Swofford Admits SEC TV Deals Put Pressure On ACC Negotiations
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Swofford Says Basketball, Football
Contracts May Be Joined In Future |
The SEC's new TV deals are a "game changer in a competitive market," and ACC Commissioner John Swofford during the league's football media days earlier this week "made it clear that his league must find a way to close that gap in the next television contract," according to Tony Barnhart of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. While other conferences including the ACC are cutting costs, the SEC is "suddenly flush with cash" from its 15-year deals with CBS and ESPN worth a combined $3B. Swofford: "The SEC deal is certainly huge in terms of the dollars and the length of the agreement. There is usually a separation of some kind that is inevitable when new deals are struck. But I will admit that this separation is larger than most." The ACC's TV deals for football and men's basketball expire after the '10-11 school year, and although in the past "these contracts have been negotiated separately because basketball carried so much weight," Swofford said that the two sports "may be joined into one contract next time around." He added that his "first choice in these negotiations is to stick with the ACC's current television partners" of ABC/ESPN and Raycom. However, due to "what the SEC has done, the ACC is going to face some tough choices in the next two years." Swofford: "These are important negotiations for us. What it's about is doing the best with what you have, whether it's a lot or a little" (AJC.com, 7/28). In South Carolina, Paul Strelow notes the SEC's new TV deal "guarantees its members an annual payout" of $16M, at least $10M "more than ACC members will receive" under their current agreements. No one "pretends to believe the ACC can match the difference in negotiations for its next contract," but the conference has "one card up its sleeve" with the potential to join football and basketball rights (Columbia STATE, 7/29).
TRYING TO KEEP PACE: Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe yesterday indicated that "trying to earn more television money while maximizing exposure for his schools" is the "'major issue' that currently is facing him." Beebe: "It certainly concerns me there's going to be so much exposure of SEC product and Big Ten Network in this part of the country. And part of my charge will be how we will be able to compete with that in the future." ESPN.com's Tim Griffin noted the Big 12, Pac-10 and ACC reportedly have discussed a "new television network with programming from two or perhaps three of the conferences in a consortium." Beebe said, "We have to look at strategic partnerships with whomever, whether it's on the media side or the content owners (conferences) to find out what would be best for us. I don't discount any scenario in that regard. Looking at a partnership with other conferences is something we'll have to take a close look at. Maybe there's something there that would work out for all of us" (ESPN.com, 7/28).
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