Big 12 in position to poach Pac 12 schools?

[Purp]

But what if you only want to watch your team play against good teams? I live in Michigan. No one here enjoys watching their alma mater thrash Rutgers, even if they do get a conference football W out of it.

I don't disagree with you. I want to watch competitive games every week also. But there are two games being played here and we need to try to compete in both. The first and obvious one is the game on the field that you alluded to. The other is the game between conferences competing playoff spots/positioning along with the longer term competition for revenue. Given the position of B12 football relative to the B1G and SEC in both revenue and scheduling we find ourselves at a disadvantage on both fronts. Those conferences are going to be earning tens of millions more dollars per school than we will, which will make it harder for us to compete for talent eventually resulting in less competitive positions for playoff positioning. Then from a scheduling/strength of conference standpoint we're playing more games against difficult opponents, which erodes the perception of the conference and weakens the strongest teams' case by not giving them a couple extra byes with patsies on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

I don't like the path college sports has taken, but it's not a path that can be reversed so we must be sure to play these other games if we want to be able to compete for championships.

 

[Purp]

don't trust the very network that brokered texas and ou out of the big 12 and into the sec

espn damaged the brand of the big 12 by moving out the two biggest brands and now comes bearing uconn? the question is why?

the sec didn't add cupcakes to the conference and the perception is the conference gets tougher and tougher with each addition and not weaker which adding uconn in football is period

rutgers was added to the big 10 as a way to get the big 10 network into the new york market to gain at that time valuable carriage fees

the big 12 is already viewed as an elite basketball conference without uconn, houston and cincy were strong additions and i would rather add az than unconn as az brings a strong basketball brand, better ceiling in football, depth in other sports, and makes more sense for conference positioning

if the mouse is pushing uconn the question is why?

I don't think Yormark would say no to Bear Down if Colorado and UConn were already done deals. I'm making the case that Buff currently seems most likely and UConn seems 2nd most likely. Maybe Yormark is doing a great job of creating leverage against Arizona by selling the benefits of UConn, but I think he's genuinely interested in both. My position is that he'd probably take all 3 once it was determined UConn could be added at a full conference share without diluting everyone else's share. He wants a massive basketball presence so he probably values AZ and UConn even more than he does Colorado.

 

[BrewingFrog]

don't trust the very network that brokered texas and ou out of the big 12 and into the sec

if the mouse is pushing uconn the question is why?

Yormark would have to be a fool to trust them. He seems not to be a fool, but then we haven't had too much exposure to his methods, or seen the fruit of his machinations. Everything he has done may yet blow up...

Adding UConn as anything other than a Basketball only member is stupid, and I'm not too keen on basketball. Only the dunces at ESPN could come up with such a scenario.

"the SEC didn't add cupcakes..." Oh, really?

 

[Eight]

I don't think Yormark would say no to Bear Down if Colorado and UConn were already done deals. I'm making the case that Buff currently seems most likely and UConn seems 2nd most likely. Maybe Yormark is doing a great job of creating leverage against Arizona by selling the benefits of UConn, but I think he's genuinely interested in both. My position is that he'd probably take all 3 once it was determined UConn could be added at a full conference share without diluting everyone else's share. He wants a massive basketball presence so he probably values AZ and UConn even more than he does Colorado.

uconn is a hard no for a full member and the basketball brand is very strong without them

that deal benefits uconn far, far, far more than the big 12

 

[An-Cap Frog]

Disappointed that New Mexico State isn't in the conversation.

Mexico is not a state!

 

[An-Cap Frog]

How do they feel about playing Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska.....?

 

[Purp]

Yormark would have to be a fool to trust them. He seems not to be a fool, but then we haven't had too much exposure to his methods, or seen the fruit of his machinations. Everything he has done may yet blow up...

Adding UConn as anything other than a Basketball only member is stupid, and I'm not too keen on basketball. Only the dunces at ESPN could come up with such a scenario.

"the SEC didn't add cupcakes..." Oh, really?

Didn't Yormark come from the TV side of the business? I think he uniquely grasps how to generate maximum revenue from the B12s assets and how to grow that revenue with new assets. I'm not sure it's as much him trusting the mouse as much as it is him being one of their types and knowing how to navigate their processes to better effect than most others. He knows what their goals are and how to sell what he has as a fit for those goals.

