Florida State president says school addressing sexual assaults
"Florida State is not waiting for the federal government to complete an investigation into the university's responses to sexual assaults before it adds additional experts to the staff and adopts a new model for making students aware of their responsibilities for maintaining a safe campus.
Garnett Stokes, FSU's interim president, said Monday that the university is in the process of hiring a Title IX director and two sexual violence prevention coordinators before the fall term begins in five weeks.
FSU is one of 66 colleges and universities as of July 9 identified by the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights as officially under investigation for possible Title IX violations.
The university faced the glare of the national spotlight last fall when James Winston, FSU's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, was named in a sexual assault complaint. He was never charged.
Stokes, addressing the Tallahassee Democrat editorial board for the first time since she replaced Eric Barron on April 2 as FSU's leader, made it very clear how she feels about sexual violence. "From my perspective," Stokes said, "one sexual assault is too many."
The university has formed several committees to assess its response to sexual violence, and it is preparing to make changes that could take effect next month, Stokes said.
"We are getting a training module that we will use for our freshmen and intend to extend that to he the entire campus," she said.
Neena Chaudhry, senior counsel and director of Equal Opportunities in Athletics at the National Women's Law Center in Washington, D.C., described the efforts under way at FSU as "a step in the right direction."
"Nationwide, we are certainly seeing a number of institutions that need to do a better job of addressing sexual assaults and harassment. There's been a real increased awareness of students across the country who are really elevating this issue," she said. "I think many people need to do a better job. The law hasn't changed, but I think we're seeing that too many schools don't have proper polities and procedures in place."
Stokes said FSU has had a comprehensive approach for responding to sexual violence. The Office of Civil Rights in 2013 issued a public letter addressing sexual assaults on campus, and President Obama has given the issue a high profile.
"I wouldn't want to say it's all about trying to meet the guidelines coming out of the White House at this point. For me, for our campus, it's about making sure we're doing the right thing for our campus and our students," Stokes said. "Making sure we know what best practices are is pretty critical."
FSU's film school is working with student government to produce a short movie that addresses bystander responsibilities when sexual assaults are taking place. Stokes cited that as one example of the university trying to become a national leader in addressing a problem that extends far beyond campus borders."
Friday, July 25, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Teel Time: ACC commissioner John Swofford on player safety, bowl revenue
Good news on the bowl distribution 'tweak'....of course, who knows what that tweak is, but at least it is admitting it is a problem. I just hope we stop seeing successful football teams losing money. It sends a very loud message to the conference. Perhaps this new tweak has full addressed this. We will soon find out.
The bowl revenue gap per team per year is approx. $1 Million against the other Power 5 and David Teel did his very best to excuse it away. It is a loss for the ACC and for Swofford. Teels mindset is reflective of the ACC overall which is just a real loser mentality. Just happy to be here. It screams 'Big East.'
The ACC should expect better and it should clearly see this was a case of Swofford asleep at the wheel. Stop making excuses for him ACC.
I fear the day we have similar comments when an ACC Network proves to not provide major revenue like the other Power 5 see.
Teel Time: ACC commissioner John Swofford on player safety, bowl revenue
"The remainder of my interview with Swofford focused on postseason football revenue and bowl pairings. At the 2013 Kickoff, Swofford said he expected the conference to adjust its bowl distributions to ease the ticket and travel expenses that often burdened participating schools, so I asked if that had indeed occurred.
“We have tweaked it, both for our championship game and for bowls,” he said. “And we’ve adjusted the ticket allotment, too. So all of that has been (changed) since last year, to the benefit of the participating schools. … We don’t want teams financially penalized by their success.”
Swofford confirmed that the disparity in the ACC’s $27.5 Orange Bowl payout and the $40 million the other power five conferences receive from their respective contract bowls is due to opponent. While the Sugar (SEC vs. Big 12) and Rose (Pacific 12 vs. Big Ten) have league champions on both sides of their game, the Orange has the ACC against the highest-ranked available non-champion from the SEC or Big Ten, or Notre Dame.
