible.

[Bluejay]

So IF the C7+ retains the Big East name, are they now considered "the conference" in the eyes of the NCAA and therefore entitled to all of those credits?
If that is the case, things are even more complicated & the battle over the name will be even more contentious. I can't imagine that the NCAA will give up control & allow these 2 entities to decide the allocation for themselves. Is the buyout figure going to be essentially the value of the NCAA credits?
I feel like an idiot trying to understand this & obviously the parties involved are trying to play this as close to the vest as possible.

I don't think the NCAA has to be involved at all.

If the two conferences decide that they will split NCAA tourney credits according to some formula, as long as that isn't some sort of a violation of NCAA rules, I don't see a problem. Even if the NCAA indicates that they are only cutting a check to one entity, the receiving entity could easily just cut a check to the other league pursuant to whatever agreement they have worked out.