A Quick Thought About PAC-10 Expansion Rumors

I'm not naive, but I'm really not sure that anything is going to come out of the PAC-10 meetings, short of a PAC-10 network.

I suppose I need to see some better sources than Rivals.com team sites.

Here's a question that everyone needs to think about: How does Texas & Oklahoma moving west, having 1-2 games on the west coast every year, help their visibility? Sticking them in a division with the Arizona schools, who are on Pacific time during September-October portion of FB season, isn't cool.

Next, who is going to bid on a 16 team all-sports monstrosity, at least on cable? ESPN doesn't have the room to carry them, and they are only carrying the PAC-10 games now by moving them to 10:30pm and 11:15pm ET? Even if the PAC-16 took over most of the Big 12's ESPN MBK slots, each team would not be on TV enough (more teams, same number of slots). The more teams you have, the more money you require from a TV partner up front to keep everybody's mouths fed.

Since the talk is about what OU, TX would stand to gain, do the existing PAC-10 schools gain anything? USC is still going to be playing the lions share of its games out west, are they gaining any extra exposure? Same with UCLA basketball.

Everybody can want $22 million in rights fees from TV partners for a year, but you have to find someone able to provide that for 16 teams, or at least find enough TV partners to make up that amount. The PAC-10, like the Big 12, does not share revenue equally and it is my understanding that the PAC-10's formula for revenue distribution differs from the Big 12's.

OU, UT, USC, UCLA, WA, UO and others...that's a lot of egos in the room to supress.

ESPN finalizes more early season games

ESPN made an announcement of several telecasts from several conferences, most from the ACC, Big East and SEC today. Looks like the SEC will some remaining slots on ESPNU that have not been filled, along with their slots on Fox Sports South and CSS.

The ACC's release also included games syndicated by Raycom.

It also looks like ESPN3.com will become desitination viewing for fans of several teams. Almost all of the ACC will have at least one of their games in the 1st three weeks as part of this package with the exceptions being Florida St. and North Carolina. Games from the Big East, MAC and WAC will also be available on the service early in the season.

PAC-10 National TV Schedule Finalized

We were able to get this from the PAC-10, though it is not official. The conference has to vote to allow for 4:30pm PT start times, though they should be a formality.

September 11 Colorado at California (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
September 11 Virginia at USC (7:30 PM PT, FSN)
September 11 Stanford at UCLA (7:30 PM PT, ESPN)
September 18 Nebraska at Washington (12:30 PM PT, ABC)
September 18 Iowa at Arizona (7:30 PM PT, ESPN)
September 18 Houston at UCLA (7:30 PM PT, FSN)
September 18 Wake Forest at Stanford (8:15 PM PT, ESPN2)
September 25 Oregon at Arizona State (7:30 PM PT, FSN)
October 2 Washington at USC (5:00 PM PT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
October 2 Stanford at Oregon (8:15 PM PT, ESPN)
October 9 TBD (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
October 9 TBD (4:00 PM PT, Versus)
October 9 USC at Stanford (5:00 PM PT, ABC)
October 16 California at USC (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
October 16 TBD (4:30 PM PT, Versus)
October 16 TBD (7:15 PM PT, ESPN)
October 21 UCLA at Oregon (6:00 PM PT, ESPN)
October 23 TBD (12:30 PM PT, ABC)
October 30 TBD (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
October 30 TBD (4:00 PM PT, Versus)
October 30 Oregon at USC (5:00 PM PT, ABC)
November 6 TBD (12:30 PM PT, ABC)
November 6 TBD (4:00 PM PT, Versus)
November 6 TBD (7:15 PM PT, ESPN)
November 6 Arizona State at USC (7:30 PM PT, FSN)
November 13 TBD (4:30 PM PT, Versus)
November 13 USC at Arizona (5:00 PM PT, ABC)
November 18 UCLA at Washington (5:00 PM PT, ESPN)
November 20 Stanford at California (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
November 20 USC at Oregon State (5:00 PM PT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
November 26 UCLA at Arizona State (12:30 PM PT, FSN)
November 26 Arizona at Oregon (4:00 PM PT, ESPN)
November 27 TBD (4:30 PM PT, Versus)
November 27 Notre Dame at USC (5:00 PM PT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
December 2 Arizona State at Arizona (5:00 PM PT, ESPN)
December 4 TBD (12:30 PM PT, ABC)
December 4 TBD (4:00 PM PT, Versus)
December 4 TBD (7:30 PM PT, FSN)

A few interesting items:

• FSN will not use any 6:30pm or 7pm ET windows on the PAC-10. In the past, these windows were often blocked by pro sports, making it tough for the east coast viewer to find the game. Versus will use this window for all of their telecasts. FSN, based on the 1st couple weeks of the season, will use the window for some Big 12 games.
  
