ESPN launching ACC Network/ND not joining B1G anytime soon

Submitted by umgoblue2008 on

"The long-awaited ACC Network will launch by August 2019, according to league sources.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN have agreed to a 20-year deal and rights extension through the 2035-36 academic year, sources said."

"The ACC's new grant of rights also automatically extends Notre Dame's contract with the conference as a member in all sports but football through 2035-36, a source said. If the Irish forgo football independence in the next 20 years, they are contracted to join the ACC."

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/17102933/acc-espn-agree-20-year-rights-deal-lead-2019-launch-acc-network

Wolfman

July 18th, 2016 at 10:51 PM ^

They've reaped the benefits of being the only college team with an independent television contract for years now.  Already recognized - as reported - to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of television contracts, they are only one of 14 schools that actually make money without outside aid. Outside aid includes ticket revenue from students, etc. Additionally, one of their own finance professors states, "The television contract is far more lucrative than most realize." 

I would say when you consider ND's fnanical condition as it is today and remember they've been doing this for quite some time, they do real well. When they receive their 4 + million from a BCS appearance, it's all theirs. They get paid 1.3 million even if they don't make a BCS appearance. Life is good financially for ND. If they are going to opt to join a conference, and they might have to, they might come across as looking ungrateful to the ACC. But everyone knows if they join a conference, there is really only one that makes financial sense. 

Forgot how quickly these posts are made. For context, the above was in reply to JTBlue's question:

"Question to the mgolawyers out there, but if ND wanted to join the Big Ten, wouldn't the conference just pay the penalty for breaking the contract?"

 

Kevin13

July 19th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^

B1G pay their penalty for leaving? They want to break a contract to join a conference then they need to deal with it. Seems the B1G is always running to ND for games and wanting to join our conference, after telling us several times no. When will people finally listen to what Bo said a long time ago..... To Hell with ND.

Leaders And Best

July 18th, 2016 at 10:09 PM ^

Notre Dame just hitched their football program to that shit conference. LOL.

I get why ESPN did this to avoid paying the penalty payout, but this network is going to lose money. Between the ACC and Longhorn Networks, ESPN is saddled with some terrible contracts.

drzoidburg

July 18th, 2016 at 10:23 PM ^

12/14 teams sucking is indeed shit, and they're also shit if they're so desperate to allow a team to join as a pseudo-member, just to get a handful of football matchups that don't even count in the standings it's like i know the texas conference is shit because it allows teams to have independent tv deals with unequal revenue share. Either every team gets treated equal, like the SEC/PAC/BiG, or it undermines the point of a conference at all let me say too that notre dame in the ACC is as perverse as rutgers and maryland in Michigan's conference. It belongs in the "jumped the shark" category

Leaders And Best

July 18th, 2016 at 10:23 PM ^

Look at the enrollment numbers for the ACC schools. People always cite their locations in large media markets, but most of those schools are private with low enrollments. No one in Boston cares about BC, the SEC rules Atlanta, and Miami can't even fill their own stadium. The other Power 5 conferences have around one private school; the ACC has SIX. Even their public schools are pretty low in enrollment. FSU is the only school to have an enrollment over 40,000.

drzoidburg

July 18th, 2016 at 10:35 PM ^

No one in NYC cares about rutgers, but it didn't stop us from grovelling at their feet just to extort $ from NYC cable subscribers The problem is this is so short sighted. There is no way that unbundling doesn't happen before 2035 and people in boston and miami don't cancel the $5/mo ACC network they give 2 shits about

lilpenny1316

July 19th, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^

Too bad it was summer time, but BTN still got more of my free time than ESPN or FS1.  There are a lot of B1G travelers and transplants in NYC and DC to make expansion not a horrible idea (only talking about the idea, not the actual schools we picked up).  

By 2035, who knows what the ACC looks like?  Georgetown may have an FBS football team and included in the conference.  UConn may be in the conference also.  The only given in CFB then is that I'll still be playing my PS3 and NCAA Football 14 in my 50s.

 

Leaders And Best

July 19th, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^

I don't think the Duke fanbase is as large as you think it is. Where are the fans of Miami football and "the U" now? Most of the Duke fanbase are casual basketball fans or bandwagon fans. Duke basketball is not Notre Dame football, the one exception to the rule IMO. Duke isn't even the most popular program in their own state. This is why enrollment matters. Your alumni are fans that are always going to be there--win or lose. I personally think programs like Indiana, Kentucky, and UNC are way more valuable than Duke.

And do you think Duke will be able to continue this level of success when Coach K is gone?

Yooper

July 18th, 2016 at 10:19 PM ^

ND is no longer a regional or reliable rival. We should have moved on. I have to wonder, did ND disclose all this before contracts were signed? To hell with Notre Dame.

Yooper

July 18th, 2016 at 11:04 PM ^

sense they have aligned with a conference that is not in the Midwest. They are not reliable because they have demonstrated they don't honor the history of the relationship. They dropped us in an insulting way when it served their interest. Now they need us. Fuck them

M-Dog

July 19th, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^

They don't need us.

