DRC: Report -- AAC lands $1 billion media rights deal from ESPN

UNTFan23 · March 27, 2019

Just joining the MWC won't be enough to propel us above SMU, we need to win and win across the board. I don't see where increasing travel for every single sport being good for us in the long term.

I'd wager that joining the AAC for SMU hasn't been all it's cracked up to be. Even in basketball, the Ponies have come back down to earth after their meteoric rise thanks to their Larry Brown hire.

SMU in Football since joining the AAC:

2013 - 5-7
2014 - 1-11
2015 - 2-10
2016 - 5-7
2017 - 7-6
2018 - 5-7

In the same time, North Texas has posted the following records:

2013 - 9-4
2014 - 4-8
2015 - 1-11
2016 - 5-8
2017 - 9-5
2018 - 9-4

So, North Texas has had more winning seasons.

I think we would be at best middle of the road in football and it would take at least two recruiting cycles to see any improvement, assuming the move actually moves the needle any. I think all other sports would see similar drops. It's tough to say whether any sports would actually bounce back to the levels of success we've seen recently is really anyone's guess.

I wish our fans would get away from this idea that what worked for TCU will work for us. There's absolutely no way for anyone to know whether putting all our eggs in the MWC basket will do anything for us because of right now it is pure pie-in-the-sky speculation.

NorthTexasWeLove · March 27, 2019

9 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Just joining the MWC won't be enough to propel us above SMU, we need to win and win across the board. I don't see where increasing travel for every single sport being good for us in the long term.

I'd wager that joining the AAC for SMU hasn't been all it's cracked up to be. Even in basketball, the Ponies have come back down to earth after their meteoric rise thanks to their Larry Brown hire.

SMU in Football since joining the AAC:

2013 - 5-7
2014 - 1-11
2015 - 2-10
2016 - 5-7
2017 - 7-6
2018 - 5-7

In the same time, North Texas has posted the following records:

2013 - 9-4
2014 - 4-8
2015 - 1-11
2016 - 5-8
2017 - 9-5
2018 - 9-4

So, North Texas has had more winning seasons.

I think we would be at best middle of the road in football and it would take at least two recruiting cycles to see any improvement, assuming the move actually moves the needle any. I think all other sports would see similar drops. It's tough to say whether any sports would actually bounce back to the levels of success we've seen recently is really anyone's guess.

I wish our fans would get away from this idea that what worked for TCU will work for us. There's absolutely no way for anyone to know whether putting all our eggs in the MWC basket will do anything for us because of right now it is pure pie-in-the-sky speculation.

Or go down with the ship that is CUSA?

Quoner · March 27, 2019

2 hours ago, Wag Tag said:

Comish is only as good as the product! We need to win big and consistently to separate ourselves from this conference!

Wow - the RV defense seamlessly repurposed for Judy. What a time to be alive.

MeanGreenTexan · March 27, 2019

21 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

...

I wish our fans would get away from this idea that what worked for TCU will work for us. There's absolutely no way for anyone to know whether putting all our eggs in the MWC basket will do anything for us because of right now it is pure pie-in-the-sky speculation.

For me, simply being in that conference itself would be a step up in Athletics peership (apparently "peership" isn't a word? It should be.), and therefore National perception of North Texas athletics.

There may be some folks who are equating TCU's path through the MWC->Big12 to what we could become. And it should have some weight, for sure. I think most folks see what happened with the current Big 12's rejection of Houston's bid to join and realize if they can't do it, we likely wont be able to either.
However, most folks also realize the Big12 is about to perish, and TCU & the rest of the Big12 leftovers are about to need new mates. If NT can show any success in the MWC, we would position ourselves to possibly move over to join them when the time comes. If not, we'd still be better off than in the current-state C-USA in the eyes of everyone. Well, maybe not those who like driving to San Antonio for a NT-flavored vacation every other year. But definitely by the general NCAA Football/Basketball fans who can easily say MWC is stronger than C-USA.

Smatresk has already shown he's willing to get the Athletics budget up to the point where we can afford buy-ins to host post-season basketball tournaments & send teams overseas & whatnot. I think we'll be able to afford the flights for teams to go West (we're already paying around the same prices flying East).

