Some ACC network scuttlebutt

[PittMan 72]

There was a thread on the F & F premium Lair board about some big news maybe coming real soon w/r/t an ACC network.

It sounds like the principals (the network partners and ACC member schools) have a lot more information than the general public does, at present. To the point where, according to the linked piece with comments form the NCSU AD, some of the infrastructure upgrades and enhancements are already taking place. May not be too far of a stretch to say something is imminent and could be released to the public pretty soon. If so, it would be excellent news for the ACC and - by association - for Pitt.

http://allsportsdiscussion.com/2016...akes-acc-network-sound-like-an-inevitability/

 

[Piranha]

That would great!

 

[9nationalchampionships]

More exposure and revenue.......I like it

 

[Panthergrowl13]

There was a thread on the F & F premium Lair board about some big news maybe coming real soon w/r/t an ACC network.

It sounds like the principals (the network partners and ACC member schools) have a lot more information than the general public does, at present. To the point where, according to the linked piece with comments form the NCSU AD, some of the infrastructure upgrades and enhancements are already taking place. May not be too far of a stretch to say something is imminent and could be released to the public pretty soon. If so, it would be excellent news for the ACC and - by association - for Pitt.

http://allsportsdiscussion.com/2016...akes-acc-network-sound-like-an-inevitability/

Very positive news/information.

Thanks for posting.

HAIL TO PITT!!!!

 

[Begbie_Nole]

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

 

[PittMan 72]

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

Haven't seen any details. But where does it say that? Light years away? You're a pessimist.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Do people refer to you as "the wet blanket"?

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

Idiotic. Stop reading kook theories.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

The ACC has no choice but to develop a Network to keep up with Big Ten & SEC and could have done it earlier than SEC, but now playing Catch-Up but at least it may finally getting done?

Still, to be fair SEC and Big Ten always had advantages to grow bigger because they have the biggest Schools, Ratings, Attendance, and always were far ahead. The other remaining 3 Power Conferences do not have much left to expand and grow. Notre Dame and Texas can help change that but they will decide at their own way and in their own time.

Penn State has gone through the Worse Scandal of College Football History costing them Millions and now charging Parking Fees for 3 day Event of Springs Game, but still making a Profit. The Article Link below also talks about $70 to $80 million in New Big Ten Network & TV Money, and SEC will keep up too.

Pac-12 Reorganizing their Network, and good to see ACC finally taking its time to develop one with the future in mind, and Big-12 still in just discussions but will a have a championship games? All 3 (Pac-12, ACC, and Big-12), far behind Big Ten and SEC but better late than never?

Still, what President can turn down $70 & $80 Million more per year if Big Tenor SEC comes a calling? There are now 28 0f 129 FBS Football Programs making $100 Million or more every year up from just 3 in 2008, and 18 of those 28 are SEC & Big Ten Programs.

Once 2018 arrives that number will just rise, but mostly in SEC & Big Ten Conferences. Hope the ACC can get near and keep up, if not, the "More Haves" will be more in the Big Ten and SEC even bigger than the "Less Haves" in other 3 Power Conferences.
ARTICLE & EXCERPT:
Penn State football simply can't get by on $36M profit? Blue-White, last bit of PSU charity, issues $20 parking
..........As are most of the elite Power Five athletic departments, particularly those in the Big Ten and SEC, it is floating on its back in a pond of black ink. In the latest statement of revenue mandated by the U.S. Department of Education for the fiscal year ending almost exactly a year ago (06/30/15), Penn State football finished with a revenues-over-expenses figure of $36,158,596. All that comes before a Big Ten per-school annual payout of $32.4 million, one that will balloon resulting from that new media-rights deal with Fox and Disney which promises to double it in 2018 to somewhere in the $60 million-$70 million range. Even after all of the "not-allocated expenses" and salaries and recruiting trips and student aid, the entire PSU athletic department announced a profit of $3,449,212.".........
LINK:
http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefo...thletics_simply_ca.html#incart_social_feature

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It sounds like the principals (the network partners and ACC member schools) have a lot more information than the general public does

That's not possible. Message board posters and bloggers know everything. Way more than the people actually involved could ever hope to know.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

ACC Media Days are in a couple weeks, maybe Swofford will give you something there.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

ACC Media Days are in a couple weeks, maybe Swofford will give you something there.

