AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCBS, ESPN deals will be huge in recruiting for SEC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was still getting calls late Monday night about the SEC’s staggering 15-year deal with ESPN that will reportedly pay the league about $2.25 billion. That deal, coupled with the 15-year deal the SEC has signed with CBS will give the league financial security for a long, long time.
But the benefits to the SEC from these TV deals go far beyond financial. Here are some aspects of the deal that maybe you haven’t thought about:
1. It will be huge for the SEC in recruiting: The games on ESPN and ESPN2 will have a unique national branding as the “SEC on ESPN.” That may not sound like a big deal to you but it will be a major recruiting pitch in the future. No other conference has that kind of branding on ESPN: Not the Big Ten, not the Big 12, and not the ACC. The SEC will be able to walk into a living room and say that every conference game will either be on CBS or one of the ESPN platforms. And if the SEC is recruiting a player outside the nine-state area, the coaches can tell parents that the games will be on the dish as part of ESPN’s Game Plan. This is a huge part of this deal. The NFL has the best television package on the planet but what the SEC has with CBS and ESPN is not far off.
2. The SEC no longer needs its own network: I talked to commissioner Mike Slive late Monday and he told me he was once convinced that an SEC network was the way to go. “I felt that way for about a year because I thought it was the only way we could get everything we wanted in terms of exposure and revenue,” said Slive, a former attorney and judge.
This new deal eliminates the need for the SEC to invest in its own network because ESPN is going to do it for them.
When the SEC representatives sat down to negotiate with ESPN they brought a laundry list of things they felt their own network could do for them. “Every time we would bring up an issue of something that we wanted, ESPN would come back to us and say ‘We can do that for you,’” Slive said. So the SEC gets the benefits of its own network without any of the risk. It will use ESPN’s massive infrastructure instead of having to build its own. “If we start our own network you’re looking at a 20-year commitment at least,” said Slive.
And here’s a question worth pondering. What if the Big Ten had asked ESPN to do this same deal? Would there be a Big Ten Network today?
3. The SEC hired Chuck Gerber: Who is Chuck Gerber, you ask? Gerber spent the past 15 years at ESPN where he, among many things, negotiated television contracts with conferences. But in April the SEC hired Gerber away from ESPN to serve as a consultant as the league prepared to renegotiate its deals with CBS and ESPN. It makes sense. If you are going to negotiate with the TV boys, you want somebody who has lived on that side of the fence who can get inside their brains. More importantly, you want to know what kind of money is actually available for properties like SEC football.
Working for the SEC, Gerber got a 15-year deal with CBS worth about $55 million per year. He got another 15-year deal with ESPN worth about $150 per year. I don’t know what Gerber got as a consulting fee, but he earned his money this year.
“I think I’m going to take the rest of the year off,” said Gerber, who still lives in Connecticut.
Slive’s senior staff, which includes Mark Womack, Mark Whitworth, Charles Hussey, and Charles Bloom, was also big in these negotiations. But hiring Gerber was huge.
FYI. When Gerber made it clear that he was ready to get into the consulting business, some conferences passed on him because he was just leaving ESPN. The SEC hired him BECAUSE he was just leaving ESPN. Decisions like that are why the SEC stays ahead of the curve.
4. This deal shows that college football is king: Other conferences should take heed of this deal because it shows the value of college football in a changing marketplace. While just about all other sports, including college basketball, are hurting when it comes to ratings, college football is more popular than it has ever been and is increasing in value.
Other than the NFL, the TV execs are discovering that college football gives them the most bang for their buck. Collectively CBS and ESPN are investing $3 billion into the SEC over the next 15 years. Those guys don’t throw around that kind of money on an asset that is going to decrease in value over time.
5. Keep the three Daves: I feel badly for my friends at Raycom, who are really the only losers in this deal. Raycom, which carries the 12:30 p.m. game, got squeezed out when ESPN decided it wanted to own all of the television rights not belonging to CBS. Raycom will still do the early SEC games this season, which is the last in the current deal. Next season ESPN Regional Television (ERT) will handle the syndicated package of games.