UNTFan23 · March 27, 2019

21 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

For me, simply being in that conference itself would be a step up in Athletics peership (apparently "peership" isn't a word? It should be.), and therefore National perception of North Texas athletics.

There may be some folks who are equating TCU's path through the MWC->Big12 to what we could become. And it should have some weight, for sure. I think most folks see what happened with the current Big 12's rejection of Houston's bid to join and realize if they can't do it, we likely wont be able to either.
However, most folks also realize the Big12 is about to perish, and TCU & the rest of the Big12 leftovers are about to need new mates. If NT can show any success in the MWC, we would position ourselves to possibly move over to join them when the time comes. If not, we'd still be better off than in the current-state C-USA in the eyes of everyone. Well, maybe not those who like driving to San Antonio for a NT-flavored vacation every other year. But definitely by the general NCAA Football/Basketball fans who can easily say MWC is stronger than C-USA.

Smatresk has already shown he's willing to get the Athletics budget up to the point where we can afford buy-ins to host post-season basketball tournaments & send teams overseas & whatnot. I think we'll be able to afford the flights for teams to go West (we're already paying around the same prices flying East).

Yes, we are already paying to ship teams east but we also have more teams closer to us in CUSA than what we'd have if we moved over to the MWC.

Sending teams overseas and hosting post-season tournaments are single year costs for single sports.

It's not known whether we'd see the same level of success (or more for that matter) if we moved over to MWC in any specific sport. It's debatable whether the athletic department would be in a better position as a whole compared to us staying in CUSA outside of just the perception of being in the MWC.

untjim1995 · March 27, 2019

47 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

For me, simply being in that conference itself would be a step up in Athletics peership (apparently "peership" isn't a word? It should be.), and therefore National perception of North Texas athletics.

There may be some folks who are equating TCU's path through the MWC->Big12 to what we could become. And it should have some weight, for sure. I think most folks see what happened with the current Big 12's rejection of Houston's bid to join and realize if they can't do it, we likely wont be able to either.
However, most folks also realize the Big12 is about to perish, and TCU & the rest of the Big12 leftovers are about to need new mates. If NT can show any success in the MWC, we would position ourselves to possibly move over to join them when the time comes. If not, we'd still be better off than in the current-state C-USA in the eyes of everyone. Well, maybe not those who like driving to San Antonio for a NT-flavored vacation every other year. But definitely by the general NCAA Football/Basketball fans who can easily say MWC is stronger than C-USA.

Smatresk has already shown he's willing to get the Athletics budget up to the point where we can afford buy-ins to host post-season basketball tournaments & send teams overseas & whatnot. I think we'll be able to afford the flights for teams to go West (we're already paying around the same prices flying East).

MGT, this is fruitless. Either they get it or they don’t. And obviously, most don’t. They prefer CUSA West because they can drive to Houston, San Antonio, And Ruston. It’s really that simple. None will admit it, though.

From “Build the Belt” to CUSA West and it’s regional foes, the tacit belief is that this is what is most fun for those fans. That’s why the MWC automatically equals the Big West experience from 20 years ago. It’s why we can’t do what TCU did even though the circumstances are very similar for us to win out there like they did. And it’s always us going out there by ourselves to these people, not with at least one or more regional teams to give the MWC more exposure. Nope, this is all about cost...and the fact that newspapers don’t cover PST night games.

Im on record as saying that we will be relegated down once the FBS gets culled officially from its current status. The fastest way to ensure this is by staying in CUSA, which gets almost no TV money and exposure and is filled with expensive travel, too.

UNTFan23 · March 27, 2019

Former Big West Conference members now in the MWC:

Boise State (joined in 2011)
Fresno State (joined in 2012)
UNLV (Founding member)
Nevada (joined in 2012)
San Diego State (Founding member)
San Jose State (joined in 2013)
Utah State (joined in 2013)

Old time fans of North Texas have plenty of interesting memories of playing these teams.

For fun, New Mexico who would be our new closest opponent is 608 miles away.

Rice is 285 miles away. UTSA is 297 miles away. Louisiana Tech is 298 miles away. Southern Miss is 571 miles away. UTEP is 637 miles away. UAB is our furthest divisional opponent at 681 miles away.