The entire ACC is looking forward to it for 6 years now they can wait another few weeks or months?

 

[ThePanthers]

The presidents and ADs have known more about this than the general public since day 1 and will continue until announcement. I linked the NC State project on here back in March when they had it on their capital project website. Hopefully this is going forward.

We'll find out probably before the end of the year what the ACC network will entail (whether it's a traditional linear channel, digital, both).

And no, the ACC couldnt' have done this before the SEC.

 

[SU68]

Interestingly, Syracuse has just hired alum John Wildhack as AD. "For the past two-and-half-years, Wildhack has been the executive vice president of programming and production, overseeing all ESPN production, programming acquisitions, rights holder relationship management and scheduling."

I imagine that he was the lead at ESPN to negotiate the ACCN. I wonder what he will bring to the ACC from our side of the table.

 

[ThePanthers]

Interestingly, Syracuse has just hired alum John Wildhack as AD. "For the past two-and-half-years, Wildhack has been the executive vice president of programming and production, overseeing all ESPN production, programming acquisitions, rights holder relationship management and scheduling."

I imagine that he was the lead at ESPN to negotiate the ACCN. I wonder what he will bring to the ACC from our side of the table.

Saw that. Hopefully he brings some insight. I think the project is pretty far along though, but it can't hurt.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Interestingly, Syracuse has just hired alum John Wildhack as AD. "For the past two-and-half-years, Wildhack has been the executive vice president of programming and production, overseeing all ESPN production, programming acquisitions, rights holder relationship management and scheduling."

I imagine that he was the lead at ESPN to negotiate the ACCN. I wonder what he will bring to the ACC from our side of the table.

Syracuse is known for its World Class Communications Department that has produced many Network Executives and Sports Personalities.

For 50 years the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications has trained students who have gone on to become news and sportscasters, media entrepreneurs and advertising executives.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index...._among_newhouse_schools_prominent_alumni.html

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Swofford may be gone, retirement or worse, by then.

 

[PittMan 72]

Saw that. Hopefully he brings some insight. I think the project is pretty far along though, but it can't hurt.

Current President of ESPN is John Skipper. He is a North Carolina alum (undergrad). He is supposedly a very strong advocate for the ACC and an ACC network.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/leaders/john-skipper/

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Yep, Swofford's buddy.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Swofford may be gone, retirement or worse, by then.

Good point, most of the Conference Commissioners are near age to retire.

Swofford has done some very good things in expanding the ACC and has made a few missteps but like some others have said, he has to work with 15 College Presidents and that is not easy to do.

Many did not know how difficult it was in the Big East when the Secular Football & basketball Schools had to deal with the Catholic Basketball Schools, that all acme out later?

We had many discussions on big East Expansion, Mergers, and few to none knew just how poison there was between those two groups. There is no reason to not to suspect there are same problems not as bad, but whereby the ACC does have some College Presidents eyeing what SEC & Big Ten can offer as far as more money if it means $70-80 Million more?

Recall, Maryland and FSU both opposed the Big Buyout Exit Penalty Agreement? Up to the ACC Presidents to work together with Swofford!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Current President of ESPN is John Skipper. He is a North Carolina alum (undergrad). He is supposedly a very strong advocate for the ACC and an ACC network.
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/leaders/john-skipper/

Well, some speculation has been that Big Ten & SEC come a calling to offer some Schools an invitation to join, those are UNC, UVA, FSU, and VT? Along with everyone wanting ND?

Interesting that Cuse & BC were founding Member Schools creating Big East Basketball too, but both left too.

When it comes to making more money Schools are going to go to conferences that can make more money. ESPN blew the Big Ten Network and Fox jumped in, so ESPN turn to SEC and the ACC watched it all happen even when it was the ACC that assigned All Rights to one Network being John Skipper's ESPN?

Up to Skipper to create ACC-ESPN with Swofford, and ACC Presidents someday or wait another day? Meanwhile, Big Bucks$ getting bigger for SEC & BIG-!0, as ACC, Big-12, and Pac-12 are falling way behind?

