Conference USA reaches landmark deal with ESPN

[Cerebus]

Pilotonline: Conference USA reaches landmark deal with ESPN

Quote

C-USA officials did not announce details of the agreement with ESPN, which sources say has agreed in essence to replace the Conference USA digital network. It would broadcast most league contests on ESPN3 that are not already televised on conventional networks. That means most ODU sports events, including some football games, would be available internationally on ESPN3.

ESPN3 is available only on computers and streaming devices, but has become increasingly more popular as people have began watching television on their cell phones iPads and laptop computers. Unlike cable outlets, which have a limited number of channels, ESPN3 can televise virtually an unlimited number of games.

The agreement was confirmed by a network source and a league official who asked not to be identified. 

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ESPN officials view the agreement to broadcast other games on ESPN3 as a move toward luring back subscribers who have begun moving away from conventional cable TV to streaming devices.

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Now, most or all of those games are expected to move to ESPN3.

ESPN will send consultants to all 14 C-USA schools to, as one official said, "coach all of us up" on how bring their production levels up to ESPN standards. The schools will be expected to pay production costs.

As long as those production standards are met, ESPN will broadcast most or all of those games on ESPN3, sources said.

 

[Harry]

Good news!  Espn3 is a nice alternative.

[Christopher Walker]

Oof.

[Cerebus]

1 minute ago, Christopher Walker said:

Oof.

I consider this very good news, as long as we don't drop the ball.  The rights money for G5s is going to plummet, at least this way we can watch away games.

[Christopher Walker]

I'm all for ESPN3; I'm not for the "burden" of such to be placed at the schools' feet. 

[DallasGreen]

Yeah this only costs the athletic department $700K that it did not have to keep people from coming to games. But let's shed a few tears for our " special " students who unlike their peers in CUSA get a free ride for half the fee paid by other " normal" students.

[UNTFan23]

I guess what I am most interested in is whether we have to broadcasting capabilities that meet or exceed ESPN's minimal requirements.  I'd also like to see how many of our CUSA brethren also meet this requirement as those would be the games I will be most likely to watch via streaming.

[Army of Dad]

Just now, UNTFan23 said:

I guess what I am most interested in is whether we have to broadcasting capabilities that meet or exceed ESPN's minimal requirements.  I'd also like to see how many of our CUSA brethren also meet this requirement as those would be the games I will be most likely to watch via streaming.

Agree, especially on the bolded portion.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

12 minutes ago, Christopher Walker said:

Oof.

Exactly.

"ESPN3 is available only on computers and streaming devices...."

So, where's the "landmark" part?  Oh, I guess that C-USA is the first conference to admit they don't have enough stroke to get a television deal that would, you know, put their football games on television with ESPN.  That is a landmark. 

And...of course ODU would be excited about it. 

[DeepGreen]

So, how many CUSA football games will be broadcast on regular ESPN channels?  You know, like ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2, etc.  Those are channels that the nation watch.  The idea of streaming our football games via the internet is fine for UNT diehards, but not much for the average "fan of football".  And we're getting $500,000 less?  With this package we should right there with the Sun Belt.

Or am I wrong? 

5 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Exactly.

"ESPN3 is available only on computers and streaming devices...."

So, where's the "landmark" part?  Oh, I guess that C-USA is the first conference to admit they don't have enough stroke to get a television deal that would, you know, put their football games on television with ESPN.  That is a landmark. 

And...of course ODU would be excited about it. 

Exactly!

[meanJewGreen]

2 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

So, how many CUSA football games will be broadcast on regular ESPN channels?  You know, like ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2, etc.  Those are channels that the nation watch.  The idea of streaming our football games via the internet is fine for UNT diehards, but not much for the average "fan of football".  And we're getting $500,000 less?  With this package we should right there with the Sun Belt.

Or am I wrong? 

Exactly!

including the championship game, six.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

1 minute ago, DeepGreen said:

So, how many CUSA football games will be broadcast on regular ESPN channels?  You know, like ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2, etc.  Those are channels that the nation watch.  The idea of streaming our football games via the internet is fine for UNT diehards, but not much for the average "fan of football".  And we're getting $500,000 less?  With this package we should right there with the Sun Belt.

Or am I wrong? 

ESPN has deigned to broadcast the C-USA Championship Game for two more years.  Yeah, that's right:  two more whole years!  Then, we'll be negotiating again for...?   With?

And...they'll broadcast five football games over the next two year.  Yes, five games!   Five games over two years in a conference with 14 or so schools at this point.

 

[UNTFan23]

Something that is assumed I think by a lot of people is that you must have a compatible cable TV subscription in order to stream ESPN3. I don't recall whether ESPN has rolled out a streaming only package for cord cutters or those that do have a compatible package.

