AAC, ESPN Still Discussing Any Potential Changes To Media Deal

The AAC and ESPN are still talking about potential changes to their recent media-rights agreement in the wake of UConn’s departure, but no decisions have been made. AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco and ESPN VP/Programming & Acquisitions Nick Dawson addressed the school leaving for the Big East and its effect on their deal during a panel at the Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum today.

Dawson: “There's a process that's outlined in the agreement that we're working through with Mike and his team to address the departure.” Aresco: “Nick's right. There's a process. We're working through it. We'll have a resolution down the road. It won't be far off, and we'll move on.” Aresco also feels his conference is actually improving its football stock with the loss of UConn. “We're still very powerful," he said. "UConn was a struggling football brand, so our football, if anything, might even be a bit stronger. ... So we're not worried at all about the value we're providing to ESPN.”