What ESPN/ACC deal could mean for Tech
A couple thoughts on the ACC’s new deal with ESPN, which has fed the FSU-to-the-Big 12 talk (as deftly blogged by Jeff Schultz).
The background: The ACC last week completed a renegotiation of its deal with ESPN, jumping its per-school, per-year average from $13 million to $17 million.
1. The $17 million number is about what the ACC was expecting going into negotiations. The league had limited leverage, according to the Sports Business Journal. If the two sides couldn’t agree on a deal, the ACC couldn’t go to the open market. Both sides would have gone to an arbitrator. Further, as football teams go, Pitt and Syracuse presumably don’t make television executives do cartwheels.
It’s a nice bump, but it’s not exactly game-changing. Reported numbers vary, but it still leaves the ACC lagging its conference competition. The Pac-12’s contract averages out to $20.8 million per school, per year, and the league is creating its own network. (All numbers are per school, per year.) The Big Ten’s deal is worth $20.7 annually for its members. The SEC’s current deal brings in $17.1 million each year, but can re-do its deal. By adding Texas A&M, it will be worth significantly more, perhaps even $30 million. The Big 12 is reportedly on the verge of a new deal worth $20 million.
Further, the ACC’s deal escalates annually. Schools will receive $12.3 million the first year, a little more than $1 million than they would have in the previous deal. The annual check won’t match the $17 million average until 2021.
Presuming they want to stay competitive in both a financial and athletic sense, I have to think that ACC poobahs feel some pressure to keep making moves. I posted a blog in February about a presentation that Dan Radakovich made that noted the financial future of Tech and the ACC. The presentation postulated that a new deal could be worth $17 million.
“This is a good picture for us,” he said. “It shows that we are gathering significant resources from our relationship within the Atlantic Coast Conference, but it certainly says we have some continued work to do.”
2. There was a small detail in the new ESPN deal that could impact Tech’s annual game with Georgia. Part of the contract is three Friday games. Two of them will be hosted by Syracuse and Boston College. Tech could play in both of those games, although the Jackets will be at Syracuse and Boston College twice every seven years.
The third game is on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It’s a new property for ESPN, in the same vein as the Labor Day night game that Tech will play in this September against Virginia Tech.
The Thanksgiving Friday game could be any home game for an ACC school. I think it would go without saying that Tech-Georgia at Bobby Dodd Stadium would be a possibility for ESPN, if for no other reason than that it’s already scheduled every year for that weekend. It’s my understanding that Tech has in the past been willing to accommodate such a move, at least on a one-game basis, but that ESPN is content keeping that game on Saturday.
But now that ESPN has a standing deal to televise a Thanksgiving Friday game – there was one ACC game that day last year, Boston College at Miami, on ABC, after four years when all of the ACC games that weekend were on Saturday – it would stand to reason Tech-Georgia may get a look.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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77 comments Add your comment
Ramblin Man
May 15th, 2012
11:08 am
909 you make some great points. I could see the ACC come to an end if FSU and the U were to jump. If they leave blood will be in the water and the SEC will strike for two teams. With four teams out the door then the Big Ten will throw out feelers and has been interested in GT and Maryland for years. I could see the Big Ten offering up to three teams from the ACC and making a bid for Vandy or maybe ND. If teams start defecting then the money from the exit clause, which is probably the only real thing holding anything up at this point, would be void as several schools would just file suit against the ACC.
I could then easily see what was left of the ACC and Big East merging to form a basketball first conference. Intersting times are ahead. Will be interesting to see what FSU does and how they feel the budget will be effected in the short term compared to potential long term gains.
NCDAWG
May 15th, 2012
11:11 am
I SUCK TOO
Ramblin Man
May 15th, 2012
11:11 am
I do find it funny though that FSU and the U would want out when it was thier job to make ACC football relevant as far as NCs go and neither has done jack since the 90s and the U has not even been to a ACCCG.
