BYU, ESPN closing in on a new deal

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2019/06/09/byu-espn-closing-new-deal/

...

The Salt Lake Tribune has learned that discussions have intensified the past few weeks, perhaps so BYU can make a news splash on June 18 when it holds its media day — earlier than any program in the country, as usual — to kick off the 2019 football season.



This year’s theme will be “150 Years of College Football: BYU’s Impact on the Game,” and will play up the fact that ESPN’s first live regular-season broadcast was the BYU-at-Pittsburgh game on Sept. 1, 1984, the season that ended with BYU winning the national championship.



Contacted late last week, ESPN confirmed that it is extremely interested in continuing the partnership.



“ESPN has a great relationship with BYU and its athletics department,” said Kurt Dargis, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions. “We expect that affiliation to continue beyond this [football] season and are engaged in those discussions.”





Responding to a Tribune request on how those negotiations are coming along, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said there are no foreseeable snags or complications that could derail the deal.



“We are having a good dialogue with ESPN about a new regular-season contract and a bowl game agreement,” Holmoe said via email. “Those contract discussions are currently ongoing. We are going to be with ESPN. It is just a matter of working through some details of the new deal.”

...

Maybe an announcement at Media Day and maybe not. we will know soon enough.

Tom Holmoe also indicated that he has exposure and TV access as a higher priority than money.

hawkwing wrote:

Tom Holmoe also indicated that he has exposure and TV access as a higher priority than money.

Yeah, but that's like my wife with OUR credit cards in her purse telling the salesman that money is not an object. It might not be to her, but...

It's been the chat of all the local sports programs over the last week as they don't have much else to talk about in the early summer. Many will judge BYU's program by the results of this contract--good or bad. I'm sure, as TH says, it will come to pass, but if it's not better than the last one, I just can hear the boo-birds clearing their throats.

hawkwing wrote:

Tom Holmoe also indicated that he has exposure and TV access as a higher priority than money.

There are two kinds of people that say that money isn't important: Those that don't have it (and can't get it) and those that don't need more of it.



Which do we really think BYU is?

CrimsonCoug wrote:

Tom Holmoe also indicated that he has exposure and TV access as a higher priority than money.

There are two kinds of people that say that money isn't important: Those that don't have it (and can't get it) and those that don't need more of it.



Which do we really think BYU is?

Both?

The only time you'll hear BYU say money doesn't matter is when BYU is trying to convince you to take that view as they negotiate how little BYU is willing to pay you.



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snoscythe wrote:

The only time you'll hear BYU say money doesn't matter is when BYU is trying to convince you to take that view as they negotiate how little BYU is willing to pay you.



https://media3.giphy.com/media/aeknXZQr1BNpC/giphy.gif" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Haha!! So true.

Who said money "doesn't matter"? I read that essentially it makes sense BYU is sticking with ESPN and isn't out there bidding ESPN against any/every other outlet trying to drive up the price because in the end the money is less important than the exposure and bowl access that you get through ESPN--even if the money is a little less than you possibly could get somewhere else.



ESPN hasn't screwed BYU like Comcast was back in the day with not showing your game but also not letting YOU show your game when you have that ability. BYU benefits ESPN with adequate games in the late time slots for their football nights for a decent price. ESPN benefits BYU because people can access the games on ESPN and the money you bring home is better than you get in a G5 conference. If a better deal comes along (P5 conference affiliation where the big $$$ is), then you move on from this arrangement. But you also don't try so hard to make it turn into a P5 money deal that ESPN isn't willing to pay the cost resulting in lost money AND lost TV/bowl access.

When is media day?

scott715 wrote:

When is media day?