This is just one man’s opinion, but if ESPN is smart, they’ll keep the same broadcast team of Dave Neal, Dave Archer, and Dave Baker to do the early SEC games. In fact, the SEC should insist on it. Continuity is important, especially in the over the air package of games, which has played an important role in the growth of the conference on TV. It’s just something to think about.
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Comments
By Sponge Bob
August 26, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this
College football is king, and it’s a damn shame the way we name a champion. Computers, blah!
By TDone
August 26, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this
All things SEC, all things SEC…
Shade…
By baloney
August 26, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
As far as I’m concerned they can let Archer go. He is too scripted,kind of like watching a reply and then telling us why the play happened the way it did.Overstates the obvious. Now… if they really wanted to throw a name in there why not bring back Tim Foley. He worked great back in the day with Bob Neal. Of course Bob Neals career is down to the WNBA and some silly segment on CSS and local sports talk radio. Boy his career really went south.
By JackP
August 26, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
A substantial amount of this money should be channeled into academics. The SEC has little concern for the academic health of it’s member institutions. As long as football remains king, they are happy. Except for Vanderbilt, the graduation rates for SEC member schools, historically, is terrible. I am not impressed with Barnhart’s diatribe about his God—college football. People like him share a responsibility for the low academics of most jocks. Wake up Tony and understand that they are supposed to be student athletes not just jocks.
By JackP
August 26, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
Bob got too fat, dumb, and happy and lost his gig.
By Spike
August 26, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
Good points Tony, except one. That Raycom team is pretty lame.
By JP Wilson
August 26, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
JackP, you must be an ACC fan. Don’t be jealous that you conference is inferior to the SEC. These athletes are given the best academic help arguably of any students on campus. The reason the graduation rates are lower in the SEC is because most of them leave early to turn pro. Having said that, the extra money generated should filter back into academics for the rest of the student body.
By baloney
August 26, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
JackP…..football pays the bills at most universities. Just remind yourself that 90,000 people don’t line up to take Mr. Johnsons lit class.And if it weren’t for football/athletics Mr. Johnson might nor have that nice new education department in which to teach. Ever notice that any college you visit now had a major building campaingn? Reckon where some of the money comes from?
By steve
August 26, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
As a die-hard SEC football fan, I completely agree with JackP.
By RobC
August 26, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
Right on Sponge Bob. It is the greatest sport in the world and the only one without a playoff. I think computers are better than human opinion. Let the players decide the outcome and eliminate writers/computers from the decision. As you know EVERY team is two turnovers away from an upset.
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 26, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
The value of this article is not pointed toward the academic standards of colleges or achievements of college athelets.
It is a very thought provoking article about the businesss of southeran institutes, and their ability to run with the big boys up yonder above the frost line.
By John
August 26, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Not know what SEC is other than Securities and Exchange Commission somewhat clouds this piece don’t you think? Sports - opiate of the masses.
By Jimbo
August 26, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
One thing for sure….that first game ESPN picks for UGA to play on a Thursday Night in Sanford should be interesting. I’m guessing it will be an early-season non-conference game.
Thoughts, Tony?
By Flibbetigibbet
August 26, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Good on Tony for sticking up for his friends, but I have to disagree about the Three Daves. Putting it bluntly, they’re terrible, and they won’t be missed by the vast majority of SEC fans. Neither will Raycom’s bush-league camera work and the general cheesyness of the “JP” broadcasts.
By John
August 26, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
If Football were everything ACC fans, like myself, would be jealous of the SEC. But it is not, and I would NEVER choose to spend time in a redneck place like any and all SEC schoools, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina (other than Charleston), Georgia, or Jacksonville….
In the end you have good football teams but that is about all you have going for you.
By reality check
August 26, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
You like to criticize success JackP and that speaks volumes about you.
Tony Barnhart makes his living writing about college football and anyone accusing him of diatribe is making an ignorant statement.
