This is standard operating procedure at FSU, but I am posting just for recording sake.
FSU to interview Thrasher for president
"Allan Bense, chairman of the Florida State University Board of Trustees, insists that state Sen. John Thrasher is not a lock to be FSU's next president.
Trustee Ed Burr, who heads the search committee, says the same thing.
Bense and Burr nonetheless were among a majority of the search committee members who voted Wednesday to make the 70-year-old Thrasher, one of the state's most high-profile politicians and an ardent FSU supporter, the lone candidate they will interview at their next meeting on June 11.
Between now and then, the search committee expects Thrasher to formally apply for the position created when Eric Barron accepted the presidency at Penn State on Feb. 17.
The search committee, charged with recommending candidates to the trustees, took the unusual step of deciding on Thrasher without considering any other individuals because of the "large shadow" Thrasher cast over the process, according to head hunter William Funk.
Faculty and student members of the search committee were united in their opposition in the 15-9 vote, and their colleagues in attendance strongly voiced anti-Thrasher opinions during a 20-minute public comment period. Regina Joseph, vice president of FSU Dream Defenders, vowed that students would march in protest if Thrasher is brought before the trustees as the lone candidate.
Thrasher did not attend Thursday's meeting; he was at his mountain home in North Carolina, but he did speak to the Democrat following the meeting.
"The people who voted for me today are people who know me. The people who didn't vote for me are people who don't know me," Thrasher said. "I'm confident in my abilities and I think once they get to know me, some of them might have a different view. I hope they give me the benefit of the doubt."
When top-level candidates were asked to apply, Funk said, they all declined for one reason: the belief that Thrasher was going to get the job. Funk, who said he had spoken to Thrasher and the St. Augustine Republican indicated interest in the job, urged the committee to vet Thrasher and decide one way or the other on his candidacy. The other option, he said, was to continue a flawed search hindered by Thrasher's presence.
But there was at least a third option, said search member Eric Walker, chairman of FSU's English department.
"I'd be more than happy for Sen. Thrasher to withdraw his candidacy to the university. I think it would be a great thing for him to do, because I don't think he's a good candidate," Walker said. "I think we can do better. I think it would undo all the progress we made under Eric Barron. It would put us at risk."
Search committee members expect to interview Thrasher at their June 11 meeting to decide if they want to consider him as a candidate at a time the university is making a concerted push to move from No. 40 to the nation's Top 25 of public universities. That would entail having Thrasher meet with FSU faculty, students and alumni, among other constituency groups.
Funk has received 11 applications for FSU's top job, but none are top-tier candidates for a major research university, he said.
Former state Sen. Al Lawson, a member of the search committee, urged the disgruntled faculty members to use their contacts to encourage premier academics to apply to be FSU's president. The job remains open, Burr stressed.
Faculty members were nevertheless taken aback by the unusual nature of the search process, where they were being asked to consider only one candidate who had not even formally applied for the position.
English Professor Ned Stuckey-French, addressing the search committee, said there was a simple explanation for the unusual nature of the search.
"The reason (the search) is not normal is because Sen. Thrasher has hijacked it," he said.
Stuckey-French and others pointed to Thrasher's controversial attempt during the recent legislative session to uncouple the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, a move that FSU administrators welcomed while FAMU leaders were vehemently opposed to the move. Lawmakers eventually decided to approve $500,000 for the Board of Governors to commission a study of the joint program.
While Thrasher has successfully steered tens of millions of dollars to FSU from his seats in the Capitol, his detractors point to his lack of experience in higher education.
Thrasher this week received a glowing endorsement from former FSU President Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte, a Democrat, who wrote a three-page letter to the search firm nominating Thrasher.
"I would think if I'm John Thrasher, that's helpful," Bense said. "Many of us respect Sandy. I would think that would go a long way."
"Let the backlash begin.
One day after Florida State President Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte nominated Sen. John Thrasher to be the university's next president, the Florida State chapter of the United Faculty of Florida said it had "lost confidence" in the search.
"We now believe that there is ample evidence indicating that this process is not being conducted fairly, is not open and transparent, and is ignoring the needs of the faculty, students and taxpayers," the UFF said in a press release.
The group called on the university to add more faculty members to the search committee and change search firms.
The current firm "has exhibited a serious lack of regard for the opinions and input of our faculty and appears to be pursuing an agenda different than that of an open and honest search for the best candidates," the UFF said.
Earlier Wednesday, a coalition of student activists spoke out against Thrasher's nomination.
"Students are upset with the lack of transparency that this search process has undergone," the Tallahassee Dream Defenders, Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society, Florida State University Progress Coalition and Graduate Assistants United said in a statement.
The groups also expressed concern that the 30-member student search committee has only four members of color. And they pointed out that Thrasher had recently proposed splitting the FAMU-FSU engineering school -- a move they say would treat FAMU students "like second-class citizens."
"Florida State students and community members want a president who cares about the education of black and brown people, no matter what campus," the groups said. "FSU students demand a president who is ethically responsible."
