ESPN signs a lemon contract with the Pac-12
Sports-entertainment mega power ESPN has a lock on the sports market.
Deals with the Southeastern Conference, NBA, NFL, MLB have helped make the company billions of dollars. Now, ESPN has added the newly formed PAC-12.
ESPN/PAC-12 signed a 12-year contract that begins in 2012-2013.
This is all great news for the PAC-12...but for ESPN, this could turn out to be a lemon deal.
Besides the money, the PAC-12 will get the chance for more publicity off the deal.
And while this pretty much locks down the LA market, and will add viewers in Utah and Colorado, I'm not sure ESPN made the smartest deal.
The question is, how are they going to get the east coast ratings. PAC-12 games typically don't air on the East Coast until 10 or 11 at night, if not later.
ESPN signing may move up a few game times, but I don't expect people in the South and Northeast to come clamoring to the TV to watch the Arizona/Colorado football game.
This will be great for basketball, but football, which is king and the main reason for the deal, will not work out for ESPN.
The PAC-12 has a reputation for being a soft, arena league style conference with lots of points and zero defense. This deal could improve the midweek game scheduling..no more MAC or C-USA games, but a PAC-12 game on Wednesday...I'd probably watch it.
But for a Saturday, I don't see a PAC-12 game competing with people wanting to go to bed.
The PAC-12 just made themselves very rich, and looks like they performed a perfect highway robbery of ESPN.
Deals with the Southeastern Conference, NBA, NFL, MLB have helped make the company billions of dollars. Now, ESPN has added the newly formed PAC-12.
ESPN/PAC-12 signed a 12-year contract that begins in 2012-2013.
This is all great news for the PAC-12...but for ESPN, this could turn out to be a lemon deal.
Besides the money, the PAC-12 will get the chance for more publicity off the deal.
And while this pretty much locks down the LA market, and will add viewers in Utah and Colorado, I'm not sure ESPN made the smartest deal.
The question is, how are they going to get the east coast ratings. PAC-12 games typically don't air on the East Coast until 10 or 11 at night, if not later.
ESPN signing may move up a few game times, but I don't expect people in the South and Northeast to come clamoring to the TV to watch the Arizona/Colorado football game.
This will be great for basketball, but football, which is king and the main reason for the deal, will not work out for ESPN.
The PAC-12 has a reputation for being a soft, arena league style conference with lots of points and zero defense. This deal could improve the midweek game scheduling..no more MAC or C-USA games, but a PAC-12 game on Wednesday...I'd probably watch it.
But for a Saturday, I don't see a PAC-12 game competing with people wanting to go to bed.
The PAC-12 just made themselves very rich, and looks like they performed a perfect highway robbery of ESPN.
Comments
Post a Comment