seanbo wrote:
tute79 wrote:
Yeah, so getting paid big-time for those Tier 3 assets is where it's at....
Doubt that any single school caan command a deal like Texas and the LHN (ESPN probably regrets that move from a financial stand-point)...
ACC is thinking about setting up the ACC Network. Would that mostly be airing Tier 3 assets ?
Who has rights to those games currently, and when does that expire, so those rights could be transferred to the ACC Network ?
Why would ESPN pay the ACC for an ACC Network when it already owns the rights to thier tier 3? They won't.
Why would ESPN form aN ACC Network when it's investing so much in the SEC Network? Why compete against your new investment?
There will be no ACC Network. Selling their 3rd tier rights killed the ACC financially.
ESPN doesn't pay any more, they would make more and in turn give part of that to the ACC. It would have to be a whole different channel with it's own advertising and cable fees or whatever else they do to make money. Like if they made an ESPNU2. They won't need to buy any more content, they'll just actually be able to show all the content they have the rights to and can't because there aren't enough hours in a day.
To answer your question Tute, ESPN owns the rights to everything ACC but cannot show all of the games they own so they allow Raycom to purchase some of the content (I think I've even read Raycom sells some of what they bought too but who knows). So more than likely to pull off an ACC network, ESPN would need to stop selling the third tier stuff and use that on a new channel. But ESPN is focused on an SEC network so they haven't been too interested in the idea. But seeing as how the Big 10 is making so much, it's hard for me to believe ESPN would be against the idea of an ACC network especially since there isn't that much overlap (for now at least).
Interestingly enough, there is an ACC network online for free. You could watch the entire ACC tournament on it. So we know there is plenty of content not making it on TV and there must be a desire to watch it or they wouldn't do it. I'm sure there are a lot of other factors at play here behind the scenes, but I would be surprised if there isn't an ACC Network on TV by 2016 at the latest.