Fox Sports 1 Update

[booyah]

Stever -

Has Frank the Tank said it was a mistake for the Big East to go with Fox? I follow his blog but I got the impression he thinks the Big East came out well, considering the old iteration fell apart. Maybe I missed it? If you got something where he says the Big East should have cut whatever deal with ESPN i would like to see it.

Would be interested to be proven wrong reFrank, but I think the Big East - Fox partnership has been fantastic, with a lot of upside if Fox can improve their product. We clearly are making more money with the Fox partnership than we would have with ESPN, we're getting more televised games etc. and its showing up on the court - St. John's is not pulling in Mullin and his assistants on the AAC or A10 agreements. Sure for the fewer games we would have had on ESPN/ESPN2 we would have had better ratings, but thats why the contract is so long.

Which brings up one thing that bugs me. When people get into these tiffs about FS1, they need to do it thinking about the entirety of the contract. We're getting over compensated upfront for taking the plunge with a new sports network/lesser audience (and possibly for leaving behind the Big East NCAA credits which Uconn/Cincy/USF are burning through) By the end of contract, we'll be underpaid, but FS1's growth in ratings compensates us for that. Win-win. Looking at the contract on a yearly basis like too many are doing is just silly.

Big caveat to all this is if the bottom falls out of televised sports on cable, in which case all NCAA conferences are equally screwed.

[Jet915]

USA vs. Mexico 2-2 in OT right now on FS1.

[stever20]

Frank The Tank said that the Big East shouldn't have gone all in with Fox but rather given ESPN a part of the deal.

Regarding the # of games getting televised. It's one thing to have games televised- but when you hear stuff like 8 of the 10 lowest rated broadcasts of the year are Big East teams- it doesn't help.

Also, it just can't be assumed that FS1's ratings will automatically grow. As importantly, the things that would improve the ratings for FS1 don't necessarily help the Big East. I mean, lets say FS1 strikes it absolutely crazy rich and gets the entire Big Ten tv deal. For basketball that's like 5 games a week- like 2-3 week nights and 2 weekends. Right now, Big East has at least 3 weeknight games every week, and some weeks 4 weeknight games. With the other stuff that FS1(Pac 12 which does have some 9pm start games, UFC, boxing, etc., there's something that would have to give. And that likely would be the Big East. Big Ten's not signing up to be on FS2 or FSN.

[stever20]

USA vs. Mexico 2-2 in OT right now on FS1.

Does Fox or ESPN get the Confederations Cup in 2017? For whichever one, real bad break to now not have the USA in the tourney.

[NJRedman]

Everything is a real bad break for Fox with you!

'Hey FS1 has the MLB playoffs!"

"yeah but they have a bad bunch or markets and the Toronto viewers wont be counted towards the ratings so MLB is now going to force Fox to carry the games OTA or their gonna go to ESPN!"

"Hey FS1 has a great Mexico/USA game!"

"Yeah but USA lost so now the confederations cup wont get as high of ratings, now FIFA is gonna pull out of their contract and go with ESPN."

You can't say the ratings will be bad because Fox doesn't air the games in Canada then use the excuse of low ratings to say MLB is gonna force Fox's hand. But why am I even wasting my breathe.

Oh and Frank doesn't agree with you about our TV contract. He pretty much comes along to point out where your wrong and then you ignore everything he says that goes against your viewpoint.

[booyah]

Of course itd be nice to have more games on ESPN (as opposed to ESPN2, ESPN3 or ESPNNews). It doesnt take Frank to tell any of us that.

If we go back a couple of years, the AAC and A10 got destroyed in their negotiations with ESPN. The Big East now would have more leverage, but as a 'new' conference at the time, I have my doubts on the deal they could have gotten with ESPN. Aresco claimed they sacrificed money for visibility. Heres what that amounts to for the AAC bball programs in 2015-2016:

ESPN games: http://theamerican.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball&
11/27 (USF v. Kentucky)*
12/8 UConn v Maryland*
1/28 UConn v. Cincy (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/11 UConn v. Temple (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/18 UConn v. SMU (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/20 UConn v. Cincy (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/25 SMU v. Memphis (ESPN/ESPN2)
3.16 UConn v. SMU (ESPN/ESPN2)

Thats it. Maryland and Kentucky are featured in the only guaranteed ESPN games (as opposed to ESPN2 etc.). Whats this partial deal Big East should have gotten? I'd assume the games ESPN would want (Gtown/Nova etc.) are the ones that give FS1 the most value. Take those away and the value of the FS1 deal plummets. And yes, I understand ESPN2 has had better ratings than FS1, but we're starting to see FS1 being competitive. I doubt you are making your point about ESPN2 anyway?

Stever, I don't see the deal you are referring to as being on the table.

[Jet915]

Of course itd be nice to have more games on ESPN (as opposed to ESPN2, ESPN3 or ESPNNews). It doesnt take Frank to tell any of us that.

If we go back a couple of years, the AAC and A10 got destroyed in their negotiations with ESPN. The Big East now would have more leverage, but as a 'new' conference at the time, I have my doubts on the deal they could have gotten with ESPN. Aresco claimed they sacrificed money for visibility. Heres what that amounts to for the AAC bball programs in 2015-2016:

ESPN games: http://theamerican.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball&
11/27 (USF v. Kentucky)*
12/8 UConn v Maryland*
1/28 UConn v. Cincy (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/11 UConn v. Temple (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/18 UConn v. SMU (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/20 UConn v. Cincy (ESPN/ESPN2)
2/25 SMU v. Memphis (ESPN/ESPN2)
3.16 UConn v. SMU (ESPN/ESPN2)

Thats it. Maryland and Kentucky are featured in the only guaranteed ESPN games (as opposed to ESPN2 etc.). Whats this partial deal Big East should have gotten? I'd assume the games ESPN would want (Gtown/Nova etc.) are the ones that give FS1 the most value. Take those away and the value of the FS1 deal plummets. And yes, I understand ESPN2 has had better ratings than FS1, but we're starting to see FS1 being competitive. I doubt you are making your point about ESPN2 anyway?

Stever, I don't see the deal you are referring to as being on the table.

Ouch, I see alot of ESPN3 on that schedule.

[MUPanther]

I love the announcers that the Big East has on FS1 and CBSSN!

[MUPanther]

While Colin Cowherd has been getting solid numbers, the 1 hour clip show has not. Bring back American Pregame and call it Fox Sports Live.

[MUPanther]

Friday
1.20 rating MLBN 12:30 pm TEX Rangers at TOR Blue Jays Game 2
1.60 rating FS1 3:45 pm HOU Astros at KC Royals Game 2
3.50 rating TBS 6:30 pm CHI Cubs at STL Cardinals Game 1
3.76 rating TBS 9:30 pm NY Mets at LA Dodgers Game 1

Saturday
3.12 rating TBS 5:30 pm CHI Cubs at STL Cardinals Game 2
3.28 rating TBS 9:00 pm NY Mets at LA Dodgers Game 2

Sunday
1.23 rating MLBN 4:00 pm KC Royals at HOU Astros Game 3
1.66 rating FS1 8:00 pm TOR Blue Jays at TEX Rangers Game 3