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
FSU good ole boy club is about to strike again
Sad day for FSU....but as has been detailed....it is how FSU is run.
doug blackburn @dblackburn FSU English dept chair Eric Walker says one option is have @John_Thrasher take himself out of the running. @TDOnline
doug blackburn @dblackburn
@dblackburn
doug blackburn @dblackburn
D'Alemberte, an unabashed Democrat, notes in his letter that his support for Thrasher crosses party lines. Thrasher, a Republican from St. Augustine, is co-chair of Gov. Rick Scott's re-election campaign, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and a former speaker of the House who remains a powerful presence in the Legislature.
"In an ideal world, I would not say that John was the best candidate, but in the world we live in I would say he is the best candidate," D'Alemberte told the Democrat Tuesday.
Document: Sandy D'Alemberte nominates Thrasher for FSU president
FSU professors, speaking during the public comment portion of the search committee's first meeting, made it clear that they want an academic and not a politician for FSU's next president. FSU Provost Garnett Stokes has been serving as interim president since Barron's departure.
D'Alemberte contends that Thrasher has the ability to work the halls of the Capitol to bring much-needed funding to the university. Thrasher served as chairman of the FSU Board of Trustees during the final years of D'Alemberte's eight-year presidency, which ended in January 2003.
The 14-year-old FSU medical school is named after Thrasher in honor of the legislation he engineered."
Documents: D'Alemberte nominates Thrasher for FSU president
doug blackburn
doug blackburn
Head hunter tells FSU search panel that
Thrasher "casts a large shadow over the process." @TDOnline
doug blackburn
FSU Dream Defenders chapter vows to be at today's presidential search panel mtg and says it will protest a Thrasher presidency. @TDOnline
doug blackburn
Tomorrow's FSU presidential search committee meeting should be a hum-dinger. Faculty will be on extra high alert.
List of applicants foro #FSU president has grown by one. Now at 11. I'm not recognizing one name on list.
"Former Florida State President Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte has nominated state Sen. John Thrasher to be FSU's president, filling the void created when Eric Barron was hired by Penn State in mid-February.
D'Alemberte's three-page letter endorsing Thrasher was sent to William Funk, the Dallas-based head hunter hired to help FSU find a new leader, on Monday, two days before FSU's presidential search advisory committee is set to meet.D'Alemberte, an unabashed Democrat, notes in his letter that his support for Thrasher crosses party lines. Thrasher, a Republican from St. Augustine, is co-chair of Gov. Rick Scott's re-election campaign, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and a former speaker of the House who remains a powerful presence in the Legislature.
"In an ideal world, I would not say that John was the best candidate, but in the world we live in I would say he is the best candidate," D'Alemberte told the Democrat Tuesday.
Document: Sandy D'Alemberte nominates Thrasher for FSU president
FSU professors, speaking during the public comment portion of the search committee's first meeting, made it clear that they want an academic and not a politician for FSU's next president. FSU Provost Garnett Stokes has been serving as interim president since Barron's departure.
D'Alemberte contends that Thrasher has the ability to work the halls of the Capitol to bring much-needed funding to the university. Thrasher served as chairman of the FSU Board of Trustees during the final years of D'Alemberte's eight-year presidency, which ended in January 2003.
The 14-year-old FSU medical school is named after Thrasher in honor of the legislation he engineered."
Documents: D'Alemberte nominates Thrasher for FSU president
FSU student leaders announce million-dollar campaign
Initiative will seek to encourage student groups to donate to university causes
"Florida State University student leaders Monday said they will launch a fundraising initiative to coincide with the launch of the university’s high-profile Billion Dollar Capital Campaign this fall, joining other initiatives in the university’s push to rank among the nation’s top 25 public universities.
The main idea of the Student Million Dollar Capital Campaign is to encourage student groups on FSU’s campus to give to areas of the university that coincide with their interests, according to Student Body President Stefano Cavallaro. He said the long-term goal of the initiative is to get students in the habit of donating to the university, even after they graduate.
“There are groups on campus that have fundraisers and philanthropies for organizations outside FSU, and that’s a great thing,” Cavallaro said. “But we want to encourage them to donate to the university in areas that will benefit them and FSU as a whole.”
The initiative is the brainchild of the university’s three student direct support organizations: Student Seminole Boosters, the Student Alumni Association and the FSU Student Foundation.
Along with initiatives such as the faculty and staff-run “25 for 25” campaign and the Billion Dollar Capital Campaign, the million-dollar campaign is aimed at advancing the university’s high-profile goal of ranking among the top 25 public universities in the U.S., a goal set by former FSU President Eric Barron last year.
Barron left the university in April to take on the presidency at Pennsylvania State University, raising concerns among the FSU community of whether the initiatives would continue in Barron’s absence. The university has since decided to push on with the campaigns.
