UL exploring options for regional TV deal

[CajunT]

The final paragraphs tell the story and I have a few questions.

How can Farmer currently be in negotiations with CST (COX) for something he does not have?

How can someone reading the article not understand that the SBC/ESPN contract is what killed the RCN.

If Farmer didn't have any input or even a chance to "veto' the ESPN deal how can he be held responsible for not getting a regional deal done when a contract that he had no input on is blocking the deal because of the parent networks footprint?

"Meanwhile, even while exploring creation of a radio-like network Farmer holds onto hope that UL and CST, which has wide regional reach, can somehow overcome the existing SBC/ESPN roadblock.

“It’s not off the table,” Farmer said, “because they (CST officials) want to do it too. CST is dying to do it; UL is dying to do it. We just can’t get it to where it can coexist with the existing ESPN contract.”"

I answered the question in this post. Its not uncommon for ESPN to sell back third tier rights to other networks, but keep the markets they want. Its also not uncommon for conferences like the MAC or the Sun Belt to bundle their packages with ESPN today. So the question is not why did Scott Farmer do it in the first place, but why he didn't know that he was entering an agreement that would limit the program to what it could do with its own third tier rights?

"ESPN owns the third-tier rights of the SBC, so they don't have to agree to any negotiation with CST for markets they are not willing to give up. So perhaps they are willing to agree with or allow another party to broadcast in those markets? I don't know the answer to that question, but when it was first discussed talk was into the Florida markets and other areas west of Texas. It could be that ESPN is willing to sell back the rights to CST in those areas. If CST thinks it would be financially reasonable to do so."

[CajunDreDog]

Do any other schools in the SBC still have their 3rd tier rights?

[Bigbuf]

I made several post, did you read both?

Yep. read them thanks for asking!

First, do you think only one person in this town has sources inside the athletic department or university?

I was in a round about way giving you a compliment. You do a great job with the red zone so I wanted to ask the person that i think would have had the best chance to know what went on. You have not answered my question. Of course you don't have to and a no answer is fine with me. I am serioulsy trying to understand why this deal has not been made.

Secondly, it's possible that ESPN is willing to sale some of the third tier rights back to a provider in certain areas. In fact, they have done so with the MAC in the past and other conference and programs.

Why would ESPN have the right to sell something to the lower markets that they have no contractual right to do so?

The contract between the Sun Belt and ESPN essentially states that individual conference-member schools can create their own station or network and air it in any state the SBC has a school in, or in any state that touches that state — but no states beyond that.

The Sun Belt has schools in Idaho (football-only member Idaho) and New Mexico (football-only member New Mexico State), but none in states that border California.

"We can't get past those 'outlying areas,'" Farmer said.

[Bigbuf]

So if its the markets that lie outside of the contract with the SBC and ESPN that is holding up the "RCN" deal, did Farmer have anything to do with the signing away of UL's right to ESPN or was it a condition of the contract the ALL SBC schools do the since since ESPN owns the rights to ALL SBC schools?

[Cajunsmike]

I answered the question in this post. Its not uncommon for ESPN to sell back third tier rights to other networks, but keep the markets they want. Its also not uncommon for conferences like the MAC or the Sun Belt to bundle their packages with ESPN today. So the question is not why did Scott Farmer do it in the first place, but why he didn't know that he was entering an agreement that would limit the program to what it could do with its own third tier rights?

"ESPN owns the third-tier rights of the SBC, so they don't have to agree to any negotiation with CST for markets they are not willing to give up. So perhaps they are willing to agree with or allow another party to broadcast in those markets? I don't know the answer to that question, but when it was first discussed talk was into the Florida markets and other areas west of Texas. It could be that ESPN is willing to sell back the rights to CST in those areas. If CST thinks it would be financially reasonable to do so."

Did all of the SBC schools give their third tier rights to the league? I wonder if that was a requirement to get all league games on ESPN3.

[CajunT]

Yep. read them thanks for asking!