Your comments about SEC presidents is equally off base. There is not one of them who does not put academics as the most important mission of the university they lead. There is also not one of them who doesn’t appreciate having the money so that the sports programs, including the ones mandated by Title IX that can’t support themselves, pay for themselves and don’t represent a drain on academics.
This is a football blog, wimp. Take your pinko, bed wetting viewpoint someplace else.
By @baloney
August 26, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
The money goes to the athletic departments, not the universities as a whole. The $’s are spent for ATHLETIC bldgs, weight rooms, locker rooms, athletic dorms and dining halls, recruiting, tuition for scholarship athletes, medical care for athletes, and ALL the women’s sports and men’s sports that don’t pull their own weight. The $s allow Suzie the golfer and Bob the tennis player to get athletic scholarships. The rest of campus benefits from having a strong athletics departments in many ways, but academic infrastructure is not one them.
By FLoutlaw
August 26, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
With this windfall, we should see lower tuitions and fees at the SEC schools….HAH HAH HA HA
By Miles
August 26, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Mike Slive for President…Tony Barnhart as Chief of Staff…
By USC Gamecock
August 26, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
JackP…shut up. You don’t know what you are talking about dude. The athletic departments at every SEC school help out the academic side of the house; only an uninformed dupe would not know that. Each school will figure out on their own what they will do with the money…don’t forget that it is COLLEGE FOOTBALL that got this deal done in the first place so a lot of it should be invested in the stadiums, support structure and other athletic needs. Everyone knows some money will always go toward helping acedemics in some form or another…you are the one who needs to WAKE UP!
By JB
August 26, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
The next thing…The NCAA ought to let the Athletic Dept. give the Student/Athlete a “LITTLE” walking around money. Most of the kids are from very poor families and can’t even buy a pizza or eat at Mcdonalds. I say $ 25 a week during summer practice and the season. It would cost around $25,000 total.. ( FOR FOOTBALL) I know, what about Baseball, soccer etc. Yes. These athletes make the school millions. Playing major college sports and going to college doesn’t leave much time to work part time.PS: Charge a 25 cent “FEE” per ticket to fund it !
By Chris
August 26, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
Does anyone know if the broadcasts will continue to be on the local television stations or will it move all over to cable? Just wondering since I don’t have cable.
By E.C.
August 26, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
By John
August 26, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
If Football were everything ACC fans, like myself, would be jealous of the SEC. But it is not, and I would NEVER choose to spend time in a redneck place like any and all SEC schoools, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina (other than Charleston), Georgia, or Jacksonville….
In the end you have good football teams but that is about all you have going for you.
Must be a Tech fan. Same ole loser mantra.
By joe
August 26, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
The comments above by an ACC fan are exactly why people consider them the elitists that they are. They think they are better than everyone else, especially in the South. I see them as no different that the Northeastern elitists that have been ruining our country over the years.
By Swattin Bees
August 26, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
I do believe that the UGA Athletic Dept. donates something like 22mil a year to the general scholarship fund. What does the Tech AD do?
By USC Gamecock
August 26, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
John, the fact that you came on here to post your lame a$$ comments proves your acc a$$ is very jellous of the SEC just like the rest of your fellow acc dupes. The SEC is the simply the best and all the universities are greatly improving their acedemic standings. Watch out bozo, USC and all the other SEC schools are highly respected in acedemic circles. You are another uninformed dupe making silly comments just like JackP. Get Lost
BTW, Go USC…beat the crap out of ncstate
By USC Gamecock
August 26, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
John, the fact that you came on here to post your lame a$$ comments proves your acc a$$ is very jellous of the SEC just like the rest of your fellow acc dupes. The SEC is the simply the best and all the universities are greatly improving their acedemic standings. Watch out bozo, USC and all the other SEC schools are highly respected in acedemic circles. You are another uninformed dupe making silly comments just like JackP. Get Lost
BTW, Go USC…beat the crap out of ncstate
By USC Gamecock
August 26, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
John, the fact that you came on here to post your lame a$$ comments proves your acc a$$ is very jellous of the SEC just like the rest of your fellow acc dupes. The SEC is the simply the best and all the universities are greatly improving their acedemic standings. Watch out bozo, USC and all the other SEC schools are highly respected in acedemic circles. You are another uninformed dupe making silly comments just like JackP. Get Lost
BTW, Go USC…beat the crap out of ncstate
By bill
August 26, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
What is this ESPN Regional Television Network?How does one go about getting it?