 

[topdecktiger]

It states the ACC could have done it sooner but waited?

Here is where the problem is. You are making too much of an assumption about the phrase "could have." There is a gigantic difference between the ACC asking for a network, and ESPN/Fox/CBS/NBC actually agreeing to do it. Even if the ACC had decided in 2010, "Hey, we want a network," it doesn't mean that one of the TV companies would have given them one. It is inarguable that the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. It's not really a reasonable argument to say that ESPN would have given the less-valuable ACC a network before the more-valuable SEC.

 

[ThePanthers]

Here is where the problem is. You are making too much of an assumption about the phrase "could have." There is a gigantic difference between the ACC asking for a network, and ESPN/Fox/CBS/NBC actually agreeing to do it. Even if the ACC had decided in 2010, "Hey, we want a network," it doesn't mean that one of the TV companies would have given them one. It is inarguable that the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. It's not really a reasonable argument to say that ESPN would have given the less-valuable ACC a network before the more-valuable SEC.

David Teel has stated this numerous times as well that the ACC was not ready for a profitable network at that time through discussions with ACC leaders and media types as well.

It took further expansion, GOR, and a successful launch of the SECN for the powers that be to finally look at the viability of an ACC network.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

"topdecktiger, post: 1388757, member: 3806"]Here is where the problem is. You are making too much of an assumption about the phrase "could have."
I concur with you on that,I have the Experts in links that know this was possible, but after talking with you I sided with you that it was not probable at that time. I also feel it would be unfair to assume it was Swofford's fault because i agree with you some ACC Presidents wanted to save Raycom. This is just my opinion due to respecting you making me read many more Articles and being fair to your semantics.

However, it is still my contention that the ACC should have dumped Raycom like SEC did, and there was no advantage to the ACC keeping them and that is just a contention and opinion. If Raycom was no longer good enough for SEC than it was not good enough for the ACC either.

Yet, I am not wrong when i have a number of well sourced Sports Business Articles agreeing the ACC all the righst going to ESPN had they dumped Raycom instead of saving it. No one has posted a Link to any other sources saying otherwise.

There is a gigantic difference between the ACC asking for a network, and ESPN/Fox/CBS/NBC actually agreeing to do it.
Well the same can be said they could have said you want All the rights we want a Network and that is just as plausible as them asking? SEC did not mess around they came right out and told ESPN we want a Network and if you won't do it, we will find someone who will, and ESPN knowing they blew it with the Big Ten and Fox stepped in, did not blow it with SEC. ESPN also had no problem dumping Raycom and then helping buy back the third party rights which took a number of years. Nothing anyone posted change that was what happen too. SEC got its SEC-ESPN Network and some Critics say ACC missed their opportunity!

I can also agree with you on another point but differs a tad yet is still a GIGANTIC DIFFERENCE. The 'GIGANTIC DIFFERENCE" and I think you will agree, is that ESPN knew SEC TV NETWORK would be way more Profitable than the ACC NETWORK. In spite of Swofford bragging about the ACC largest footprint as far as Markets and States, this was not so with Ratings, Attendance, Alumni, and Advertising! The ACC has too many Schools in North Carolina and 2 of them Private Smaller in Duke and Wake Forest, and to more Urban Universities that are smaller as well than most SEC Universities except Vandy? Pitt, BC, Cuse, Miami, and Georgia Tech are those Urban Schools. Also, even the ACC Big Public Schools are smaller than most SEC Schools and less of them!
Even if the ACC had decided in 2010, "Hey, we want a network," it doesn't mean that one of the TV companies would have given them one.
I can understand your point and can agree but we will do not know that for sure either. Yet, even if they had gotten a Network to do it, it would still be less profitable than SEC Network and I think you would agree with that too.

The other reason why I tend to favor your view in spite of anyone knowing for sure is because the PAC-12 went it alone and they proved it you go it alone, that was not the way to go? I posted the Link on why that has not worked out, and I thank you for making me look it up and share it with the Lair.

Yet, I am steadfast in my belief saving Raycom was not important to SEC and should not have been to the ACC either!

