The Runnin' Utes will not get a dime of TV money in 2011, unless their game with BYU is televised nationally. Same for Hawaii. Any wonder why TCU did an about face and was willing to play the Cougars on a neutral field this year? TV money.
The WAC is cutting Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii out of the TV money this year. And the MWC is doing the same to TCU. Utah, in their first year in the PAC-12...nothing. These programs, in transition have to worry how to get by without any TV revenues.
But do not feel too bad for Utah, in a few years the Utes will be getting 21 million per year. TCU will be getting a hunka change as well. Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii...will get a million or so every year with the MWC TV deal, which is renegotiable every season.
As for the WAC, they will have to get by on about 500,000 per school. Schools will need the BYU agreement to help out.
Now for BYU, they get an immediate windfall. About 3 million per game. And there are already 3 games scheduled for ESPN. Home games against Central Florida and Utah State and the aforementioned game against TCU. That will net the Cougs about 9 million and counting for 2011. Expect that the Utah game will be on an ESPN network and a couple of other 2011 games to show up at least upon ESPN 3. And if both BYU and Hawaii are on the BCS radar in December, do you think that ESPN will ignore it? Yep, it looks like the Honolulu Star forgot to mention that one.
In the end, the Cougars still get 14 to 15 million. And yes, that pales in comparison to the 21 million per year that the PAC-12 schools gross. But it is far better than what the Cougars used to get.
No comments:
Post a Comment