“That’s the distinct difference in those three bowls,” Swofford said, “and yet our payout from the Orange Bowl is going to be more than we received from the BCS. So it’s a terrific deal for us.”
While the Sugar and Rose payouts are 45 percent larger than the Orange, the $12.5 million disparity calculates to a modest $892,000 for each of the ACC’s 14 football members."
The bowl revenue gap per team per year is approx. $1 Million against the other Power 5 and David Teel did his very best to excuse it away. It is a loss for the ACC and for Swofford. Teels mindset is reflective of the ACC overall which is just a real loser mentality. Just happy to be here. It screams 'Big East.'
The ACC should expect better and it should clearly see this was a case of Swofford asleep at the wheel. Stop making excuses for him ACC.
I fear the day we have similar comments when an ACC Network proves to not provide major revenue like the other Power 5 see.
Teel Time: ACC commissioner John Swofford on player safety, bowl revenue
"The remainder of my interview with Swofford focused on postseason football revenue and bowl pairings. At the 2013 Kickoff, Swofford said he expected the conference to adjust its bowl distributions to ease the ticket and travel expenses that often burdened participating schools, so I asked if that had indeed occurred.
“We have tweaked it, both for our championship game and for bowls,” he said. “And we’ve adjusted the ticket allotment, too. So all of that has been (changed) since last year, to the benefit of the participating schools. … We don’t want teams financially penalized by their success.”
Swofford confirmed that the disparity in the ACC’s $27.5 Orange Bowl payout and the $40 million the other power five conferences receive from their respective contract bowls is due to opponent. While the Sugar (SEC vs. Big 12) and Rose (Pacific 12 vs. Big Ten) have league champions on both sides of their game, the Orange has the ACC against the highest-ranked available non-champion from the SEC or Big Ten, or Notre Dame.
“That’s the distinct difference in those three bowls,” Swofford said, “and yet our payout from the Orange Bowl is going to be more than we received from the BCS. So it’s a terrific deal for us.”
While the Sugar and Rose payouts are 45 percent larger than the Orange, the $12.5 million disparity calculates to a modest $892,000 for each of the ACC’s 14 football members."
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Which Football School Has the Most Alums in NYC?
Which Football School Has the Most Alums in NYC?
"Since no college football powerhouses reside in the five boroughs (sorry, Fordham Rams), we set out to determine which non-local football school has the biggest alumni contingent in the city. Among the 30 schools surveyed, Penn State was tops with 23,000 alumni in the metro New York area, according to their alumni association. Michigan, one of Penn State's Big Ten rivals, fared well, too, with 12,592. Meanwhile, the Southeastern Conference, whose teams dominate on the field, has few schools with a significant number of alumni. This disparity is also reflected in TV ratings. Six of the top 10-rated games in the New York market last season were Big Ten games while only one of the top 10 featured an SEC team.
The alumni numbers may signal why college football isn't a priority in the city—after all, traditional basketball mecca Georgetown has six times as many alumni in the area as Alabama, the No. 1 football team in the land.
But there are still plenty of college football-obsessed alumni to make Saturdays in New York an event. "If you want to see the popularity of college football in New York, all you need you to do is make your way from bar to bar on a Saturday afternoon," said New Meadowlands Stadium CEO Mark Lamping, who is in charge of scheduling college games at the new stadium. "You move from block to block and there are SEC fans, Big 10 fans, Pac-10 fans."
