ACC Closing in on TV Network Deal with ESPN

Per Brett McMurphy - ACC Network will launch by August 2019 & ACC extends conference grant of rights thru 2036

Link
 
The addition of the ACC Network will increase the league's overall value, putting it in line with the top Power 5 conferences. "When the ACC Network revenues are included, the ACC will be very competitive with the upper tier [Big Ten and SEC] of the Power 5 leagues," a source said.

ESPN to launch a digital-only, "ACC Network Plus" in Aug 2016 and a linear "ACC Network" in Aug 2019...ACC's digital network will be available to authenticated @ESPN subscribers. Can watch it thru WatchESPN app

Link
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...year-rights-deal-lead-2019-launch-acc-network
 
Isn't it stupid to give a twenty year grant of rights? The entire landscape could change long before then and if the prices keep going up, the ACC has one less bargaining chip. Someone get rid of Swofford now. What if Notre Dame fully joined? Seems very short sighted.
 
GT1992 said:
Isn't it stupid to give a twenty year grant of rights? The entire landscape could change long before then and if the prices keep going up, the ACC has one less bargaining chip. Someone get rid of Swofford now. What if Notre Dame fully joined? Seems very short sighted.
Click to expand...

I assume it has contingencies regarding how much money other conferences are getting from their TV deals.
 
there are multiple ACC look-ins built into the contract. They coincidently align with the other conferences contracts.
 
GTFLETCH said:
The addition of the ACC Network will increase the league's overall value, putting it in line with the top Power 5 conferences. "When the ACC Network revenues are included, the ACC will be very competitive with the upper tier [Big Ten and SEC] of the Power 5 leagues," a source said.

ESPN to launch a digital-only, "ACC Network Plus" in Aug 2016 and a linear "ACC Network" in Aug 2019...ACC's digital network will be available to authenticated @ESPN subscribers. Can watch it thru WatchESPN app

Link
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...year-rights-deal-lead-2019-launch-acc-network
Click to expand...

"Very competitive with the upper tier [Big Ten and SEC]" = third place.

Sad trombone.
 
Architorture23 said:
3rd place is actually pretty good when you're the 5th best conference. :bigcry:
Click to expand...

Money talks, looks like the Big Texas is the cellar of upper crust collegiate football now. Only a matter of time until Houston joins the Pac-12 and all hell breaks loose down there.
 
Definitive plans for an ACC channel operated by ESPN have come to pass. A report from ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, citing anonymous sources, said that the channel will launch by Aug. 2019 and that the conference’s grant of media rights will be extended by nine years to 2035-36. A tweet from Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand said a digital-only “ACC Network Plus” will debut in August.

The development is a boost for the ACC, which has been attempting to keep up with the increases in media rights revenue by rival leagues, particularly the SEC and Big Ten. The ACC and ESPN have been in discussions for a dedicated ACC channel dating back at least to 2010.

Swofford, who has been highly guarded in comments about negotiations with ESPN over the years, will give his annual address at the ACC Kickoff media event in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday morning.


ACC commissioner John Swofford (Associated Press)


A launch had been thought possible for Aug. 2017, but ESPN may have interest in pushing it back. Last October, Georgia Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson made comments at an athletic association board meeting that ESPN wanted to “delay the start for a couple years and do the necessary preparation.”

Peterson also said that in exchange for a later start date, ESPN could make additional payments on top of the rights fees already being paid to the conference.

A network likely will provide ACC fans more access to football and men’s basketball games as well as other sports. For member schools, it will likely mean an increase in revenues. In 2014-15, SEC schools reportedly averaged $32.7 million in conference distribution, with the Big Ten just behind at $32.4 million. The ACC was third at $26.2 million. A new deal for the Big Ten is expected to push distributions above $50 million.

It would be meaningful for Tech, which is projecting a $2.4 million deficit for the 2017 fiscal year.

The implication of the extension of the grant of rights is that it will be virtually impossible for any of the 15 member schools to leave the conference for the next 20 years. That includes Notre Dame, which can remain independent for football but could only join the ACC if it chose to join a league for that sport over that time period.
Click to expand...

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/acc-channel-reportedly-coming-by-aug-2019/nrz5Y/
 
McMurphy on Louisville ESPN radio. His points:

1) The ACC GOR extension is the bigger deal, keeps ACC safe in next round of realignment. ACC will be among the hunters instead of the hunted.

2) Extending the ND agreement strengthens the ACC. IF they join a conference it has to be the ACC.

3) Conferences going to 9 games won't effect ND, they all will make room for them.

4) The ACCN will be similar to the SECN setup, won't be like the B1GN or the PACN.

5) He doesn't know the details of the agreement or the financials.

6) There has to be ways to tweak the agreement, lookins & such. Over 20 years, both sides would want ways to make adjustments.

7) While ND is a partial in the ACC, 9 games is unlikely. With ACC teams having rivals & ND there wouldn't be any scheduling flexibility.

8) The commish will announce the ACCN this week.

9) 2019 is the latest, slight possibility for 2018 launch.

LINK - Hour 3
http://espnlouisville.com/common/page.php?id=151
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top