Big offer rumored from FOX!

[WarriorsNuffSaid]

Wow! $5M/yr. for 12 years. Fox is certainly putting all their chips on the table. Little unsure of paying the additional schools less. Great to see otherwise.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8817624/fleeing-big-east-schools-working-lucrative-tv-deal-basketball

[warriorfan4life]

I think our embattled AD may have played a big part in finding us a very nice new home.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I too am not excited about paying certain schools less or more, that creates a divide right from the start. Not a great way to create unity.

[IWB]

I think our embattled AD may have played a big part in finding us a very nice new home.

Just curious, why do you say that?

[TulsaWarrior]

From the article: "Representatives of St. John's and Georgetown took the lead in those early discussions."

Please lets not turn this into a for or against LW thread. I pray he does well at Marquette and he and BW have a positive relationship. Frankly they could be extremely good for each other. I've found honestly admitting mistakes extremely disarming.

Now back to the contract -- HOLY CORN CHIPS BATMAN!

[Phantom Warrior]

"Frankly they could be very good for each other"?

I wish I believed that; more importantly, I wish they believed that, but I just don't think that's the case. We shall see.

[TulsaWarrior]

The marketing of the C7 should be interesting. I can see an elite approach to putting this out there. The network will be spending big bucks for the rights and will pull out all the stops to market the conference. (especially if it is a start up network with deep pockets) I think they will fight to keep the Big East brand name because of the basketball history. The leaked story tells me NBC can't or won't match the kind of bucks Fox is ready to pony up and ESPN thought they could get the BE basketball schools for a bargain price once they assisted in the defection of the BE football schools. Things blew up in the face of a few Bristol, Connecticutt executives. A 12 year deal says the C7 would be a flagship for the network. Fox wants the stability of a contract that long and figures the price is worth it. How many sports properties are available right now for a start up? Roller Derby and pro wrestling won't do it.

What will be happening in the sports world during the next 12 years? Streaming video will become dominate over broadcast. Live sporting events will deliver bigger audiences in a world of thousands of options. Will football take a hit because of the concussion issue? There will be rule changes and gear changes to protect athletes in all sports. The main revenue stream for schools in the past was butts in the seats. That clearly has changed with the video rights contracts we are seeing these days.

A random thought about the world and relationships: I've found honestly admitting mistakes extremely disarming.

A little off topic but Marquette is a religious based institution. Talk about rough edges. What did Jesus looked like? An interesting read for a Sunday morning before church. It might make some church goers uncomfortable but historicially this is closer than the dry cleaned versions sold in too many pictures. In life you have to look closely to see halos and many times we don't see them until it's too late. http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/05/my-take-jesus-was-a-dirty-dirty-god/?hpt=hp_c1

[MU/Panther]

I too am not excited about paying certain schools less or more, that creates a divide right from the start. Not a great way to create unity.

It happens with new members in the Pac-12 & B1G.

[MU_Iceman]

I too am not excited about paying certain schools less or more, that creates a divide right from the start. Not a great way to create unity.

If they are "fine" with it, as the article states, then what's the harm?? It's not like the C7 would be forcing them to take it. They have obviously talked to these schools about it already.

[Mucrisco]

What's the harm? Put yourself in their shoes. Here is Butler, that was in back to back finals most recently. Xavier, since the time we made the Final Four, has been in the Elite Eight twice, the sweet sixteen three times, and only missed the tournament once. Now, you are telling them that they are second class citizens? Who in the C7 have been more successful than them? Certainly not Depaul, Seton Hall, Providence, and St John's. I don't think we have. You could make a solid case that Nova and Gtown haven't. Why create ill will when we are starting up a NEW conference. Those schools are charter members. Who cares if that's how the Big Ten and PAC whatever did it. Those are establish conferences. They are greedy football schools. I thought we were better than that. I hope this is a case of ESPN trying to create ill will between us to try to hurt Fox and the report is not true.

[kneelb4zerg]

What's the harm? Put yourself in their shoes. Here is Butler, that was in back to back finals most recently. Xavier, since the time we made the Final Four, has been in the Elite Eight twice, the sweet sixteen three times, and only missed the tournament once. Now, you are telling them that they are second class citizens? Who in the C7 have been more successful than them? Certainly not Depaul, Seton Hall, Providence, and St John's. I don't think we have. You could make a solid case that Nova and Gtown haven't. Why create ill will when we are starting up a NEW conference. Those schools are charter members. Who cares if that's how the Big Ten and PAC whatever did it. Those are establish conferences. They are greedy football schools. I thought we were better than that. I hope this is a case of ESPN trying to create ill will between us to try to hurt Fox and the report is not true.

