Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[1SEIACLONE]

Huge difference in that ESPN is just renting, Fox has equity

ESPN has built up the SeC so much that it needs the SEC more than the SEC needs them. That conference network isn’t worth much if the SEC sells its T3 elsewhere (even more true with T1/T2).

Since they’ve made things a P2, If Fox, NBC, CBS renew on BIG, espn will have a lot of bandwidth to fill with just the SEC as the only option. Likely part of why the SeC is willing to take FSU, Clemson etc

ESPN holds an 80% share of the SEC network, being on ESPN also gives them access to ABC, since it owns ESPN. Now is it possible that Amazon or some other network is willing to set up a new SEC network, it's possible but not likely. How many homes in the country do not have access to ESPN, compared to the ability to stream?
ESPN also owns and operates the ACC network in a partnership with the conference, that contract runs through the 2035-36 season. Throw in smaller conferences and ESPN has plenty of games to show.

We have seen over and over, you want ratings, you put the game on one of the networks or ESPN, the further you slide down the list from those, the lower the rating go. Put Alabama or Ohio State on Youtube or Amazon, its ratings for that game will be much lower than if they were on ABC/ESPN, Fox or NBC.

 

[isucy86]

Why does its matter who signed off on the deal, in what world do you see Fox not getting the B10 contract going forward when they own BTN? Now them may move some of the off to streaming services just like they do now, but when they own the network they are going to have the say. ESPN will do the same, unless one of the cable companies is willing to pony up the dough to set up a network then it's not happening.

Any entity can set up a "network". Linear ACCN or SECN are horse & buggy entities but could exist on Cable platforms until the SEC & ACC contracts with ESPN run out because they offer a steady income stream during the transition period.

The future is streaming platforms. IMO multi-app platforms like Amazon, Netflix, Apple are eventually going to supplant platforms like YTubeTV, DirecTV, Hulu and FUBU (The last two which are owned by Disney/ESPN).

Customers have been asking for a la carte streaming TV for over a decade and now customers are getting it. Customers no longer have to pay for 150 channels and only watch 10.

The launch in the last couple week of ESPN & FOX's DTC subscription Apps is the future of sports broadcasting, not "networks".

 

[2speedy1]

Fluguar talked about it in one of his podcasts and there was other scuttlebutt.

There’s not much transparency in any of these TV deals, as we learned with the ACC. Schools had trouble knowing exactly what the terms are, in that case

I’d bet on the networks having the upper hand and putting in escape clauses and look-ins. So it’s reasonable that NBC wouldn’t just write ND a P2 level check without P2 level scheduling

It being such a short deal also has intrigue

IMO NBC isn’t necessarily forcing ND to the BIG, but they’re not adversarial to it

Some of you put way too much confidence in the info this Fluguar dude spreads.

I had never heard of the guy until people on here kept sharing info from him. He is just another popup youtuber trying to get rich from clicks. So saying the current controversial and viral thing is how he drums up interest.

He has like 5k subscribers, does not seem to be that well connected. Hell Mhver3 has over 5 times as many followers and everyone agrees he is mostly full of crap.

Every time see someone mention Fluguar as the source I just roll my eyes, he just is not a source of quality information. I wonder if some of you ISU fans are the ones giving his videos their 800 views each because no one else seems to be watching him.

 

[cykadelic2]

Some of you put way too much confidence in the info this Fluguar dude spreads.

I had never heard of the guy until people on here kept sharing info from him. He is just another popup youtuber trying to get rich from clicks. So saying the current controversial and viral thing is how he drums up interest.

He has like 5k subscribers, does not seem to be that well connected. Hell Mhver3 has over 5 times as many followers and everyone agrees he is mostly full of crap.

Every time see someone mention Fluguar as the source I just roll my eyes, he just is not a source of quality information.

The Fat Boy does have a B10 contact who tipped him off to the USC/UCLA adds before it was announced and he has parlayed that into a YT channel. Good for him as there are plenty of B10 and other lemmings that subscribe to the channel and he makes money off that contact, including from the resident P2 Boy here. The Fat Boy is solely a B10 shill and he passes on BS favorable to the B10.

 

[isucy86]

Yeah right. B10 Presidents agreed to expansion with PAC schools (at Fox's request; Warren was Fox's puppet) when the majority of B10 ADs/HCs were supposedly against it.

Show me a source that says the MAJORITY of Big10 AD's and Presidents were against Big10 adding USC, UCLA, Oregon & Washington. I believe a super majority Presidents had to approve the adds. Some Presidents had concerns, but that was to make sure there wasn't revenue diluation. And I'm sure some schools were concerned adding elite teams like Oregon & USC could hurt their schools chances of earning 12 team CFP bids. But $$$$ won out.

