ESPNU off of the Sports Tier?

[dsimp8]

I've been hearing that with the new SEC television deal with ESPN ($2.25 billion over 1 years) that some of the SEC games will be on ESPNU. Comacast is already arranging for up to 14 million extra homes to get ESPNU on their regular lineup so I was wondering if DirecTV will follow suit and take ESPNU off the Sports Tier and move it to regualr programming. Any news on this?

 

[mattsarz]

The SEC deal hasn't been made official, though its likely. Maybe within the next year since the SEC games won't appear on ESPNU until 2009-10.

 

[dcowboy7]

The SEC deal hasn't been made official, though its likely. Maybe within the next year since the SEC games won't appear on ESPNU until 2009-10.

it is now:

ESPN pays $2.25B for SEC rights

ESPN will pay the Southeastern Conference a staggering $2.25 billion over the next 15 years, about $150 million a year for the conference’s TV rights, giving the network all of the SEC’s content that was not taken by CBS, industry sources confirm.

The deal effectively ends any conversation of a conference network, and it knocks Raycom Sports (formerly Lincoln Financial and Jefferson Pilot) out of the SEC’s distribution business for the first time since 1986, when JP Sports began distributing SEC basketball.

Combined with the 15-year, $55 million a year that the SEC will receive from CBS for the over-the-air package of games (SportsBusiness Journal, Aug. 18-24), the conference will bring in an average of $205 million annually in media rights beginning in 2009-10 and running through fiscal 2025.

That’s nearly three times what the SEC had been receiving in TV revenue as part of its current deal, which runs out next spring. That amounted to around $70 million per year.

 

[ChrisPC]

Finally, SEC games in HD, instead of those low-budget Raycom productions. I bet some people are going to be mad they're not on local TV anymore.

 

[satjay]

As far as the CBS games, wouldnt that mean the CBS would have the metter matchups or not???

 

[dsimp8]

As far as the CBS games, wouldnt that mean the CBS would have the metter matchups or not???

In the new contract CBS gets 1st pick every week. Previously,I think they got the firt 2 or 3 they wanted then ESPN got 2 then it alternated between ESPN and SEC

 

[commodore_dude]

Finally, SEC games in HD, instead of those low-budget Raycom productions. I bet some people are going to be mad they're not on local TV anymore.

The Raycom games will be HD this year. The most concerning part of this to me is that games will also be on ESPN Regional, and CSS is specifically mentioned as an affiliate for that. D* is going to have to hurry up and add CSS (and probably CST as well)...

 

[buckeye927]

Good chance for it to be in HD Thursday

Supposed to kick off their HD version with the Vanderbilt-Miami University game Thursday @ 7pm.

ESPNU Goes HD In 2008

I hope DTV will light this up by then.

 

[HDinCincy]

Supposed to kick off their HD version with the Vanderbilt-Miami University game Thursday @ 7pm.

ESPNU Goes HD In 2008

I hope DTV will light this up by then.

WOW!! Really? I'll be at the game so I can't be watching but sounds like I'll heat up the DVR. Our games (Miami U. -Ohio) don't really rate HD since Ben Roethlisberger went on to the Steelers

 

[tmikeb]

ESPNU

Can you just purchase ESPNU or do you have to purchase the sports package on D*?

 

[buckeye927]

Can you just purchase ESPNU or do you have to purchase the sports package on D*?

Don't think so, but it is part of the Premier package (sports package plus all the premium movie channels)

 

[HDinCincy]

Can you just purchase ESPNU or do you have to purchase the sports package on D*?

As buckeye stated, it's part of the hideous "sports" package which really means you get pre-game of teams but no games and then the same packaged water ski competition on 15 different RSNs. There are really only about 2 or 3 stations worth getting on that tier.

 

[satjay]

As buckeye stated, it's part of the hideous "sports" package which really means you get pre-game of teams but no games and then the same packaged water ski competition on 15 different RSNs. There are really only about 2 or 3 stations worth getting on that tier.

I am a little surprised DTV is does this with ESPNU, thats something I would more expect of from comcast not DTV when it comes to sports

 

[juventuz]

Supposed to kick off their HD version with the Vanderbilt-Miami University game Thursday @ 7pm.

ESPNU Goes HD In 2008

I hope DTV will light this up by then.

Don't expect it in HD anytime soon.

ESPNU Goes HD
Launches with football telecast on Thursday
By Glen Dickson, Broadcasting & Cable, 8/25/2008

College-sports dedicated network ESPNU will step up to high-definition this week, as ESPNU HD launches Thursday with a live telecast of the football game between Vanderbilt and Miami of Ohio at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Within the first year of its launch, ESPNU HD plans to air more than 200 events in the 720-line progressive (720p) HD format, including all of its Thursday and Saturday live college football games as well as college basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling and hockey. The network will be the fourth HD network offered by sports giant ESPN, following ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNNews; ESPN-produced HD sports coverage also airs on corporate cousin ABC.

ESPN says it has secured carriage for the new network with Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe, and is working on further distribution with other multichannel operators.

“ESPNU going HD is a natural progression of this robust brand and we look forward to serving all of our college sports fans this season and for seasons to come with this high-quality service,” said Rosalyn Durant, vice president and general manager of ESPNU, in a statement. “Since the advent of HD, fans have told us that nothing beats the HD viewing experience – especially when it comes to their favorite sports and teams.”

ESPNU Goes HD - 8/25/2008 12:41:00 PM - Broadcasting & Cable

Plus I believe that Scott said that he has a contact at ESPN that said that a deal has been signed with E* but it won't debut there until later in the year, and nothing has been signed with D* as of last week.

 

[uncrules]

Yep, the clear leader in HD PPV can't come to an agreement to carry ESPNU HD.

 

[dsimp8]

Yep, the clear leader in HD PPV can't come to an agreement to carry ESPNU HD.

I think the hold up is ESPN wants it carried as a regular channel and NOT on the sports tier.

 

[db2]

I bet some people are going to be mad they're not on local TV anymore.

You got that right, just wait. A few people up here in Big Ten country were furious when all of the non-ABC/ESPN games were picked up by the Big Ten Network.

I for one wasn't mad. The way I see it (for Big Ten Network & this deal) is better production for the games, more televised games and more exposure for the conference.

 

[satjay]

Yep, the clear leader in HD PPV can't come to an agreement to carry ESPNU HD.

Ouch!!

 

[uncrules]

I think the hold up is ESPN wants it carried as a regular channel and NOT on the sports tier.

I'm well aware of the reason why D* can't come to an agreement with ESPN for the carriage rights to ESPNU HD. But for a provider that calls itself the "clear leader" for HD and fancies itself as the best provider for HD sports, not to do whatever it takes to have ESPNU HD at it's launch, it is stupid.

 

[dsimp8]

I'm well aware of the reason why D* can't come to an agreement with ESPN for the carriage rights to ESPNU HD. But for a provider that calls itself the "clear leader" for HD and fancies itself as the best provider for HD sports, not to do whatever it takes to have ESPNU HD at it's launch, it is stupid.

I agree. Carry it in it's early stages on the Sports Tier then maybe Oct 1,2008 move it to the regular tier.