The campaign’s announcement Monday marks only a soft launch for the initiative. With the program still in its infancy, the summer months will act as a planning period for a full launch in the fall during football season. But Cavallaro said the purpose of the soft launch is to put the campaign on the radar of potential donors and student groups.
The million dollar capital campaign is meant to launch along with the university’s larger Billion Dollar Capital Campaign, which is now past its halfway mark and will see its vital public launch during this year’s football season. Andrew Wilson, FSU’s student body chief of staff and the president of Seminole Student Boosters, said the student initiative would launch shortly after the billion-dollar campaign around Florida State’s Homecoming football game.
But the campaign faces the challenge of convincing student groups to donate to Florida State and its causes, rather than outside organizations and charities that may have previously been the recipient of such student donations, such as national philanthropies. The million-dollar campaign seeks to turn more student group fundraising toward university efforts.
“We want to get students conditioned to giving to FSU while they’re still here,” Wilson said. According to Wilson, students gave more than $250,000 to the university last year, a fact he said makes the idea of a million-dollar capital campaign a realistic prospect.
For Now, Wilson said the campaign’s executive committee will meet biweekly as they lock down a marketing strategy for the initiative and plan for its full launch later this year."
Along with initiatives such as the faculty and staff-run “25 for 25” campaign and the Billion Dollar Capital Campaign, the million-dollar campaign is aimed at advancing the university’s high-profile goal of ranking among the top 25 public universities in the U.S., a goal set by former FSU President Eric Barron last year.
Barron left the university in April to take on the presidency at Pennsylvania State University, raising concerns among the FSU community of whether the initiatives would continue in Barron’s absence. The university has since decided to push on with the campaigns.
The campaign’s announcement Monday marks only a soft launch for the initiative. With the program still in its infancy, the summer months will act as a planning period for a full launch in the fall during football season. But Cavallaro said the purpose of the soft launch is to put the campaign on the radar of potential donors and student groups.
The million dollar capital campaign is meant to launch along with the university’s larger Billion Dollar Capital Campaign, which is now past its halfway mark and will see its vital public launch during this year’s football season. Andrew Wilson, FSU’s student body chief of staff and the president of Seminole Student Boosters, said the student initiative would launch shortly after the billion-dollar campaign around Florida State’s Homecoming football game.
But the campaign faces the challenge of convincing student groups to donate to Florida State and its causes, rather than outside organizations and charities that may have previously been the recipient of such student donations, such as national philanthropies. The million-dollar campaign seeks to turn more student group fundraising toward university efforts.
“We want to get students conditioned to giving to FSU while they’re still here,” Wilson said. According to Wilson, students gave more than $250,000 to the university last year, a fact he said makes the idea of a million-dollar capital campaign a realistic prospect.
For Now, Wilson said the campaign’s executive committee will meet biweekly as they lock down a marketing strategy for the initiative and plan for its full launch later this year."
Monday, May 19, 2014
Gaines Street roundabout to get startling sculpture
Gaines Street roundabout to get startling sculpture
"Gaines Street’s face-lift from a blighted district to a vibrant mix of restaurants, apartments and funky shops will be punctuated by the mother of all exclamation points.
A 20-foot-tall, 18-foot-wide glass sculpture will be featured in a roundabout under construction at Gaines Street and Woodward Avenue, bordering Florida State’s campus. By day, a rainbow of color will shimmer and shift based on the position of sunlight and drivers within the one-lane roundabout.
At night, high-powered LED lights will beam from the sculpture’s inverted cone base into the night sky. Glow from reflections in the clouds will be visible from as far as the Tallahassee Regional Airport.
The image is meant to be an artistic and poetic interpretation of the Seminole spear. As is common with art, other images may surface.
“It was like God is smiling on Gaines Street. For me it had this religious connotation to it,” said Michelle Bono, assistant to the city manager. “Someone else gasped and said, ‘That’s the FSU spear.’ I think that’s what’s cool about art. Different people will interpret different things.”
Master glass artist Kenneth von Roenn, who designs giant, intricate works around the world, came up with the Gaines Street concept. Supporters say it’s an iconic addition to Gaines Street’s landscape and could elevate Tallahassee’s portfolio of public art.
“There was an obvious need for something and this seemed to be an appropriate location,” said Kentucky native von Roenn, designer of the world’s largest glass sculpture — a 500,000-pound piece atop the former Wachovia Bank headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
“I saw this in the very beginning as the exclamation mark on the statement of what Gaines Street is about,” said von Roenn, who’s work is showcased in San Francisco, San Diego and Russia. “In some ways, it’s not a rebirth but a new birth.”
The 1970 FSU graduate returned to Tallahassee less than a year when he was named director of FSU’s Master Craftsman Studios, located on Gaines Street directly adjacent to the intersection. He said the sculpture presented a design challenge.
It had to embody several traits right off: capture the energy of Gaines Street; be tall enough to be seen from a distance; remain open at the base so as not to obstruct driver vision; change in appearance within the roundabout; have two “readings” with a day and night stature; and showcase an affiliation with FSU without being a literal tie.
