The Big East's TV deal with ESPN runs through the ‘12-13 school year, and the conference's next round of rights negotiations "have been helped by huge deals signed by the ACC and Pac-12 in the past year," according to Greg Auman of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said, "I'm very excited about what the Pac-12 was able to accomplish two weeks ago. ... It keeps resetting the marketplace, and it puts us, because of the assets we bring to the table, in a much better place to move forward." He added, “It's setting the stage for us, providing that we're obviously deliberate and aggressive, in order to monetize our rights in a fashion similar to what they've done." Auman notes the conference hopes to "improve on its six-year, $200 million deal with ESPN, which has a 60-day window of exclusive negotiating rights starting in September 2012.” Marinatto: "There's a distinct advantage in going last" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 5/24). He added, “The college rights have been undervalued for a very long period of time. It’s come to the forefront now that that’s been the case given where everybody’s ending up.” ESPN.com’s Andrea Adelson noted there “remains the possibility of establishing a Big East network” (ESPN.com, 5/23). Marinatto said that Comcast “joining the fray bidding for media rights has put pressure on ESPN and Fox to ... offer far more money than it ever would have in the past.” Marinatto: "It puts us, because of the assets we bring to the table, in a much better position moving forward." Meanwhile, Marinatto said that the league “needs to get its expansion plans settled by September 2012 when it begins television contract negotiations” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/24).