Ramblin Man
May 15th, 2012
11:16 am
On a seperate note Ken you have let me down for the first time. Why no coverage of the Girls softball ACC championship? I expect this from the so-called recruiting blog that seems to forget to report when GT lands a recruit or is making strides with an in-state recruit but you have always been on top of things. Ken don’t get sucked in to the all things UGA AJC.
5150 UOAD
May 15th, 2012
12:55 pm
WOW!!!!!!!! UGa took this LONG to know being the #1 Party School causes Date R..E #s to be high? What a bunch of Freaking ROAD SCHOLARS UGa has.
http://www.ajc.com/news/uga-study-alcohol-consumption-1437741.html
5150 UOAD
May 15th, 2012
12:56 pm
The Lady Jackets(and all ACC Teams) got SCREWED on the Softball brackets. ALL the ACC teams have to do some Crazy TRAVEL. The cESPN has set the SEC up to WIN the Softball Championship. 11 of the (new Mizzou & Texas A&M) SEC teams made the tourney and 6 of the (new Syarcuse) ACC teams made the tourney.
5150 UOAD
May 15th, 2012
12:59 pm
The ACC needs to be PROACTIVE like they were in getting Pitt & Syracuse. The ACC needs to make THE DEAL to get Notre Dame and Penn St. Penn St needs a move to get a FRESH Start in LIFE after Joe Pa & Notre Dame needs a HOME.
yeller bug
May 15th, 2012
2:58 pm
ND has their own TV contract—they won’t come to the ACC. PSU would be nice, but I doubt they will come either. Maybe WVA, good football school but no big media contract there…..and then UConn which is boring, but that would get us to 16 teams.
As mentioned above—the ACC needs to play better ball, FSU and UM haven’t carried the conference as projected….Pitt & Syracuse aren’t giant killers in football anymore either. WVA and PSU would be the best for the ACC and maybe the ACC can re-negotiate the contract if they get these teams.
GT Rich
May 15th, 2012
3:07 pm
If the ACC ever went to 16 teams, make it a north and south conf. South = Miami, FSU, GT, Clemson & the 4 Carolina schools. North = VT, UVA, Cuse, Pitt, Md, BC, Uconn, Notre Dame.
GT Alum
May 15th, 2012
3:29 pm
UOAD,
I was thinking about this last night after reading some of the FSU stuff, and the problem is I don’t think the ACC really has a shot at any teams that will increase the football profile.
The only way ND would join a conference is if staying independent would exclude them from premier postseason opportunities or if their brand falls so far that no one will give them a lucrative TV contract on their own, neither of which seems likely in the timeframe we’re discussing.
WVU is part of the Big 12. Have to believe we passed them over because of academics. They would’ve helped both basketball and football athletically.
I have to think if PSU was that interested, we would’ve added them instead of Pitt.
GT Alum
May 15th, 2012
3:35 pm
They wouldn’t help basketball, but they’d help football, and they’d have given us a better recruiting foothold in PA. Plus, they may not have gotten us into a single market like Pittsburgh, but they would’ve gotten us more TV sets. If we had the opportunity to add Penn St and added Pitt instead, that was a mistake of being too committed to basketball, and I’m not sure PSU would give us a chance to correct it.
GT Alum
May 15th, 2012
3:41 pm
Other than that, there’s a few programs that are showing signs of developing like Cincy, UCF and SFU, but no one that’s going to instantly bolster the conference. A real desperation move would be if the ACC tried to trump the Big East’s football-only offer to Boise.
Hill top 56
May 15th, 2012
5:10 pm
Supersize :
I don;t think there is hope for this yr, Georgia;s D will be one of the best in the country this Year, And with GT trying throw the ball more I don’t think the line can hold them . And Georgia’s LB’s are the best in the SEC by far both size and speed speed speed . The way I see it 4 in row for Georgia. Rocky top out !!!!
gt4ever
May 15th, 2012
7:49 pm
Well, I for one think we need to be back in the SEC, where all our football history came from… We have gone downhill since we left… IMHO… Here is to hoping we are at least competitive in football next year. Go Jackets!