The Meadowlands can expect a few more fans, as well. Three of the schools with high alumni figures—Penn State, Southern California and Notre Dame—will play there in the next four years. "
Saturday's Loudest Cheers
Here is a sampling of some big football programs' alumni in metro New York City, according to their respective alumni associations.| College | Alumni |
| Alabama | 2,000 |
| Auburn | 1,336 |
| Florida | 8,400 |
| Florida State | 7,950 |
| Georgia | 3,085 |
| LSU | 2,100 |
| Michigan | 12,592 |
| Nebraska | 3,171 |
| North Carolina | 10,300 |
| College | Alumni |
| Notre Dame | 3,040 |
| Ohio State | 4,600 |
| Oklahoma | 1,975 |
| Penn State | 23,000 |
| Southern California | 7,000 |
| Stanford | 9,058 |
| Texas | 7,180 |
| Utah | 3,600 |
| West Virginia | 732 |
Dedicated channel is final frontier for ACC
Interesting read. Happy to read anything from ACC media on 'media day.' This makes some decent counter points to criticism, but some is just excuse. FSU fans noted the subpar production value of the event and many noted it was stark:
"You want the most perfect visual example of the lack of understanding of how important football is to the ACC?
on some Between Two Ferns type of stuff."
I don't know if basketball media day is equivalent or not, but again, the ACC has to start showing football matters....that it is the big leagues, it feels time and time again that it falls short in doing this.
Similar feelings on the network points....some valid, but I just get the vibe that ACC media is setting the stage to excuse Swofford when he fails. It doesn't matter....he brings in the money or he doesn't.
A fail will be a fail and it will have consequences in the future no matter how ACC media tries to paint it.
Again, this just gives off the vibe the ACC is trying to prep everyone for being the weakest of the Power 5 and this is a problem. If the ACC added weak northern teams for their markets and we can't monetize those markets....why add them? That is a business fail.
I understand it might take a year or two more to make this work, IF POSSIBLE, but I don't get warm fuzzies, and I don't think the ACC media does either.
Dedicated channel is final frontier for ACC
"The Atlantic Coast Conference wrapped up their annual "Kickoff" media event in Greensboro with a new sense of swagger, eschewing the typical fluffy marketing points meant to prop up the brand. Florida State had their BCS National Championship hardware and reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback providing tangible results. The Seminoles are legitimate candidates to repeat and Clemson represents a viable opportunity for two conference teams to make the new College Football Playoff.
"You want the most perfect visual example of the lack of understanding of how important football is to the ACC?
on some Between Two Ferns type of stuff."
I don't know if basketball media day is equivalent or not, but again, the ACC has to start showing football matters....that it is the big leagues, it feels time and time again that it falls short in doing this.
Similar feelings on the network points....some valid, but I just get the vibe that ACC media is setting the stage to excuse Swofford when he fails. It doesn't matter....he brings in the money or he doesn't.
A fail will be a fail and it will have consequences in the future no matter how ACC media tries to paint it.
Again, this just gives off the vibe the ACC is trying to prep everyone for being the weakest of the Power 5 and this is a problem. If the ACC added weak northern teams for their markets and we can't monetize those markets....why add them? That is a business fail.
I understand it might take a year or two more to make this work, IF POSSIBLE, but I don't get warm fuzzies, and I don't think the ACC media does either.
Dedicated channel is final frontier for ACC
"The Atlantic Coast Conference wrapped up their annual "Kickoff" media event in Greensboro with a new sense of swagger, eschewing the typical fluffy marketing points meant to prop up the brand. Florida State had their BCS National Championship hardware and reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback providing tangible results. The Seminoles are legitimate candidates to repeat and Clemson represents a viable opportunity for two conference teams to make the new College Football Playoff.
There was a record amount of credentialed media for ACC Kickoff, including close to 20 different radio shows. Realignment no longer cast a shadow over the proceedings, with the conference fully entrenched in the "Power 5" and ongoing NCAA autonomy discussions. Commissioner John Swofford was at ease during his "State of the ACC" on Sunday, pleased with where the ACC is positioned going into the next chapter of college athletics. Even the local coaches put up with our selfie shenanigans.
But some folks couldn't leave well enough alone. They couldn't be chill and enjoy the laid back atmosphere provided by the Grandover Resort, which is a welcome break for some national media types who make the trip following the insanity of SEC media days. No, they had to compare the two events and conferences.