It is inarguable that the SEC is more valuable than the ACC.
Hmmmnnnn, I disagree, SEC is bigger in Attendance than the Big Ten, has more Programs worth more $100 million, Highest in TV Ratings even with lower Alumni than the Big Ten. It took the Big Ten longer to payback Fox Network Start Up Costs and SEC was profitable in its First Year way more than the Big-10-Fox! The ACC is far less valuable in all those categories than SEC and the Big Ten.

Unless you can explain how how Attendance, Fans, Property Right Income, Ratings, University Student Undergraduates and Alumni and Programs Winning in the Top 25 and Bowls are less valuable, I'll await to see how you argue otherwise that it is inarguable?

It's not really a reasonable argument to say that ESPN would have given the less-valuable ACC a network before the more-valuable SEC.
Well, in spite of you just saying it does not make it inarguable either and I disagree and will tell you why:

1. SEC is more valuable with bigger Programs with most Fans in America as outlined above with other factors as well.

2. SEC dumping Raycom made SEC more valuable than ACC too!

3. SEC-ESPN Network that made Profits for each SEC School in its first year.

4. SEC-ESPN has a Network ACC Does Not but Raycom has ACC Rights but not any SEC Rights?

5. SEC-Network is not even in a SEC State it is in ACC North Carolina?

6. If you are right that SEC is not more valuable than the ACC, then the ACC looks even more stupid not having a Network right now, and you will have to blame ACC Presidents and Swofford for that in turn and you can't argue that either way by just saying it.

7. Please post a Link where the ACC is just as valuable as SEC?

8. Explain why SEC gets more money for each School in SEC versus the ACC?

The SEC Is Finally The Most Valuable Conference In College Sports:
Last year the conference generated $476 million between payouts from football bowl games, the NCAA Tournament and TV deals with CBS CBS +0.77% and ESPN . That $34 million per member school was easily the most of any conference; the Big Ten had the second-most with some $28 million per member school.......That massive difference in conference revenue also explains why many schools often appear so eager to abandon their conferences for greener pastures. Maryland, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Louisville, Missouri, Texas A&M and TCU have all moved in recent years, and it’s all been for the single purpose of trying to find the best conference revenue pipeline available. And if one thing has become abundantly clear it’s that, right now, there’s no better home than the SEC.
LINK:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissm...le-conference-in-college-sports/#5debc00f349e

Topdecktiger I very much respect your posts and appreciate your knowledge and have no problem in you correcting any misconceptions I am wrong about. I agree where i can in pursuit of learning more on subjects and your insights are valuable and I thank you! You have changed my mind without offense on a few subjects and added to my understanding as well as share it with others that care about it on the Lair.

 

[topdecktiger]

SEC did not mess around they came right out and told ESPN we want a Network and if you won't do it, we will find someone who will, and ESPN knowing they blew it with the Big Ten and Fox stepped in, did not blow it with SEC.

This is not really accurate. ESPN already had a majority of the SEC's games under contract. The SEC only had their Tier 3 games (which would have been 1 football game per school) and CBS had the game of the week package, which amounts to around 13-14 games. The SECN televises 45 football games a year, so the SEC would not have had enough inventory to start a network with anyone else. The SEC really couldn't have gone anywhere else besides ESPN.

I can understand your point and can agree but we will do not know that for sure either.

The problem is, you can't use "we don't know for sure" to advance an argument. The fact is, at the time the ACC signed its contract, ESPN was already working with the SEC on a network, and the Big Ten was just beginning to turn a profit. If you evaluate the situation realistically, the odds were not favorable for the ACC getting a network at that point.

Hmmmnnnn, I disagree, SEC is bigger in Attendance than the Big Ten, has more Programs worth more $100 million, Highest in TV Ratings even with lower Alumni than the Big Ten. It took the Big Ten longer to payback Fox Network Start Up Costs and SEC was profitable in its First Year way more than the Big-10-Fox! The ACC is far less valuable in all those categories than SEC and the Big Ten.

Unless you can explain how how Attendance, Fans, Property Right Income, Ratings, University Student Undergraduates and Alumni and Programs Winning in the Top 25 and Bowls are less valuable, I'll await to see how you argue otherwise that it is inarguable?