The MWC is already at 12 member schools for football, so if they were to add us, to have even divisions, they'd have to invite at a minimum a second school. Who else besides us should they add that adds value to their conference? Or should they pull up an FCS program or an upstart that previously doesn't field a football team?

untjim1995 · March 27, 2019

34 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Former Big West Conference members now in the MWC:

Boise State (joined in 2011)
Fresno State (joined in 2012)
UNLV (Founding member)
Nevada (joined in 2012)
San Diego State (Founding member)
San Jose State (joined in 2013)
Utah State (joined in 2013)

Old time fans of North Texas have plenty of interesting memories of playing these teams.

For fun, New Mexico who would be our new closest opponent is 608 miles away.

Rice is 285 miles away. UTSA is 297 miles away. Louisiana Tech is 298 miles away. Southern Miss is 571 miles away. UTEP is 637 miles away. UAB is our furthest divisional opponent at 681 miles away.

The MWC is already at 12 member schools for football, so if they were to add us, to have even divisions, they'd have to invite at a minimum a second school. Who else besides us should they add that adds value to their conference? Or should they pull up an FCS program or an upstart that previously doesn't field a football team?

CUSA’s new slogan:

Catch CUSA Fever!! It’s driveable!! (Since we have no TV package...)

MeanGreenTexan · March 27, 2019

45 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

...

The MWC is already at 12 member schools for football, so if they were to add us, to have even divisions, they'd have to invite at a minimum a second school. Who else besides us should they add that adds value to their conference? Or should they pull up an FCS program or an upstart that previously doesn't field a football team?

I think all of those teams have really come pretty far from those days playing in the Big West, as shown by their successes.

LATech is used to being out West. How 'bout us two head out there together in the Mountain division & Boise or UTSt moves to the West division. Would that work?

Take last year's football schedule & transpose a MWC schedule:
SMU
UIW
@AR
@Liberty
LATech <in the above hypothetical, they would remain here>
@Air Force <was @UTEP>
Colorado State <was SoMiss>
@New Mexico <was @UAB>
Wyoming <was Rice>
@SDSU <was @ODU>
Boise St <was FAU>
@UTSt <was @UTSA>

I'd call that a schedule upgrade! Obviously, with Boise coming to Apogee, but even if it were Fresno St, or Nevada, it would still be better than FAU.

It's all daydreaming because I don't think a MWC invite is coming or anything... but if it did, I certainly hope Baker/Smatresk (who's been a MWC school President) would jump at it.

UNTFan23 · March 27, 2019

I say the ~~WAC~~ MWC just add UTEP, UTSA, Rice, and North Texas and the entire conference can party like it's 1996!

Wag Tag · March 27, 2019

If you can't get TV revenue then you have to fill the stands with regional competition to be able to make $$. We really just have to do everything we can to put us as the premier team in C-USA. Is there any team in C-USA as attractive as UNT? We will have the facilities, coaches and location that should be attractive. Now win!

MeanGreenTexan · March 27, 2019

3 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

I say the ~~WAC~~ MWC just add UTEP, UTSA, Rice, and North Texas and the entire conference can party like it's 1996!

Going to need UTEP & Rice to step up their product, but lets do it!

MeanGreenTexan · March 27, 2019

1 minute ago, Wag Tag said:

If you can't get TV revenue then you have to fill the stands with regional competition to be able to make $$. We really just have to do everything we can to put us as the premier team in C-USA. Is there any team in C-USA as attractive as UNT? We will have the facilities, coaches and location that should be attractive. Now win!

NO NO NO!!!
We need to fill our stands with OUR fans!! ...no matter who we're playing. Of course, when you have a choice between going to see North Texas play FAU, or a ranked Boise St, or Fresno St, or Utah St, you likely bring more fans out.

UNTFan23 · March 27, 2019

17 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Going to need UTEP & Rice to step up their product, but lets do it!

Maybe I should have been more straightforward with my sarcasm. What happened in 1996 lead to the creation of the MWC in 1999, which lead to the Big West giving up football in 2000, which lead to North Texas moving to the Sun Belt in 2001.

In 1996, the WAC added TCU, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, San Jose State, and UNLV. This annoyed some of the older members of the WAC, who left to form their own conference in 1999 due to a far-flung league when travel costs became a concern. The WAC in turn raided the Big West, which eventually ended up with North Texas landing in the Sun Belt.

