Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[MakeItRain]

In a pure a la carte scenario, ESPN would drop the network crap, move to a Netflix subscriber model over the Internet, broadcast a crap ton of games, do a bunch of original programming like 30 for 30 and PTI, cut back on SportsCenters and then, ultimately, pay a lot less for rights fees.

If college teams want to make money in the future of a la carte, their bargaining power will be as larger, consolidated groups like how the NFL does their bargaining.  I've kind of thought for the last year or so that conferences will grow to 18-20 or so teams, and they'll be more about creating regional divisions that cut down operational costs and promote attendance, while having larger conferences that allow these schools to have greater weight at the bargaining table.

Do you realize just how many people in America have satellite access but no access to high speed internet? 20% of the country has no access to high speed internet. Of the 79.1% of the country that has internet access only 75% of those actually have a paid internet subscription. You will find that many of those without access or subscriptions fall into the ideal demo of the American sports fan; middle america, middle class, middle aged, bachelors degree or less. There is no way in hell ESPN or any of the other sports networks will to alienate people without high speed internet access when the demographic of these people fall so closely in line with whats considered the typical sports fan. I'd be willing to bet that of that mystical 20% of those sports fans we hear about a minimum of 10% of them have no access to high speed internet. That's much too many potential subscribers to turn your back on.

[The Big Train]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

[MakeItRain]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

[sonofdaxjones]

Yeah, in Verizon Fios markets there's at least 3 other options for TV service, and more in some.

[Panjandrum]

In a pure a la carte scenario, ESPN would drop the network crap, move to a Netflix subscriber model over the Internet, broadcast a crap ton of games, do a bunch of original programming like 30 for 30 and PTI, cut back on SportsCenters and then, ultimately, pay a lot less for rights fees.

If college teams want to make money in the future of a la carte, their bargaining power will be as larger, consolidated groups like how the NFL does their bargaining.  I've kind of thought for the last year or so that conferences will grow to 18-20 or so teams, and they'll be more about creating regional divisions that cut down operational costs and promote attendance, while having larger conferences that allow these schools to have greater weight at the bargaining table.

Do you realize just how many people in America have satellite access but no access to high speed internet? 20% of the country has no access to high speed internet. Of the 79.1% of the country that has internet access only 75% of those actually have a paid internet subscription. You will find that many of those without access or subscriptions fall into the ideal demo of the American sports fan; middle america, middle class, middle aged, bachelors degree or less. There is no way in hell ESPN or any of the other sports networks will to alienate people without high speed internet access when the demographic of these people fall so closely in line with whats considered the typical sports fan. I'd be willing to bet that of that mystical 20% of those sports fans we hear about a minimum of 10% of them have no access to high speed internet. That's much too many potential subscribers to turn your back on.

I would absolutely look for them to drop channels and skinny up the cable package if they're forced off of basic.  They'll throw SECN, ESPNU, ESPNews, Classic, etc. all onto a sports tier to save ESPN and the Deuce on basic.  Honestly, they may even be willing to throw the Deuce onto a sports tier.

They'll still have something on cable, but the focus will have to be on net subscriptions and building up that platform.  It's only a matter of time before broadband becomes available for nearly everyone.

[Panjandrum]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

[KITNfury]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

This is pretty much true for me, sports...pretty much K-State exclusively....are the only reason I have cable at all. And I'm still really tempted to ditch them

[Spracne]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

This is pretty much true for me, sports...pretty much K-State exclusively....are the only reason I have cable at all. And I'm still really tempted to ditch them

You can get preeeeeeetty close with Sling TV.  Have you looked into it?

[Duncan]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

This is pretty much true for me, sports...pretty much K-State exclusively....are the only reason I have cable at all. And I'm still really tempted to ditch them

You can get preeeeeeetty close with Sling TV.  Have you looked into it?

I don't have cable. Was looking into Sling TV, but after their NCAA Finals debacle - will wait until things get worked out.


I just go to bars to watch sports that aren't OTA.

[Spracne]

That would be cost effective if you only watch, say, 2 or 3 games a month. 

