08-27-2012, 04:19 PM
The BigTen schools get, a reported, $8-$10 million per year from their BigTen network. And since most of them are public schools I am sure it is easy enough to track down the real numbers. The BigTen schools only share the profits with their TV partner, so there is a belief that the Pac-12 schools could get more if the channel really takes off.
The BigTen has more non-alum fans in out there and since most of the school are massive they also have a lot of alums. In another odd plus, many of their alums leave the area to work or retire in other areas of the country. And that probably helps the channel's distribution too.
The Pac-12 will have a higher level of play in Olympic sports. That catch is the conference has fewer passionate fans in the conference's footprint. Many of the Olympic sports lack a loyal following and few are good for TV. And worst of all, many people from the Pac-12 schools work and retire in the conference's footprint. (People from Madison or Ann Arbor may retire in AZ or work in CA, but how many people from Tempe retire in Lincoln or Columbus?) Those things probably all balance out in the end.
This game of content chicken was always going to spill into September. If the Pac-12 networks already had a deal in hand, then it would be logical to conclude that they gave up too early and did not get the best terms.
DirecTV will have the Pac-12 before the first Pac-12 Network USC game. I never really thought the Pac-12 would get on DirecTV before the first football game, and if that did happen I would be convinced the conference left too much money on the table.
The BigTen has more non-alum fans in out there and since most of the school are massive they also have a lot of alums. In another odd plus, many of their alums leave the area to work or retire in other areas of the country. And that probably helps the channel's distribution too.
The Pac-12 will have a higher level of play in Olympic sports. That catch is the conference has fewer passionate fans in the conference's footprint. Many of the Olympic sports lack a loyal following and few are good for TV. And worst of all, many people from the Pac-12 schools work and retire in the conference's footprint. (People from Madison or Ann Arbor may retire in AZ or work in CA, but how many people from Tempe retire in Lincoln or Columbus?) Those things probably all balance out in the end.
This game of content chicken was always going to spill into September. If the Pac-12 networks already had a deal in hand, then it would be logical to conclude that they gave up too early and did not get the best terms.
DirecTV will have the Pac-12 before the first Pac-12 Network USC game. I never really thought the Pac-12 would get on DirecTV before the first football game, and if that did happen I would be convinced the conference left too much money on the table.