By WOFB
August 26, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
JB,
Do you have a clue? The athletes at my school which is an SEC school live and eat great. There is no need to really have “walking around money.” Everything they need is provided for them. From housing to incredible food on campus. If an athlete is starving it is because he/she is not walking or driving to the dining hall and eating.
By Eric1
August 26, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Dump the 12:30pm game. That’s too early, especially in the central time zone. War Eagle!!
By Kevin
August 26, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
To clarify for a couple of the folks, ESPN Regional basically works like the Raycom broadcasts, it will still be a 12:30 game distributed to local channels in every market (although these games could also be sold to CSS, FSN South or SportSouth). The downside is so far, ESPN Regional doesn’t produce games in HD and Raycom will be producing all of their football in HD this season, so hopefully next year we won’t take a step backwards…
By Gen Neyland
August 26, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
College sports. When the day comes that UGA plays at Purina Field in Sanford Stadium, I’m done with it…
By Jim
August 26, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
Tony-
What does this mean for the Florida Network that Sunshine just inked with UF?
Jim
By BigTimeGaTechFan
August 26, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Yea, yea, same type of stuff said about ND’s TV deal with NBC. never panned out for them. What the SEC needs to do is schedule their games beginning at 11AM two hours apart till 9PM. Then everyone can a less watch the end of every game. No big deal if all the teams are playing at 12:30 or 8PM, people will only watch one game at a time.
By JB
August 26, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
WOFB: The “CLUE” would be out of Mark Richt’s own mouth at the Augusta Bulldawg Club meeting year before last. That would be the “Clue”. I fully understand what they get as a full Scholarship athlete. The ‘Clue” would also be that this subject has been discussed in the media for years. This would also help the coach’s “control’ some of the temptation. These “STUDENTS” can’t work during the season as the other students can. You can’t bring your date to the team dining hall.
By USC Gamecock
August 26, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
Next year federal law requires all telecasts in the USA to be HD so all the SEC games will be HD no matter who shows them.
Go USC beat the crap out of ncstate
By Halberstram
August 26, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
Regarding Tony’s second point: there’s no way the Big Ten could have obtained the same type of deal from ESPN. The SEC is more powerful and popular than the Big Ten. A deal could have been reached but it wouldn’t have been the same amount of dollars. Kudos to Slive and Gerber, they hit a grand slam with this. I’m very happy we don’t have to go through the growing pains of a SEC network. Big Ten fans suffered through a lot last year with all of this.
Also, this deal encompasses College Basketball as well, so it will help recruiting there as well. I’m sure it covers other sports as well based on what ESPN cares to show. Also, with this deal it seems like all the major cable companies will have to start offering ESPNU and the other ESPN networks at least to the Southern States.
I also disagree on the last point. I see nothing special in the Raycom broadcast team. If they continue to call the games fine, if not oh well.
By Tony Barnhart
August 26, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
Let me second what Kevin said about ESPN Regional (ERT). ERT just puts together a group of local stations to televise the games, just like Raycom did. They go into each market and determine which station wants to take the game. ERT will go back to the same stations that cleared the games for Raycom. If one of those stations says no, then they find another station in the market that wants SEC football. Not many stations say no. So those of you who don’t have cable will still get the same games (CBS, etc) that you’ve always gotten.
Also. I don’t expect this deal to change the Thursday night rules. Under the old deal there were certain schools who were willing to do Thursday night games in the SEC and other schools that were not. With only two Thursday night games per year, I don’t anticipate Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc. will participate.
