Question for The Pack: Will the SEC regret going all in with one media provider?

[Duke Humphrey]

Once the CBS deal concludes next year, all of the SEC media rights will be held by ESPN for all sports. Reading about the Big10 going through their negotiations to extend their media deal, appears they are using others to not only get a) more money, but also b) better production and delivery. I realize ESPN has been good for the SEC, and I am no fan of the product that CBS puts out (mainly Danielson and game length), but something about that game did feel special and certainly elevated the conference when it became exclusive window in the early 2000s.

 

[Dawgg]

I think it's a good thing and provides a lot more flexibility. No more tiptoeing around CBS.

I don't think the game being on ABC instead of CBS makes it less special and let's face it, we got shut out of being one of the CBS games for as many seasons as we actually made it, so I'm not sure how much I care how much Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, and Georgia fans are upset about having to switch the dials.

I also feel like the production quality on ESPN, is head and shoulders above anything Fox, FS1, Bally Sports, NBC, NBC Sports, CBS, or CBS Sports Network is putting out.

Also, as far as the Big 10 goes, besides their grab for more money, in a lot of ways they're 'catching up' to the SEC in terms of access to all sports. I can literally watch any Mississippi State home game in almost any sport within the same ESPN app I use for watching A-List college football games. Maybe I can do that for, say, the Minnesota Gophers, but I'm not sure I can.

 

[patdog]

I also feel like the production quality on ESPN, is head and shoulders above anything Fox, FS1, Bally Sports, NBC, NBC Sports, CBS, or CBS Sports Network is putting out.

Also, as far as the Big 10 goes, besides their grab for more money, in a lot of ways they're 'catching up' to the SEC in terms of access to all sports.

THIS. NBC does a great job with Premier League soccer, but otherwise ESPN is just better than any of the other sports networks. And it's not even close.

Obviously I understand opening up the bidding to get top dollar, but one reason the Big 10 is having to go to other providers is because ESPN is paying top dollar to the SEC and is committing more and more of their broadcasting slots to the SEC so there's not as much left to go around to the Big 10. Big 12 and PAC 12 have had to move a lot of their games to Fox for years because of this.

 

[johnson86-1]

Once the CBS deal concludes next year, all of the SEC media rights will be held by ESPN for all sports. Reading about the Big10 going through their negotiations to extend their media deal, appears they are using others to not only get a) more money, but also b) better production and delivery. I realize ESPN has been good for the SEC, and I am no fan of the product that CBS puts out (mainly Danielson and game length), but something about that game did feel special and certainly elevated the conference when it became exclusive window in the early 2000s.

Having an alternative to play off each other is great, but they pretty much had to move away from CBS (or get a premium) after the last expansion. Things are still changing and you have to send a message to media partners that if they aren't willing to reopen negotiations to reflect additional value after the changes, they won't be a partner going forward.