ESPN will pay UT-Austin $12 million per year

[mr. peebs]

Texas will receive $12 million per year in a deal with ESPN for distribution rights to the Longhorn Network starting in the fall of 2011, according to orangebloods.com.

The website reported the agreement between the school and ESPN includes a $10 million payment up front. With the addition of an anticipated $20 million dollars from the Big 12, Texas would become the nation's top revenue producer for television rights, earning close to $30 million next year and more than $32 million beginning in 2012-13.

The ability to retain its own television rights was part of the reason Texas resisted an overture from the Pac-10 this summer. The Pac-10 was insisting that no schools would be allowed to start their own network.

The size of the deal goes beyond initial expectations for the school. Athletic director DeLoss Dodds told Orangebloods.com in August he hoped the Longhorn Network would bring the school roughly "$3 million annually with an opportunity for growth depending on its success."

A formal announcement about the deal can be made after a vote of the Texas Board of Regents either later this month or in December.

Link: http://content.usatoday.com/communi...per-year-to-distribute-the-longhorn-network/1

Thoughts?

What I first thought when I saw this was, in order..

1) orangebloods, Chip Brown, probably straight from Dodds himself

2) step closer to independence for UT-Austin/end of Little 12

3) ahhh #$*@

4) how are they going to do this as ESPN doesn't have regional networks like FSN?

5) what happens if they have another season like this next year?

 

[badboy]

Link: http://content.usatoday.com/communi...per-year-to-distribute-the-longhorn-network/1

Thoughts?

What I first thought when I saw this was, in order..

1) orangebloods, Chip Brown, probably straight from Dodds himself

2) step closer to independence for UT-Austin/end of Little 12

3) ahhh #$*@

4) how are they going to do this as ESPN doesn't have regional networks like FSN?

5) what happens if they have another season like this next year?[/QUOTE]Nah, the QB will be better and more experienced and they will get a running back.

 

[Stemp]

Texas is moving closer to going indy. You can bet OU and A&M won't stand for Texas making 60% more than them. Look for OU and A&M to make a moving in the 1-2 years, likely going to the SEC.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

My initial thought is if Texas has begun their decline and their powerhouse-nish is over. $30 Million a year for a mediocre .500 football program where success is measured as making the Top 25 at the end of the year. That'd be a lot to pay if that is all they are over the next couple of years. 8 games into this season and 4 games left: Texas is 9th in the Big 12 and only beating Tech in the South division.

 

[Carr Bombed]

Texas is moving closer to going indy. You can bet OU and A&M won't stand for Texas making 60% more than them. Look for OU and A&M to make a moving in the 1-2 years, likely going to the SEC.

The entire conference is going to be moving in a couple of years, so who cares if OU or A&M are mad?

 

[Texan_Bill]

Not mad, but ready to go to the SEC. They should've already.

 

[Dutchrudder]

I assume this deal will mean that the premiere games against Ou, A&m and any ranked teams will be shown on ABC. The rest will probably be on ESPN2 or 3

 

[Texan_Bill]

I assume this deal will mean that the premiere games against Ou, A&m and any ranked teams will be shown on ABC. The rest will probably be on ESPN2 or 3

Those games were on ABC anyway. What it means is, the death penalty of the Big XII.. As someone mentioned, it moves Texas towards being Indy... Another Notre Dame , if you will.


If you notice, everytime I mention Notre Dame, I follow it by

 

[Texecutioner]

5) what happens if they have another season like this next year?

Your dream won't come true. Sorry, but even with Cookies (Mack Brown) there, Texas will go right back to winning 10 games a season in the BIG 12. If Texas does have another really bad season, then that would be perfectly fine with some Texas fans because that would mean their handicapp (Mack) would finally bolt out of there. I'd take another poor season on the chin, if that meant that Mack would finally scurry away with his puppet Greg Davis and Muschamp takes over. Then Texas most likely wouldn't under achieve the way they are this season and others that they have in other seasons.

But again your window of watching Texas down is very small, so enjoy it while it lasts, because if Mack has just one more season of under achieving to this magnitude in the BIG 12 with Muschamp still there, Mack will quietly get pushed out.

 

[Yankee_In_TX]

2010: Bebe's contract extended through 2015.

2011: Texas leaves Big 12, Big 12 regrets extension

 

[mr. peebs]

The entire conference is going to be moving in a couple of years, so who cares if OU or A&M are mad?