I was in a round about way giving you a compliment. You do a great job with the red zone so I wanted to ask the person that i think would have had the best chance to know what went on. You have not answered my question. Of course you don't have to and a no answer is fine with me. I am serioulsy trying to understand why this deal has not been made.



Why would ESPN have the right to sell something to the lower markets that they have no contractual right to do so?

The contract between the Sun Belt and ESPN essentially states that individual conference-member schools can create their own station or network and air it in any state the SBC has a school in, or in any state that touches that state — but no states beyond that.

The Sun Belt has schools in Idaho (football-only member Idaho) and New Mexico (football-only member New Mexico State), but none in states that border California.

"We can't get past those 'outlying areas,'" Farmer said.

I figured you might take my comment that way, but I get asked this often and I don't see that question asked to certain people that post on this site. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, just get tired of people asking a question that is seldom asked of others.

ESPN has the third tier rights to the Sun Belt Conference because Benson agreed to them. Do you have a link to the Sun Belt Conference Contract with ESPN? I haven't found a link.

So, if the ESPN contract states that the individual conference member schools can create their own station or network, and air it in any state the SBC has a school in, or in any state that touches state- but no states beyond that, then why is Farmer stating the area would be from Houston to the Florida Panhandle? Why not Arkansas, Georgia and North Carolina? And if that is the case, what happened to the CRN here in Louisiana once Benson bundled the SBC third tier rights to ESPN?

So essentially what Farmer is saying is that because Benson bundled the SBC third tier rights over to ESPN and he agreed to sign over UL's third tier rights to the conference, he simply can only negotiate for the rights allowed in the area you mentioned with CST? Again, why would he enter into an agreement that would limit his programs television footprint? In either case, he made a decision without getting proper approval for and limits his athletic program's footprint. For the record, he is working with someone that the university has approved to handle the negotiations. I don't know that person.

[Policarp]

He very carefully did not say we were forced, and the 'reporter' (cough) failed to ask the very obvious followup questions about that. Do you not find that a bit strange?

You honestly expect Farmer to outline his critical path decision errors on purpose? Once it was learned UL no longer owned Tier 3 the Cox deal crashed and burned. We now know Farmer has had ZERO contact with the AAC leadership.......We know this from AAC leadership. This is after he publicly stated "conversations have been had". Dude is way over his head, he needed to be at Troy, but they chose an asst AD over our experienced AD that applied.

Your turn to answer a question....Last week, why did Troy pick a less experienced Asst AD over an experienced AD applicant whose sports teams are doing MUCH MUCH better than USM the last 4 years? On paper it's a no brainer.....How could he not get the job? They hired the lessor experienced candidate whose teams have been historically terrible the last 4 years at the same time UL has done very well, ranking nationally in top 30-40 overall athletic programs. AND they still hired the other guy. Wake up and smell the coffee.

[CajunNation]

JOIN US.....We have the 3rd Tier rights you seek.......

[CajunEXPRESS]

JOIN US.....We have the 3rd Tier rights you seek.......

When did you start drinking the KoolAid?

By the way the inability to take advantage of this CST cable opportunity isn't very funny.

[CajunT]

So if its the markets that lie outside of the contract with the SBC and ESPN that is holding up the "RCN" deal, did Farmer have anything to do with the signing away of UL's right to ESPN or was it a condition of the contract the ALL SBC schools do the since since ESPN owns the rights to ALL SBC schools?

I stated that its not uncommon to do so, but how can ESPN own all the SBC school's 1st, 2nd and 3rd-tier rights if Benson hadn't agreed to bundle them? How could Benson have permission to bundle all of UL's television rights without Farmer agreeing to sign those rights over to the SBC?

One last question, it's been common in the past for ESPN to sell their 2nd or 3rd tier rights to ABC and Raycom. Why wouldn't Benson try and sell the 2nd and 3rd tier rights himself to ABC and Raycom, rather then bundling the entire package to ESPN? I'm assuming that he had no leverage to do so, which would be the practical explanation in making his final decision.