Laken Litman ✔ @LakenLitman Follow
In fairness, the image does a good job highlighting how low key the ACC media event is compared to the SEC. However, is having a lobby filled with crazy fans for a non-event specifically designed to help the media create preview content for the upcoming season something every conference strives to duplicate? Not really.
The SEC has skewed the perception of what is acceptable for other conferences to the point where otherwise intelligent members of the media resort to saying illogical things on social media.
Pete Thamel ✔ @SIPeteThamel Follow
For starters, SEC coaches were doing their annual carwash for ESPN. The same carwash will happen for ACC coaches next week. Secondly, did Thamel forget the SEC media event took place in Hoover, Alabama? The location didn't stop anyone from covering it over the span of four days. Thamel's attempt to troll was devoid of any rational thought. Besides, ESPN is doing what any good content machine would do by ramping up their promotion for the new SEC Network.
The SEC, in partnership with ESPN, hopes to create a new revenue stream with that channel. It's the same concept the Big Ten implemented on their own years ago, which has given them a license to print money thanks to cable/satellite subscriber rates. The channel partnership with ESPN is something the ACC hopes to replicate soon in order to keep up with the football Joneses, but right now the ACC is in wait-and-see mode as ESPN works through launching the SEC Network.
If Swofford is Link from "The Legend of Zelda," the ACC channel would be his Master Sword. The commissioner already has his shield, arrows and bombs in the form of third tier rights, Florida State being "back" and Notre Dame's partial membership. But that channel is the final piece of equipment needed to finally defeat the ACC's ongoing perception woes.
Unfortunately for Swofford, the commissioner has two issues to work through before the ACC hits your channel guide. Both are out of his control.
The SEC Network has signed agreements with Comcast, AT&T, Dish Network and Cox. Time Warner Cable and DirecTV are considered forgone conclusions to sign similar deals before the start of the football season. ESPN will no doubt look at this as a roaring success, but are they confident a similar rollout can be achieved with the ACC? The footprint isn't as rabid as the SEC base and providers will have to stomach another another dollar-per-subscriber to the overall bill.
"Some of it is wait and see because ESPN's primary focus has been getting the SEC channel off the ground," Swofford explain to 99.9FM The Fan. "It's not dormant in terms of our conversations with ESPN. As we've said from the beginning it will probably be two to three year process to make a determination for if and when we go that route."
And that gets us to the other issue face a potential ACC channel. Internet and mobile are disrupting the way we watch television. Throw in the consolidation of distributors and it's impossible to predict how sports fans will consume media in the next five years.
"While we're going through this exercise, that world can change," Swofford conceded. "We need to make our own decision, along with our partner ESPN, for what's best for the longer term future."
Potential government intervention that would allow à la carte options, where viewers could customize their cable/satellite channels, could also negatively impact these conference specific channels in terms of how much money they'd generate. The WWE recently launched their own streaming network in February, bypassing cable and satellite, for $9.99 a month. The WWE's stated goal was 1 million subscribers by the end of 2014. According to reports, the network currently has over 650,000. Go ahead and do the math. It's not bad, but the WWE would be making more off the millions of subscribers who passively pay for it in their cable/satellite bill.
However, the WWE is banking on audiences cutting the cord the same way some have done with Netflix and Hulu. It could very well be the future of how we consume media, but it's not there yet. To the conference's credit, they recognize the shifting television landscape and have made sure every ACC game will be available on some sort of platform. They've also made the Digital Network adaptive to social media trends and is available on devices like AppleTV and Roku.
All of that is great for fans, but every conference's goal is to make money off their product. So how does the ACC take care of the bottom line? If anyone figures that out, Swofford is ready to take your meeting."
But some folks couldn't leave well enough alone. They couldn't be chill and enjoy the laid back atmosphere provided by the Grandover Resort, which is a welcome break for some national media types who make the trip following the insanity of SEC media days. No, they had to compare the two events and conferences.
