ESPN supposedly cutting nearly $100 million in on-air talent salaries

[yeoyeo78]

Didn't see this already posted but I wouldn't hold our breath on CUSA ever getting a bigger TV contract (or any other conference getting a good TV contract) from ESPN in the future. Other outlets have only said the cuts in on-air talent salaries would be in the tens of millions, but this FoxSports blog is saying it'll be close to $100 million in cuts

https://www.google.com/amp/www.outk...-100-million-in-on-air-talent-030617.amp.html

 

[Eaglebird Humperdink]

The SEC could land another big contract. Otherwise, I think we've seen the last of the ridiculously large TV contracts until the next realignment / reduction. As for C-USA, it's hard for me to imagine the conference's televised games drawing enough viewers to justify the feeble contract payouts we are currently under. With no marquee teams and only a couple of rivalries throughout the conference, I just don't know where the growth comes from, or how it gets any better...unless maybe a team rises clearly above the rest.

 

[yeoyeo78]

I wouldn't be surprised if new players come into the college sports broadcast deals market in the future. Possibly (or probably?) some streaming-first service like Amazon, Apple or perhaps even Netflix. The folks in charge of ESPN don't seem to be able to stop the subscriber bleeding which is hurting their profitability and, according to some stock market observers (take that for what you will), it appears to be hurting parent company Disney's stock prices to some extent. Apparently ESPN's business model is still largely cable TV/subscriber fee reliant (or something like that), which is a problem when the cord-cutting issue mandates that streaming be a bigger part of the business model.

 

[Eaglebird Humperdink]

If USM were a cable TV channel, which channel would we be?
Alabama = ESPN
Michigan = ABC
Notre Dame = NBC
Florida = CBS
Ole Miss = Logo
Miss. State = DIY Network
Miami = Vice TV
LSU = Food Network

 

[NueDaeEagle]

I wouldn't be surprised if new players come into the college sports broadcast deals market in the future. Possibly (or probably?) some streaming-first service like Amazon, Apple or perhaps even Netflix. The folks in charge of ESPN don't seem to be able to stop the subscriber bleeding which is hurting their profitability and, according to some stock market observers (take that for what you will), it appears to be hurting parent company Disney's stock prices to some extent. Apparently ESPN's business model is still largely cable TV/subscriber fee reliant (or something like that), which is a problem when the cord-cutting issue mandates that streaming be a bigger part of the business model.

This.

 

[yeoyeo78]

If USM were a cable TV channel, which channel would we be?
Alabama = ESPN
Michigan = ABC
Notre Dame = NBC
Florida = CBS
Ole Miss = Logo
Miss. State = DIY Network
Miami = Vice TV
LSU = Food Network

If that list were true, wouldn't Vice have to change its name to Miami Vice TV? (Sorry couldn't resist)

Second, I'm not sure even Logo would want to lower themselves to the point of be compared with Ole Miss. Lifetime would probably throw a similar "Aw hell naw" flag if a similar comparison were made to the Rebels.

Perhaps E! would be a better comparison. I mean it's still a hot mess train wreck of a channel, right?