[KITNfury]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

This is pretty much true for me, sports...pretty much K-State exclusively....are the only reason I have cable at all. And I'm still really tempted to ditch them

You can get preeeeeeetty close with Sling TV.  Have you looked into it?

BIL and sister just switched to it. Will probably wait and see how they like it in a year's time

[Spracne]

I'm strongly considering it in the fall, since I am going to stop making money for 3 years.  Still waiting for some longer-term reports from the early adopters.

[Hurricane Cat]

espn is mumped if the judge favors verizon

Not necessarily. There is a reason why ESPN charges so much more and the cable and satellite carriers deals with it. The relationship between the network and the carrier is equally beneficial in this case. The risk that verizon runs is that ESPN could jack up those fees even more for verizon customers knowing full well that most if not all verizon customers have other options. The thing about sports fans as opposed to watchers of The Walking Dead or GOT, or RHOA is that sports fans will go elsewhere if their content is available where as people who watch shows have digital options. ESPN will be mumped if all the major carriers give up on the viability of live sports and the extreme loyalty of the fans and advertisers of live sports. It may happen someday but I don't think it will happen within the next 20 years.

The inverse is true for me, though.  As soon as there is some form of digital package where I can get all of the ESPN channels that KSU can play on, and I can mooch FS Go from a relative, I'm dropping cable.  I can get everything else from Netflix, Hulu, etc.

You can do this now if you can also mooch Watch ESPN from a relative.  I dropped cable, and spend a portion of the monthly subscription on Netflix, NBA, and MLB subscriptions and use a relative's cable for FS GO and ESPN.

[CyberToothCat]

Probably by adding two teams first, which would be a disaster unless a miracle dream scenario happened

I think a CCG is stupid for a 10-team league. If we decide to hold a CCG, we would be beyond braindead stupid to keep playing 9 conf games. Go to 8 games. Everyone plays two annual rivals and then rotates the other seven teams so that you face each of tem six times in a seven year stretch. Then the top two teams face off in the CCG. It will likely be a rematch, but oh well, I guess

If we add two teams, the Big 12 will be doomed and KSU will end up in some kind of mid-major league so I don't even want to think about that.

[star seed 7]

sling sucks, that's my early adopter review.  subbed twice and dropped it after a week twice because the quality and feeds are so bad, especially the live sports events that everyone watches (aka the only reason people are getting sling tv anyway)

[cfbandyman]

sling sucks, that's my early adopter review.  subbed twice and dropped it after a week twice because the quality and feeds are so bad, especially the live sports events that everyone watches (aka the only reason people are getting sling tv anyway)

I haven't had too many issues with it. To me the feed is based on how many people are watching it in your local area, like when I was watching the ku-ksu game the feed was kinda meh until Nino hit that two to seal the game, and then the feed got considerably better as all the other people in my apartment complex dropped off streaming, and then the last few minutes/sportscenter was super clear. So to me it's an ISP issue rather than a sling issue, but it could also be that sling needs to add a bigger buffer or something for when a lot of people are likely to be streaming at the same time. Sling is by no means perfect, but for someone who wants to pay just $20 and get ESPN and ESPN2 with a bunch of decent other offerings, i'll more than take it.

[Mr Bread]

sling sucks, that's my early adopter review.  subbed twice and dropped it after a week twice because the quality and feeds are so bad, especially the live sports events that everyone watches (aka the only reason people are getting sling tv anyway)

I haven't had too many issues with it. To me the feed is based on how many people are watching it in your local area, like when I was watching the ku-ksu game the feed was kinda meh until Nino hit that two to seal the game, and then the feed got considerably better as all the other people in my apartment complex dropped off streaming, and then the last few minutes/sportscenter was super clear. So to me it's an ISP issue rather than a sling issue, but it could also be that sling needs to add a bigger buffer or something for when a lot of people are likely to be streaming at the same time. Sling is by no means perfect, but for someone who wants to pay just $20 and get ESPN and ESPN2 with a bunch of decent other offerings, i'll more than take it.

that sounds rough ridin' awful

[Duncan]

That would be cost effective if you only watch, say, 2 or 3 games a month.