Laken Litman ✔ @LakenLitman Follow
RT @ForTheWin: The media hotel lobby perfectly illustrates the difference between ACC and SEC: http://usat.ly/WnlNUS
In fairness, the image does a good job highlighting how low key the ACC media event is compared to the SEC. However, is having a lobby filled with crazy fans for a non-event specifically designed to help the media create preview content for the upcoming season something every conference strives to duplicate? Not really.
The SEC has skewed the perception of what is acceptable for other conferences to the point where otherwise intelligent members of the media resort to saying illogical things on social media.
Pete Thamel ✔ @SIPeteThamel Follow
ACC needs to move media day to NYC/Bristol from Greensboro. ESPN basically mocking them by rolling through SEC coaches today.
For starters, SEC coaches were doing their annual carwash for ESPN. The same carwash will happen for ACC coaches next week. Secondly, did Thamel forget the SEC media event took place in Hoover, Alabama? The location didn't stop anyone from covering it over the span of four days. Thamel's attempt to troll was devoid of any rational thought. Besides, ESPN is doing what any good content machine would do by ramping up their promotion for the new SEC Network.
The SEC, in partnership with ESPN, hopes to create a new revenue stream with that channel. It's the same concept the Big Ten implemented on their own years ago, which has given them a license to print money thanks to cable/satellite subscriber rates. The channel partnership with ESPN is something the ACC hopes to replicate soon in order to keep up with the football Joneses, but right now the ACC is in wait-and-see mode as ESPN works through launching the SEC Network.
If Swofford is Link from "The Legend of Zelda," the ACC channel would be his Master Sword. The commissioner already has his shield, arrows and bombs in the form of third tier rights, Florida State being "back" and Notre Dame's partial membership. But that channel is the final piece of equipment needed to finally defeat the ACC's ongoing perception woes.
Unfortunately for Swofford, the commissioner has two issues to work through before the ACC hits your channel guide. Both are out of his control.
The SEC Network has signed agreements with Comcast, AT&T, Dish Network and Cox. Time Warner Cable and DirecTV are considered forgone conclusions to sign similar deals before the start of the football season. ESPN will no doubt look at this as a roaring success, but are they confident a similar rollout can be achieved with the ACC? The footprint isn't as rabid as the SEC base and providers will have to stomach another another dollar-per-subscriber to the overall bill.
"Some of it is wait and see because ESPN's primary focus has been getting the SEC channel off the ground," Swofford explain to 99.9FM The Fan. "It's not dormant in terms of our conversations with ESPN. As we've said from the beginning it will probably be two to three year process to make a determination for if and when we go that route."
And that gets us to the other issue face a potential ACC channel. Internet and mobile are disrupting the way we watch television. Throw in the consolidation of distributors and it's impossible to predict how sports fans will consume media in the next five years.
"While we're going through this exercise, that world can change," Swofford conceded. "We need to make our own decision, along with our partner ESPN, for what's best for the longer term future."
Potential government intervention that would allow à la carte options, where viewers could customize their cable/satellite channels, could also negatively impact these conference specific channels in terms of how much money they'd generate. The WWE recently launched their own streaming network in February, bypassing cable and satellite, for $9.99 a month. The WWE's stated goal was 1 million subscribers by the end of 2014. According to reports, the network currently has over 650,000. Go ahead and do the math. It's not bad, but the WWE would be making more off the millions of subscribers who passively pay for it in their cable/satellite bill.
However, the WWE is banking on audiences cutting the cord the same way some have done with Netflix and Hulu. It could very well be the future of how we consume media, but it's not there yet. To the conference's credit, they recognize the shifting television landscape and have made sure every ACC game will be available on some sort of platform. They've also made the Digital Network adaptive to social media trends and is available on devices like AppleTV and Roku.
All of that is great for fans, but every conference's goal is to make money off their product. So how does the ACC take care of the bottom line? If anyone figures that out, Swofford is ready to take your meeting."
Monday, July 21, 2014
ACC Network info
Great insight.
I still say Swofford forcing Raycom in on the TV contract stinks on ice and the fact the ACC, and what little media it has, didn't seem to give a damn shows how far behind it is the other P5 conferences (which are loaded with fans who would be screaming bloody murder).