Phase III of Gaines Street’s construction began two weeks ago. It costs $1.5 million and will be done in time for FSU and Florida A&M University fall semester starts.
The sculpture is comprised of a stainless steel frame with steel cables supporting triangular glass with multi-hued reflectivity. It’s being built by a 10-member team at the studio and will be complete by the end of the year.
The City Commission on Wednesday approved spending $200,000 to build it at cost and it would have had a $500,000 or more price tag under normal circumstances, von Roenn said.
“It’s going to be something,” said city Public Works Director Gabe Menendez, who said von Roenn brought the idea to officials, who immediately jumped on it.
“It will be subtly changing as you work your way around,” Menendez said. “You’ll see different colors literally. You’ll see it go from yellow, to blue, to green to red or violet or whatever the appropriate color scheme is.”
Even with color changes, Menendez said there’s not a concern it will be too distracting for drivers nor are city officials worried about crashes within the 53.5-foot diameter intersection, which is slightly larger than the 41-foot roundabout at Fleischmann and Miccosukee roads.
Menendez also said the roundabout will not be a pedestrian area where onlookers can snap pictures or selfies in front of the sculpture. However designated corners will provide those opportunities. The sculpture will sit on a 2-foot base so if a crash occurs, a swerving car will only skim the round base and not damage the art.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to discourage it,” Menendez said of crashes.
The city hopes to offset the sculpture’s cost through sponsorships, too, Bono said, so someone’s name can be linked to the art.
“From the standpoint of someone who loves Gaines Street or loves FSU, this is a great sponsorship opportunity,” she said. “We are looking for people who want to be associated with that in a large way.”
While the city has put up extra signs indicating business entrances, some questioned whether there’s a better use of the money that could promote the 17 businesses impacted by Gaines Street construction for the next four months.
Misty Sullivan, owner of Bob’s Auto Repair, the oldest business on Gaines Street, said her shop is down $30,000 so far this month compared to May 2013. She was initially angered by the sculpture’s price tag but she’s since taken to the idea of it.
“They have assured me that there are some good things coming,” Sullivan said. “That remains to be seen, and and we look forward to working with them.”
Gaines Street will be the first place to have art within a roundabout but this could be just the beginning. The FAMU Way Extension, a $37-million project, will have five roundabouts and there are opportunities for public art within them, Menendez said, although stressing no firm discussions are taking place just yet.
Amanda Thompson, interim director for the Council on Culture & Art, called von Roenn a “rock star” in the art industry.
“He has some of the most important sculptures in the country and he also has sculptures outside the country,” she said. “Having him here heading up the Master Craftsman Studio is a boon for Tallahassee and FSU.”
She’s especially looking forward to the big reveal once von Roenn’s vision is ready for viewing.
“The more public art we have in this community, the better we all are,” Thompson said. “I personally want to live in a community that demonstrates its love of art and culture. I think we are very lucky in that both our city and county have made a commitment of supporting art and culture and this is a tangible example of that.”
"Gaines Street’s face-lift from a blighted district to a vibrant mix of restaurants, apartments and funky shops will be punctuated by the mother of all exclamation points.
A 20-foot-tall, 18-foot-wide glass sculpture will be featured in a roundabout under construction at Gaines Street and Woodward Avenue, bordering Florida State’s campus. By day, a rainbow of color will shimmer and shift based on the position of sunlight and drivers within the one-lane roundabout.
At night, high-powered LED lights will beam from the sculpture’s inverted cone base into the night sky. Glow from reflections in the clouds will be visible from as far as the Tallahassee Regional Airport.
The image is meant to be an artistic and poetic interpretation of the Seminole spear. As is common with art, other images may surface.
“It was like God is smiling on Gaines Street. For me it had this religious connotation to it,” said Michelle Bono, assistant to the city manager. “Someone else gasped and said, ‘That’s the FSU spear.’ I think that’s what’s cool about art. Different people will interpret different things.”
Master glass artist Kenneth von Roenn, who designs giant, intricate works around the world, came up with the Gaines Street concept. Supporters say it’s an iconic addition to Gaines Street’s landscape and could elevate Tallahassee’s portfolio of public art.
“There was an obvious need for something and this seemed to be an appropriate location,” said Kentucky native von Roenn, designer of the world’s largest glass sculpture — a 500,000-pound piece atop the former Wachovia Bank headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
“I saw this in the very beginning as the exclamation mark on the statement of what Gaines Street is about,” said von Roenn, who’s work is showcased in San Francisco, San Diego and Russia. “In some ways, it’s not a rebirth but a new birth.”
The 1970 FSU graduate returned to Tallahassee less than a year when he was named director of FSU’s Master Craftsman Studios, located on Gaines Street directly adjacent to the intersection. He said the sculpture presented a design challenge.
It had to embody several traits right off: capture the energy of Gaines Street; be tall enough to be seen from a distance; remain open at the base so as not to obstruct driver vision; change in appearance within the roundabout; have two “readings” with a day and night stature; and showcase an affiliation with FSU without being a literal tie.
