Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[isucy86]

Just a hypothetical question but what do the conferences prefer more if they have to stick exclusively with one route over the other:
- Viewership (OTA, Cable) but less money
- or money (Streaming) but less viewership

Will the PAC sacrifice viewership/accessibility if it means they can get a little more money from a digital platform vs sticking with a low offer from ESPN to potentially appease schools on the fence?

It's a balancing act. My guess is they would give up some money for higher viewership.

But as long as the Big12 is an option, Pac12 schools have options. Also visibility is big from a recruiting standpoint.

It will be interesting how NFL Thursday night performs this season from a subscriber & viewership perspective.

 

[Cyclonsin]

It's a balancing act. My guess is they would give up some money for higher viewership.

But as long as the Big12 is an option, Pac12 schools have options. Also visibility is big from a recruiting standpoint.

It will be interesting how NFL Thursday night performs this season from a subscriber & viewership perspective.

Personally, I don't think the NFL's Thursday night game on Prime will be a useful comparison. There's no competition for it. It's not the same as being on Prime at the same time as games on ESPN, FOX, ABC, CBS, ESPN2, ESPNU, and FS1.

 

[isucy86]

Personally, I don't think the NFL's Thursday night game on Prime will be a useful comparison. There's no competition for it. It's not the same as being on Prime at the same time as games on ESPN, FOX, ABC, CBS, ESPN2, ESPNU, and FS1.

Not from a viewership perspective, but delta.

NFL has televised Thursday night games for a few years. This is the first time 100% of broadcast is subscriber based streaming platform. So how will this seasons viewership compare to prior years.

 

[JHUNSY]

If they were smart, they would try to get more games through traditional methods than what they have now. Traditional methods are still the main method of consuming sports television, but those trends are moving away from traditional and into streaming. It'll take time, but traditional methods are still very important.

The problem they have currently, and for the last several years is that they don't get enough games on traditional methods and thus, that has hurt their brand recognition. I saw an article saying that USC, every year, was guaranteed to have three games on the PAC 12 network every year. That's a lot for your biggest brand.

That second part is what I’m also thinking. Is Oregon, Washington really going to stick around for a little more money if it risks diminishing their brand presence/viewership ratings? Which the B1G (and their broadcast partners) would be presumably looking at down the road when they crunch the numbers (if they don’t act here in the next year or so).

It's a balancing act. My guess is they would give up some money for higher viewership.

But as long as the Big12 is an option, Pac12 schools have options. Also visibility is big from a recruiting standpoint.

It will be interesting how NFL Thursday night performs this season from a subscriber & viewership perspective.

That’s the other part of the formula, does reduced viewership/accessibility impact recruiting?

 

[FriendlySpartan]

It's a balancing act. My guess is they would give up some money for higher viewership.

But as long as the Big12 is an option, Pac12 schools have options. Also visibility is big from a recruiting standpoint.

It will be interesting how NFL Thursday night performs this season from a subscriber & viewership perspective.

Problem the Pac has is that it’s not about giving up money for higher viewership in the future it’s about getting enough money to keep teams from bolting to other conferences. Have to be able to put a number on the table that teams feel comfortable signing a GOR for. If Amazon is offering up the most money the PAC is going to be forced to take it unless the corner 4 and OW commit to the conference for a lower amount.

 

[Clonehomer]

Not from a viewership perspective, but delta.

NFL has televised Thursday night games for a few years. This is the first time 100% of broadcast is subscriber based streaming platform. So how will this seasons viewership compare to prior years.

Seems a better comparison is if they showed one game on Sunday on Amazon. The issue with streaming is that you have to actively go find it. If you're flipping through channels on a Saturday, you're not going to find a streamed game. On Thursday, it's the only game on. So you're more likely to remember to go check Amazon. But if there are games on network TV and Amazon, I'd think you're less likely to flip over to Amazon.

Another good comparison would be ESPN+. How many people switch over to the ESPN app to watch games unless they are specifically looking for a game they want to watch?

 

[WhoISthis]

That second part is what I’m also thinking. Is Oregon, Washington really going to stick around for a little more money if it risks diminishing their brand presence/viewership ratings? Which the B1G (and their broadcast partners) would be presumably looking at down the road when they crunch the numbers (if they don’t act here in the next year or so).



That’s the other part of the formula, does reduced viewership/accessibility impact recruiting?

Being stuck on digital only is a good way for PAC to drive schools to Big 12 imo. Offsets the CFP format being a hurdle to leftover realignment

 

[Trice]

Well, something is clearly afoot here...

 

[KnappShack]

Not from a viewership perspective, but delta.

NFL has televised Thursday night games for a few years. This is the first time 100% of broadcast is subscriber based streaming platform. So how will this seasons viewership compare to prior years.

The preseason game didn't draw all that well from what I saw.

We'll see how the regular season goes with proper promotion

 

[isucy86]

Seems a better comparison is if they showed one game on Sunday on Amazon. The issue with streaming is that you have to actively go find it. If you're flipping through channels on a Saturday, you're not going to find a streamed game. On Thursday, it's the only game on. So you're more likely to remember to go check Amazon. But if there are games on network TV and Amazon, I'd think you're less likely to flip over to Amazon.