That said, this is worth noting...
Re: Comcast gives the SEC $1.40 per Subscriber .... Reply
tdclemsontiger
7/21/2014
"Your analysis about the rights is inaccurate. I good bit inaccurate actually.
Problem #1. Raycom (formerly Jefferson Pilot) does not own any of the original rights to the ACC's content. All of the original rights were signed to ESPN from the original TV contract of 2010. Raycom syndicates its games from ESPN. This is no different that what ESPN does with its other content. For example, ESPN also syndicated SEC content to Fox and I believe Comcast. (Maybe others, but those are the only two I can name right off hand.)
Problem #2. Signing the Tier 3 to ESPN was/is not specifically a hindrance to starting a network. It would be, if the ACC intended to start an up an independent network with another partner, a la Fox and the Big Ten. However, if the ACC follows the SEC model, partnering with ESPN for a spinoff channel, then it's not a problem, because the Tier 3 content would have to be signed over to ESPN anyway.
Selling the Tier 3 rights in and of itself is also not a specific problem, unless you want to follow the Big 12 method of retaining the rights for each school. That method hasn't proved to be particularly fruitful, except in the case of Texas.
Problem #3. The rights do not have to be reacquired from ESPN to start a network. Clearly, if the ACC gets a network, it's going to be through ESPN. This means, ESPN will need all the rights (i.e. Tiers 2 & 3) to start the network. Well, as soon as the rights are reacquired from Raycom/Fox, they will be with ESPN. Here's how it works:
The ACC originally sold the rights to ESPN. ESPN syndicated content with Raycom, and Raycom syndicated with Fox, so you have this sequence:
ACC ---> ESPN ---> Raycom ---> Fox.
To reacquire the rights, they have to flow back in the same way they went out. That means is goes from Fox, back to Raycom, back to ESPN.
ESPN <--- Raycom <--- Fox.
Well, once the rights get back to ESPN, that's it. ESPN would then have all the rights back, so they could then start the network. What you are suggesting is an extra step. You are suggesting that once ESPN reacquires the rights, the ACC has to buy back the rights from ESPN......and then turn right around and sell them back to ESPN:
ACC <--- ESPN <--- Raycom <--- Fox
|-------------^
That's a redundant step. It would make no logical sense for the ACC to buy back the rights from ESPN, then turn around and sell them back to ESPN a second time. What will actually happen is Raycom would buy back from Fox, and the ESPN would by back from Raycom. On paper, the ACC would never actually touch the rights. Now, the ACC will obviously have to compensate ESPN for the expense of repurchasing from Raycom, but that's it. In other words, ESPN won't actually spend any money on reacquiring the rights.
The key to all of this is reacquiring the rights from Raycom. However, that's not dissimilar to what the SEC had to do. As I said, ESPN had syndication deals with Fox and Comcast to syndicate SEC games. ESPN had to buy back those rights (at the SEC's expense). The difference is that those deals only had about 2-3 years remaining, whereas the Raycom deal has about 9-10. The length of the Raycom contract is the biggest issue. "
I still say Swofford forcing Raycom in on the TV contract stinks on ice and the fact the ACC, and what little media it has, didn't seem to give a damn shows how far behind it is the other P5 conferences (which are loaded with fans who would be screaming bloody murder).
That said, this is worth noting...
Re: Comcast gives the SEC $1.40 per Subscriber .... Reply
tdclemsontiger
7/21/2014
"Your analysis about the rights is inaccurate. I good bit inaccurate actually.
Problem #1. Raycom (formerly Jefferson Pilot) does not own any of the original rights to the ACC's content. All of the original rights were signed to ESPN from the original TV contract of 2010. Raycom syndicates its games from ESPN. This is no different that what ESPN does with its other content. For example, ESPN also syndicated SEC content to Fox and I believe Comcast. (Maybe others, but those are the only two I can name right off hand.)