Hey, if they don't want to make more money in a higher profile league, more power to them.

[WarriorsNuffSaid]

It happens with new members in the Pac-12 & B1G.

I was unaware that Nebraska doesn't make as much revenue from the B1G tv contract as the other schools. Any details on the difference?

If certain schools get less money for a certain period of time, okay. But not sure if Xavier gets less money for 12 years if that's a wise move unless the difference is minimal. Need these new conference mates to be as united and committed as possible. Does Providence really bring more value to this conference than Xavier?

[MUBasketball]

Not that fans make decisions, or necessarily share the opinions of decision makers at the university's they are fans of...but here's what people are saying about this. People don't seem happy about it.

http://www.holylandofhoops.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75&sid=f70795bb915ea15a33b240e94b579043

[Gato78]

Need to evaluate from a business perspective rather than a sports perspective. Each of the schools purported to be added would be far better off financially despite the perceived second class citizen status. Let's not forget, the C-7 may end up leaving a whole lot of money on the table to put this together--UConn, USF and Cincy may make that windfall. So we go to the add ons and say "hey, we are taking a $10 million hit per school (or whatever it is), need a little money to recoup". Not unreasonable. The "newbies" may not have stiff withdrawl requirements from current conferences when we may. Cannot criticize this deal without knowing the internal numbers. I am also willing to bet there is a little TV seed money in the deal to get the new conference up and running and that there will be a guarantee each conference member needs to sign with the new network so there is little chance of defection during the term of the contract thereby protecting the network investment--along with out clauses in the event it is a disaster for the network. I think the swirling internet analysis is pretty weak because it stems from a comprehensive lack of knowlledge as to the business situation.

[TulsaWarrior]

I'm sure a provisional contract could be worked out with additional schools with a sliding scale based on their success -- NCAA appearances, attendance, TV ratings. They would get less of the initial TV money but keep a larger percentage of tournament money to compensate with full membership after X amount of years. That would be an incentive for the schools to invest and reward them for success. I bet there would be a long list of schools that would be willing to take that deal. Also how about Fox being part of the creation of an all basketball league in the west with some kind of holiday tournament or set amount of games with the Big East? That could bring Gonzaga into the equation and broaden the BE national appeal. The west coast has a number of basketball only colleges who are sleeping giants.

[Mucrisco]

If it all evens out in the end, I am ok with that. I am not ok with the "take this deal or go f yourself, since you would be making more money with us" attitude. We should be in this together.

[kneelb4zerg]

If it all evens out in the end, I am ok with that. I am not ok with the "take this deal or go f yourself, since you would be making more money with us" attitude. We should be in this together.


What makes you think that's the case? This is all being negotiated. Just because that's the results of the negotiations doesn't mean the C7 is being imperious.

[Mucrisco]

I don't know if that is the case or not. That's why I am saying, if this is about figuring out how the money evens out in the long run, then that's ok. If this is about strong arming two teams that have been more successful than us, then I am not ok with that. I am only disagreeing with posters who have expressed the latter sentiment.

[mutpm]

I don't have a big problem with it. Currently, it's the 7 schools doing all the work and have the most to lose. If Xavier, Butler, and some unnamed 3rd team don't like the deal, they don't have to join. They are taking no risk right now. Xavier and Butler have a TV deal that will pay them next season for playing basketball. It's possible the 7 have nothing, no TV and no conference next season. I'm not saying F the 3 or 5 new schools, but they shouldn't get as much based on the amount of work they are putting into this process.

[Goose85]

Most conferences do a sliding scale for incoming schools, but at some point they become full share members. I would hope that would be the idea here as well.

Need to keep the conference tourney in the Garden. Hopefully that is why there would be a sliding scale, the initial members will be incurring some costs to set up the league and hopefully buy the Big East name and tournament contract.

[The Reptile]

Apparently, Fox Sports 1 is supposed to launch in August taking over for Speed which is in 81 million homes. In addition, Fox is talking about a double box approach to ads - with one box the ad and a smaller box being live action during the timeout which should be good for a coach going after a ref once in a while.

Fox already has MLB, UFC, soccer and other properties lined up for the network. Media folks believe they have the best chance to make a run at ESPN.

[MU/Panther]

Apparently, Fox Sports 1 is supposed to launch in August taking over for Speed which is in 81 million homes. In addition, Fox is talking about a double box approach to ads - with one box the ad and a smaller box being live action during the timeout which should be good for a coach going after a ref once in a while.

Fox already has MLB, UFC, soccer and other properties lined up for the network. Media folks believe they have the best chance to make a run at ESPN. Fox did some of the double box for the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.