Phase III of Gaines Street’s construction began two weeks ago. It costs $1.5 million and will be done in time for FSU and Florida A&M University fall semester starts.
The sculpture is comprised of a stainless steel frame with steel cables supporting triangular glass with multi-hued reflectivity. It’s being built by a 10-member team at the studio and will be complete by the end of the year.
The City Commission on Wednesday approved spending $200,000 to build it at cost and it would have had a $500,000 or more price tag under normal circumstances, von Roenn said.
“It’s going to be something,” said city Public Works Director Gabe Menendez, who said von Roenn brought the idea to officials, who immediately jumped on it.
“It will be subtly changing as you work your way around,” Menendez said. “You’ll see different colors literally. You’ll see it go from yellow, to blue, to green to red or violet or whatever the appropriate color scheme is.”
Even with color changes, Menendez said there’s not a concern it will be too distracting for drivers nor are city officials worried about crashes within the 53.5-foot diameter intersection, which is slightly larger than the 41-foot roundabout at Fleischmann and Miccosukee roads.
Menendez also said the roundabout will not be a pedestrian area where onlookers can snap pictures or selfies in front of the sculpture. However designated corners will provide those opportunities. The sculpture will sit on a 2-foot base so if a crash occurs, a swerving car will only skim the round base and not damage the art.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to discourage it,” Menendez said of crashes.
The city hopes to offset the sculpture’s cost through sponsorships, too, Bono said, so someone’s name can be linked to the art.
“From the standpoint of someone who loves Gaines Street or loves FSU, this is a great sponsorship opportunity,” she said. “We are looking for people who want to be associated with that in a large way.”
While the city has put up extra signs indicating business entrances, some questioned whether there’s a better use of the money that could promote the 17 businesses impacted by Gaines Street construction for the next four months.
Misty Sullivan, owner of Bob’s Auto Repair, the oldest business on Gaines Street, said her shop is down $30,000 so far this month compared to May 2013. She was initially angered by the sculpture’s price tag but she’s since taken to the idea of it.
“They have assured me that there are some good things coming,” Sullivan said. “That remains to be seen, and and we look forward to working with them.”
Gaines Street will be the first place to have art within a roundabout but this could be just the beginning. The FAMU Way Extension, a $37-million project, will have five roundabouts and there are opportunities for public art within them, Menendez said, although stressing no firm discussions are taking place just yet.
Amanda Thompson, interim director for the Council on Culture & Art, called von Roenn a “rock star” in the art industry.
“He has some of the most important sculptures in the country and he also has sculptures outside the country,” she said. “Having him here heading up the Master Craftsman Studio is a boon for Tallahassee and FSU.”
She’s especially looking forward to the big reveal once von Roenn’s vision is ready for viewing.
“The more public art we have in this community, the better we all are,” Thompson said. “I personally want to live in a community that demonstrates its love of art and culture. I think we are very lucky in that both our city and county have made a commitment of supporting art and culture and this is a tangible example of that.”
Friday, May 16, 2014
ACC TV Contract & Raycom
Amazed at how the ACC actually thinks they can sell the Raycom justification, but make no mistake, the Raycom giveaway is part of the reason the ACC Network startup is slow AND why the network is not as likely to make much money.
It is good ole boy politics (to enrich Swoffords son and Tobacco Road) using modern day PR to excuse it.
ACC network at least "several years" away, says Swofford
Lou_C 5/15/2014
"Lou_C Wrote:
Totally a red herring. The ACC's deal is with Raycom Sports.
If the ACC didn't cut that deal, ESPN would have produced the content directly to those Raycom stations, or competing local OTA. ESPN cut out Raycom/JP years ago...but guess what, SEC games still showed up at 12:30 on local channels.
ESPN has a division that does EXACTLY what Raycom does. All those stations would have had ACC football on them, they just would have been paying ESPN instead of Raycom Sports. ESPN would have made more, because obviously Raycom Sports has to mark up the deal to make money. ESPN left money on the table by going through a middle man, and it was passed on to the ACC. Only how much it cost the ACC is in dispute.
There is no exposure benefit to the Raycom deal. The ACC could have just as easily mandated that ESPN commit to broadcasting on local channels in the footprint if it was about exposure. Again, the SEC continued to get that local timeslot long after dumping Raycom.
It was nothing but a giveaway. Some can justify it on loyalty grounds, or "old pals" grounds, but there is ZERO business justification for it.
As far as an ACC network? I'd have to be convinced that the money increase would be SUBSTANTIAL for the ACC to marry ESPN in perpetuity, especially in what would still, despite last year's football success, amount to selling low.
Much better than they give it a few years and see how the PAC's privately owned network goes, as well as if ACC football/basketball becomes way more in demand. Why sell low for a couple million more a year?
The closer it gets to the end of the contract, the more television changes to an IPTV setup which GREATLY reduces the cost of startup and eliminates the carriage fights, and fully owned ACC contract becomes more realistic. Then, the ACC's leverage becomes much much greater.