What's your thoughts on the conference shake-up? I think UT-Austin has a lot to lose if they go somewhere and OU/A&M don't go with/stay aligned with them. Same can be said if A&M goes to SEC separately or with OU also; it's gonna be weird how everything shakes out.

Your dream won't come true. Sorry, but even with Cookies (Mack Brown) there, Texas will go right back to winning 10 games a season in the BIG 12. If Texas does have another really bad season, then that would be perfectly fine with some Texas fans because that would mean their handicapp (Mack) would finally bolt out of there. I'd take another poor season on the chin, if that meant that Mack would finally scurry away with his puppet Greg Davis and Muschamp takes over. Then Texas most likely wouldn't under achieve the way they are this season and others that they have in other seasons.

But again your window of watching Texas down is very small, so enjoy it while it lasts, because if Mack has just one more season of under achieving to this magnitude in the BIG 12 with Muschamp still there, Mack will quietly get pushed out.

My dream? [Tom Jackson]Come on man[/Tom Jackson] People aren't as obsessed with your football program as you seem to believe. I also didn't post that statement in a gloating fashion, it was a serious what if.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

SEC West
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi St.
Ole Miss
Texas ATM

Toughest. Division. Ever.

 

[Ranger Tom]

I wish the burnt orange bloodsuckers would just announce their independence now, so that something worthwile can be salvaged from this dessicated corpse we still, for some reason, call the Big 12.

 

[LonerATO]

If UT does become an independent I wonder what their schedule would look like. ND plays a bunch of the Big 10 schools and the military academies every year, so its like they have a set schedule. Im sure UT would try to play OU and A&M, but who else will they be able to always pencil in? I kind of like the idea of UT going independent.

 

[awtysst]

If UT does become an independent I wonder what their schedule would look like. ND plays a bunch of the Big 10 schools and the military academies every year, so its like they have a set schedule. Im sure UT would try to play OU and A&M, but who else will they be able to always pencil in? I kind of like the idea of UT going independent.

If UT goes independent, I am sure they will get that same kind of deal Notre Dame gets (BCS wise). Plus, as you said, UT will likely keep rivalry games against Oklahoma and A&M. From there, I see UT scheduling 3 BCS power conference teams such as Ohio State, Florids State, and perhaps Rutgers. The remaining 7 would have to include 3 cupcake games. The other 3 could help start the beginning of a new rivalry or be more 1 and 1 types of games. I would like to see a Pac team or two in that mix.

The smart thing to do would be to try to schedule games in all regions of the country.

 

[Koolaid Time]

If Texas does go "Indie" I see the Rice MOB making jokes about a "Homeless Football Team from Austin."

 

[texanhead08]

If whorn does break up the Big XII - II it would just be karma for the other schools hitching their souls to the devil when they broke up the SWC.

 

[Revolution]

Your dream won't come true. Sorry, but even with Cookies (Mack Brown) there, Texas will go right back to winning 10 games a season in the BIG 12. If Texas does have another really bad season, then that would be perfectly fine with some Texas fans because that would mean their handicapp (Mack) would finally bolt out of there. I'd take another poor season on the chin, if that meant that Mack would finally scurry away with his puppet Greg Davis and Muschamp takes over. Then Texas most likely wouldn't under achieve the way they are this season and others that they have in other seasons.

But again your window of watching Texas down is very small, so enjoy it while it lasts, because if Mack has just one more season of under achieving to this magnitude in the BIG 12 with Muschamp still there, Mack will quietly get pushed out.

I find it funny that you want Brown gone. He he is the reason they have been in the National Championship hunt for most of the last decade. As an Aggie, I can't wait for Brown to be run out of town and you guys bring in someone like McWilliams or Mackovic, errrr, Will Muschamp. In fact, the fawning over Muschamp reminds me a lot of the fawning over McWilliams when Akers was pushed out. It took Texas 12 years to overcome their last down period and I think it may take longer this time if Brown is forced out.

Force him out already!

 

[Texecutioner]

I find it funny that you want Brown gone. He he is the reason they have been in the National Championship hunt for most of the last decade. As an Aggie, I can't wait for Brown to be run out of town and you guys bring in someone like McWilliams or Mackovic, errrr, Will Muschamp. In fact, the fawning over Muschamp reminds me a lot of the fawning over McWilliams when Akers was pushed out. It took Texas 12 years to overcome their last down period and I think it may take longer this time if Brown is forced out.