We don't need them.

If we play Notre Dame a couple of times a decade for old-time's sake, that's fine with me.

I could not care less what conference they are in / not in.  Live and let live.  

We have bigger things ahead to focus on.

 

ElBictors

July 19th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^

Seriously.

And what else could they possibly want from us..?  We taught them how to play football, fergodsakes!

Let them be part of the rich tradition that is ACC football and let NBC fabricate an entire new era of false sentimentality and exaggeration while the rest of the nation mocks the irish (as usual).

drzoidburg

July 18th, 2016 at 10:30 PM ^

If Manuel renewed the series with ND out of some remote as hell hope it would persuade them to join the conference, he's even dumber than i thought. Cancelling the series in favor of matchups against epic rivals like wake forest should've sent CLEAR signals where ND's priorities lie and what a slap in the face it was An abusive relationship if i ever saw one

UM Indy

July 18th, 2016 at 11:24 PM ^

Fine

Fine for Harbaugh to want them back on the schedule. And I'm sure he said anytime, anywhere, as you would expect from him. Dude would play in the Pioneer parking lot with no pads. But the job of the AD is to look after his school and his fans. In that respect, Manuel completely failed by allowing the first game to be on the road.



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Richard75

July 19th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^

Brandon is the one who failed. Manuel can't fix that any more than he can fix the score of that 2014 game in South Bend.

I mean, think it through. Say the first game is at U-M. Ultimately, then, the final game (whenever that is) would be at ND—meaning they still end up with one extra home game (2014). Why would ND agree to anything different? Why would they take an uneven split from us when they can get an even split from anyone else?

The ND cessation fiasco can't be fixed; it can only be managed from this point forward.

It's silly to insist that it's "the job of the AD" to make a deal that simply can't be made. The ND cessation fiasco was a result of two things: a weirdly written contract and animus toward Brandon. All Michigan can do is manage it from here.



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Wolfman

July 19th, 2016 at 12:03 AM ^

One of the things I've loved about Harbaugh, but could definitely be bad here, is that he wants to restore the swag that embodies UM football. In his thinking, and he's right in that respect, is getting ND back on the schedule would certainly get Michigan football in front of the faces of thousands of recruits because histrocially it has been one of the most viewed games of any given year. Hell, I think it was doing o.k. during our unexpected detour from relevance. 

I believe it's the same reason Kelly wanted to revive it so quickly even though he was coach when it was dropped. Coaches know what appeals to recruits. 

I do think we could have used the facts surrounding the last cessation, and it not placing ND in a favorable light, to our advantage and got the first and third in our house. However, we fans are not privvy to the obstacles  the ADs and the other people that make this stuff happen face. In order to bring in about in the manner Harbaugh wanted - ASAP- whatever leverage we might have had may have been forfeited.  

I, and obviously the majority of the blog is not happy with the circumstances, but as you say we are simply voicing our displeasure at the events. We really don't know what was going on and if Hackett and Harbaugh were pushing for it to happen before Manuel set down in his new office, its a fact ND was aware of it as well. 

drzoidburg

July 18th, 2016 at 10:27 PM ^

i have my doubts the "grant of rights" is enforceable, and i have serious doubts that the acc network will end up on tier 1 of cable deals like the BIG/SEC. I can't see how it'll be more successful than the PAC network Nonetheless, it will probably deter more teams like maryland from leaving, and it does seem to render the texas conference even more "psychologically disadvantaged," being the only one without a network. Perhaps it will in some way expedite oklahoma's exit

LSAClassOf2000

July 18th, 2016 at 10:32 PM ^

The ACC's new grant of rights also automatically extends Notre Dame's contract with the conference as a member in all sports but football through 2035-36, a source said. If the Irish forgo football independence in the next 20 years, they are contracted to join the ACC.

I have trouble seeing a scenario in which Notre Dame goes all in on the ACC and joins them in football because quite honestly the South Bend / Mishawaka market doesn't scream footprint, but then again, ND has this national following that, even in 2035 would like to see what remains of Tom Hammond doing games on NBC, or indeed any network. 

Megatron

July 18th, 2016 at 11:40 PM ^

If I was commish of CONF tell ND all sports or your not going to join the CONF. Surprise ACC Network isn't going to launch until 2019 I thought they would get it up in 2017.

WolverineHistorian

July 19th, 2016 at 12:18 AM ^

Because the ACC has no balls and Notre Dame gets special treatment, as usual. Just like that undeserved TV contract they have with NBC where they spent nearly two decades trying to get back to glory. Why do they have that perk? Because they're Notre Dame. Being a part time member of a conference is about the stupidest thing I ever heard. You're either a full member or you're not a member. But the ACC says no. They joyously said, "sure. You can....sort of be a member of the conference in football." God, that sounds like something Delaney would do. Slowest clap in history for the ACC.