11 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

NO NO NO!!!
We need to fill our stands with OUR fans!! ...no matter who we're playing. Of course, when you have a choice between going to see North Texas play FAU, or a ranked Boise St, or Fresno St, or Utah St, you likely bring more fans out.

What makes you think our fans will turn out for MWC schools??? Maybe the few times a MWC school is ranked (assuming it's a home game) but what about the other schools that aren't? We've done better with getting more people to attend games recently but will changing conference nameplates just result in another disconnect with a new host of unknown schools that aren't the least bit local. Yeah, diehard football fans know these schools with will the casual Joe Blow fan know them?

Edited March 27, 2019 by UNTFan23
Fixed the year for MWC creation

MeanGreenTexan · March 28, 2019

3 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

Maybe I should have been more straightforward with my sarcasm. What happened in 1996 lead to the creation of the MWC in 1999, which lead to the Big West giving up football in 2000, which lead to North Texas moving to the Sun Belt in 2001.

In 1996, the WAC added TCU, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, San Jose State, and UNLV. This annoyed some of the older members of the WAC, who left to form their own conference in 1999 due to a far-flung league when travel costs became a concern. The WAC in turn raided the Big West, which eventually ended up with North Texas landing in the Sun Belt.

What makes you think our fans will turn out for MWC schools??? Maybe the few times a MWC school is ranked (assuming it's a home game) but what about the other schools that aren't? We've done better with getting more people to attend games recently but will changing conference nameplates just result in another disconnect with a new host of unknown schools that aren't the least bit local. Yeah, diehard football fans know these schools with will the casual Joe Blow fan know them?

Thanks for the history lesson, and that’s not sarcasm. But with the way money around CFB has grown exponentially since then, I don’t think the issue would be with those schools not wanting to make easy/cheap flights into DFW, rather them not wanting to share the pie.

And yes, I think the Joe Blow UT/OU/A&M T-shirt fans will know slightly more about the MWC teams than most CUSA Eastern teams & even some Western teams. The more serious CFB fans will know a lot more about them.

Cerebus · March 29, 2019

On 3/27/2019 at 8:25 PM, MeanGreenTexan said:

And yes, I think the Joe Blow UT/OU/A&M T-shirt fans will know slightly more about the MWC teams than most CUSA Eastern teams & even some Western teams. The more serious CFB fans will know a lot more about them.

Know enough to leave their 65" inch tv and watch one CFB game in person and not watch 15 different games on TV? Probably not.

Our attendance has to be about us, and making the night an event. Are there some teams that can be huge draws? Sure, but at the most we can get them here once a year.

RiseUNT · March 29, 2019

On 3/27/2019 at 3:56 PM, untjim1995 said:

CUSA’s new slogan:

Catch CUSA Fever!! It’s driveable!! (Since we have no TV package...)

The AAC will be on ESPN+, PAC 12 ADs hate their deal, and MWC plays on cbs sports or after 9.

untjim1995 · March 29, 2019

3 hours ago, RiseUNT said:

The AAC will be on ESPN+, PAC 12 ADs hate their deal, and MWC plays on cbs sports or after 9.

What do we play on? Something called beIN, which isn’t on Directv?

RiseUNT · March 29, 2019

27 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

What do we play on? Something called beIN, which isn’t on Directv?

Does us having a bad media deal make my statement untrue?

untjim1995 · March 30, 2019

3 hours ago, RiseUNT said:

Does us having a bad media deal make my statement untrue?

Not at all...

Greenrex · May 7, 2019

"As a condition of Disney buying Fox, the company had to sell off 22 regional sports networks. Those assets had been spiraling upwards in price for years, with live sports becoming one of the most valuable and pricey commodities in entertainment. Analysts predicted the 22 RSNs would fetch something like $20 billion to $22 billion, but a number of headwinds — such as a dwindling consumer appetite to stomach the $5 or $6 per month padding out their cable bill year-round — meant that the Mouse had to sell at a discount that is rippling through the sports business ecosystem. The Yankees bought back the YES Network for $3.47 billion, but the other RSNs sold to Sinclair for only $10.6 billion, a multi-billion dollar adjustment that has cord cutting to thank."

Joe Nocera, Bloomberg