[UNT90]

Sunbelt 2.0

I hope the next AD works tirelessly to get us in the AAC or the Mountain West. 

Edited May 25, 2016 by UNT90

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

When I contemplate this "landmark deal," I think of sitting at the dinner table.  Normally, there would be a gravy ladle in the gravy to help, as much as possible, transport the gravy to my mashed potatoes.

Now, we are sitting at the dinner table with mashed potatoes on our plate, but there is no gravy ladle.  I ask my wife, "Hon, where is the gravy ladle?"

"Use your spoon!" shrieks she, "It does the same thing!  Damn gravy ladle addicts!"

"Nevermind," says I, "Can you pass the dinner rolls, please?"

"Shut up and eat your sandwich bread!"

"Oh...okay."

To my left sits a very happy ODU, having never supped at the table, excited as a child on Christmas morning, spooning as copious an amount of gravy as his teaspoon will allow. 

Then I realize myself for what I am - an ingrate.  All these years, just expecting a gravy ladle.  From times past, always expecting dinner rolls.  I eye the water that now fills my tea glass. I look over again at ODU, teaspoon running over with gravy, giggling like a child. 

I simply let out the sigh of tired exasperation.  'Someday,' I tell myself - again, 'there will be a miracle.  A real Christmas miracle!'

Edited May 25, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

[Cerebus]

31 minutes ago, Christopher Walker said:

I'm all for ESPN3; I'm not for the "burden" of such to be placed at the schools' feet. 

This is exacltly the MAC deal, if they can do it so can CUSA.

19 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

"ESPN3 is available only on computers and streaming devices...."

 

Almost every single new tv is app enabled. 

 

3 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Sunbelt 2.0

I hope the next AD works tirelessly to get us in the AAC or the Mountain West. 

Again, this is the MAC deal.  It's also 5x more money than the SBC payout is.  

 

A lot of over reacting here.

This is more or less the same deal that the MAC has.  The MAC was able to do it, I assume CUSA can make it happen also.  The new reality is that MAC got a sweetheart deal because they were there last ones to renegotiate before the TV execs realized the old model was dead.   Every G5 conference knows TV money is going to fall, the MAC has talked openly about it meetings.

Two very important points a lot of you are missing.

1) Almost any new TV is app enabled.   The most common app on those TV's by default is ESPN3.  

2) Cable is dying.  They know it, this is a step towards everything being streamed.  Far more millennials rely on streaming than have cable, in fact 25% of them have never even owned a TV, the consume media on laptops/tablets.    Cable subscription is down across all age groups.  

In the future you are going to pay for tv streaming subscriptions like you do Netflix.  

1 minute ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

When I contemplate this "landmark deal," I think of sitting at the dinner table.  Normally, there would be a gravy ladle in the gravy to help, as much as possible, transport the gravy to my mashed potatoes.

Now, we are sitting at the dinner table with mashed potatoes on our plate, but there is no gravy ladle.  I ask my wife, "Hon, where is the gravy ladle?"

"Use your spoon!" shrieks she, "It does the same thing!  Damn gravy ladle addicts!"

"Nevermind," says I, "Can you pass the dinner rolls, please?"

"Shut up and eat your sandwich bread!"

"Oh...okay."

To my left sits a very happy ODU, having never supped at the table, excited as a child on Christmas morning, spooning as copious an amount of gravy with his teaspoon will allow. 

Then I realize myself for what I am - an ingrate.  All these years, just expecting a gravy ladle.  From times past, always expecting dinner rolls.  I eye the water that now fills my tea glass. I look over again at ODU, teaspoon running over with gravy, giggling like a child. 

I simply let out the sigh of tired exasperation.  'Someday,' I tell myself - again, 'there will be a miracle.  A real Christmas miracle!'

Go back and take your medication TFLF.  I know you fell like you don't need it, but you do.  

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

Well, then...we're waaaaaaaay ahead of those dolts in the Big 12 and SEC:  We're the second conference, behind the MAC it seems, to sell out for the sake of what millennials do with their phones and ipads. 

I don't see how we keep Judy MacLeod as our commissioner.  Every P5 conference will be at her door within a week trying to pry her away from us, the shaky Big 12 being the first in line, trying to cash in on its Oklahoma state ties to her.

 

[Cerebus]

Just now, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Well, then...we're waaaaaaaay ahead of those dolts in the Big 12 and SEC:  We're the second conference, behind the MAC it seems, to sell out for the sake of what millennials do with their phones and ipads. 

I don't see how we keep Judy MacLeod as our commissioner.  Every P5 conference will be at her door within a week trying to pry her away from us, the shaky Big 12 being the first in line, trying to cash in on its Oklahoma state ties to her.

 

Take all the medication.  Take it as often as your doctor says.  