Force him out already!

Judging from this entire post I don't think you know much of what you're talking about at all. The fact that you assume that Texas would just get some terrible coach like Mackovich just because that's who they had before Brown was there right off the top shows that you don't have much logic on any of this. Texas can get any HC on the market that they want and it's one of the top jobs in the country that any available HC would take. Plenty of top HC's at other schools would possibly leave their schools just to come take this job. The fact that you actually suggested that Texas would just get some joker in here because Mack is gone doesn't make me think that your opinion on this is credible at all.

And as far as coaching, anyone who has watched a gang of Longhorn games over the years knows that Mack isn't a great HC. He's a great recruiter that has teams that are way more talented than the teams he plays. He's had guys like VY and Colt McCoy at QB and that's been the big difference maker for him. Before those guys got there Mack was the most classic under achieving coach in the NCAA. Mack has blown more games with his poor coaching than I could count. He single handedly blew a National Championship appearance by refusing to pull Simms out of the BIG 12 Championship game against Colorado when Applewhite had been playing better than him all year and Applewhite almost came back and won that game but it was to late and the deficit was to much at that point. Mack almost cost the Longhorns the game against Nebraska just last season at the end of the game when he didn't have a clue how to run the two minute drill to get his team in position to kick the FG, and barely got the clock stopped with one second left. It looked like a rookie HC was running that team, and it put the FG kicker in a very tough position. Mack's been the most overrated coach in the NCAA for years and he's once again getting exposed on that this year as the Longhorns are the most embarrassing team in college football and the NFL right now and that's all on Mack. Mack's nothing but a CEO that's on the sidelines. He's always been one of the worst X's and O's coach on game day. His players win despite his poor coaching because they are that much more talented than the guys they face from game to game. As an Aggie fan, I doubt you've watched that many Longhorn games to really diagnose any of this.

 

[LonerATO]

Judging from this entire post I don't think you know much of what you're talking about at all. The fact that you assume that Texas would just get some terrible coach like Mackovich just because that's who they had before Brown was there right off the top shows that you don't have much logic on any of this. Texas can get any HC on the market that they want and it's one of the top jobs in the country that any available HC would take. Plenty of top HC's at other schools would possibly leave their schools just to come take this job. The fact that you actually suggested that Texas would just get some joker in here because Mack is gone doesn't make me think that your opinion on this is credible at all.

And as far as coaching, anyone who has watched a gang of Longhorn games over the years knows that Mack isn't a great HC. He's a great recruiter that has teams that are way more talented than the teams he plays. He's had guys like VY and Colt McCoy at QB and that's been the big difference maker for him. Before those guys got there Mack was the most classic under achieving coach in the NCAA. Mack has blown more games with his poor coaching than I could count. He single handedly blew a National Championship appearance by refusing to pull Simms out of the BIG 12 Championship game against Colorado when Applewhite had been playing better than him all year and Applewhite almost came back and won that game but it was to late and the deficit was to much at that point. Mack almost cost the Longhorns the game against Nebraska just last season at the end of the game when he didn't have a clue how to run the two minute drill to get his team in position to kick the FG, and barely got the clock stopped with one second left. It looked like a rookie HC was running that team, and it put the FG kicker in a very tough position. Mack's been the most overrated coach in the NCAA for years and he's once again getting exposed on that this year as the Longhorns are the most embarrassing team in college football and the NFL right now and that's all on Mack. Mack's nothing but a CEO that's on the sidelines. He's always been one of the worst X's and O's coach on game day. His players win despite his poor coaching because they are that much more talented than the guys they face from game to game. As an Aggie fan, I doubt you've watched that many Longhorn games to really diagnose any of this.

I've been saying that for years and I get dirty looks from Longhorn fans and he "You are out of you're mind."

 

[Texecutioner]

I've been saying that for years and I get dirty looks from Longhorn fans and he "You are out of you're mind."