Don't poke holes in my system of justifying going to bars to my wife. . .

[bucket]

THE NOT SO BIG 12

Through three rounds, no conference has had more players chosen than the Pac-12’s 26. Next is the SEC’s 22 and the ACC’s 20. The Big 12? Seven. That’s only one more than Florida State by itself.

 

Obviously, this is disappointing. Down year? I feel good about the coaches in the conference. I think they're the best outside of the Big 10. Opinions?

[Panjandrum]

THE NOT SO BIG 12

Through three rounds, no conference has had more players chosen than the Pac-12’s 26. Next is the SEC’s 22 and the ACC’s 20. The Big 12? Seven. That’s only one more than Florida State by itself.

 

Obviously, this is disappointing. Down year? I feel good about the coaches in the conference. I think they're the best outside of the Big 10. Opinions?

The Big 12 had as many players per team (average) as the Big Ten. The ACC was boosted by FSU (11) and Louisville (10).  If anyone really thinks Louisville actually had ten NFL players on the roster, they're rough ridin' batshit.

It was kind of a down year because TCU and OSU were so young. Baylor only had two guys drafted. Tech and ISU had no draft picks.  I'm guessing both teams add to the total next year.  We will have a few in Whithair, Britz, and Barnett.  Maybe McDaniel and Stiverson, too.

People are a little afraid to take Big 12 offensive players due to the "system" stigma.

Here were the totals this year:

Oklahoma 6
Texas 5
WVU 4
TCU 3
Kansas 2
KSU 2
Baylor 2
OSU 1

[bucket]

THE NOT SO BIG 12

Through three rounds, no conference has had more players chosen than the Pac-12’s 26. Next is the SEC’s 22 and the ACC’s 20. The Big 12? Seven. That’s only one more than Florida State by itself.

 

Obviously, this is disappointing. Down year? I feel good about the coaches in the conference. I think they're the best outside of the Big 10. Opinions?

The Big 12 had as many players per team (average) as the Big Ten. The ACC was boosted by FSU (11) and Louisville (10).  If anyone really thinks Louisville actually had ten NFL players on the roster, they're rough ridin' batshit.

It was kind of a down year because TCU and OSU were so young. Baylor only had two guys drafted. Tech and ISU had no draft picks.  I'm guessing both teams add to the total next year.  We will have a few in Whithair, Britz, and Barnett.  Maybe McDaniel and Stiverson, too.

People are a little afraid to take Big 12 offensive players due to the "system" stigma.

Here were the totals this year:

Oklahoma 6
Texas 5
WVU 4
TCU 3
Kansas 2
KSU 2
Baylor 2
OSU 1

As I quoted, that was through the first three rounds of the draft. I also think we can chalk it up to a down year in the Big 12, a la no team in the football playoff. I just don't want it to be a trend.

[MadCat]

Remember when Texas had none drafted last year?

[CyberToothCat]

Big 12 officially distributing $252 million, or an avg of $25.2/school. With TCU/WVU still getting partial shares, the Cats should get around $26 to $26.5 million

The Big 12 was 2nd in per school distr last year behind the Big 10. Now the SEC has pushed ahead as well, giving out $31 per school. We don't yet know the PAC or ACC numbers.

I'm concerned at how quickly we fell behind the big boy conferences. How do Tex and OU react to this?

[ben ji]

Texas counts their 15 million in LHN money while OU picks boogers and wipes them on KU

[CyberToothCat]

Texas counts their 15 million in LHN money while OU picks boogers and wipes them on KU

Of the $15/yr, I think Texas takes home about $11. The rest goes to IMG, their media rights holder.

Last year, the Big 12 split about $22/school, putting Texas at about $33 million and WAY ahead of Aggy's $20 million from the SEC. This year, the Big 12 split about $25/school, putting Texas at about $36 and a little ahead of Aggy's $31 million. At this pace, Aggy and the SEC will soon pass Texas. Texas may be willing to put up with many things, but playing second fiddle to A&M is not one of them.