By Wozzo the Wonder Dog
August 26, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
The Comedy Channel and the Sci-Fi Network are offering Georgia Tech $1,000 a game to broadcast all of Tech’s Saturday home football games. The networks expect to spend $2 - 3,000 a year.
By Kevin
August 26, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
“Next year federal law requires all telecasts in the USA to be HD so all the SEC games will be HD no matter who shows them.”
The digital transition just means stations that broadcast over the air (WSB, WXIA, etc) will turn off their analog transmitters and broadcast in digital only. They don’t have to broadcast in HD. And the change doesn’t affect cable networks like ESPN at all. I do think we’ll see every SEC broadcast through the CBS and ESPN deals in HD though, leaving just the low-budget PPV games in SD.
By tommyj
August 26, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
I think Tony is right here about the 3 Daves. Many people hate them, I can take them or leave them. But since I can remember, those voices are the sound of the early SEC game. Gone is the crappy technical work by JP,etc. Buy keep the Daves becuase they know SEC football. DO you want Pam Ward telling you this or that about the SEC? Just tune into that noon Big Ten game on ESPN for a taste. I rather turn the volume down and listen to my dog bark.
By happy tiger
August 26, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
uscgame…did you mean digital or high definition? Analog TV is going away. Evidently smarts has already departed.
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 26, 2008 10:59 AM | Link to this
Raycom can’t go fast enough. To many times when Vandy is playing Florida and the score is 60-3 and its 4:00 and UGA is on CBS doesn’t cut into the broadcast here in Charleston. This drives me INSANE! They linger on in coverage and go to 5 commercials after the game and it is ridiculous. This should have been handled a couple of years ago.
GOOO DAWGS!!!
By baloney
August 26, 2008 10:59 AM | Link to this
I just hope Stafford isn’t as dumb as he looks. If he is we are in trouble. Almost looks a little bit tarded.
By Fort Worth Dawg
August 26, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
If no one else is going to say it then I will: This new deal in effect gives ESPN an ownership interest in the SEC. I fully expect to hear nothing but great things about the SEC on ESPN because now that is what ESPN will be selling. This has enormous ramifications for SEC teams getting ranked higher, making the national championship game, getter better bowls. ESPN has a commercial making fun of this, saying (as I recall) in effect that SEC fans will probably still have conspiracy theories against ESPN despite the new deal. Finally, in terms of announcers, I hope that they get someone with a good Southern accent - Archie Manning has been used with good effect (no more Bill Currie, of course).
By goober
August 26, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
USCGamecock: Please get your facts right. The new federal law you reference mandates only that all TV broadcasts be in a DIGITAL signal format, not the old analog signal. It does NOT mandate High-Definition signals, which come only with HD cameras, equipment, and an HD television receiver.
I guess the next TV deal target down the road will be a One TRILLION dollar deal.
By matt
August 26, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
Great for SEC fans living outside of the Southeast…
By Marietta Dawg
August 26, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this
This deal goes to show that the SEC is the greatest conference in college sports. I bet the guys at the Big 10 are kicking themselves after seeing this deal! It will be nice to see ESPN show some of our other sports too (ie, baseball, gymnastics, etc). I think this is an excellent deal and we’re only taking advantage of the popularity of college football and the fact that it will allow the conference, as a whole, to benefit financially. Go Dawgs!
By Spike
August 26, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this
Baloney, why don’t you say that to his face and see how “tarded” he is. chikensh@#t.
By IM4BAMA
August 26, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Baloney nailed Dave Archer. He is awful to listen to, always with the corny cliche’s and stating the obvious. Dave Neal is a keeper though.
By Observer
August 26, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
I guess “Spike” is a little tarded, too.
By wildboar
August 26, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
I’m afraid that we’ll have to start paying to see the games we want to see. I think instead of more, we get less.
By reality check
August 26, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
Does this mean the ESPN Game Day crew may quit spewing Big 10 bias?