No doubt FOX pushed for Big10 expansion after the SEC/ESPN added Texas & Oklahoma. The Big10 wasn't going to sit by and let the SEC add USC, UCLA, etc. when time came for the Pac12 TV deal be renegotiated.

Well, if Warren was FOX's puppet, we see how that worked out. Warren got the boot.

 

[2speedy1]

The Fat Boy does have a B10 contact who tipped him off to the USC/UCLA adds before it was announced and he has parlayed that into a YT channel. Good for him as there are plenty of B10 and other lemmings that subscribe to the channel and he makes money off that contact, including from the resident P2 Boy here. The Fat Boy is solely a B10 shill and he passes on BS favorable to the B10.

I was saying the B10 was going to add them 6 months or more before it happened, everyone here thought I was nuts.

I just looked at the the things happening and predicted it. Mhver "predicted" it too and pinned that prediction on his twitter because he got something right.

Getting a guess right doesnt make you a prophet, or well connected, it just makes you either lucky or maybe have the ability to read between the lines and see whats happening. But I am still not running to the casino to bet on my hunches at this point.

 

[FinalFourCy]

ESPN holds an 80% share of the SEC network, being on ESPN also gives them access to ABC, since it owns ESPN. Now is it possible that Amazon or some other network is willing to set up a new SEC network, it's possible but not likely. How many homes in the country do not have access to ESPN, compared to the ability to stream?
ESPN also owns and operates the ACC network in a partnership with the conference, that contract runs through the 2035-36 season. Throw in smaller conferences and ESPN has plenty of games to show.

We have seen over and over, you want ratings, you put the game on one of the networks or ESPN, the further you slide down the list from those, the lower the rating go. Put Alabama or Ohio State on Youtube or Amazon, its ratings for that game will be much lower than if they were on ABC/ESPN, Fox or NBC.

Yeah, that’s all well known

BIG difference in the BTN being co-owned by both conference and network. Fox in essence co-owns BIG rights, which is why it was basically advising the BIGs negotiations with other networks on the last T1 deal

SECN is just another ESPN channel, one that happens to have a license agreement to use the SEC brand and rents T3 rights from SEC

In an attritional situation, the SEC can get by without agreeing to a low ESPN offer. On the other hand ESPN has to get premium rights. That becomes even more true the more ESPN builds up the SEC, and the more legacy networks don’t control distribution mechanisms

 

[cykadelic2]

Show me a source that says the MAJORITY of Big10 AD's and Presidents were against Big10 adding USC, UCLA, Oregon & Washington.

Well, if Warren was FOX's puppet, we see how that worked out. Warren got the boot.

You need to improve your reading skills, I posted that several B10 ADs/HCs were not aligned with PAC expansion and the Presidents voted for it anyway.

And Pettiti is Fox's current puppet as was Warren.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Some of you put way too much confidence in the info this Fluguar dude spreads.

I had never heard of the guy until people on here kept sharing info from him. He is just another popup youtuber trying to get rich from clicks. So saying the current controversial and viral thing is how he drums up interest.

He has like 5k subscribers, does not seem to be that well connected. Hell Mhver3 has over 5 times as many followers and everyone agrees he is mostly full of crap.

Every time see someone mention Fluguar as the source I just roll my eyes, he just is not a source of quality information. I wonder if some of you ISU fans are the ones giving his videos their 800 views each because no one else seems to be watching him.

More like some think it’s 2005. High correlation with those that didn’t see USC going to the BIG, the PAC collapsing, or the ACC needing to reach a settlement that facilitates schools leaving

Btw it wasn’t just Fluguar

 

[SolterraCyclone]

I was saying the B10 was going to add them 6 months or more before it happened, everyone here thought I was nuts.

I just looked at the the things happening and predicted it. Mhver "predicted" it too and pinned that prediction on his twitter because he got something right.

Getting a guess right doesnt make you a prophet, or well connected, it just makes you either lucky or maybe have the ability to read between the lines and see whats happening. But I am still not running to the casino to bet on my hunches at this point.

I’m going to keep calling A&M to the Big 10 as much as possible. When that comes to fruition I’ll start my own YouTube channel .

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Conference commissioners serve at the will of the university presidents. Warren got the boot because he didn't disclose parts of the TV deal or didn't understand parts of them, one or the other.

Way too many egos on a president's council to outright give up all governance to a TV network.

Of course FOX is going to have big time say in what the Big Ten does, I don't think anybody is arguing that but the presidents aren't just going to cede all control and let the networks have full control of the direction of the league.

 

[FinalFourCy]

I’m going to keep calling A&M to the Big 10 as much as possible. When that comes to fruition I’ll start my own YouTube channel .

