How is it a step back?
Both conferences are poorly ranked! Our TV package is the worst ever! ESPN---like them or hate them......ESPN drives the engine of college football and the SUN BELT has an agreement with ESPN through 2020. I don't support that is a "loser conference"......I hate having to watch Marshall on my phone or i-Pad in Charlotte. Plus, our location is more suited to the Sun Belt.
Zilla22
Let me just ask...what do you think the new Sun Belt TV contract would have looked like had theirs expired at the time ours did?
The fact C-USA is getting such a low offer says that anyone outside of ESPN is not willing to pay money for a conference in the G5 for the most part.
It also says if ESPN is ever dragged into a bidding war with someone else, they would actually save money than naming their price. All they'd have to do is pay $100,000 more than what someone else is offering and the conference would be stuck to choose. They would, of course, offer their brand name of "Worldwide Leader in Sports" with fancy glossy pamphlets.
The fine print says however...
You'd then have the problem of being forced to be told when and what time you play, which, as you can see from MACtion...it's during the week, usually on at a bar as white noise filler to block out the idle banter of the drunken populace.
ESPN is essentially a corrupt form of government, keeping the poor poor but giving just enough to be relied upon for existence. All the while controlling them in any way they can.
MAC as well, when their contract expires, do you think they'll be offered more by anyone else to play? ESPN can lower their amount offered, as long as its just out of reach for anyone else to get them.
The schedule the MAC had, was awful, I can't remember how many games were on Saturday but hardly any were picked up by ESPN.
Do you really think the Sun Belt is going to be given any better treatment?
Not to mention, the payouts, yes, much better than C-USA, however, how much revenue is lost at the gate because of Wednesday night kickoffs? Revenue that is basically keeping some of these programs afloat, is given out in the form of the TV contract money.
All this fine print that ESPN likes to forget to mention. I'm not saying our deal is better. C-USA had the rotten luck of an expiring TV contract and piss poor leadership to happen first.
It'll happen to much of the G5.