Do ESPN Layoffs Have Anything To Do with the AAC's TV Contract

[Central Floridave]

Do ESPN Layoffs Have Anything To Do with the AAC's TV Contract

http://www.bcsnn.com/blog/253-do-espn-layoffs-have-anything-to-do-with-the-aac-s-tv-contract.html

 

[Poolside Knight]

No. More likely bad investments like the Longhorn Network which nobody watches.

At this point the 'exposure' of ESPN doesn't seem worth it to me. Aresco should hop on that Murdoch money and sign a new deal with Fox Sports. With all the digital outlets out there I'd rather UCF get an extra 8 million a year in TV money even if the ratings are lower than ESPN.

 

[EngAlum98]

This has zero to do with upcoming negotiations. Disney told them to cut expenses because they were hemorrhaging money while TV subscriptions begin to dry up. Most major networks, including the likes of ABC/ESPN, are building new complexes to deal with content streaming.

 

[UCFProf]

Likely, everyone is at least partly right. You also have ESPN fighting Fox Sports and CBS Sports (which shows AAC). And with corporate staffing levels, it isn't about losing money but rather about improving the bottom line -- profits below market expectations! Payroll is their biggest and most easily cut cost item!

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

I think they are just figuring out they don't need 500 people on payroll for 5 channels and radio.

 

[MechaKnight]

The demand for live sports is greater than ever, but the demand for talking heads debating Tom Brady's last haircut was never there. This is just ESPN having to re-prioritize their capital so they can air what people actually want to see.

I don't know anything about TV ratings, but others have said the AAC's ratings have been better than projected. I do know the AAC is a lot more stable and proven than when the last deal was negotiated 4 years ago. Hopefully that means we get an increase.

 

[SkiDog291]

The ending of the show at 6 with Jemele Hill can't come soon enough.

 

[Stetson_1883]

The whole network is a joke...a comedy show. When "reporters and announcers" bring out gimmicky toy cars to ride around in the studio and try to be clever by copyrighting "Come on man!", the whole thing has just become too much. I miss the ESPN of yester-year, when it was about SPORTS, not obcessed with social media posts and this glamorization of soap opera-like themes.

 

[UCFProf]

The whole network is a joke...a comedy show. When "reporters and announcers" bring out gimmicky toy cars to ride around in the studio and try to be clever by copyrighting "Come on man!", the whole thing has just become too much. I miss the ESPN of yester-year, when it was about SPORTS, not obcessed with social media posts and this glamorization of soap opera-like themes.

Yes, the national sports radio shows are classy with legit interviews. Bob Ley's Outside the Lines is the best ESPN show. I really enjoyed meeting him at UCF and bending his ear about concussions in football.

 

[FTUCF]

The whole network is a joke...a comedy show. When "reporters and announcers" bring out gimmicky toy cars to ride around in the studio and try to be clever by copyrighting "Come on man!", the whole thing has just become too much. I miss the ESPN of yester-year, when it was about SPORTS, not obcessed with social media posts and this glamorization of soap opera-like themes.[/QUOTE

Remember that ESPN is short for ENTERTAINMENT and SPORTS NETWORK !

 

[muckdawg24]

Where would one get TV ratings for our Conference? I wouldn't mind seeing the trend over the last three years.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Where would one get TV ratings for our Conference? I wouldn't mind seeing the trend over the last three years.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/

 

[MechaKnight]

Just saw that Mark "Baylor is going to beat UCF by 70" May was one of the guys fired from ESPN. Good riddance

 

[firm_bizzle]

We should be cutting cable and own streaming outright. Not only can we leverage the reach and size of our schools but if we do it well, we can sell it to other conferences. The big schools got all the money because ESPN hyped them up, told us who to watch and who the top schools were.

 

[jtGoldenKnights]

Give it 5 years everything will be streamed from amazon and the rest. No need for espn and cable.

 

[Central Floridave]

Yeah for Mark May gone. Everytime he was on, I would change channel. That guy just too depressing and homer.

 

[UCFProf]

Give it 5 years everything will be streamed from amazon and the rest. No need for espn and cable.

Probably, but trends have a way of turning into short-lived fads or quickly-saturated submarkets. The population is aging very rapidly, and football fans more so. Communication technology is not done innovating to the next thing. Contractual commitments can slow change.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

Probably, but trends have a way of turning into short-lived fads or quickly-saturated submarkets. The population is aging very rapidly, and football fans more so. Communication technology is not done innovating to the next thing. Contractual commitments can slow change.

Contractual commitment is the key factor. Espn owns most content going into mid 2020's. They need to get back to sports and trying to become a political channel. Huge turnoff for most.

 

[jtGoldenKnights]

Contractual commitment is the key factor. Espn owns most content going into mid 2020's. They need to get back to sports and trying to become a political channel. Huge turnoff for most.

College gameday might be the only show I watch on espn other than the sporting events. The rest of the shows are the same and usually beating one subject into the ground when they could be showing something in the sporting world instead.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

I think they are just figuring out they don't need 500 people on payroll for 5 channels and radio.

THIS.....^^^^ or...the ridiculous amount of money they pay the NBA

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

also, the point of people getting off of cable, etc, is a factor.

 

[goodknightfl]

It isn't a positive for AAC, only question is how big a negative is it?

 

[UKnight]

It isn't a positive for AAC, only question is how big a negative is it?

If cable is going away why not take a better deal from Fox. We do need TV exposure but I think UCF and the AAC needs the money even more. If ESPN is only going to offer $3 mil per school and we can get Fox to double that to 6 mil per then Fox it is. Maybe the addition of the schokers can help as well. Also, I think game attendance goes up at most schools in the conference with less ESPN games.

I would love to see us get back to most games played on Saturday which also helps attendance. Maybe work a better deal with Fox to also get more coverage of our Olympic sports as well. AAC baseball is rated what 5 in the country and we get no TV time from ESPN.

 

[Psycho Jim]

ESPN had to do something to make up for all the $$$ they are losing on the Longhorn network.

 

[Ace of Knights]

We are not going to get more money. We will get less. The AAC has no leverage, especially with cord cutting.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

If cable is going away why not take a better deal from Fox. We do need TV exposure but I think UCF and the AAC needs the money even more. If ESPN is only going to offer $3 mil per school and we can get Fox to double that to 6 mil per then Fox it is. Maybe the addition of the schokers can help as well. Also, I think game attendance goes up at most schools in the conference with less ESPN games.

I would love to see us get back to most games played on Saturday which also helps attendance. Maybe work a better deal with Fox to also get more coverage of our Olympic sports as well. AAC baseball is rated what 5 in the country and we get no TV time from ESPN.

I'm guessing Fox is in worse shape. They have been paying big bucks and not getting the returns. They are paying the Big East $4 million each per year just for hoops that get terrible ratings.

 

[goodknightfl]

If cable is going away why not take a better deal from Fox. We do need TV exposure but I think UCF and the AAC needs the money even more. If ESPN is only going to offer $3 mil per school and we can get Fox to double that to 6 mil per then Fox it is. Maybe the addition of the schokers can help as well. Also, I think game attendance goes up at most schools in the conference with less ESPN games.

I would love to see us get back to most games played on Saturday which also helps attendance. Maybe work a better deal with Fox to also get more coverage of our Olympic sports as well. AAC baseball is rated what 5 in the country and we get no TV time from ESPN.

Fox may or may not have much interest, and they may or may not be interested in paying more money. No way to know for 3 more years.