- March 25th, 2012, 4:19 pm
#386305
Obviously the pursuit of television revenue has had a big influence on realignment. Since the Sun Belt is currently a conference we are watching very closely right now, I thought we might want to look into their current situation and their potential. First off, here are the league's most recent TV deals and frankly they are awful:
Yeah, a whopping two football games a season on the primary ESPN networks and a few scraps on the others. And here is the second tier regional contract ...
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. You probably have never heard of either CSS or Cox Sports Television. Unless you live in the current epicenter of the league in the Deep South then you probably wouldn't. The fact that they have no national deal is an embarrassment. The good news for us is that since the league chooses so few games, we would be free to continue our Big South-style domination of telecasts in a league.
Obviously the Sun Belt believes it is in a much more enviable position today for a new contract that it ever has been before. As long as they don't get raided to significantly by the MWCUSA Alliance/Merger, they are a more attractive league today than they were a couple of years ago when they inked this deal. here are some insights from a poster on the NCAAbbs Sun Belt board:
Keeping in mind that the league's most attractive schools from a TV contract basis (FIU & UNT) are rumored to be atop the Alliance's wish list for expansion, I agree with the poster's sentiments. The Sun Belt has shown significant development the past few years. That is one of the reasons that Karl Benson jumped ship from the WAC to become the league's new commissioner starting next week. But you also have to remember that TV networks don't have a license to print money. The new mega-conference deals are likely to go up significantly depleting the cash reserves of the ESPNs & Fox Sports Nets of the world. The good news is that there are some new players on the national scene led by NBC Sports Channel. They are anxious to get into the college football game ... ditto for their regional Comcast Sports Net partners.
The Sun Belt can't begin to negotiate until this current wave of realignment finishes its transitions. Frankly it is my personal opinion that the league would gladly bend over backwards to get a weekly slot on ESPN2 or a new secondary deal with NBC Sports or CBS Sports. That certainly is the hope of the Sun Belt presidents who brought in Benson. But let's be honest ... Benson doesn't have a stellar TV track record.
On the positive side, the league does have an attractive geographic footprint especially if they can remain in Florida & Texas.
Sun Belt News Release wrote:Sun Belt and ESPN Announce Multiyear AgreementClick Here for Full Release
Updated: 09/06/2011 10:13:15 (ET)
By Sun Belt Conference
NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference and ESPN announced today a new agreement that extends the network’s relationship with the conference through the 2019-20 academic year. The agreement, which will take effect beginning in the 2012-13 academic year, will expand the conference’s national television exposure and makes ESPN the exclusive national cable and satellite provider of the Sun Belt Conference.
“The Sun Belt Conference’s relationship with ESPN is strong as the particulars of this agreement clearly show,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Wright Waters. “Our league benefits greatly from the exposure that ESPN provides and this new agreement will give us a greater opportunity to showcase our outstanding institutions and student-athletes.”
The new agreement will give Sun Belt Conference football a minimum of two games on either ESPN or ESPN2 and also a minimum of five games on ESPNU that will be scheduled for Thursday or Friday nights. Additionally, ESPN Regional Television will have the right to produced, distribute and syndicate up to five football games each year. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, will also be granted additional opportunities to select games to air. This trio of networks will be granted a 12-day rolling window during the season to select additional games to televise. Games available for selection are after the third Saturday of the season.
Yeah, a whopping two football games a season on the primary ESPN networks and a few scraps on the others. And here is the second tier regional contract ...
Sun Belt News Release wrote:Sun Belt Conference and Regional Television Partners Strike DealClick Here for Full Release
Updated: 10/29/2009 03:38:44 (ET)
By Sun Belt Conference
DESTIN, Fla. – The Sun Belt Conference and its regional television partners Cox Sports Television (CST) and Comcast / Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) announced today a comprehensive deal that will bring 45 Sun Belt Conference events to the airwaves beginning this fall.
