Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[cykadelic2]

Did not know this before but as noted in Dellenger's story is that RedBird has Paramount in its portfolio. And given that CBS got screwed by Fox on its B10 sublicense deal, CBS will likely be highly interested in bidding on B12 inventory and potentially the ACC as well. The potential of amending the SBA and having all conferences (or B12/ACC only) pooling their media rights could also impact things:

"Paramount holds ownership of CBS and soon is expected to acquire TNT — two of the leading broadcast partners within the college sports ecosystem. The Big 12’s current media deal — primarily owned by ESPN and Fox — ends in 2031. A league’s media rights deal usually accounts for a majority of a conference’s revenue distributed to its member schools."

 

[mark82]

You mean the Covid year where they were making things up as they go? Yeah man that year doesn’t count for anyone

Double BS. That year counted for all the teams that played. Iowa State won the Fiesta Bowl that season and the trophy is in the trophy case, it is real. Breece Hall and Brock Purdy had great games and many ISU players from that team ended up in the NFL. The season counted. You seem to think the B1G is a paragon of virtue when in reality they are just a money grubbing league.

I know a number of Indiana fans from that year and they were pissed. Even worse the Indiana AD was forced to sign on to the agreement sending Ohio State to the B1G Championship game while Indiana, the rightful qualifier stayed home. This year counted and it showed what the B1G is really all about. The fact that you won't admit an error also says a lot.

Over and out.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Did not know this before but as noted in Dellenger's story is that RedBird has Paramount in its portfolio. And given that CBS got screwed by Fox on its B10 sublicense deal, CBS will likely be highly interested in bidding on B12 inventory and potentially the ACC as well. The potential of amending the SBA and having all conferences (or B12/ACC only) pooling their media rights could also impact things:

"Paramount holds ownership of CBS and soon is expected to acquire TNT — two of the leading broadcast partners within the college sports ecosystem. The Big 12’s current media deal — primarily owned by ESPN and Fox — ends in 2031. A league’s media rights deal usually accounts for a majority of a conference’s revenue distributed to its member schools."

I haven’t read the details, but private capital should function as a means to prevent collusion against the Big 12 come 2031.

 

[cyfanatic]

Not sure where else to put this...but nice to see Duke is worried about making sure the ACC is healthy (yes, sarcasm)!

Amazon to televise 3 marquee Duke basketball games as part of landmark deal

Duke is entering into a first-of-its-kind enterprise partnership with Amazon that also includes the retail giant and streaming service televising three marquee men's college basketball games next season.

www.espn.com

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Not sure where else to put this...but nice to see Duke is worried about making sure the ACC is healthy (yes, sarcasm)!

Amazon to televise 3 marquee Duke basketball games as part of landmark deal

Duke is entering into a first-of-its-kind enterprise partnership with Amazon that also includes the retail giant and streaming service televising three marquee men's college basketball games next season.

www.espn.com

That's a wild deal. Can't believe that that somehow works with the ESPN deal.

SC tried to do it with the Notre Dame football series but FOX put the kibosh on that quick.

 

[cykadelic2]

Did not know this before but as noted in Dellenger's story is that RedBird has Paramount in its portfolio. And given that CBS got screwed by Fox on its B10 sublicense deal, CBS will likely be highly interested in bidding on B12 inventory and potentially the ACC as well. The potential of amending the SBA and having all conferences (or B12/ACC only) pooling their media rights could also impact things:

Also worth mentioning that in addition to RedBird, Weatherford Capital is also involved on this deal with the B12. Former FSU QB, Drew Weatherford, is part of that group and was instrumental with FSU/Clemson getting the ACC exit fees significantly reduced effective 2030-31 at the same time the B12 TV deal expires. (ACC TV deal with ESPN expires 2036).

So if that ACC/ESPN TV deal continues as-is through 2036, a B12/ACC pooling or merger scenario for 2030-31 would be unlikely but B12 poaching of top ACC schools (including FSU) with CBS/Paramount funding and Weatherford involvement is perhaps more likely now than it previously was.

 

[cykadelic2]

That's a wild deal. Can't believe that that somehow works with the ESPN deal.

