The Mountain West Conference's current TV deal with CBS Sports and ESPN expires next summer, and MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson "expressed confidence in striking a deal that generates even larger payouts for what is one of the most substantial revenue streams for the league’s programs," according to Davis Potter of the Casper STAR TRIBUNE. Each MWC school other than football-only member Hawaii gets a $1.1M cut as "part of the current contract." Boise State gets an additional $1.8M from a "separate deal it negotiated for home games" in '13, and it will "continue to receive" the full $2.9M. CBS, the league’s primary rights holder, had the "first crack at negotiations with an exclusive 60-day window that expired this spring." Thompson said that ESPN is now in an "exclusive 45-day negotiating window." AT&T SportsNet is also a partner. Meanwhile, Thompson said the MWC is looking to go with shorter agreements than recent deals signed by other conferences. The MWC’s current deal "largely puts the league at the mercy of the networks in terms of when games are played, with many of them slotted for late kickoffs" (Casper STAR TRIBUNE, 7/24). Thompson said with a dozen conference football members in different time zones, scheduling "gets to be a Rubik’s Cube with us.” Thompson: “It’s really going to be a compromise at the end of the day" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 7/24). MWC Deputy Commissioner Bret Gilliland indicated that regional TV coverage this season from AT&T SportsNet and digital platforms such as Stadium "will be announced in the next week to 10 days" (LARAMIE BOOMERANG, 7/24).
OPEN MARKET: In Boise, Chadd Cripe notes BSU's home football games will be "marketed as a separate package to potential TV partners." ESPN has "held the rights" to those home games since '13. The initial contract between BSU and the MWC "distributed TV money based on exposure, but that was simplified in recent years to a flat payout." Thompson said that the conference "hasn’t had any 'official, formal discussions' about modifying the Boise State terms." He added that marketing BSU's games separately "likely won’t increase the value of the TV contract ... but it does provide Boise State flexibility if its preferences for broadcast partner or deal terms differ from the rest of the conference members." Cripe notes BSU's home games "hit the market at an opportune time because of the way the Broncos have scheduled." If the next TV package covers six years, BSU "can offer home games against Florida State, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Oregon State, Houston, Cincinnati, Oregon and BYU" (IDAHO STATESMAN, 7/24).