Well, in spite of you just saying it does not make it inarguable either and I disagree and will tell you why:

1. SEC is more valuable with bigger Programs with most Fans in America as outlined above with other factors as well.

2. SEC dumping Raycom made SEC more valuable than ACC too!

3. SEC-ESPN Network that made Profits for each SEC School in its first year.

4. SEC-ESPN has a Network ACC Does Not but Raycom has ACC Rights but not any SEC Rights?

5. SEC-Network is not even in a SEC State it is in ACC North Carolina?

6. If you are right that SEC is not more valuable than the ACC, then the ACC looks even more stupid not having a Network right now, and you will have to blame ACC Presidents and Swofford for that in turn and you can't argue that either way by just saying it.

7. Please post a Link where the ACC is just as valuable as SEC?

8. Explain why SEC gets more money for each School in SEC versus the ACC?

I'm not sure where you disagree. I said the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. Then, you proceeded to explain why the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. I just said the same thing you did, so where is the disagreement?

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

"topdecktiger, post: 1389216, member: 3806"]This is not really accurate. ESPN already had a majority of the SEC's games under contract. The SEC only had their Tier 3 games (which would have been 1 football game per school) and CBS had the game of the week package, which amounts to around 13-14 games. The SECN televises 45 football games a year, so the SEC would not have had enough inventory to start a network with anyone else. The SEC really couldn't have gone anywhere else besides ESPN.
Well, it is accurate they dumped Raycom! It is accurate they needed years to buy them back or wait till they ended. Here is a back dated article that gives the feel at the time I talking about and gives a timetable for what was going to enhance our discussions and share with the Board. Below points out the Third Party Rights were more than just games.

Is SEC reconsidering idea for own TV network?
2011
The more conference realignment plays out, the more I think Mike Slive is reconsidering the SEC channel the league passed on in 2008. Or at the very least, he's willing to use the idea as leverage. A channel was deemed too risky then. The Big Ten Network initially struggled with distribution, but it's now thriving. The problem is, you can't use "we don't know for sure" to advance an argument. The fact is, at the time the ACC signed its contract, ESPN was already working with the SEC on a network, and the Big Ten was just beginning to turn a profit. If you evaluate the situation realistically, the odds were not favorable for the ACC getting a network at that point.........(Backs Up Your Points And Why Raycom Being Local Was Saved But SEC Chose otherwise and still not sure it was doing the right thing??) I just differ and the ACC was going to add Cuse, Pitt, and did not expect to Lose UMD but got ULou and ND later, but that is Hindsight. I still little value in saving raycom but accept it because one can't change it now?
More Excerpts:
.......Both conferences have something the SEC doesn't: Several members located in heavily-populated states. That's why the SEC jumping into Texas with Texas A&M makes sense. That's why why the Missouri talk -- with the St. Louis and Kansas City TV markets -- won't die.
"The more markets you're in, the possibility exists of developing a stronger conference channel," said television consultant Neal Pilson, former president of CBS Sports. "I'm not persuaded that Mike and his people made the wrong call three years ago. I don't think the SEC needs a channel to generate the kind of revenue that I think they will see, whether it's in this agreement or the next one."
Slive would have to convince every SEC school to sign over its local multimedia rights -- often called third-tier rights. These rights include coaches' shows and one annual pay-per-view football game. For instance, Florida makes $10 million a year from Fox Sun Sports. Alabama reported to the NCAA making $8.4 million from its multi-media rights in 2009-10; Auburn listed $4.6 million. Last week, Slive said the SEC's longstanding ability to make money from local packages was "at that time one of the reasons why we elected to forego the concept of a channel in light of the ability to become nationally distributed at the level we are." "At that time." Does that mean a change of tune? Slive wouldn't say when asked last spring.
..........The Longhorn Network provides Texas an average of $15 million and ESPN gets only one or two football games a year in return.