Tuesday, June 18

https://byucougars.com/story/football/1289594/Follow-BYU-Football-Media-Day-on-Tuesday



6:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. BYU vs. Western Michigan (2018) BYUtv / byutv.org



8 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Video Web Chats (Live) byutv.org / BYU Football Facebook

8:00: Kalani Sitake & Fesi Sitake

8:15: Ilaisa Tuiaki & Jernaro Gilford

8:30: AJ Steward & Harvey Unga



9 a.m. - 10 a.m. BYU State of the Program (Live) BYUtv / byutv.org/ WatchESPN/ESPN3 / BYU Radio (SiriusXM Channel 143) / byuradio.org



10 a.m. - Noon BYU Sports Nation (Live) BYUtv / byutv.org / WatchESPN/ESPN3 / BYU Radio (SiriusXM Channel 143) / byuradio.org



12:15 - 2 p.m. Video Web Chats (Live) byutv.org / BYU Football Facebook

12:15: Tristen Hoge & Brady Christensen

12:30: Gunner Romney & Baylor Romney

12:45: Jeff Grimes & Eric Mateos

1:00: Ty'Son Williams, Emmanuel Esukpa & Micah Simon

1:15: Isaiah Kaufusi, Jackson Kaufusi, Devin Kaufusi

1:30: Matt Bushman & Moroni Laulu-Pututau (English & Spanish)

1:45: Mitch Harris & Skyler Southam (English & Spanish)



Noon – 1 p.m. Cougars in the NFL BYUtv / byutv.org



1 p.m. - 2 p.m. LaVell Edwards Coaching Tree BYUtv / byutv.org



Noon - 2 p.m. Behind the Mic with Greg Wrubell (Live) BYU Radio (Sirius XM Channel 143) / byuradio.org



2 p.m. - 3 p.m. 150 Years of College Football: BYU's impact on the game (Live) BYUtv /byutv.org/ WatchESPN/ESPN3 / BYU Radio (SiriusXM Channel 143) / byuradio.org



3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Video Web Chats (Live) byutv.org / BYU Football Facebook

3:00: Zayne Anderson & Dayan Ghanwoloku

3:15: Bracken El-Bakri & Khyiris Tonga

3:30: Zach Wilson & Aleva Hifo



3 p.m. - 6 p.m. BYU at Wisconsin (2018) BYUtv / byutv.org

Hopefully we hear something about the TV deal in the State of the Program at 9 am.

Not today. And Tom Holmoe wasn't there to take questions about it either, which doesn't seem like a good sign to me. And saying the hold up to the ESPN deal was bowl ti in seems odd. Why not do separate deals? Why have them be linked?



My guess is that the ESPN deal will good $$$ for 4 games per, include an ESPN+ Option for the 5th game, and that won't be popular. 6th home on BYUtv, per usual.

Lawboy wrote:

Not today. And Tom Holmoe wasn't there to take questions about it either, which doesn't seem like a good sign to me. And saying the hold up to the ESPN deal was bowl ti in seems odd. Why not do separate deals? Why have them be linked?



My guess is that the ESPN deal will good $$$ for 4 games per, include an ESPN+ Option for the 5th game, and that won't be popular. 6th home on BYUtv, per usual.

Holmoe was reportedly at a family reunion. Odd timing.

I agree. It is very strange that Holmoe wasn't there. Some excuse about having a family event. But if you're the freakin AD you schedule the media day to when you don't have a conflict.



Pretty clear that he didn't want to take questions. Perhaps he didn't want to be pressed on sensitive details on the ESPN or Kalani contracts that were under negotiations. My guess is that he'll have at least ESPN wrapped up before the next time he's in front of the cameras--probably opening of Fall Camp, but before the season gets under way for sure.



I sure hope ESPN's not waiting to see how we fare in that killer September/October slat this year.

Holmoe preparing for 2019 football season:



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snoscythe wrote:

Holmoe preparing for 2019 football season:



https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-03-2015/tDMF-M.gif" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Clearly. I mean really? Isn't he the guy who would give the final approval for when Media day happens? I simply don't like being taken down the road like I didn't know anything. Family reunions aren't planned at the drop of a hat and for him not to be able to schedule around it says totally that he didn't want to be questioned on the ESPN or KS contracts. Scaredy cat!

Dude didn't want to answer questions about the contract or about if he's going to fire sitake if next season sucks.

Heard today that the sticking point is on how many games ESPN wants to put behind the ESPN+ pay wall.



Fight is balancing exposure (i.e. games widely available without a paywall) and income (i.e. ESPN wants to cut $ if a certain number of games aren't behind the paywall of ESPN+).