Steve81

The A10 will always be good and the C7 will be tough competition.

Original members GW, UMass and Dukes, who left and came back.

The Atlantic 10 Conference was founded in 1975 as the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (ECBL), and began conference play in 1976. At that time, basketball was its only sport. After its first season, it added sports other than basketball and changed its name to the Eastern Athletic Association. However, despite its official names, it was popularly known as the Eastern 8, as it then had eight members (Villanova, Duquesne, Penn State, West Virginia, George Washington, Massachusetts, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_10_Conference

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thevinrod

It's unfortunate that Title_BU is arrogant, because he actually is pretty good at digging up credible information. Then he muddies it up with polarized opinions and arrogance.

He is NOT the typical Butler fan. Most of us are glad we have had success without trying to rub it in everyone's face.

It's ironic because not long before Title_BU attended Butler (late 90's), the program had been a perrenial bottom-feeder for 30ish years. But humility is not hard-wired in everyone I suppose.

chc3Bulldog

Title does NOT represent Butler fans. He is in his own world and many BU fans find him to be a bore. Just ignore his self-centered rants... The A10 is a great league and I look forward to the upgraded competition. Of course, the money possibilities with the BE7 is enticing. Butler can only continue to compete in its sports programs with increased revenue.

College Hoops

Its hard for me to believe the author talking broadcast rights in the 3M area. The current BE contract (including Cuse Pitt etc) was paying each school 1.56 M. The schools that also played FB received an additional amount which was slightly over double the amount for BB. Supposedly, the new BE contract which took into account Cuse and Pitt but not Rutgers and Louisville was going to pay each bb program in the vicinity of 1M per year. Networks were looking for content then and could've ostensibly got fb along with bb in the reconstituted BE. By themselves the C7 has little to no value tv wise. They need additional members not only to make a viable conference, but one attractive to tv. I would think they go with 5 teams and even if those teams were named UCONN, Syracuse, Pitt Louisville and Notre Dame i can't envision them getting 3M per year.

jpschmack

It's not so much what they are WORTH.

Think about baseball free agency for a second... there's no way Albert Pujols is going to be worth $30 million year at age 42 (or whatever) in the final year of his contract. But that's simply what the Angels have to give up in order to get him to sign. It's the cost of doing busines.

ESPN, who's dominated the college sports TV rights for so long has basically decided "The Big East isn't worth spending money on" But you have NBC, CBS and FOX, who are just NOW starting to try and compete with ESPN as cable sports network. And they are desperate for inventory.

The C7 (especially if they are named "The Big East") is pretty much the best/only inventory that NBC, CBS or FOX could get right now. They're like the top free agent in a weak year when there's no total stud on the market. (aka Jayson Werth!)


The C7/Big East IS NOT WORTH $3 million per school per year. The author is saying that Fox is so desparate to jump into college sports cable competition with ESPN, they'll overpay to get the only big name inventory available.

xudash

This.

CHoops, you were looking at it based on what had been existing negotiations, involving a hybrid mess not involving a competitive bid situation (jp's point).

Frankly, I believe $3mm is rich, too. But I'm beginning to believe that $1mm+ is safe.

RF1

Providence isn't the only CYO-7 program to lose to supposedly inferior crosstown teams this weekend. Depaul loses to Loyola today after Providence lost to Brown last night. The new CYO league is looking really strong.

Muddy Waters

This won't happen, but it would be quite humorous if the invited Atlantic 10 teams, Creighton, Gonzaga, and St. Mary's all said "No" to the BE7, who would then be forced to invite Catholic schools Fordham, St. Bonaventure, Duquesne, La Salle, and St. Joseph's to form their 12-team 'super conference' in the Northeast.

This would be the best possible outcome for the Atlantic 10, but unfortunately, it won't happen.

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RF1

Will weeks like this past week where CYO-7 members St. John's lost to UNC-Asheville, Providence lost to Brown, and Depaul lost to Loyola become more commonplace in the future when their recruiting falls of as they no longer can sell a BCS league and conference games every year against the likes of Syracuse, UConn, Pitt, Louisville, and Notre Dame?

duq81

You better believe it!

Bill Russell

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Deleo77

Most of these C7 teams are living off of their reputations from 20 to 30 years ago. Where is Lou Carneseca when you need him? Xavier, Butler and the others are drinking the C7 Kool Aid. College basketball is about rising programs, and most of theirs are falling, and show no signs of improvement. VCU and Butler should knows this better than anyone.

College Hoops

JP, believe me I understand where you're coming from. The problem is that inventory which would've included football has been available since the 'old' BE turned down ESPN's offer and their exclusivity to negotiate expired. I'll believe the 3M when I see it. Seems to me if you believe the C7 plus whomever is going to get that type of money, then you have to think the A-10 Conference Office sold its members down the road. If those other entities were desperate for sports programming, and knowing Butler & VCU were coming into the fold, wouldn't they've offered more then 350K per team?

Title_BU

I don't think it really matters if its the full 3 million. Industry sources clearly told Thamel that his estimate of 2 million was on the low side. It's as simple as that.

Regardless of whatever it ends up being at the end of the day, it is going to be several times what the current rate is.

It's kind of a no-brainer. It doesn't say anything about the A10, it's just an opportunity that has to be taken

jpschmack

Our last negotiations were before Fox jumped into the fray. Reason and common sense go out the window when Rupert Murdoch gets involved.