I don't know what the real story is, but I hope this represents the ACC is playing hardball with ESPN.
The SEC was a different story...their value is never going to be higher than it was when they struck the deal, and they needed to do it as the only way to monetize the Texas AM and Mizzou adds.
The ACC is far from peak value, quite the opposite. They need to play this out for MORE money, not for the status of it, and the longer it waits, and the closer the ACC gets to the end of the deal, and the better the ACC performs in revenue sports, and the closer creating a viable IPTV based network gets to being a reality, the more money the ACC will be able to command from ESPN.
DO NOT SELL LOW. If there is anything the ACC needs to have learned from snafus of previous years, it's this. I damn well hope this delay is on our side, not ESPN's."
It is good ole boy politics (to enrich Swoffords son and Tobacco Road) using modern day PR to excuse it.
ACC network at least "several years" away, says Swofford
Lou_C 5/15/2014
"Lou_C Wrote:
(Today 02:36 PM)TIGER-PAUL Wrote: Raycom, an employee-owned company, is one of the nation's largest broadcasters and owns and/or provides services for 53 television stations in 37 markets and 18 states. Raycom stations cover 13.1% of U.S. television households (approx 15 million).
Totally a red herring. The ACC's deal is with Raycom Sports.
If the ACC didn't cut that deal, ESPN would have produced the content directly to those Raycom stations, or competing local OTA. ESPN cut out Raycom/JP years ago...but guess what, SEC games still showed up at 12:30 on local channels.
ESPN has a division that does EXACTLY what Raycom does. All those stations would have had ACC football on them, they just would have been paying ESPN instead of Raycom Sports. ESPN would have made more, because obviously Raycom Sports has to mark up the deal to make money. ESPN left money on the table by going through a middle man, and it was passed on to the ACC. Only how much it cost the ACC is in dispute.
There is no exposure benefit to the Raycom deal. The ACC could have just as easily mandated that ESPN commit to broadcasting on local channels in the footprint if it was about exposure. Again, the SEC continued to get that local timeslot long after dumping Raycom.
It was nothing but a giveaway. Some can justify it on loyalty grounds, or "old pals" grounds, but there is ZERO business justification for it.
As far as an ACC network? I'd have to be convinced that the money increase would be SUBSTANTIAL for the ACC to marry ESPN in perpetuity, especially in what would still, despite last year's football success, amount to selling low.
Much better than they give it a few years and see how the PAC's privately owned network goes, as well as if ACC football/basketball becomes way more in demand. Why sell low for a couple million more a year?
The closer it gets to the end of the contract, the more television changes to an IPTV setup which GREATLY reduces the cost of startup and eliminates the carriage fights, and fully owned ACC contract becomes more realistic. Then, the ACC's leverage becomes much much greater.
I don't know what the real story is, but I hope this represents the ACC is playing hardball with ESPN.
The SEC was a different story...their value is never going to be higher than it was when they struck the deal, and they needed to do it as the only way to monetize the Texas AM and Mizzou adds.
The ACC is far from peak value, quite the opposite. They need to play this out for MORE money, not for the status of it, and the longer it waits, and the closer the ACC gets to the end of the deal, and the better the ACC performs in revenue sports, and the closer creating a viable IPTV based network gets to being a reality, the more money the ACC will be able to command from ESPN.
DO NOT SELL LOW. If there is anything the ACC needs to have learned from snafus of previous years, it's this. I damn well hope this delay is on our side, not ESPN's."
FSU Athletic Endowment
A rare mention of FSU's athletic endowment level.
Re: Is Stan Wilcox a go with the pack guy or a leader?
Jerry Kutz 5/15/2014
"Jerry,
Does the Champions Campaign address what I consider one of our most important budget issues, is it going to finally complete the endowment of all our athletic scholarships?
BTW not impressed so far with Mr. Wilcox but am withholding judgment till he comes out with his master plan. I do agree with PopsNole that we will likely never know what he is saying behind closed doors and he very well may be quite vocal about our concerns but is getting out voted.
This post was edited on 5/15 12:09 PM by Calif_Nole
You ask: "Does the Champions Campaign address what I consider one of our most
important budget issues, is it going to finally complete the endowment
of all our athletic scholarships?"
That is two questions.
To the first question, the answer is: Yes, The Champions Campaign will seek donations to the endowed scholarship fund as well as to athletic facilities.
To the second question, Is it going to finally complete the endowment of all our scholarships, the answer is: Very unlikely. We have less than $70 million in our endowment right now and would need almost $200 million in our endowment to fully fund annual scholarship costs at the current cost (almost $10 million per year) at a 5 percent return on $200 million.
We will ask our members, including those on Warchant, to give to either facilities, the endowment or to increase their annual fund pledge which goes to the operating budget. Successful fundraising campaigns are donor centric and thus far our donors have shown more interest in giving to facilities than to the endowment. I can see our members designating another $25 million to the endowment during the Champions Campaign but it won't come anywhere near the $125-plus million we need to fully fund the endowment in today's dollars unless we get an epic gift from out of no where.