• Versus has usually had the ability to pre-select most of the games for the PAC-10. This year none of their windows are pre-filled.
  
• USC's game at Washington St. will not be available for a national telecast. The last time USC had games that were not on national TV were in 2001 when they had games on FSN West 2 and part of the FSN syndication package. I would expect the game to air somewhere since the regional FSNs will have space available on 9/25/10.
  
• Washington St. will be the only team that does not have a game pre-selected for TV as part of the PAC-10 contract. They will have two road games on TV as part of the Big 12 and C-USA packages.

Early season selections, Part One

Maybe there won't be this big schedule release day like we've seen in past years.

The Big Ten put its early season television selections in motion before the Memorial Day weekend. Schedule looks about as normal as it can for them. Maybe not as packed on the Big Ten Network for the 12pm games as in past seasons, but 9/25 will have plenty.

The Big 12's list came out of their 1st day of their spring meetings, which promise to be interesting based on the 800 lb gorilla known as Big Ten expansion. I am impressed that FSN was able to pick up some very worthwhile games (Georgia Tech-Kansas, Illinois-Missouri). Two things I found interesting:

1. FSN will do their 1st Thursday night midseason game (Kansas St. at Kansas on October 14), on a national basis, since they had the rights to Conference USA. East Carolina vs. Louisville, 10/19/00. Their last Thursday night game was Wake Forest vs. Baylor on 8/28/08.
2. Versus was not listed anywhere on the press release, except for the Baylor game at TCU (Versus being a quasi-rightsholder of the Mountain West). Waiting for an answer to a query about whether Versus will continue to remain a place to find some Big 12 games throughout the year.

The PAC-10's list may be in process of being released. Part one was a surprise with several FSN games being released. Part two so far has been a single game, released fairly late in the day on July 1st (Arizona St. at USC on FSN). My expectation is that even if no other games are selected, the PAC-10 will release a list of telecast windows for the three remaining FSN windows and all seven Versus windows, as they've done in the past.

So what is left? Here's a conference-by-conference look:

ACC - I expect a ton of listings, even if most of them involve the ESPN3.com service because of a lack of really good games to pick up. ABC, ESPN Networks and Raycom will be making the choices. As for details on their rights agreement, I'm not sure I would expect that until the ACC Media Days since that may be the next time ACC and ESPN representatives will be gathered in the same place.

Big 12 - Now that the big boys picked their games, there will likely be a game on Fox College Sports and games on pay-per-view, but those will come out throughout the summer.

Big East - Outside of the Maryland-West Virginia and Kentucky-Louisville games, there isn't much to choose from. Some schools will probably opt for local/regional telecasts and those may not be announced until later in the summer.

C-USA - The CSS list of games and other local telecasts will trickle out through the summer. Would expect the CSS list by their media day.

MAC - Should be local/regional telecasts from here on out with the packages from ESPN+ and Fox Sports Ohio/Detroit along with others.

PAC-10 - Once the remaining national windows are announecd, teams will begin to piece together times where they can offer local/regional telecasts.

SEC - A full list. CBS typically doesn't do games the 1st two weeks of the season because of its US Open tennis coverage, so ESPN Networks and the conference's regional cable & syndication packages will be in full effect. Also expect plent of pay-per-view opportunities. Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reported that the conference is still trying to give Alabama some scheduling relief, so their schedule isn't officially set in stone.

Sun Belt - Waiting on the Sun Belt Network slate of games and possibly an ESPNU game.

WAC - Expecting local telecasts from now on. ESPNU picked up a WAC game for its 1st three weeks and that should be the extent of their selections

Updates on rights negotiations

Two sets of TV rights are being negotiated at this time. The ACC is the big one and Conference USA is also up for bid.

Its been reported that the ACC will move all its rights over to ESPN. The average viewer doesn't notice the difference, but Raycom was the men's basketball rightsholder and they sublicensed games to ESPN, FSN, CBS and other entities along with keeping a regional package for itself.

The good news is that the ACC got a lot more cash than most expected, including me. FOX was very interested in the rights and were willing to put games on FOX, F/X and FSN. And Raycom isn't out of the picture as they (and possibly FSN) will continue to broadcast ACC events by sublicensing those events from ESPN.

The ACC is now firmly positioned as the 3rd conference of the Big Six on ESPN. The Big Ten and SEC are nos. 1 & 2 and the ACC should be firmly in 3rd ahead of the Big East. If the ACC earned any more Saturday football games on ESPN/ESPN2, I believe its safe to say that the Big 12 will be looking to either remain with FSN and/or Versus or continue to move towards its own network (with or without the PAC-10) and open up all its broadcasting contracts. The PAC-10's calculated risk of more late night games to take advantage of the SEC as a lead in could push them over to ESPN and into position #4. After that, it depends how viable the Big East will be as a football conference in a couple years.

