NBC/Versus loses out on PAC-12 deal to FOX & ESPN

Spydey629

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
933
385
Carlisle, PA
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6471380

Huge $$$ deal, huge exposure deal:

Under this deal, Fox and ESPN will split the rights to college football games. ESPN will air its games on cable as well as ABC; Fox will show its games on its broadcast network, basic cable network FX and on the Fox Sports Net regional networks.

Men's basketball games will be split mostly between ESPN and Fox Sports Net, with ESPN also getting rights to some Olympic sports that likely will be aired on ESPNU.

The two entities will alternate showing the Pac-12 football championship game and the men's basketball tournament. Fox, which will air the inaugural football title game this season, will have the first football championship under this contract in 2012, with ESPN getting the men's basketball tournament later that season, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.

The one-liner about Comcast/NBC:

That set the stage for the television negotiations, which began in earnest April 1. Although Comcast/NBC was an aggressive bidder and Turner Sports also was interested, incumbents Fox and ESPN won out.

FTIW, I don't think Comcast could match the exposure FOX and ESPN offered. Just too many stations available with two major powers combined.


For the record, I wasn't sure if this was worth it's own thread or not. But I wasn't sure which one of the TV Deal/Negotiation threads to add it to, either.
 

Alex Jones

BIG BOWL 'A CHILI!!
Jun 8, 2009
33,488
5,940
Conspiratron 9000
This will hurt VS or whatever it will become. Having rights to a major conference would be a huge thing, especially since the Pac 12 has every major market west of in both the pacific and rocky mountain region.
 

Spydey629

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
933
385
Carlisle, PA
I think it hurts, but not in the way I think you are implying...

1- Hurts that they lose the secondary PAC-10 games they bought from Fox Sports Net.

2- Missed Opportunity. PAC-12 fans won't notice a difference in coverage, but hockey fan who want Versus to grow can only think of what might've been.
 

PensFan1253

Registered User
May 22, 2009
368
0
East Liverpool, OH
NBC didn't have the money or exposure that either ESPN or FOX could match, that's why they lost out on this deal

It's not that big of a deal. Only place they can go realistically is wait for the Big East's contract to expire and hope Notre Dame joins that conference
 

Spydey629

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
933
385
Carlisle, PA
NBC didn't have the money or exposure that either ESPN or FOX could match, that's why they lost out on this deal

It's not that big of a deal. Only place they can go realistically is wait for the Big East's contract to expire and hope Notre Dame joins that conference

Actually Notre Dame can stay independent. Add the Big LEast in football, and you still get double-headers for NBC on Saturdays plus hoops and football for Versus.
 

PensFan1253

Registered User
May 22, 2009
368
0
East Liverpool, OH
Actually Notre Dame can stay independent. Add the Big LEast in football, and you still get double-headers for NBC on Saturdays plus hoops and football for Versus.

See, that's the thing. The Least isn't valuable to a long range TV contract unless ND is involved in football. It's a basketball league first and foremost and that's about the only reason ESPN even owns their rights. They got shoveled into the games on Thursdays and Friday's that the Big Ten balked at and formed their network

With conferences getting paid and some of these teams getting these big paydays, ND remaining independent is only a matter of time before the economics makes them do what they don't want to
 

Fugu

Guest
The contract, which will begin with the 2012-13 season, will be worth more than $225 million per year -- or $2.7 billion over the life of the deal, Sports Business Daily and The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Did I miss the term somewhere?

Edit: found it. 12 years.
 

jiggsawpuzzle35

Registered User
May 7, 2007
1,930
565
The 949
LA Times article also talks about Versus being rebranded as well. Gonna be nice giving the PAC 12 a more national exposure. Can't stand having the BIG 12 and SEC shoved in my face.
 

yotesreign

Registered User
Jan 26, 2009
1,570
0
Goldwater Blvd
2.7 billion for 12 markets for 12 years... who does the Pac 12 think they are...
the NHL???


Just imagine how much they could have gotten in this deal if the Pac 12 also played hockey at NCAA Division 1 level...

:sarcasm:
 

nickschultzfan

Registered User
Jan 7, 2009
11,558
908
NBC/Comcast should go after the Big Ten. NBC and Versus/NBC Sports for big games, Big Ten Network for secondary games.
 

46zone

Pass me the soft pretzels
Feb 5, 2007
2,662
730
Philadelphia
NBC/Comcast should go after the Big Ten. NBC and Versus/NBC Sports for big games, Big Ten Network for secondary games.

I don't think the Big 10's television contract(s) will be up for quite some time. NBC/Vs better atleast land the Big East because the other BCS conferences have been swallowed up by ESPN, CBS, and FOX.
 

jkrdevil

UnRegistered User
Apr 24, 2006
42,636
12,483
Miami
Didn't the Big East set up their own network together with ESPN? I doubt they'll change partners if their relationship goes that deep.

It is a syndicated network, not an actual channel. Don't think that will be a stumbling block. Though ESPN will probably pay through the roof to keep the Big East.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->