“The Sun Belt Conference is pleased to enter into this agreement with these two important regional television partners, said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Wright Waters. “We have had a great relationship with both CST and CSS over the last several years and look forward to our continued association. Our ability to air games on television is crucial to the success of the league as we spread our message to the public.”
The agreement between the three parties will results in the broadcasting of football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, volleyball, and softball contests throughout the upcoming year.
Over the past several years CSS and CST have worked in conjunction to distribute or produce a number of Sun Belt Conference events. This past season CSS and CST were the exclusive producers of Sun Belt Conference Men’s and Women’s regular season basketball. This joint venture resulted in an all-time high number of broadcasts as 9 men’s basketball games of the week were produced and 10 women’s basketball games of the week were produced.
All told CSS and CST aired a total of 27 events during the past year.
”We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Sun Belt Conference and are pleased to offer this outstanding lineup of Sun Belt games to fans throughout the southeast,” said Mark Fuhrman, Vice President/General Manager of CSS.
"We are very excited to take our Sun Belt Conference relationship to a new level. The partnership of the Sun Belt Conference, CSS and CST will bring year round exposure to the great athletic programs and member institutions of the SBC,” said CST Head Rod Mickler,
Compared to the previous regional television deal, the upcoming year will see a 25% increase in football broadcasts, a 37% increase in men’s basketball broadcasts, and a 40% increase in women’s basketball broadcasts.
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. You probably have never heard of either CSS or Cox Sports Television. Unless you live in the current epicenter of the league in the Deep South then you probably wouldn't. The fact that they have no national deal is an embarrassment. The good news for us is that since the league chooses so few games, we would be free to continue our Big South-style domination of telecasts in a league.
Obviously the Sun Belt believes it is in a much more enviable position today for a new contract that it ever has been before. As long as they don't get raided to significantly by the MWCUSA Alliance/Merger, they are a more attractive league today than they were a couple of years ago when they inked this deal. here are some insights from a poster on the NCAAbbs Sun Belt board:
Trojan Campaign wrote:This deal was worked out in 2009 back when Sun Belt football and a few other sports were struggling. Since thenClick Here for NCAAbs Thread
I know I'm missing a lot but point I'm making is that since 2009 I think the Sun Belt took a 180 from the direction it was headed and has improved A LOT. If we improve on the football season we had last year or even match it I think we have an argument for better TV rights the next time we can sign.
- -FIU has become a regular contender for the conference title
-The Cajuns averaged over 28K attendance and won a bowl
-FAU built a new football stadium
-UNT built a new football stadium
-Troy built a new basketball arena
-In the 2011 football season four teams had winning records and two had nine wins or more.
-The Sun Belt sent 3 of it's 10 teams to the NCAA regional in 2011
-Sun Belt conference is no longer the worst conference courtesy of the WAC
-The conference commissioner has changed and brings are more aggressive approach.
Keeping in mind that the league's most attractive schools from a TV contract basis (FIU & UNT) are rumored to be atop the Alliance's wish list for expansion, I agree with the poster's sentiments. The Sun Belt has shown significant development the past few years. That is one of the reasons that Karl Benson jumped ship from the WAC to become the league's new commissioner starting next week. But you also have to remember that TV networks don't have a license to print money. The new mega-conference deals are likely to go up significantly depleting the cash reserves of the ESPNs & Fox Sports Nets of the world. The good news is that there are some new players on the national scene led by NBC Sports Channel. They are anxious to get into the college football game ... ditto for their regional Comcast Sports Net partners.
The Sun Belt can't begin to negotiate until this current wave of realignment finishes its transitions. Frankly it is my personal opinion that the league would gladly bend over backwards to get a weekly slot on ESPN2 or a new secondary deal with NBC Sports or CBS Sports. That certainly is the hope of the Sun Belt presidents who brought in Benson. But let's be honest ... Benson doesn't have a stellar TV track record.
On the positive side, the league does have an attractive geographic footprint especially if they can remain in Florida & Texas.
- By LUGrad2000
- By ballah09