By David-ATL14
August 26, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
Agree on it being a great deal for the SEC.
Only point of disagreement is the” 3 Dave’s”.
Time to move on.There has always has been something “minor league” about the Raycom packages from announcers to Production values.
By reality check
August 26, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this
One of my favorite all time quotes from Bear Bryant:
“Maybe it isn’t right, but you just aren’t going to get 80,000 people back to Tuscaloosa to watch some kid take a chemistry test.”
By Gator Nation
August 26, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this
More Details Tony
1)Will ESPN pick up the the other non-revenue SEC sports and play them on one of their channels?
2)How is SEC basketball affected or included by/in this deal?
3)Will the TV money be shared on an equal basis among the conference teams or will it depend on some other formula.
4)With all this extra revenue for a conference that is already for the most part functioning “in the black” will the SEC add another team sport?
My assumption is that this will help all the sports for each university through the trickle down affect. But there still seems room for an SEC network, just at a very low level of functioning and programing. But if the SEC develops it, what a great bargaining chip for the next contract.
By Let the Big Dawg Eat
August 26, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
I don’t care what network it’s on.
I just can’t wait to see the Dawgs put another beatdown on Crier & the Gators
By PTC DAWG
August 26, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
So in essence, EVERY SEC School has a better TV deal than Notre Dame.
By athensdawg
August 26, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
Reality Check, I agree…Its going to be interesting to see if the big 10 bias is going to stop at the unofficial big 10 network. but, it will be nice not to have to watch every freakin wisconsin game while we wait for real football to start.
By dogfan
August 26, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this
John,
You wouldn’t be jealous would you?
By CPA in ATL
August 26, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
We can now officially start the countdown to when the IRS starts taxing Athletic Departments.
By CPA in ATL
August 26, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
baloney
State Taxes and Federal money pay for most of the University costs.
By MDawg
August 26, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
In the SEC press release about the new deal with ESPN it mentions: “Each SEC institution retains the right to continue a local multi-media rights package.” UGA needs to do a deal similar to the one Florida has with Sun with FSN South or SportSouth. They would be great candidates for this since CSS has limited distribution and poor production values. The Central Michigan game being shown on FSS South is a win for everyone. If all football (non conference) games not being show Live by CBS or ESPN could be broadcast by them or SportsSouth it would be great. If a deal couldn’t be worked out with one of those channels then another option would be a regional syndication network for TV similar to the one for Radio, once again all football games not shown live elsewhere would be shown by them on free TV. The latter would give the School\Athletics department more control over the broadcast. However the major down fall of going the syndicated route would be that out of state Alumni and fans probably would not be able to access it. As a part of the package each game could be rebroadcast each week by the “network” that has the local package rights with a UGA approved crew that uses top quality production values. (In other words the broadcast would be done with professional quality instead of the current access channel looking CSS rebroadcast which many of us can’t get anyway.) It seems like there are profitable avenues available to have every UGA football game on free TV that’s not on ESPN. If done properly the deal for these broadcast rights could also bring added exposure to the other sports and the University as a whole. Each game shown regardless of sport or if it’s live would be like an info-commercial for the school. With all the media attention the SEC and UGA are getting now it seems like the right time to capitalize on it with the some type of local multi-media rights package.
By Michael Scharff
August 26, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
I’m happy about the CBS deal, not so much about ESPN. I already pay Comcast a large amount of money for my cable television service, and it would be more strain on my budget to get the ESPN Gameplan. With the numerous ads that each network shows on their football broadcasts (which, by the way, really steam those of us who actually attend the games for all the time the ads take up), you’d think that the ad money would pay the bills…
By PDW
August 26, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
Raycom isn’t the only loser, Tony.
I think some of the fans lose out too because the advertising is now going to be relentless and non-stop to the point of making going to a game frustrating and watching it on TV unbearable: red hatted referee affecting the flow of the game with TV timeouts (already out of control on CBS) and computer-imposed graphics on the field (the AOL First Down line, for example). Money has to come from somewhere.