GT Alum
May 15th, 2012
9:35 pm
gt4ever -
SEC probably will never take us back. Still hold a grudge that we left and love holding it over us that they’re better now than the conference we’re in. Also, the don’t really need Tech because UGA (sic) gives them a recruiting foothold in GA and the Georgia (and Atlanta) TV markets. If the ACC kills its football viability, Tech’s best hope would likely be the Big 10.
Supersize that order, mutt
May 15th, 2012
9:50 pm
@ gt4ever, we agree on that point. We BELONG in the SEC. Unfortunately, the last time we attempted to get back in it, UGA under Dooley blocked it. He actually abstained when the final vote was taken, but had he supported it all along and voted yes, we probably would be in the SEC today
Supersize that order, mutt
May 15th, 2012
9:53 pm
@ Hill top 56, frankly, I don’t worry about the UGA defense. “Choke” Grantham will have them in trouble before all is said and done, I don’t care how good their players might rank nationally. It’s the Tech defense which has been the problem; I only hope that it improves enough this year to keep the offense on the field. I don’t think Grantham’s D can stop us if we stop them.
Supersize that order, mutt
May 15th, 2012
9:59 pm
Tech has its second commitment for 2013, a RB out of Ohio
http://georgiatech.scout.com/a.z?s=140&p=9&c=8&toinid=654&yr=2013
1 4 GT
May 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
I’ll answer you SS. I think we have an excellent chance of beating the dwags in Athens. If…………the QB, whomever that might be, can be more productive passing the ball. If……………the defense can put more pressure on the Georgie offense. If…………..the special teams can be more productive in their game. I think the defense and lack of passing cost us the game last November. Georgie had a good team last year. They supposedly had a good defense with a high national ranking. But……………the defensive record was built on teams that ranked a little south of the middle of the pack offensively. The game is ours for the taking. They will have some degree of overconfidence. If………..we get off to a good start against VT and build from there, GT should be capable of being pretty dang good. That being said………………GOOOOOOOOO JACKETS THWGeorgie
Supersize that order, mutt
May 15th, 2012
10:29 pm
@ Lee…..I agree 100% with you…..THWG !!!!!
old dog
May 16th, 2012
10:04 am
ACC football has all the exciting following of women’s field hocky! I widh y’all WERE in the SEC……….it would help the rivalry, and y’alls recruiting!
gt4ever
May 16th, 2012
10:19 am
Kinda like UGA football, Old dog….
old dog
May 16th, 2012
12:34 pm
@gt4ever,
Playing in the powder-puff football conference of the land, no matter how much fun we make of each other, is NOT going to enhance the program. Others who have joined kinda regret it…………..see what happens.
old dog
May 16th, 2012
2:42 pm
@ my old buddy Supersize…..
Shouldn’t have left to start with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The New ACC
May 17th, 2012
9:22 am
Too funny with any talk about a “new” conference. The current major conferences have everything locked up tight – legally and money-wise. The powers in charge of these conferences would never allow it, period.
The new ACC does need to win football games, period. This is especially true in the bowl games. In order to be a “big boy” you need to beat the “big boys.”
If the ACC wants more money out of ESPN, then we need to defeat the SEC teams at every opportunity.
The New ACC
May 17th, 2012
9:24 am
@old dog –
Go away. You add NOTHING of value here. One would think you would be worried about that pitiful school in Athens and the downward direction of their football team way before you spend time on here speaking badly about the ACC.
Shows where your priorities are, my friend.
old dog
May 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
@ The New ACC,
I’VE BEEN ON THIS and OTHER BLOGS….the subject of Tech being in the SEC has been a subject several times. The fact that you are too dumb to make any kind of comment is pretty much an established fact….so YOU go away. And don’t cry to mommy while you are doing it!