Problem #2. Signing the Tier 3 to ESPN was/is not specifically a hindrance to starting a network. It would be, if the ACC intended to start an up an independent network with another partner, a la Fox and the Big Ten. However, if the ACC follows the SEC model, partnering with ESPN for a spinoff channel, then it's not a problem, because the Tier 3 content would have to be signed over to ESPN anyway.
Selling the Tier 3 rights in and of itself is also not a specific problem, unless you want to follow the Big 12 method of retaining the rights for each school. That method hasn't proved to be particularly fruitful, except in the case of Texas.
Problem #3. The rights do not have to be reacquired from ESPN to start a network. Clearly, if the ACC gets a network, it's going to be through ESPN. This means, ESPN will need all the rights (i.e. Tiers 2 & 3) to start the network. Well, as soon as the rights are reacquired from Raycom/Fox, they will be with ESPN. Here's how it works:
The ACC originally sold the rights to ESPN. ESPN syndicated content with Raycom, and Raycom syndicated with Fox, so you have this sequence:
ACC ---> ESPN ---> Raycom ---> Fox.
To reacquire the rights, they have to flow back in the same way they went out. That means is goes from Fox, back to Raycom, back to ESPN.
ESPN <--- Raycom <--- Fox.
Well, once the rights get back to ESPN, that's it. ESPN would then have all the rights back, so they could then start the network. What you are suggesting is an extra step. You are suggesting that once ESPN reacquires the rights, the ACC has to buy back the rights from ESPN......and then turn right around and sell them back to ESPN:
ACC <--- ESPN <--- Raycom <--- Fox
|-------------^
That's a redundant step. It would make no logical sense for the ACC to buy back the rights from ESPN, then turn around and sell them back to ESPN a second time. What will actually happen is Raycom would buy back from Fox, and the ESPN would by back from Raycom. On paper, the ACC would never actually touch the rights. Now, the ACC will obviously have to compensate ESPN for the expense of repurchasing from Raycom, but that's it. In other words, ESPN won't actually spend any money on reacquiring the rights.
The key to all of this is reacquiring the rights from Raycom. However, that's not dissimilar to what the SEC had to do. As I said, ESPN had syndication deals with Fox and Comcast to syndicate SEC games. ESPN had to buy back those rights (at the SEC's expense). The difference is that those deals only had about 2-3 years remaining, whereas the Raycom deal has about 9-10. The length of the Raycom contract is the biggest issue. "
ACC CON game...
So lots of talk about John Swofford's not so fast talk about the lack of an ACC Network and the revenue that one would hope came with it.
Sadly, there is no progress on the matter. Instead, Swofford has, as one internet poster noted:
"Leave it to the ACC to change the definition of conference network. "
IE, Swofford is attempting to sell to the ACC fan base that the ACC throwing up free content on the internet is the equivalent of the B1G network or the SEC network.
Fortunately for him, the ACC fan base is so tepid, many will actually buy his BS.
If any of these other networks outside the ACC start to net $5-$15 million per year per team over the ACC, look for N.C. and Va schools to start looking to leave in 5-10 years.
BS will only hold this conference together for so long.
DeCock: ACC TV network makes sense, but no slam dunk
"Has the time come for an ACC Network, an actual channel dedicated to the conference?
The easy answer is yes. There has never been a better time to start a sports network of any kind. Live sports moves the broadcast needle like nothing else. Demand among advertisers has never been higher. The increasingly astronomic rights fees broadcasters are paying reflect that.
Yet there are other considerations for the ACC, which is why the conference has taken a surprisingly equivocal tone about its television future – which will be decided alongside ESPN, which holds the conference’s rights through 2027, and could take another two or three years to shake out." "Even a successful conference-specific channel always requires a tradeoff between exposure (on ESPN and other mass-market networks) and money (subscriber fees). For the ACC, that means weighing the reach of the so-called ACC Network, the rebranded Raycom syndication, against the financial benefits of an actual ACC Network. The relative success of ESPN’s newly launched SEC Network will have a lot to say about the direction the ACC goes."