By Elvis
August 26, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The TV deals (@$18mil each if distrubuted equally) and the report of the $14 mil profit by UGA last fiscal year leads me to 3 little words…
INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY!!!!
I admit, I do not have inside knowledge of how funds are used. However, CMR has been asking for it…give it to him.
By David A
August 26, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Tony Part of me thinks this creates an unfair advantage from a recruiting standpoint while at the same time I understand this is what the television market dictates.
Do you think other conferences might protest or maybe this might lead to some sort of additional regulation as far as television exposure goes?
By Elvis
August 26, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Wozzo,,,
That was fantastic, made water come out my nose.
Hey, do you think tech had to play on Thursday because that dragoncon sci-fi thing is in Atlanta this weekend? Too many techies would be dressed up as Spock and not go to the game?
By quaildawg
August 26, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
Did Mike Slive negotiate a deal with ESPN for Kirk and Lee to head up the Florida Cheerleading Team?? Or how about the deal for Lou Holtz to continually pick the Cocks no matter who they played. 1- Forever ain’t a good record Lou!!! Will this mean that Mark May might actually have to like UGA??? Will the first order of business be to watch Ed Cunningham eat crow live of TV for be such a duffus and actually believing that Hawaii could beat UGA???
By Watson
August 26, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
The JP production and its announcers was awful. They all must go. Watching a JP/LF/Raycom telecast is painful at best.
By Rich
August 26, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Save The Daves!
By Zeb
August 26, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
A coworker of mine is swearin up and down that he’ll be able to get the game on Dish PPV this Saturday and the Dish people confirmed that he would be able to watch it. Are the Dish people f’ng with him or has something changed? All I’ve heard is how you can’t get it if you’re not with freakin comcast.
By Pitbull
August 26, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
I cannot believe Tech was so stupid (and arrogant) as to leave the SEC in 1966.
No look at their pathetic little program.
Call it Karma.
By Randy
August 26, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
I think the three Daves stink. I’d fire them all.
However, this deal does mean the Pam Ward will call SEC games.
It will be the running joke if Pam Ward gets your game. Get used to it fellas!
By Hawkinsville Dawg
August 26, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Do you think Georgia Tech regrets leaving the SEC?
By joe
August 26, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
ESPN classic showed the UGA/Bama 2007 game today…couldn’t believe how much trash (cups, bottles, etc) Bama fans were throwing at UGA players in the end zone at the end of the overtime…
By VR Dawg
August 26, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
While I have to agree that I do not LOVE the Raycom broadcast, lets be fair; they are stuck with the unenviable task of broadcasting a less than stellar matchup (usually). If they were having to scream over rabid fans like the CBS and ESPN commentators do they might seem more compelling. That said, GO DAWGS!!!!
By Vol Fan in Tennessee
August 26, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
The $EC comes out of the TV negotiations smelling like a rose! At least the $EC will finally get some decent TV coverage. It makes me mad that the SEC basketball tournament would not be broadcast on my satellite system, while we have ACC, Big 12 and Big 10 tournament games galore. Hopefully, the SEC will insist that the announcers that ESPN uses for their games will be good ones. Keep Dave Rowe and Dave Neal. With better production values, the $EC football package will be watchable. Also work something out to keep Tom Hammond on the $EC basketball games, along with Charles Davis. Most of the basketball announcers are good. Go $EC!!
By Steve G
August 26, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this
MDawg,
You’re an idiot when it comes to television. The CSS production team also works TBS baseball, TNT basketball, ESPN hoops and many other major events. Stick to football and don’t speak of what you don’t know.
By NikkiFree
August 26, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
I agree that the three Daves should still do bthe 12:30 games next season. I don’t think the boys over at ESPN will go for it though. Nice thought.