I'm not sure where you disagree. I said the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. Then, you proceeded to explain why the SEC is more valuable than the ACC. I just said the same thing you did, so where is the disagreement?
We agree not a problem. Here is more info from the 2011 article touching on the aspects i mentioned as highlighted..
The SEC is only in the third year of 15-year deals with ESPN and CBS. Since then, the Pac-12's average annual value has surpassed the SEC's. The SEC enjoys more ESPN coverage than any conference precisely because the SEC considered a network in 2008. Back then, ESPN couldn't afford to lose the SEC after the Big Ten went to Fox and a conference network. Would ESPN risk losing the SEC in 12 years, or work now to build a future network if that's what the SEC wants? Burke Magnus, ESPN senior vice president of college sports programming, stressed in June the SEC deal can't be reopened and there are no out clauses. There is a "look-in" review built in after five years that can happen sooner. Pilson said "look-ins" typically allow a third party, such as an arbitrator, to help determine the conference's value if there's disagreement. Depending on the contract language, the third-party's decision could be binding or simply a recommendation.

In addition, here are others good infromation from the Article, and agrees with some points we both madein previous posts. It reflects what the ACC now has to go through with ESPN too if it wants to start up an ACC-ESPN NETWORK?

Excerpt:
Magnus said in June it was hard to say if the SEC, which continues to heavily create programming for the SEC Digital Network, could do a channel with ESPN.

"The local package is very much a part of the culture of the SEC," Magnus said. "I'm not saying they could never change. It would be complicated, but not impossible." Among the complexities: startup costs, distribution, 24-hour-a-day programming, and ESPN's sublicense contracts. The SEC would have to pool all the third-tier rights together, so that would take time for those contracts to expire at different stages.

"At some point you need to have a degree of finality in how you treat your TV deal," Pilson said. "But there's no smarter commissioner than Mike Slive. The discussion you and I are having I guarantee is the discussion he's had with his people in the conference." What was it Slive said in 2006 when he first publicly discussed an SEC Network? "There is an ego element to having your name on a channel." Stay tuned.

LINK:
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/is_sec_reconsidering_idea_for.html

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Digital only right?? Will be more money but light years from the BIG and SEC. Its a problem for some of us going head to head against in-state teams from the two mega money conferences. Us and you you guys included.

The ACC already has a digital network. Its called ESPN3, which broadcasts almost every single football and basketball game. If you are living in Montana and want to watch Clemson basketball play Elon, you can do that. So, a "digital network" isn't giving the ACC something we dont have already. A ton of olympic sports are even on ESPN3.

My feeling is that ESPNews will be rebranded into the ACCN with ESPNews running as filler for hours per day.

ESPNews already televises a ton of games fr the American as ESPN cant fit those games on their other channels so I think they just change the name of the channel and put a lot of ACC content on there.

 

[ThePanthers]

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/unbundling-espn-possibly-preparing-standalone-service/15837851/

I guess it's leaking that ESPN is going to start a direct to web app and start showing niche sports and other college sports on it as it slowly starts to work towards more streaming and direct to consumer viewing.

Joe Oives believe this is where the ACC network project will launch instead of a linear traditional type of network.

I'm hoping it launches on both. But who knows.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I guess it's leaking that ESPN is going to start a direct to web app and start showing niche sports and other college sports on it as it slowly starts to work towards more streaming and direct to consumer viewing.

Joe Oives believe this is where the ACC network project will launch instead of a linear traditional type of network.

That would be a huge, huge disappointment. That idea isn't all that much different than what they do now with ESPN3. If they start telling people that essentially they are going to have to pay a monthly fee to access similar content to what is available now on ESPN3 then they need to be prepared for the channel to be essentially ignored by almost everyone.

 

[Pitt-fan-in-Charlotte]

Yep that's worthless and ACC's top half will be split by big ten and sec if that's the case

The scraps and AAC can combine for ole times sake

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/unbundling-espn-possibly-preparing-standalone-service/15837851/

I guess it's leaking that ESPN is going to start a direct to web app and start showing niche sports and other college sports on it as it slowly starts to work towards more streaming and direct to consumer viewing.

Joe Oives believe this is where the ACC network project will launch instead of a linear traditional type of network.

I'm hoping it launches on both. But who knows.

Yea, that is worst-case scenario. All that stuff is already on ESPN3. This just gives the ACC their own app, which nobody but diehards will watch.

This announcement will be the beginning of end times for the ACC. FSU, Clemon, GT, the Virginias, and Carolinas will move to the SEC or B10.