In fact, if for some reason you think CUSA has as much leveraging power with TV execs as the B12 and SEC, you should probably ask for more.  

 

In the new dying tv landscape this is a good deal.  It's not like Netflix or Fox was dying to throw money at us and we went with this instead.  Fox and CBS both refused to even put up an offer.  It is what it is.  Getting us on ESPN3 will at least get our games out to a wider audience.  

[Aldo]

Haven't we broadcast an ESPN3 game at Apogee, previously? So we should, at least, know how it's done?

Also, I am a little surprised how many folks don't consume college football through the ESPN app (that have a cable subscription or Sling TV)?

I'm always on there on Saturdays in the fall as they've got many games on at a time.

Sling TV is getting more and more enticing.

[GreenTexan13]

28 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Take all the medication.  Take it as often as your doctor says.  

In fact, if for some reason you think CUSA has as much leveraging power with TV execs as the B12 and SEC, you should probably ask for more.  

 

In the new dying tv landscape this is a good deal.  It's not like Netflix or Fox was dying to throw money at us and we went with this instead.  Fox and CBS both refused to even put up an offer.  It is what it is.  Getting us on ESPN3 will at least get our games out to a wider audience.  

Exactly, a lot of people don't even use or have cable/satellite anymore. I'm definitely excited about the fact that more games are going to be accessible to watch. I think this kind of hurts our reputation to all the casual football fan's that look down on ESPN 3 as a weak or crappy image when they are use to flicking through the channels to watch the P5 games. But winning should be a good substitute to overcome that image. Maybe the new AD will see that? I am without a doubt, stoked to have games on ESPN3! 

Edited May 25, 2016 by GreenTexan13

[Aldo]

Ah looks like vs Houston and vs Indiana we broadcast ESPN3 in 2011

http://www.meangreensports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/pdf/2011-12/091011.pdf 

[GrandGreen]

1 hour ago, DallasGreen said:

Yeah this only costs the athletic department $700K that it did not have to keep people from coming to games. But let's shed a few tears for our " special " students who unlike their peers in CUSA get a free ride for half the fee paid by other " normal" students.

I would like to see any statistics that back this up.  UTSA gets the max or close because they were selling an entry into big time football.  FIU and FAU also are among the nation's leaders in high student fees.  That is three out of the conference, plus technically even UTSA does not pay twice what UNT students do.  The state max is 20 a hour, NT pay 11 a hour.   Also completely ignore all those institutional funds that have funded NT athletics forever.   Where due you think those institutional funds come from, if not tuition and fees paid by students?  

Edited May 25, 2016 by GrandGreen

[TIgreen01]

I agree with TFLF or whatever his name is now.  

It is what it is, so don't blow sunshine up our rears when we know better.  We lose $500k per year and go back to the crappy ESPN3 production values.  Remember all the crappy play-by-play and color commentators?  I do.  Even though we were rarely on Fox or CBS Sports, at least the production values were top notch. It felt like a big time football production.  ESPN3 feels like slightly better than local high school broadcasts by comparison.  For ESPN to comment that they need to come in and show us how to ESPNify our production is laughable.

[Cerebus]

4 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

I agree with TFLF or whatever his name is now.  

It is what it is, so don't blow sunshine up our rears when we know better.  We lose $500k per year and go back to the crappy ESPN3 production values.  Remember all the crappy play-by-play and color commentators?  

Losing the money sucks.  I was a Comp Sci major, not a Business major, but I understand that.  However the ESPN3 streaming is a lot better than any other streaming we had under the old deal.  So that is a bonus.

When it comes to the money.  Less money hurts us.  However you also have to take it in context of TV changing.  Yes, getting paid less sucks, but in the current climate we're lucky to get what are getting.

In other words:

 

[TIgreen01]

How is this streaming better than any other streaming service?  Simply due to more games being available via streaming than were available via fox/cbs/American sports?  Or are you saying the streaming service is more technically sound, and less prone to issues (ie, buffering is better, HD quality, etc)?

I remember streaming the heck out of games during our Sun Belt days because it's all we had available.  Quality when broadcasting ESPN3 up to a big screen was largely not good---or, really, it fell somewhere between ~480p-~720p equivalent with mono soundtracks.  Sure, that comes across better if you're watching on a smart phone or tablet, but its pretty lousy otherwise.  Maybe streaming video and audio quality via ESPN3 has greatly improved since then.  I honestly haven't tried sending an ESPN3 feed through to my TV in a while, but my guess is that it's still pretty limited by bandwidth and thus not up to the same standard as a TV feed.  We're basically going back to the Sun Belt deal, but getting a bit more money per school than the current Sun Belt lineup is getting.

...and yes, I realize this makes me a TV snob.  I want my gravy ladle!!