Another good comparison would be ESPN+. How many people switch over to the ESPN app to watch games unless they are specifically looking for a game they want to watch?

I guess there are 2 types of people flippers and finders.

With live sports I identify the games I want to want that day and find the game. No big deal to toggle between ESPN+ to linear. Or even go back/forth between FS2 & ABC.

But based on ABC, CBS & Fox viewership #'s- there are still a lot of flippers.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

Well, something is clearly afoot here...

Could be precautionary but I’m sure hopeful that it is good news.

I wouldn’t mind at all if this was the last year of OU and UT - if ESPN paid up for the privilege. Especially if ESPN’s check made it viable to poach the Pac-12.

 

[Trice]

Could be precautionary but I’m sure hopeful that it is good news.

I wouldn’t mind at all if this was the last year of OU and UT - if ESPN paid up for the privilege. Especially if ESPN’s check made it viable to poach the Pac-12.

Surely OU was working on some kind of contingency to account for the latter games of those home-and-homes not happening, since they were scheduled for after 2025.

But now they're being told no both for hosting Georgia in '23 and visiting Tennessee in '24. Probably the first real signal that they're leaving early, though I'd guess there's still quite a bit of work to do to make that happen.

It would ruin my dream of making making both OU and UT play road games at every new Big 12 member school in their final seasons of the league, however.

 

[WhoISthis]

Could be precautionary but I’m sure hopeful that it is good news.

I wouldn’t mind at all if this was the last year of OU and UT - if ESPN paid up for the privilege. Especially if ESPN’s check made it viable to poach the Pac-12.

Agree, but it seems somewhat normal except the “directed” language. I’m kind of surprised it already hadn’t been dealt with given there would be no return game.

TN was sitting on a free home game with a top brand, so I see why they didn’t want to give it up. OU was getting the same with UGa in 2023, but since SEC can’t yet tell OU what to do, they tell UGa to cancel?

 

[Clonehomer]

I guess there are 2 types of people flippers and finders.

With live sports I identify the games I want to want that day and find the game. No big deal to toggle between ESPN+ to linear. Or even go back/forth between FS2 & ABC.

But based on ABC, CBS & Fox viewership #'s- there are still a lot of flippers.

You're going to get the fans of the teams regardless. But what makes the ratings is the casual fans. You lose a lot of that with streaming.

While apple and Google have apps on their boxes that will show available shows on their home screen, I'm surprised there hasn't been a better integration of streaming platforms. I just want a single channel lineup that has my YTTV, ESPN+, Prime live events, and whatever the next streamer is that does live sports. Just out that all together with a simple way to switch back and forth.

 

[Cy94]

Seems a better comparison is if they showed one game on Sunday on Amazon. The issue with streaming is that you have to actively go find it. If you're flipping through channels on a Saturday, you're not going to find a streamed game. On Thursday, it's the only game on. So you're more likely to remember to go check Amazon. But if there are games on network TV and Amazon, I'd think you're less likely to flip over to Amazon.

Another good comparison would be ESPN+. How many people switch over to the ESPN app to watch games unless they are specifically looking for a game they want to watch?

AppleTV aggregates current games from other streaming apps under its sports tab.

 

[LLCoolCY]

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Surely OU was working on some kind of contingency to account for the latter games of those home-and-homes not happening, since they were scheduled for after 2025.

But now they're being told no both for hosting Georgia in '23 and visiting Tennessee in '24. Probably the first real signal that they're leaving early, though I'd guess there's still quite a bit of work to do to make that happen.

It would ruin my dream of making making both OU and UT play road games at every new Big 12 member school in their final seasons of the league, however.

ESPN also pulled OU out of Battle 4 Atlantis next year and replaced them with Texas Tech (Arkansas was already in the field). The NCAA doesn't grant waivers for two P6 teams from the same league in the same MTE like they will for mids.

 

[Triggermv]

Texas Tech Coach Makes Bold Prediction About Big 12 Expansion

Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire thinks the Big 12 expanding is inevitable. Will the conference add PAC-12 teams?

www.outkick.com

 

[Clonehomer]

Surely OU was working on some kind of contingency to account for the latter games of those home-and-homes not happening, since they were scheduled for after 2025.

But now they're being told no both for hosting Georgia in '23 and visiting Tennessee in '24. Probably the first real signal that they're leaving early, though I'd guess there's still quite a bit of work to do to make that happen.

It would ruin my dream of making making both OU and UT play road games at every new Big 12 member school in their final seasons of the league, however.

As long as they pay their exit fee I don't really care anymore. TBH, having the new schools plus OuT would be super awkward. Like trying to mend fences with your estranged wife by asking for a 3-way with your new girlfriend awkward.

 

[CascadeClone]

As long as they pay their exit fee I don't really care anymore. TBH, having the new schools plus OuT would be super awkward. Like trying to mend fences with your estranged wife by asking for a 3-way with your new girlfriend awkward.

Sounds like a win-win, sign me up for awkward right now.