Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mutaman
I suppose, but ask any bookmaker in the NYC market how much action he takes on Rutgers. Answer- not much, nobody cares. And New Yorkers will gamble on anything. Rutgers is on a level with NASCAR.
Oh I agree. It is a joke. Rutgers is an absolutely terrible athletic school historically. They have been to 7 bowl games and 6 NCAA tournaments (none since 1991). Cincinnati has not exactly been flush with football bowl games, but has been to nearly twice as many (13) and has been to 26 NCAA tournaments. Can't find a conference that wants them.
Re: College Football Realignment
Few thoughts:
1) A really small piece of the NY/NJ pie is still a BIG piece of pie.
2) Better conference affiliation, like the B10, will eventually lead to more interest.
3) Factor in those living in NY/NJ who are a fan of a B10 team other than Rutgers. That's a lot of fans, I'm guessing.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mutaman
I suppose, but ask any bookmaker in the NYC market how much action he takes on Rutgers. Answer- not much, nobody cares. And New Yorkers will gamble on anything. Rutgers is on a level with NASCAR.
That doesn't matter. What matters is getting the Big Ten Network into as many homes as possible so the conference can keep raking in that sweet, sweet cable money. Look at the markets they are going to have their product in. NYC, D.C., Baltimore as well as already having it in Philly and Chicago.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chip R
That doesn't matter. What matters is getting the Big Ten Network into as many homes as possible so the conference can keep raking in that sweet, sweet cable money. Look at the markets they are going to have their product in. NYC, D.C., Baltimore as well as already having it in Philly and Chicago.
This is accurate.
The issue is the subscriber fees paid by cable providers (per household) for the Big Ten Network. Within the conference footprint, the BTN charges something close to double for cable networks to carry it.
Lots of folks in DC / MD / VA and the NY/NJ media markets already get the BTN as part of their expanded cable package, and the B10 receives a set price per household. With the expansion of Rutgers and MD, now each of those cable viewers will be worth double to the BTN. Additionally, the BTN pushes cable providers to make the BTN a part of the basic cable package in these markets (and they run spots telling fans to "call your cable operators" and demand the BTN on their basic cable). If THAT happens, it increases the amount of money the BTN receives exponentially.
It's, among many reasons, why Cincinnati isn't considered any kind of "fit" for the BTN -- Cincinnati / NKY is already considered part of the BTN's footprint. They don't add revenue by adding Cincinnati the same way they would, say, Georgia Tech (Atlanta metro).
Re: College Football Realignment
Correct, CE, but I think it's an even bigger difference than that -- last figures I saw, a BTN subscriber in a non-B1G home state gets them somewhere between a nickel and dime per month. In B1G states, it was closer to 90 cents, and their near-universal success in muscling their way onto the nearly-everyone-gets-these-channels tiers means nearly everyone living in those states with a cable/satellite subscription is paying it. Multiply times twelve times millions, and we see where that's going.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Caveat Emperor
This is accurate.
The issue is the subscriber fees paid by cable providers (per household) for the Big Ten Network. Within the conference footprint, the BTN charges something close to double for cable networks to carry it.
Lots of folks in DC / MD / VA and the NY/NJ media markets already get the BTN as part of their expanded cable package, and the B10 receives a set price per household. With the expansion of Rutgers and MD, now each of those cable viewers will be worth double to the BTN. Additionally, the BTN pushes cable providers to make the BTN a part of the basic cable package in these markets (and they run spots telling fans to "call your cable operators" and demand the BTN on their basic cable). If THAT happens, it increases the amount of money the BTN receives exponentially.
It's, among many reasons, why Cincinnati isn't considered any kind of "fit" for the BTN -- Cincinnati / NKY is already considered part of the BTN's footprint. They don't add revenue by adding Cincinnati the same way they would, say, Georgia Tech (Atlanta metro).
If Rutgers is so valuable based on potential cable subscribers, why did the ACC ignore Rutgers when it was wooing Pitt and Syracuse? Why did the Big 12 when it went after West Virginia?
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chip R
That doesn't matter. What matters is getting the Big Ten Network into as many homes as possible so the conference can keep raking in that sweet, sweet cable money. Look at the markets they are going to have their product in. NYC, D.C., Baltimore as well as already having it in Philly and Chicago.
Exactly the Big Ten Network gets 1.99 for each home that carries their programming whether people are watching the games or not. It's all about the network and putting money into the pockets of the universities.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mutaman
If Rutgers is so valuable based on potential cable subscribers, why did the ACC ignore Rutgers when it was wooing Pitt and Syracuse? Why did the Big 12 when it went after West Virginia?
Neither has their own network to sell.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mutaman
If Rutgers is so valuable based on potential cable subscribers, why did the ACC ignore Rutgers when it was wooing Pitt and Syracuse? Why did the Big 12 when it went after West Virginia?
The ACC has been making a move more towards basketball. Syracuse adds the same NY base as Rutgers but provides a better basketball program.
As for WVU, I view WVU the same way as Nebraska. Tradition rich football program and loyal fans but adds little else. The Big 12 was also in a state of panic after losing Nebraska, Colorado, A&M, and Missouri and had to make a move to keep stability within the conference. TCU made sense given they were already in the state, but given the other options, WVU was the next available option.
Re: College Football Realignment
Rumors swirling of the Big East Trio heading to the ACC. Announcement supposedly Monday.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mutaman
If Rutgers is so valuable based on potential cable subscribers, why did the ACC ignore Rutgers when it was wooing Pitt and Syracuse? Why did the Big 12 when it went after West Virginia?
ACC is stupid and run by idiots.
Big 12 needed a quality athletic university.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paintmered
Rumors swirling of the Big East Trio heading to the ACC. Announcement supposedly Monday.
Trio? Louisville, Cincy, and UConn???
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Slyder
Trio? Louisville, Cincy, and UConn???
That's the rumor.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wolfboy
That's the rumor.
They can add those teams (and no offense UC fans) and the rest of college football won't care. If that's true I feel sorry for UC and Louisville they're about to become the red headed step children of a fate worse than Providence... Tobacco Road.
Re: College Football Realignment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Slyder
They can add those teams (and no offense UC fans) and the rest of college football won't care. If that's true I feel sorry for UC and Louisville they're about to become the red headed step children of a fate worse than Providence... Tobacco Road.
When the alternative is Conference USA, the ACC looks pretty darn appealing.
As a UC fan I'd be elated to see UC join the ACC. Realistically I don't think UC would be able to field a perennially competitive football team in any of the other power conferences, but I do think they'd be able to compete in the ACC.
And while TV execs don't seem to care, adding Louisville, UC and UConn to the likes of UNC, Duke, Syracuse, Pitt and Notre Dame should make for one heck of a basketball conference.