Like most other athletics programs, most gifts to the endowment come through estate gifts. We have quite a few of our donors leave FSU Athletics, notably the scholarship endowment, in their final wishes but fortunately most of those donors are still alive and attending games and giving to the annual fund. Over the next 10-15 years, you'll see the scholarship endowment grow as the inevitable occurs.
If our annual fund contributions, also a part of the Champions Campaign, continue to grow (we were up over 9 percent last year), it will allow the endowment to grow with earnings compounding its growth.
I expect our fans will get to see a good bit of Stan Wilcox and his team during the Champions Campaign as he was instrumental in initiating the $250 million athletics portion of the Duke Forward campaign that is reinventing Blue Devil athletics facilities as well as building their endowment and operations budget.
The
Re: Is Stan Wilcox a go with the pack guy or a leader?
Jerry Kutz 5/15/2014
"Jerry,
Does the Champions Campaign address what I consider one of our most important budget issues, is it going to finally complete the endowment of all our athletic scholarships?
BTW not impressed so far with Mr. Wilcox but am withholding judgment till he comes out with his master plan. I do agree with PopsNole that we will likely never know what he is saying behind closed doors and he very well may be quite vocal about our concerns but is getting out voted.
This post was edited on 5/15 12:09 PM by Calif_Nole
You ask: "Does the Champions Campaign address what I consider one of our most
important budget issues, is it going to finally complete the endowment
of all our athletic scholarships?"
That is two questions.
To the first question, the answer is: Yes, The Champions Campaign will seek donations to the endowed scholarship fund as well as to athletic facilities.
To the second question, Is it going to finally complete the endowment of all our scholarships, the answer is: Very unlikely. We have less than $70 million in our endowment right now and would need almost $200 million in our endowment to fully fund annual scholarship costs at the current cost (almost $10 million per year) at a 5 percent return on $200 million.
We will ask our members, including those on Warchant, to give to either facilities, the endowment or to increase their annual fund pledge which goes to the operating budget. Successful fundraising campaigns are donor centric and thus far our donors have shown more interest in giving to facilities than to the endowment. I can see our members designating another $25 million to the endowment during the Champions Campaign but it won't come anywhere near the $125-plus million we need to fully fund the endowment in today's dollars unless we get an epic gift from out of no where.
Like most other athletics programs, most gifts to the endowment come through estate gifts. We have quite a few of our donors leave FSU Athletics, notably the scholarship endowment, in their final wishes but fortunately most of those donors are still alive and attending games and giving to the annual fund. Over the next 10-15 years, you'll see the scholarship endowment grow as the inevitable occurs.
If our annual fund contributions, also a part of the Champions Campaign, continue to grow (we were up over 9 percent last year), it will allow the endowment to grow with earnings compounding its growth.
I expect our fans will get to see a good bit of Stan Wilcox and his team during the Champions Campaign as he was instrumental in initiating the $250 million athletics portion of the Duke Forward campaign that is reinventing Blue Devil athletics facilities as well as building their endowment and operations budget.
The
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Expansion is Dead: Part II
Interesting read and rumors. Who knows what reality is. It is very disappointing to hear the ACC Network is much further down the road, if ever, let alone produce revenue.
I hope the ACC is stable, but the revenue differences are a huge issue and a horrible TV contract that cuts Raycom in for NO REASON (except to make sure Swofford's son gets rich) was a great way to destabilize the conference for years to come.
Bottom line, threats are no way to keep a conference together. What the ACC needs is to make the conference attractive to stay in. For a football school with no money, being in a basketball conference with the lowest payout is not optimal. I could live with that MUCH more if it weren't for the damage the ACC has done to itself (refusal to push football to the fullest, corrupt TV contract negotiation, poor handling of ACC network, etc, etc).
I hope in 10 years the ACC is still together and found a way to enrich it's members (especially the ones producing in football) instead of the children of John Swofford.
Expansion is Dead: Part II
"Why is it that talk about college football expansion refuses to die? There is far more evidence to support the theory that, at least for the foreseeable future, expansion is dead.
I hope the ACC is stable, but the revenue differences are a huge issue and a horrible TV contract that cuts Raycom in for NO REASON (except to make sure Swofford's son gets rich) was a great way to destabilize the conference for years to come.
Bottom line, threats are no way to keep a conference together. What the ACC needs is to make the conference attractive to stay in. For a football school with no money, being in a basketball conference with the lowest payout is not optimal. I could live with that MUCH more if it weren't for the damage the ACC has done to itself (refusal to push football to the fullest, corrupt TV contract negotiation, poor handling of ACC network, etc, etc).
I hope in 10 years the ACC is still together and found a way to enrich it's members (especially the ones producing in football) instead of the children of John Swofford.
