UCF says ESPN owns everything.

KnappShack

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2008
20,275
26,141
113
Parts Unknown
The conference just evaluated this option last year, and they decided not to expand. Nothing has really changed even with that deal. Just wishful thinking on the part of those institutions.

Didn't ESPN and Fox tell the Big 12 it wouldn't be in their best interest to expand?

ESPN does own everything. Especially since they'll be taking over the Fox Sports regional networks too.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: CYCLNST8

Cardinal and Gold

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2016
1,352
1,883
113
If the Big IIXII were forward thinking :)biglaugh:), they would already be in talks with Amazon or Google for distributing all of their content.
Cyclones.tv at least needs to get their app on Amazon devices. I would be a regular subscriber instead of just 1 or 2 games a year if I could get it on my Fire Tv. Also, don’t forget about a Sony partnership for the Big12 along with Amazon, Google, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. it is a huge opportunity to get ahead of the curve with streaming services.
 

Sigmapolis

Minister of Economy
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 10, 2011
25,033
37,144
113
Waukee
I want to say that Cyclones TV brings in just north of 3 million per year. No clue on viewership numbers, I can't recall ever seeing one.

What is an annual subscription? Something like $70?

I have had that on auto-pay for years now.

$3 million / $70 = 42,857

That is about the population of Urbandale.
 

jbhtexas

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
14,130
4,086
113
Arlington, TX
Didn't ESPN and Fox tell the Big 12 it wouldn't be in their best interest to expand?

ESPN does own everything. Especially since they'll be taking over the Fox Sports regional networks too.

If you google around, there is all kinds of commentary about how now ESPN is going to control regional sports by purchasing the FOX regional sports networks. What you don't see hardly any commentary on is why FOX sold them them in the first place, but kept Fox Sports, FS1 / FS2. I saw one commentator basically saying both FOX and Disney are hedging bets. FOX thinks the RSNs are long term losers, while Disney thinks they are a way to stem ESPNs cord cutter dilemma.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: CYCLNST8

surly

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2013
9,690
4,089
113
reservation lake, mn
I have long felt the LHN would someday morph into a Big 12 Network. Now whether that includes expansion or not is subject to conjecture. Clearly, ESPN doesn't want to rathole cash year after bloody year in the LHN.
 

KnappShack

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2008
20,275
26,141
113
Parts Unknown
If you google around, there is all kinds of commentary about how now ESPN is going to control regional sports by purchasing the FOX regional sports networks. What you don't see hardly any commentary on is why FOX sold them them in the first place, but kept Fox Sports, FS1 / FS2. I saw one commentator basically saying both FOX and Disney are hedging bets. FOX thinks the RSNs are long term losers, while Disney thinks they are a way to stem ESPNs cord cutter dilemma.

Disney is also bringing on a streaming service. They have contracts with 44 NBA, NHL, and MLB teams when this goes through.

I don't think we know for certain what this means, but it's a huge bet by Disney. Two mega entertainment companies seemingly betting on different outcomes
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Cardinal and Gold

exCyDing

Well-Known Member
Nov 29, 2017
4,313
7,628
113
I don't know about this premise. It seems like a fan's wish more than a theory built on sound business decisions. I see a whole lot of issues:

1. The Big 12 just looked at expansion, with these 4 teams as strong contenders, and ultimately found they didn't bring enough money in to keep the per school payout the same. What's changed?
2. ESPN just bought a major competitor for the next TV deal. What does this mean for the next TV deal? If there are fewer competitors for the contract, how does this effect bidding?
3. In addition to buying out the rest of their contract for the Longhorn network, would ESPN pony up to keep the current Big12 members happy? See previous two questions.
4. Buying out the Longhorn Network is going to piss Texas off. Will they be willing to deal with ESPN after that blow to the ego?
5. Let's just say the first four questions are answered. How is a Big 12 network received? Is the demand like that for the Big10/SEC or more ACC/Pac12?
6. Is it smart to hitch our wagon to a diminishing technology when there's no impetus to make changes at this juncture?

I figured the smart play was to sit back and see what happened with cable and streaming over the next 5-6 years before the current TV deal was up. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon or another yet-to-emerge platform may be a huge players by that point in time. I would think a more successful model would be to get interested viewers to pay out $5 or $10 a month for a streaming channel rather than require them to pay $100+ for a satellite or cable package with the sports pack expansion to get the channel. Further, they don't have to split the money with the cable companies.
 

surly

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2013
9,690
4,089
113
reservation lake, mn
I'm not sure Texas takes a blow from a buyout. It would likely be some sort of discounted cash flow agreement between the parties with reasonable guarantees going forward.
 
Last edited:

alarson

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 15, 2006
54,139
62,384
113
Ankeny
ESPN does own everything. Especially since they'll be taking over the Fox Sports regional networks too.

And look what happened after the big east turned down ESPN's contract offer. ESPN started getting in other conferences' ears and got them to tear that conference up
 

Jmarsh13

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2006
274
348
63
ESPN just bought a major competitor for the next TV deal. What does this mean for the next TV deal? If there are fewer competitors for the contract, how does this effect bidding?
Fox is keeping Fox, FS1, FS2 and only getting rid of the Fox RSN's. Still going to be the same # of players bidding for content.
 

TXCyclones

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Sep 13, 2011
11,147
12,130
113
TX
UCF has one good season and they're suddenly sh%$$ing all over Iowa State. I guess that Scott Frost heading to Nebraska won't faze them at all?
 
  • Agree
Reactions: cyhiphopp

Jmarsh13

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2006
274
348
63
I think Fox was smart to cash in on the Fox RSN's now and spin them off to Disney / ESPN. The RSN's may bring a lot of extra content with the regional broadcast of NBA, MLB, and NHL games but they also bring a lot of expensive deals to those teams. And those local pro teams are looking for huge increases to fund the on-going salary wars...

ESPN is not going to be able to broadcast games outside of local markets from the RSN's due to current contracts. They will either need to renegotiate those deals (more $) or wait until the renew.

That Regional Sports Fee on the cable bill is the cost of the local RSN. Add that on top of the $8-10 for the ESPN networks. Those dollar amounts are still not reflecting the impacts of cord cutting and people either dropping cable or finding partial OTT packages that may not have all the networks. ESPN just doubled down that sports fans will pay any amount to watch their teams...
 

Jmarsh13

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2006
274
348
63
Just because ESPN buys the Fox RSN's and gets the 3rd Tier content for Cinci, USF, UCF, etc... does not mean that they want to bump paying them $1.5 mil each for T1, T2 rights to $25mil each as part of the Big 12. That would cost ESPN another $100mil/yr to their bottom line for the same content that they already control.
 
  • Winner
Reactions: cyhiphopp

CycloneWanderer

Well-Known Member
Nov 4, 2007
7,970
5,029
113
Wandering
Honestly, Texas should do something similar to what we've done. Take their content and find an online provider and sell their own T3 subscriptions. My dad's a graduate and would love to watch the occasional UT game (the guy would watch just about any sport) but balks at the Longhorn Network cable packages (he lives outside of the Texas bubble). I'd get him a one-year subscription for UT like we have in a heartbeat as a Christmas or Birthday present if they offered it.
 

Help Support Us

Become a patron