I noticed this throwaway line about the Mountain West TV network:

"Thompson spoke after returning from a meeting in Philadelphia with Comcast and CBS officials, who said they wanted the league and its television network -- The Mtn. -- to reach more markets. The league started the network a few years ago, giving up national exposure on ESPN for more scheduling freedom."

in this article: LINK

Got me thinking. Will the SEC ever go the route of an "SEC TV network" (like the Big 10 has). And if they did, would they be inclined to put Saturday football games on the network, rather than partnering with Satan/CBS? Would be great if the SEC (also) had "scheduling freedom", and every big game didn't have to be played at 2:30 on CBS. CBS execs can't understand how widespread the vitriol is for their destroying night football in the south (although, frankly, that has been building for years since TV got involved. CBS just happens to be the current network punching bag).

I wonder if an SEC TV network would = more $ than the current TV network contracts? Only way it could happen is if the SEC thought they could make more money cutting ties with the networks and going it alone . . .

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Posted by parkjas2001

Gustav Fan Club: Consigliere

Member since Feb 2010

45000 posts

Posted on 8/19/10 at 10:14 am to TigerHoo

With the contracts written a few years ago, we have an SEC NEtwork...it is called ESPN.

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Posted by RT1941

Member since May 2007

30165 posts

Posted on 8/19/10 at 10:17 am to TigerHoo

With the recent contract's we have - ESPN is now the SEC network.

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Posted by PJinAtl

Atlanta

Member since Nov 2007

12739 posts

Posted on 8/19/10 at 10:22 am to TigerHoo

quote:
I wonder if an SEC TV network would = more $ than the current TV network contracts? Only way it could happen is if the SEC thought they could make more money cutting ties with the networks and going it alone . . .

Only way it could happen would be for the network to be available nationally. As long as it was a regional network they would not be able to draw the advertising dollars that CBS and ESPN are able to draw.

Look at it this way - if you are in PR/Marketing for a company like Home Depot, where are you going to put the most money for adverting? On a regional broadcast that has the potential to be seen by 78 million viewers (total population of the southeast region of the US in 2009) or 305 million viewers (total US Population in 2009)?

A regional SEC network woudl have advertising from regional companies, and some advertising/support from the big players, but you would never be able to sell the ad space at the rates that ESPN and CBS get for nationwide broadcasts.

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Posted by tiger perry

Member since Dec 2009

25668 posts

Posted on 8/19/10 at 10:22 am to parkjas2001

quote:
With the contracts written a few years ago, we have an SEC NEtwork...it is called ESPN.

this

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Posted by X

Member since Jun 2010

3516 posts

Posted on 8/19/10 at 12:55 pm to TigerHoo

quote:
Would be great if the SEC (also) had "scheduling freedom", and every big game didn't have to be played at 2:30 on CBS. CBS execs can't understand how widespread the vitriol is for their destroying night football in the south (although, frankly, that has been building for years since TV got involved. CBS just happens to be the current network punching bag).

I think maybe the animosity regarding game times is a reasonable trade for nationwide exposure for recruiting purposes. I we hadn't been on TV 10 times last year, would we be getting a Samoan recruit from California?