Big East and ESPN

[Goose85]

Mike DeCourcy from the Sporting News on the Big East's negotiations with ESPN.

5. Big East commissioner Mike Aresco says negotiations with ESPN are going nowhere and he will seek bids from other networks once ESPN’s exclusive window expires. What are we to make of this? Is ESPN finally out of money?

From the moment the Big East declined ESPN’s offer of a contract extension in spring 2011, it was obvious the league was going to take its TV business into the open market and see what it would command. ESPN has the right to negotiate exclusively for a 60-day period that ends in a few weeks, and don’t worry, the network still has the bucks to fulfill the Big East’s dream of a huge rights windfall that would stop the process on a dime. But that won’t happen.

It apparently has escaped notice, but the Big East has spent the first several weeks of the football season underscoring the lie -- with help from the hapless ACC -- that there are five elite conferences and the Big East isn’t one. There are either four or six, but certainly not five.

The Big East has shown there is life in its football brand, and that could be worth millions to those either building (NBC) or pondering (Fox) cable sports channels wishing to take on ESPN. The league will learn soon if that’s true -- and just how true.


http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-10-10/harrison-twins-kentucky-maryland-john-calipari-ucla-midnight-madness-big-east

[Bocephys]

I like the line that there are either four or six, but certainly not five. Well said.

[Mark Miller]

Decourcy is the best in the business, IMO.

[TheSultan]

All the Big East needs are two parties interested in their product. Fox and NBC negotiating for the rights to BE sports would be nice.

[IWB]

Decourcy is the best in the business, IMO.

I agree with that Mark for a couple of reasons - obviously his writing is #1. But when you go to an event like the NCAA tourney, and there are all of the media there with a lot of down time, you end up watching a lot of games in the media room. That is an area where you really gain respect for some of these guys. I have seen guys walk around like their crap doesn't stink, but then there are guys like Decourcy, Goodman, Forde etc... Decourcy will pony up next to any shmuck (like me) and watch the game that is on. Comment to you as if he values your opinion, talk about the game and then goes about his business. He seems like one of the quietest, friendliest guys in the media rooms. I have seen Goodman and Forde do the same, just not quiet and soft spoken like Decourcy. Just be careful around Forde, if you mention anything about swimming you will find yourself in the midst of a seminar about every single high school swimmer Team USA has in the pipeline right now.

[CaribouJim]

I agree with that Mark for a couple of reasons - obviously his writing is #1. But when you go to an event like the NCAA tourney, and there are all of the media there with a lot of down time, you end up watching a lot of games in the media room. That is an area where you really gain respect for some of these guys. I have seen guys walk around like their crap doesn't stink, but then there are guys like Decourcy, Goodman, Forde etc... Decourcy will pony up next to any shmuck (like me) and watch the game that is on. Comment to you as if he values your opinion, talk about the game and then goes about his business. He seems like one of the quietest, friendliest guys in the media rooms. I have seen Goodman and Forde do the same, just not quiet and soft spoken like Decourcy. Just be careful around Forde, if you mention anything about swimming you will find yourself in the midst of a seminar about every single high school swimmer Team USA has in the pipeline right now.

Is he still tight with TC? Any type of relationship with Buzz?

Speaking of The Sporting News, what is their story - I have been getting it on and off since the late '60's when each issue had EVERY MLB boxscore from all the games the previous week and had writers like Joe Falls and Dick Young. My subscription was still going when they went all digital and now I see their links to their articles on on SI.com. Are they just dying a slow death or something? Do they have some type of informal affiliation with SI now?

[IWB]

Not sure what their deal is.

TC is still close to Decourcy, and I believe talks to Katz a bit too.

When it comes to the national media, with the exception of maybe the rankings experts, I think Buzz has a good relationship with just about everybody. I know he gets along with Decourcy, Goodman, Parrish....