He seems to be a bit of a trail blazer in terms of his penchant for selling basketball revenue separately from football, but his track record for success is impressive. If he's that gung ho about UConn and it won't dilute TCU's projected annual revenue then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Purp]

uconn is a hard no for a full member and the basketball brand is very strong without them

that deal benefits uconn far, far, far more than the big 12

I think his vision for basketball is something that will generate more revenue per school than the PAC can currently get for football. As someone who has always been much more invested in football than basketball it's a totally different thought experiment for me to grapple with. That said, I can see where college basketball currently sits where college football did 20 years ago in terms of TV revenue potential. Getting the B12 in front of all that could massively level the playing field with the B1G and SEC in terms of total athletics revenue generated. And they'd be in a position where they couldn't find valuable enough basketball brands to add to their conferences to do then what Yormark is doing now.

I'm not saying it's a great idea yet, but I can see where the potential is there. This could be some next-level 3D chess or it could be a colossal catastrophe. I don't see it being a catastrophe, though.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

I don't think Yormark would say no to Bear Down if Colorado and UConn were already done deals. I'm making the case that Buff currently seems most likely and UConn seems 2nd most likely. Maybe Yormark is doing a great job of creating leverage against Arizona by selling the benefits of UConn, but I think he's genuinely interested in both. My position is that he'd probably take all 3 once it was determined UConn could be added at a full conference share without diluting everyone else's share. He wants a massive basketball presence so he probably values AZ and UConn even more than he does Colorado.

BY does value all 3 and it’s possible he would take all 3, but just given the pushback of B12 Presidents & ADs, 2 is more probable.

I don’t see how UConn could approach UA’s value, especially since UA is worth over $200m to the B12 media deal in prorata compensation thru ‘30-‘31.
Fox has said they might help some with UConn, but that was a while ago. ESPN is offering no help, at least at this time.

 

[Purp]

BY does value all 3 and it’s possible he would take all 3, but just given the pushback of B12 Presidents & ADs, 2 is more probable.

I don’t see how UConn could approach UA’s value, especially since UA is worth over $200m to the B12 media deal in prorata compensation thru ‘30-‘31.
Fox has said they might help some with UConn, but that was a while ago. ESPN is offering no help, at least at this time.

I thought I read over the weekend that ESPN said UConn could be added without diluting per school payouts. Am I remembering incorrectly?

 

[geezer]

The more I hear him talk about it the more this strategy makes sense. The unintended consequence that benefits football is a cupcake on the schedule (like Rutgers), but I agree with your assessment that he wants that TV market and he really wants it for basketball. Eventually selling basketball TV rights separately from football could be a big boon for the B12 and UConn would amplify that financial impact.

...and don't forget that ESPN HQ is located in Bristol, CT -- 43.4 miles from the UConn campus.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

I thought I read over the weekend that ESPN said UConn could be added without diluting per school payouts. Am I remembering incorrectly?

Idk, I haven’t seen that. No idea what it means.
There’s alot of different ways to get there, but somebody would eventually have to throw up some more cash. Who knows the amount, as there are many variables.

 

[froginaustin]

...and don't forget that ESPN HQ is located in Bristol, CT -- 43.4 miles from the UConn campus.

and that matters because?

Not trying to be sarcastic, but is ESPN staffed with UConn fans? I don't understand why proximity to a broadcaster's home office alone would make UConn attractive to the broadcaster.

 

[Eight]

I think his vision for basketball is something that will generate more revenue per school than the PAC can currently get for football. As someone who has always been much more invested in football than basketball it's a totally different thought experiment for me to grapple with. That said, I can see where college basketball currently sits where college football did 20 years ago in terms of TV revenue potential. Getting the B12 in front of all that could massively level the playing field with the B1G and SEC in terms of total athletics revenue generated. And they'd be in a position where they couldn't find valuable enough basketball brands to add to their conferences to do then what Yormark is doing now.

I'm not saying it's a great idea yet, but I can see where the potential is there. This could be some next-level 3D chess or it could be a colossal catastrophe. I don't see it being a catastrophe, though.

the idea of selling basketball as an individual commodity is an intriguing and do agree worth exploring with the direction college football seems to be heading

how much control do conferences have at this time over their broadcast rights?

what is the market outside of espn, who else has the shelf space to handle a conference menu?

 

[82 Frog Fever]

...and don't forget that ESPN HQ is located in Bristol, CT -- 43.4 miles from the UConn campus.