ACC Network will be syndicated in 90 million homes
"The ACC does not have its own standalone cable sports network, but that does not appear to be getting in the way of spreading the ACC brand across the country. On the eve of the ACC Football Kickoff, the ACC released a statement claiming the conference will have football games airing in an estimated 90 million homes this fall."
"With the growth being shown by these numbers and with the Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC dabbling to various degrees of success with their own respective networks, could an actual, standalone ACC Network still be on the way? The idea has been out there for a while now, and the model and framework is now in place with ESPN launching the SEC Network, assuming ESPN would be the broadcast partner for an actual ACC Network. Having a network would likely lead to a financial boost to the ACC, helping it catch up with other power conferences, and if a Division IV split comes of age, then having its own network may be in the ACC’s best interests for years to come.
Swofford may be asked about the idea when he opens the ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, North Carolina on Sunday, especially with the buzz surrounding the launch of the SEC Network. The question is whether the demand for 24-hour coverage of the ACC is there the way it is for the SEC. It may not be, but if the ACC were to launch its own network it would likely be able to boast some quality television markets at launch, including New York, Boston and Atlanta.
If you are an ACC fan, would you want to see an ACC Network made available, or is the syndicated coverage enough to satisfy your ACC football needs?"
Sadly, there is no progress on the matter. Instead, Swofford has, as one internet poster noted:
"Leave it to the ACC to change the definition of conference network. "
IE, Swofford is attempting to sell to the ACC fan base that the ACC throwing up free content on the internet is the equivalent of the B1G network or the SEC network.
Fortunately for him, the ACC fan base is so tepid, many will actually buy his BS.
If any of these other networks outside the ACC start to net $5-$15 million per year per team over the ACC, look for N.C. and Va schools to start looking to leave in 5-10 years.
BS will only hold this conference together for so long.
DeCock: ACC TV network makes sense, but no slam dunk
"Has the time come for an ACC Network, an actual channel dedicated to the conference?
The easy answer is yes. There has never been a better time to start a sports network of any kind. Live sports moves the broadcast needle like nothing else. Demand among advertisers has never been higher. The increasingly astronomic rights fees broadcasters are paying reflect that.
Yet there are other considerations for the ACC, which is why the conference has taken a surprisingly equivocal tone about its television future – which will be decided alongside ESPN, which holds the conference’s rights through 2027, and could take another two or three years to shake out." "Even a successful conference-specific channel always requires a tradeoff between exposure (on ESPN and other mass-market networks) and money (subscriber fees). For the ACC, that means weighing the reach of the so-called ACC Network, the rebranded Raycom syndication, against the financial benefits of an actual ACC Network. The relative success of ESPN’s newly launched SEC Network will have a lot to say about the direction the ACC goes."
ACC Network will be syndicated in 90 million homes
"The ACC does not have its own standalone cable sports network, but that does not appear to be getting in the way of spreading the ACC brand across the country. On the eve of the ACC Football Kickoff, the ACC released a statement claiming the conference will have football games airing in an estimated 90 million homes this fall."
"With the growth being shown by these numbers and with the Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC dabbling to various degrees of success with their own respective networks, could an actual, standalone ACC Network still be on the way? The idea has been out there for a while now, and the model and framework is now in place with ESPN launching the SEC Network, assuming ESPN would be the broadcast partner for an actual ACC Network. Having a network would likely lead to a financial boost to the ACC, helping it catch up with other power conferences, and if a Division IV split comes of age, then having its own network may be in the ACC’s best interests for years to come.
Swofford may be asked about the idea when he opens the ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, North Carolina on Sunday, especially with the buzz surrounding the launch of the SEC Network. The question is whether the demand for 24-hour coverage of the ACC is there the way it is for the SEC. It may not be, but if the ACC were to launch its own network it would likely be able to boast some quality television markets at launch, including New York, Boston and Atlanta.
If you are an ACC fan, would you want to see an ACC Network made available, or is the syndicated coverage enough to satisfy your ACC football needs?"
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