By Matt
August 26, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
T-Bone I hate to break it to you, but the Big Ten has essentially the same deal, they just did it differently. The Big Ten has its #4 and #5 game on the Big Ten Network, which is carried nationally. The SEC now will have its #4-6 games on ESPN Plus, which is carried regionally and on ESPN Gameplan. How is that ahead of the curve. You’re making a bunch of redneceks sound like Nobel Prize- winners, which is kind of a joke. And if you think ESPN is going to keep the three Daves, you’re insane. They’re awful.
By hop
August 26, 2008 6:07 PM | Link to this
the 12:30 raycom crew should be shown the door. they are terrible.
we need announcers to know the SEC, not dave archer who is a big 12 guy and is clueless.
By BT fan
August 26, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
Have you ever read about Fall of Roman Empire? Oval Arena`s, Gladiators, and competition for fame with luxury. This is a huge amount of money SEC fans will enjoy…
By Dogs#1=sec down this year?
August 26, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
dogs get paid to play Georgia South? Then Central Minnessota?
Oh, the eight will be back after that… “paroll” is guess.
By Elmo
August 26, 2008 11:54 PM | Link to this
You can keep your 3 Daves. None of them are ready for Prime Time. The whole Raycom Production was amateurish and the Advertising Repulsive for the way it was (still is) mainlined into the Broadcast.
By Biggus Piggus
August 27, 2008 7:58 PM | Link to this
I know you are being nice. The Daves must be allowed to die the normal death of an inferior species. You can’t dodge evolution, even if you don’t believe in it.
By keith
August 28, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
The three Daves are the worst announcing group ever. #1 on the list should be the potential removal of these clowns.
By JeffJ
August 28, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
Tony B makes some good points, but the general idea that SEC games weren’t already available is bs. I don’t live in SEC territory anymore, yet I can already receive most every SEC game that was televised, including the podunk Florida-Western Michigan type games. All one ever needed was a satellite dish and ESPN gameplan, which will still supposedly be the case for those lame-o games. If anything the SEC will be forced to upgrade their non-conference schedules — since ESPN isn’t going to want to waste bandwidth/announcers/money for Georgia-Georgia Southern which will be watched by about 10 people in California. When Georgia, Alabama, Florida, LSU, etc have to play a USC type non-conference schedule (Virginia,Ohio St, Notre Dame), besides playing 9 conference games, there won’t be any talk about those teams having less than 2 losses per year.
As for not needing a network. Fine!!! The non-football coaches of SEC teams just started looking for places to go. When every other league can put basketball, baseball, soccer, track, etc on tv (and all of these ARE available nationally on DirecTV), then they won’t be able to recruit outside their local area.
By dan
August 28, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
this is great news because the SEC really has a hard time recruiting…especially for football
By K.C.
August 29, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this
What do you know? ESPN gets to continue it’s love affair with the SEC. Not only have they promoted them without fail, they get to do it while paying the SEC (who is led by a former ESPN employee). Ridiculous! Look for the SEC to be favored in EVERYTHING from now on.
By tony
September 16, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this
Why are there not more SEC games on television this year. I have loved having three games at the least every sat. Now I have to watch stupid ACC, Pac-10, wac, Big 12. That is not what I want. It may be a big deal for the SEC but for the average fan it sucks. I shouldn’t be forced to watch minor league football whent the big boy is pushed to the side because of big money. ESPN you suck get it right show the damn games.
By matt
March 7, 2009 2:24 PM | Link to this
The SEC has sold its soul for the ca$h of CBS and ESPN. Few, if any of the SEC schools, are public ivies and the entire purpose of college seems to be getting lost in the SEC-huffle. Money is king; academics take a clear second. TV announcers love to blast the Big Ten and the ACC for not being as competitive. This may be in part owing to higher expectations in the classroom. The tuition paid by other students (parents) pays in part for the free ride that athletes get. It is too much to ask for a decent test score and no police record to get in and then to go to class and graduate while on someone else’s dime. The demise of college athletics was forecast long ago by William Rainey Harper…….
By the only hog
March 9, 2009 11:36 PM | Link to this
GO HOGS!!!!!!