That is kind of a strange twist, and knowing ESPN, they probably have some marketing angle to capitalize on that fact.

 

[bc puckett]

...and don't forget that ESPN HQ is located in Bristol, CT -- 43.4 miles from the UConn campus.

And UConn fans absolutely hate ESPN. They have tried for years to get certain state tax breaks which were given to ESPN as one of CT's 5 most "favored" corporations rescinded because they are convinced that if ESPN had done it's "job" and pimped UConn in return for these breaks UConn would be in it's "rightful" place in either the ACC or Big 10.

On another note the basketball part of UConn going to the Big 12(forget football no one cares about UConn football and many big time BB boosters would love to see it dropped altogether) is almost comical. I know several huge BB boosters one of whom is a client that I spoke with this morning and to say they are against this would be an understatement. At least 2 of them, including my client, have threatened to stop their donations if it happens. And before you say that won't work remember we're talking about millions of dollars and these are the same people who got UConn out of the AAC and back in the Big East while dumping the football team to indy status with no schedule or TV deal (at the time) just so they could play their 'rivals" and go to MSG in March which means more than life it's ownself to these folks.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

I think his vision for basketball is something that will generate more revenue per school than the PAC can currently get for football. As someone who has always been much more invested in football than basketball it's a totally different thought experiment for me to grapple with. That said, I can see where college basketball currently sits where college football did 20 years ago in terms of TV revenue potential. Getting the B12 in front of all that could massively level the playing field with the B1G and SEC in terms of total athletics revenue generated. And they'd be in a position where they couldn't find valuable enough basketball brands to add to their conferences to do then what Yormark is doing now.

I'm not saying it's a great idea yet, but I can see where the potential is there. This could be some next-level 3D chess or it could be a colossal catastrophe. I don't see it being a catastrophe, though.

It is interesting.
BY’s theory of FB/BB parts being worth more separately than as a whole.
Maybe that’s true, but how much more? Maybe $5m-$7m per school.

That’s a decent amount, but it’s not enough to offset making a huge football mistake.
I don’t believe the football cost of bringing in teams like SDSU, UConn, Memphis, etc…. can be offset by their basketball teams.

 

[Purp]

It is interesting.
BY’s theory of FB/BB parts being worth more separately than as a whole.
Maybe that’s true, but how much more? Maybe $5m-$7m per school.

That’s a decent amount, but it’s not enough to offset making a huge football mistake.
I don’t believe the football cost of bringing in teams like SDSU, UConn, Memphis, etc…. can be offset by their basketball teams.

Why does basketball only have to be $5MM - $7MM per school in the B12? Right now only ESPN is broadcasting college basketball games. Most are relegated to Tier 3 status. If BY's plan is to double (for the sake of argument) the number of nationally broadcast college basketball games he'd theoretically double the revenue generated by the sport. If he's got the clear #1 basketball conference in the country and could broadcast every conference game in prime time on a major network he'd capture more of the revenue going to other conferences for his own.

Who's to say he couldn't sell B12 basketball to Fox, for example, and ESPN like the football rights are? More games in front of more eye balls generates more revenue.

 

[82 Frog Fever]

Why does basketball only have to be $5MM - $7MM per school in the B12? Right now only ESPN is broadcasting college basketball games. Most are relegated to Tier 3 status. If BY's plan is to double (for the sake of argument) the number of nationally broadcast college basketball games he'd theoretically double the revenue generated by the sport. If he's got the clear #1 basketball conference in the country and could broadcast every conference game in prime time on a major network he'd capture more of the revenue going to other conferences for his own.

Who's to say he couldn't sell B12 basketball to Fox, for example, and ESPN like the football rights are? More games in front of more eye balls generates more revenue.

I didn’t say basketball was worth $5-$7m per school.
I said basketball and football might be worth $5-$7m more per school if they were negotiated separately rather than together. I thought it was a generous figure, as it could turn out to be zero.

 

[geezer]

That is kind of a strange twist, and knowing ESPN, they probably have some marketing angle to capitalize on that fact.

No, I think it will be Yormark who will be doing the exploiting and "capitalizing".

Listened to an interview Yormark did with ESPN's S/XM channel during Big 12 media days. All he talked about was monitizing basketball. That's why TCU is doing a basketball event in NYC and playing in Mexico.

March Madness is a huge cash cow for the NCAA. Has the NCAA been sharing enough milk with the conferences or schools?