SC tried to do it with the Notre Dame football series but FOX put the kibosh on that quick.

Yeah, I wondered likewise but according to On3: "In exchange for the flexibility to have ESPN games flexed to Amazon Sports, Duke will participate in select additional ESPN-owned and operated men’s basketball neutral-site events across the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons."

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Yeah, I wondered likewise but according to On3: "In exchange for the flexibility to have ESPN games flexed to Amazon Sports, Duke will participate in select additional ESPN-owned and operated men’s basketball neutral-site events across the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons."

Just more neutral site games. Gross. I hate it.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Also worth mentioning that in addition to RedBird, Weatherford Capital is also involved on this deal with the B12. Former FSU QB, Drew Weatherford, is part of that group and was instrumental with FSU/Clemson getting the ACC exit fees significantly reduced effective 2030-31 at the same the B12 TV deal expires. (ACC TV deal with ESPN expires 2036).

So if that ACC/ESPN TV deal continues as-is through 2036, a B12/ACC pooling or merger scenario for 2030-31 would be unlikely but B12 poaching of top ACC schools (including FSU) with CBS/Paramount funding and Weatherford involvement is perhaps more likely now than it previously was.

Definitely an interesting angle, with Drew on the FSU BoT now. And his bother is the MD of Weatherford Capital, and chair of USF BoT.

Weatherford Capital is not big, but needless to say, they’re very informed and involved in college realignment

 

[cykadelic2]

As previously discussed in this thread and you might as well include the current G6 AQ as well in this. Bundle the G6 playoff rights with the P4 CFP and other conferences media rights and you optimize G6 playoff revenues in the process:

 

[HouClone]

Did not know this before but as noted in Dellenger's story is that RedBird has Paramount in its portfolio. And given that CBS got screwed by Fox on its B10 sublicense deal, CBS will likely be highly interested in bidding on B12 inventory and potentially the ACC as well. The potential of amending the SBA and having all conferences (or B12/ACC only) pooling their media rights could also impact things:

"Paramount holds ownership of CBS and soon is expected to acquire TNT — two of the leading broadcast partners within the college sports ecosystem. The Big 12’s current media deal — primarily owned by ESPN and Fox — ends in 2031. A league’s media rights deal usually accounts for a majority of a conference’s revenue distributed to its member schools."

I like the CBS/Paramount angle to this. This gives a voice to help the Big 12 out in conference negotiation issues. But any Big 12 team that takes the
money is going to damage its reputation for any future power league inclusion. We are already damaged from Pollard's speech about our revenue sharing and not having the money if it keeps up. Most of the schools, notably in the ACC and Big 12, are in the same boat but they are keeping it quiet.

UCF already turned it down. We've got to have more money and maybe credit than UCF.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Not sure where else to put this...but nice to see Duke is worried about making sure the ACC is healthy (yes, sarcasm)!

Amazon to televise 3 marquee Duke basketball games as part of landmark deal

Duke is entering into a first-of-its-kind enterprise partnership with Amazon that also includes the retail giant and streaming service televising three marquee men's college basketball games next season.

www.espn.com

Could be how the P2 find a way to add top basketball brands. Selling streamers the rights to extra basketball inventory

Regardless, a step towards unequal revenue sharing in these conferences imo

 

[isucy86]

Could be how the P2 find a way to add top basketball brands. Selling streamers the rights to extra basketball inventory

Regardless, a step towards unequal revenue sharing in these conferences imo

Dukes move is curious, but since it only applies to neutral site games- it has limited impact.

Also if Yormark was earnest in his desire to split MBB media rights from FB, the conferences may prohibit Duke scenarios go forward because it could hurt the overall value of a MBB only media deal if top games by 1 school are pulled out.

I also saw a YT video by Flugar where the Duke vs. Michigan game in the Amazon package is under dispute because FOX says it owns the TV rights. Duke might have to find a non Big10 opponent.

If Duke would approach an SEC or Big12 school, now that the Duke & Amazon partnership is in the open, I would hope SEC/Big2 schools ask for a bigger cut.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Dukes move is curious, but since it only applies to neutral site games- it has limited impact.

