NBC makes TV offer official

[RedRocker]

http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?storyId=8977673

Yeah, just logged onto ESPN to watch something and saw that. When's that ACC phone call coming??????

[CincyEngGrad02]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8977673/big-east-conference-espn-agree-tv-rights-deal

[BearCatMarcher]

Couldn't finish that article. The ticket has been punched.

[Lobot]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/espn-strikes-big-east-tv-202012478--spt.html

Punched is a good word.

[London 'Cat]

"In the past two years since the Big East turned down ESPN's $1.17 billion offer, the league has had 16 schools either leave or announce they were leaving." Brett McMurphy, Big East, ESPN agree to TV Deal, February 23, 2013.

This quote says it all for me. What on earth were the BEast members thinking when they turned this down?? It is obvious from the outside looking in that rejecting this offer is the reason why the BEast is in the poor state that it is today.

[RedRocker]

"In the past two years since the Big East turned down ESPN's $1.17 billion offer, the league has had 16 schools either leave or announce they were leaving." Brett McMurphy, Big East, ESPN agree to TV Deal, February 23, 2013.

This quote says it all for me. What on earth were the BEast members thinking when they turned this down?? It is obvious from the outside looking in that rejecting this offer is the reason why the BEast is in the poor state that it is today.

Pitt's chancellor was the one who recommended to the other administrators that they turn it down at the time as I recall. Where are they now. Premeditation? Hmmmm........

[longtimefan]

"In the past two years since the Big East turned down ESPN's $1.17 billion offer, the league has had 16 schools either leave or announce they were leaving." Brett McMurphy, Big East, ESPN agree to TV Deal, February 23, 2013.

This quote says it all for me. What on earth were the BEast members thinking when they turned this down?? It is obvious from the outside looking in that rejecting this offer is the reason why the BEast is in the poor state that it is today.

Four schools voted against the offer: Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Louisville, and Georgetown. That was all they needed to reject it.

[Lobot]

Pitt's chancellor was the one who recommended to the other administrators that they turn it down at the time as I recall. Where are they now. Premeditation? Hmmmm........

I prefer the word malice.

[London 'Cat]

Four schools voted against the offer: Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Louisville, and Georgetown. That was all they needed to reject it.

Out of sixteen schools, four schools held enough votes to override the other twelve? Or was there a provision in the bylaws for some super-super-majority to approve TV contracts? Doesn't matter now, I suppose. Those left behind have now agreed to a contract worth approximately 10% of the $1B+ offer the conference had two years ago. And, according to McMurphy, the figure could shrink if (when) the non-football schools leave: "The Big East's $10 million figure for the men's basketball season in 2013-14 is based on the seven Catholic schools remaining in the league next season, sources said. If those schools leave the Big East before next year, that figure would be reduced."

[longtimefan]

Out of sixteen schools, four schools held enough votes to override the other twelve? Or was there a provision in the bylaws for some super-super-majority to approve TV contracts? Doesn't matter now, I suppose. Those left behind have now agreed to a contract worth approximately 10% of the $1B+ offer the conference had two years ago. And, according to McMurphy, the figure could shrink if (when) the non-football schools leave: "The Big East's $10 million figure for the men's basketball season in 2013-14 is based on the seven Catholic schools remaining in the league next season, sources said. If those schools leave the Big East before next year, that figure would be reduced."

Yes. It took 13 votes to approve the deal.

[longtimefan]

By the way, if you don't get ESPN3, you better start looking for a new provider now.

[longtimefan]

I guess the unfortunate part of all this is that NBC was just not that serious about upgrading their cable network. Fox realized that when you are starting out as a new or relativity new competitor against entrenched entities you have to overpay for the content starting out. Fox will overpay for the catholics just to have viable content. NBC, even with the vast resources of Comcast, was not willing to overpay. Making such a low ball offer guaranteed that ESPN would match, just to make sure that the competition did not have the content, not because they wanted the games themselves.

[RedRocker]

I prefer the word malice.

Malice works.