Expansion is Dead: Part II
"Why is it that talk about college football expansion refuses to die? There is far more evidence to support the theory that, at least for the foreseeable future, expansion is dead.
But is it?
Dead? Not exactly but it certainly is in deep hibernation.
Certainly the Big Ten covets the opportunity to extend their product south and the conference hasn’t exactly been secretive about their desire to further pillage the ACC. The problem is that the only schools that meet their profile just are not interested.
Maybe that changes now that ACC commissioner John Swofford publically admitted that an ACC network is years away and may not happen at all but I’m not so sure it would matter to Big Ten targets UVA and UNC.
The consensus is that the Big Ten’s payout will dwarf that offered by the ACC --perhaps by as much as $20 million per year. Is that enough of an incentive to lure away the new TV markets in Virginia and North Carolina that the Big Ten craves?
I don’t think so.
In order for change to take place there must be either great need or great opportunity and very little risk. Look at all the moves in the conference realignment drama that played out over the past two years: Pitt, Syracuse, Rutgers, WVU and Louisville left the Big East out of great need. Maryland had perhaps the greatest need of all when they dumped the ACC for the Big Ten.
Texas A&M, Missouri and Colorado left because of the great opportunity offered by membership in other conferences.
In every case the reward of switching conferences greatly exceeded the risk involved in the move.
And that’s why I believe the ACC is secure despite having the lowest payout of the major conferences.
I’m not convinced the risk-reward equation supports a move by any ACC school.
First there is the grant of rights – the ACC’s grant of rights is modeled after the Big 12’s in that every member has agreed to cede both their television rights and the television revenue to the conference in the event of a theoretical move.
People like to argue about how secure a grant of rights makes a conference. There are many scenarios people contrive to get around the GoR but not a single attorney I’ve spoken to believes a GoR could be successfully challenged. It’s just not worth the risk or the money and time it would take to even adjudicate the issue.
Add to that a provision I’m told exists in both the Big 12 and ACC’s GoR – one that stipulates that each member has agreed that the GoR and the loss of rights and revenues for leaving are not punitive.
What that means is that if any school leaves the Big 12 or ACC for another conference that they will likely not play on television for the years remaining on the TV contract and that they will receive absolutely no television money.
To me that ends the discussion right there. The risk is far to great to even consider a move.
Yet sources within the Big Ten continue to tell me that they believe the ACC GoR could be easily circumvented because the ACC schools did not receive due consideration for ceding their rights.
They believe that it maybe be illegal for state-funded institutions to grant rights without receiving proper payment.
I don’t argue the point with them.
But valid or not their argument is moot when the Big Ten can’t find an ACC school interested in even discussing the possibility now.
As if the pesky grant of rights wasn’t enough there’s also the culture problem to overcome.
Most ACC schools identify with the southern culture whereas it’s safe to say to the Big Ten is a mid-west league despite the additions of Maryland and Rutgers.
It was easy for WVU to leave the Big East. The Big East didn’t fit WVU’s culture. The Big 12 is by far a better fit, at least culturally if not geographically, for WVU.
UVA and UNC in the Big Ten? That’s a clash of cultures that usually spell doom for outlier – just ask Boston College how they’ve done as a member of the ACC.
The third factor against any ACC school leaving is the exit fee. Until the law suit with Maryland is won or lost the value equation of a move is a losing proposition.
How much of a revenue gap would be needed to overcome the GoR, the outlier factor and the specter of the exit fee?
How many ACC schools can risk a decade of no TV money or TV appearances?
There are scenarios where the Big Ten could entice certain ACC schools to leave. Those schools each have unique revenue problems that somewhat offset the risk of adjudication – provided the exit fee is ruled punitive – but each of those schools falls short of the metrics the Big Ten requires.
Florida State, Georgia Tech and Pitt have revenue problems. FSU does not meet the Big Ten’s academic model and both GT and Pitt lack the large alumni base that the Big Ten requires.
An official at NC State tells me they would jump at the chance to leave the ACC and UNC’s shadow, but like FSU the Wolfpack doesn’t meet the academic standards required by the Big Ten.
It’s my opinion that the Big Ten’s ACC expansion plans are over unless they reconsider schools that are not AAU members.
The Big Ten is trying. The plan to move the basketball tournament to Washington D.C. was meant to be a clear message to UVA but so far the Cavaliers are not listening.
Does Swofford’s sound bite about a potential ACC network change anything? Not unless the ACC’s exit fee is ruled punitive – if that happens then the risk-reward equation suddenly changes in the Big Ten’s favor.
There’s a few more scenarios concerning the SEC, the Big 12 and the Big Ten targeting the Big 12 that I’ll address next week. Some are more likely than others.
Some Notes:
- BYU has to be reconsidering the ban on Sunday play that has kept them out of the Big 12 – right?
- I’ve been one of the few voices openly saying that an ACC Network would ever happen and I’ve been writing about it for over a year. Last week I came to believe one must be in the works because of the new found sense of allegiance UVA has for the ACC."
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