As for C-USA, no one expects to get a deal that would pay much more than 10% of what the ACC will get. But they may have the ability to continue the existing deals with ESPN and CBS College Sports. That would be a huge win for C-USA as ESPN doesn't have much interest in C-USA sports beyond the eleven football games and 4-6 men's basketball games. CBS College Sports would then retain the inventory.

PAC-10 Announces Partial TV Schedule

The PAC-10 schools announced a portion of their early season telecast list. Its a larger list than I've seen in the six seasons I've been tracking college sports. For the ABC/ESPN list, the 1st surprise is the number of preselected games (16 of 21 games). The other surprise is that over half of the games on ABC/ESPN are on ESPN, where in the past 60%-70% of the games were on ABC. And several of the games that ABC could take may still air on ESPN. Its possible that 70% of the ABC/ESPN games could end up being ESPN games.

I think the 21st window may be the TCU vs. Oregon St. game.

As a team-related aside, USC is involved in at least six of the seven ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 windows and already has ten of its twelve games assigned to a network & time slot.

A second surprise was an abbreviated list of FSN games. These games tend not to appear until June 1st along with the Versus games. No Versus games were selected today. Its expected that Versus will have their selection on June 1st.

PAC-10 associate commissioner Duane Lindberg has also provided me the list of the other five 12-day/6-day windows.

Here's the list. All times Eastern

ABC
9/18 Nebraska at Washingon, 3:30pm
10/9 USC at Stanford, 8pm
10/23 12-Day Window, 3:30pm
10/30 Oregon at USC, 8pm
11/6 12-Day Window, 3:30pm
12/4 12-Day Window, 3:30pm

ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
10/2 Washington at USC, 8pm
11/13 USC at Arizona, 8pm
11/20 Oregon St. at USC, 8pm
11/27 Notre Dame at USC, 8pm

ESPN/ESPN2
9/4 TCU vs. Oregon St. @Arlington, 7:45pm ESPN
9/11 Stanford at UCLA, 10:30pm ESPN
9/18 Iowa at Arizona, 10:30pm ESPN
9/18 Wake Forest at Stanford, 11:15pm ESPN2
10/2 Stanford at Oregon, 11:15pm ESPN
10/16 12-Day Window (Oregon St. at Washington OR Arizona at Washington St.), 10:15pm ESPN
10/21 UCLA at Oregon, 9pm ESPN
11/6 12-Day Window, 10:15pm ESPN
11/18 UCLA at Washington, 8pm ESPN
11/26 Arizona at Oregon, 7pm ESPN
12/2 Arizona St. at Arizona, 8pm ESPN

FSN
9/11 Colorado at California, 3:30pm
9/11 Virginia at USC, 10:30pm
9/18 Houston at UCLA, 10:30pm
9/25 Oregon at Arizona St., 10:30pm
10/16 California at USC, 3:30pm
11/20 Stanford at California, 3:30pm
11/26 UCLA at Arizona St., 3:30pm

Four OOC road games involving PAC-10 teams were also selected today.

9/4 UCLA at Kansas St., 3:30pm ABC
9/11 Oregon at Tennessee, 4:30pm ESPN
9/18 Arizona St. at Wisconsin, 3:30pm ABC/ESPN2 (reverse mirror)
9/18 USC at Minnesota, 3:30pm ESPN

PAC-10 FB Window Guesses

ABC comes out with their telecast window and early season selections on Monday for the PAC-10. The PAC-10 is the one conference that requires all national telecast windows be designated before the season starts.

9/4 TCU vs. Oregon St., 7:45pm ESPN (confirmed)
9/11 Stanford at UCLA, 3:30pm ABC (confirmed as network selection)
9/18 Nebraska at Washington, 3:30pm ABC
9/25 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm ABC
10/2 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm ABC
10/9 USC at Stanford, 3:30pm ABC
10/9 UCLA at California, 8pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
10/16 California at USC, 3:30pm ABC
10/21 UCLA at Oregon, 9pm ESPN (confirmed)
10/23 -- DARK --
10/30 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm ABC
10/30 Oregon at USC, 8pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
11/6 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm
11/13 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm ABC
11/13 USC at Arizona, 8pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
11/18 UCLA at Washington, 8pm ESPN (confirmed)
11/20 -- DARK --
11/26 Arizona at Oregon OR UCLA at Arizona St., 7pm ESPN2 (network window confirmed)
11/27 12-Day Pick, 3:30pm ABC
11/27 Notre Dame at USC, 8pm ABC
12/2 Arizona St. at Arizona, 8pm ESPN (confirmed)
12/4 USC at UCLA, 3:30pm ABC

We'll post the official list, when available here and on Twitter. The weeks listed as dark, IMO, will be weeks where FSN gets an early afternoon telecast window. Note that on 10/16 that there is a NASCAR race on ABC at night and only the 3:30pm window will likely be used.