Dude, I could list like ten games right off the top of my head over the years that Mack and GD completely screwed the team on. The guy never learns from his mistakes and never holds players accountable. He'll stick with his favorite guys no matter how bad they're playing or how badly it hurts the team. He even told the University to find a new HC if he was going to be forced to get rid of GD in the Chris Simms years. He should have been fired then and almost was, but then VY came in and completely saved his job. The funny part in all of that was that even Mack himself said that VY played his best when him and GD left him alone and stopped coaching him. Lol! He doesn't bring intensity to his players and for years his game plans have been bad, but when you play so many inferior teams with so much less talent it's not that hard to still bear those teams.

What we're seeing this year is something that is inexcusable though. It's something that should never happen to a team like this. It shows that as a coach and a regime that they've got no idea what to do or how to motivate these current players. It's the biggest sign that a HC change needs to happen when you see something like this taking place.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

Just curious, is the offer still on the table?

 

[awtysst]

Just curious, is the offer still on the table?

According to this(take it for whats it worth) the only thing holding up the announcement is a vote by the Texas regents. I think its basically a done deal. The Texas football brand has become a National brand in recent years and Longhorn fans live in all parts of the country. $12 mill a year is peanuts for what ESPN can and will demand in ad sales.

 

[awtysst]

According to this(take it for whats it worth) the only thing holding up the announcement is a vote by the Texas regents. I think its basically a done deal. The Texas football brand has become a National brand in recent years and Longhorn fans live in all parts of the country. $12 mill a year is peanuts for what ESPN can and will demand in ad sales.

I saw a recent Wall Street Journal article that broke down the average football game has approximately 1 hour of commercials per game. If the average commercial is 30 seconds, that's 120 commercial spots.

If you figure that this deal is just for the 12 regular season games. So within those 12 regular season games, ESPN can sell 1440 30 second commercial spots. If they simply sold at cost, each 30 second commercial would cost $8,333.33. According to an online source, it cost $140,080 to advertise a 30 second during a Saturday Night College Football telecast. So, lets say if ESPN sold each Texas 30 second spot for a mean cost of $25,000, they still stand to make $24,000,000 per year.

 

[Stemp]

I just don't see what programming ESPN will get with this deal as it stands now with the current Big 12 agreement. They won't get any football or basketball games, save a few non-conference opponents early in the season since they are already covered by the Big 12. So what is left? Baseball, swimming, volleyball, soccer? Not sure that is worth the 12 million per year.

This just doesn't make sense if the Big 12 stays as is. Something else must be lurking underneath the water.

 

[awtysst]

I just don't see what programming ESPN will get with this deal as it stands now with the current Big 12 agreement. They won't get any football or basketball games, save a few non-conference opponents early in the season since they are already covered by the Big 12. So what is left? Baseball, swimming, volleyball, soccer? Not sure that is worth the 12 million per year.

This just doesn't make sense if the Big 12 stays as is. Something else must be lurking underneath the water.

That's the key. I think this deal signals the end of the Big XII. ESPN is essentially paying up front 2 years to get the last 8 yrs of Texas football. So as Texas goes independent, they have the viable money revenue to support the other teams. Texas likely will join another conference for all non football sports and be independent in football (like Notre Dame is independent in football and Big East for other sports). This move allows Texas to recruit nationally which allows the rest of the Big XII to figure out its own future.

 

[mr. peebs]

That's the key. I think this deal signals the end of the Big XII. ESPN is essentially paying up front 2 years to get the last 8 yrs of Texas football. So as Texas goes independent, they have the viable money revenue to support the other teams. Texas likely will join another conference for all non football sports and be independent in football (like Notre Dame is independent in football and Big East for other sports). This move allows Texas to recruit nationally which allows the rest of the Big XII to figure out its own future.

UT-Austin doesn't need to/already does recruit nationally. We have the highest concentration of D-1 players in the country as it is in-state, and are always top 3 in terms of elite talent with California and Florida in some order so it's not like recruiting nationally is necessary to field solid teams like it is for Notre Dame or now BYU or other national powers in historically non high school power states etc. Also, the horns already get highly ranked recruits out of state as it is so I don't think getting more national recruiting recognition will help as much as it sounds or would for other programs. Sure it will be nice to get top recruits from California or Florida or wherever else, but then it also lessens the amount of in-state recruits which in turn strengthens other in-state programs, so it can go either way.

 

[Ranger Tom]

The end of the Big 12...I'm not sure if I should celebrate that or fear it. My beloved Tech could end up in a conference with a fair revenue sharing deal...but that conference might suck. (I dare not name it.) These are interesting times. They'd make a good 30 for 30 production.