Big East and ABC/ESPN reach TV deal

[Papa_Bull]

This probanly should be posted on the Big east board, but it would be seen by more people over here:

The Big East Conference and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC and ESPN agreed to revised television contracts for the college sports league that will add five schools this year. The renegotiated rights fee covers Big East football and basketball through the 2006-07 academic year, the networks and the conference said. No financial terms were disclosed. The Disney networks were scheduled to pay about $15 million a year under the old agreements. The Big East is adding Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida in every sport, and DePaul and Marquette in all but football. The schools, now members of Conference USA, will join the Big East for 2005-06 academic year.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/s_301385.html

[79 Bull]

And please have the TV games on Friday instead of Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

I know, I know high school football, but 1 Friday home game per season is better than another weekday IMO.

[Omniscientbull]

So they didn't say what the new contract dollars were.

[smazza]

why not go to a thursday/saturday rotation with every school having a travel partner

or  wednesday/friday

it should remain consistent

there is no high school football during most ofbasketball season

[Knight_Light]

So they didn't say what the new contract dollars were.

Probably because they went "down".

Here's some comments from an article in Louisville when UL accepted the invite:

"The Big East likely will suffer an immediate loss in its TV deals with ESPN and ABC, which are negotiated separately for football and basketball and run through 2007. A clause allows either side to reopen talks if the conference's composition changes by two or more schools. The networks are sure to offer less money for renegotiated football contracts.

"It's clear that the loss of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College have dealt a serious blow to the value of Big East football," said Len DeLuca, ESPN's senior vice president for programming strategy. "They're losing known commodities of high quality and replacing them with potential. When the dust settles, we'll gauge all of our options."

The importance of Miami and Virginia Tech was illustrated Saturday, DeLuca said, when the Hokies' upset of the Hurricanes became the highest-rated football game on ESPN in six years. DeLuca also said that either Miami or Virginia Tech has been involved in more than 70 percent of the league's TV coverage since the mid-1990s."

[Omniscientbull]

KL - The basketball side of the equation got much stronger so there is a very good possibility the total package could be in the same range.

[Papa_Bull]

Also, Louisville football has become much more attractive to TV since that article was written.

[BullDoug]

Also, Louisville football has become much more attractive to TV since that article was written.

If UL does not repeat the same success in 2005 as 2004, they will be just another flash in the pan" team like Tulane a few yrs back.  They will go back to the same level of recognition as they were used to 4-5 yrs ago.

[Guest S.  Bien]

If UL does not repeat the same success in 2005 as 2004, they will be just another flash in the pan" team like Tulane a few yrs back.  They will go back to the same level of recognition as they were used to 4-5 yrs ago.

No way that happens.  To much talent on that team to do that.  Tulane made that run in a weaker year for C-USA, with a team that had like 17 seniors.  UL's returning Lionel Gates, Brohm, Montrell Jones, Mike Bush, Clark, and a great offensive team.  They've added Nate Harris, and quite honestly I have absolutely no idea how UL does not have the best class in the Big East.   That class is way better than WVU despite their one headliner, ditto for Pitt.  It's a joke because it doesn't make sense, maybe because some of UL's best talent are JUCO's and rivals doesn't rank them as highly.

How does Standford get 17 commits, 4-four stars, and 5--three stars and gets ranked 40th, but UL has 27 commitments, 4-four stars, and 9-three stars and is 45.  They've got to Army All-American game signees.  On scout.com they rated 5 of UL's players as four star, and 9 more as three star.    I really put this class as a top 30 in the nation.  They might be missing a five star, but they've got everything else.

Add this fantastic class, with their class of 2003, and bringing in Brohm in 2004, and UL got some serious, serious talent.

[Papa_Bull]

If UL does not repeat the same success in 2005 as 2004, they will be just another flash in the pan" team like Tulane a few yrs back.  They will go back to the same level of recognition as they were used to 4-5 yrs ago.

Well, they have a #1 QB and had a very successful recruiting season, so I expect they will be able to continue their success on the field. Unlike Tulane, they've been to six or seven bowl games in a row and have been ranked in many seasons, so they aren't just a "flash in the pan" team.

I expect that the preseason polls will have them ranked.