You and Loren Tate, the longtime sports journalist covering Illinois athletics. He’s surprisingly cognizant for 93

Like any rumor, when things can be triangulated, it’s more likely to be true.


In this case, I’m out on A&M rumors, although I wouldn’t have put it past Delaney

 

[1UNI2ISU]

In actual real realignment news....

UC San Diego leaving the Big West for the WCC.

I would expect the WCC to keep looking after losing Gonzaga and Grand Canyon and St Mary's having wandering eyes. UC Irvine and Cal Baptist seem like obvious fits there.

 

[CycloneT]

St. Thomas is gonna jump up soon. They have huge potential as a mid major.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

St. Thomas is gonna jump up soon. They have huge potential as a mid major.

If they can prove they're all in on basketball and can fund it in spite of hockey, they'll be in the Valley in the next 3 years.

 

[cykadelic2]

In actual real realignment news....

UC San Diego leaving the Big West for the WCC.

I would expect the WCC to keep looking after losing Gonzaga and Grand Canyon and St Mary's having wandering eyes. UC Irvine and Cal Baptist seem like obvious fits there.

Yeah, unfortunate domino effect. Two conferences (PAC and WCC) get effed up by Fox and B10. PAC completely destroyed and WCC was a wonderful 8-9 private school conference now resorting to add public or for-profit schools to stay viable.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Yeah, unfortunate domino effect. Two conferences (PAC and WCC) get effed up by Fox and B10. PAC completely destroyed and WCC was a wonderful 8-9 private school conference now resorting to add public or for-profit schools to stay viable.

Look at us actually agreeing on something

Luckily for the Big West, there are more California publics and they've already reached into Utah. Utah Tech is growing like crazy and you can live with Southern Utah if you have to.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Conference commissioners serve at the will of the university presidents. Warren got the boot because he didn't disclose parts of the TV deal or didn't understand parts of them, one or the other.

Way too many egos on a president's council to outright give up all governance to a TV network.

Of course FOX is going to have big time say in what the Big Ten does, I don't think anybody is arguing that but the presidents aren't just going to cede all control and let the networks have full control of the direction of the league.

The truth is somewhere in the middle, the presidents are not going to give up total control over to Fox and the network is not going to pony up extra money for schools that they do not want. Without a doubt I am sure the presidents would have taken Cal and Stanford when they added the other west coast teams, but Fox stated, "you can bring them in, but we are not increasing our payout" so each school will be taking home less if you do.
Both side would take ND, I would guess the presidents would rather have Virginia and UNC while Fox would rather take Clemson and Florida St. Who knows if each school has a preference.

 

[FinalFourCy]

The truth is somewhere in the middle, the presidents are not going to give up total control over to Fox and the network is not going to pony up extra money for schools that they do not want. Without a doubt I am sure the presidents would have taken Cal and Stanford when they added the other west coast teams, but Fox stated, "you can bring them in, but we are not increasing our payout" so each school will be taking home less if you do.
Both side would take ND, I would guess the presidents would rather have Virginia and UNC while Fox would rather take Clemson and Florida St. Who knows if each school has a preference.

What’s going to be fun is when espn realizes they’ve built up the SEC to the point the SEC has the leverage.

If you’re the SEC, even if you didn’t have 4 pro ratas to deploy, you add the top ACC. No ACC, no PAC, marginalized Big 12. BIG in a partnership with Fox. ESPN/ABC content has to be filled from the SEC.

I’ve read it wasn’t actually true that all BIG schools want Calford. Which is believable given they may want ACC schools more, and at some level several BIG schools compete for students and funding with them. Does Northwestern benefit if the BIG saves Cal athletics? Some of the top academics in the BIG do not need the brand subsidization of adding a Calford.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

What’s going to be fun is when espn realizes they’ve built up the SEC to the point the SEC has the leverage.

If you’re the SEC, even if you didn’t have 4 pro ratas to deploy, you add the top ACC. No ACC, no PAC, marginalized Big 12. BIG in a partnership with Fox. ESPN/ABC content has to be filled from the SEC.

I’ve read it wasn’t actually true that all BIG schools want Calford. Which is believable given they may want ACC schools more, and at some level several BIG schools compete for students and funding with them. Does Northwestern benefit if the BIG saves Cal athletics? Some of the top academics in the BIG do not need the brand subsidization of adding a Calford.

The fight could very well be over UV and UNC, does it help the SEC to take Clemson and Florida St. when they already have teams in both states or are both conferences looking at adding UV and UNC? I would think that if the B10 does not get UV and UNC then they would be fine with taking Clemson and Florida St just to grow their TV markets, but the other two schools would be their top choice, very good academics and they build a wall with Rutgers, Maryland and the then UV and UNC.