Also if Yormark was earnest in his desire to split MBB media rights from FB, the conferences may prohibit Duke scenarios go forward because it could hurt the overall value of a MBB only media deal if top games by 1 school are pulled out.

I also saw a YT video by Flugar where the Duke vs. Michigan game in the Amazon package is under dispute because FOX says it owns the TV rights. Duke might have to find a non Big10 opponent.

If Duke would approach an SEC or Big12 school, now that the Duke & Amazon partnership is in the open, I would hope SEC/Big2 schools ask for a bigger cut.

Limited impact in football, but bigger in terms of basketball blue blood conference valuations.

This represents both a chance for streaming to prove itself, at least for the big brands, and basketball being monetized separately from football. Both would make it more feasible/likely for the P2 to add schools like UNC, Duke, KU imo

 

[isucy86]

Limited impact in football, but bigger in terms of basketball blue blood conference valuations.

This represents both a chance for streaming to prove itself, at least for the big brands, and basketball being monetized separately from football. Both would make it more feasible/likely for the P2 to add schools like UNC, Duke, KU imo

Agree breaking MBB media rights from FB helps create a path for basketball blue bloods like Duke & KU to join P2.

Streamers have already proven themselves as viable media partners in sport. Just look at professional sport rights deals over the last few years. That might also be the wrong characterization. With the actual business model being a move toward Subscription Based distribution of content.

In the end, the Duke & Amazon deal seems like a one-off. Because making it standard practice at a conference level would devalue the core media rights deal.

And in this case ESPN can afford to release some inventory because the cost-basis of their existing ACC deal goes back to 2016.

 

[CascadeClone]

As previously discussed in this thread and you might as well include the current G6 AQ as well in this. Bundle the G6 playoff rights with the P4 CFP and other conferences media rights and you optimize G6 playoff revenues in the process:

"hey TV folks, would you like fries with that?"

(not even arguing if this is good bad or ugly, just struck me as funny; its a deck chair on the Titanic).

 

[FriendlySpartan]

"hey TV folks, would you like fries with that?"

(not even arguing if this is good bad or ugly, just struck me as funny; its a deck chair on the Titanic).

It’s more like do you want to smell the bag the fries came in. It’s the G6 teams that didn’t get the auto qualifier, it’s basically the NIT with even less branding. I guess if it’s the only thing on maybe people tune in but cbb and nba will also be on.

Then again I guess any net positive money is better then nothing

 

[cykadelic2]

It’s more like do you want to smell the bag the fries came in. It’s the G6 teams that didn’t get the auto qualifier, it’s basically the NIT with even less branding. I guess if it’s the only thing on maybe people tune in but cbb and nba will also be on.

Then again I guess any net positive money is better then nothing

Meaningless bowl games still draw well for ESPN.

If you have a true G6 playoff for a national title, those playoff games will draw better than the bowl games they would replace. And if both playoffs were done right to optimize revenues, the G6 championship on NYD would be the first game of the day of a tripleheader with the two P4/P7 semis to follow. That championship game would draw very well.

And if the media rights bundling process is done correctly, you tell the networks: "If you want part of the P4/P7 CFP, then you must bid appropriately for a part of the G6 playoffs as well."

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I can tell you the FCS is just swimming in cash from ESPN having to 'bid appropriately' for it to get the VB, WBB and CWS....

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Meaningless bowl games still draw well for ESPN.

If you have a true G6 playoff for a national title, those playoff games will draw better than the bowl games they would replace. And if both playoffs were done right to optimize revenues, the G6 championship on NYD would be the first game of the day of a tripleheader with the two P4/P7 semis to follow.

And if the media rights bundling process is done correctly, you tell the netowrks: "If you want part of the P4/P7 CFP, then you must bid appropriately for a part of the G6 playoffs as well."

Meaningless bowl games with two G6 teams though? Also what national title are they playing for when the best team is still going to the actual playoff?

Also what is the P7?

I get this goes back to your media rights bundling thing but there is no incentive to tack on an additional playoff for the irrelevant 6