CBS/Turner to broadcast NCAA tourney?

[spliff45]

Supposedly their bid is $840 million a year for 14 years; this trumps the ESPN bid which supposedly is around $800 million a year for 14 years as well. If CBS combines with Turner and they get the tourney, games are likely to be shown on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV.

ESPN holds firm on NCAA men's basketball tournament television bid, report says - ESPN

 

[storminspank]

Anything to get more $$$ for the NCAA... I mean, it's all for the student-athlete, of course.

 

[HawkeyeBA]

Anything to get more $$$ for the NCAA... I mean, it's all for the student-athlete, of course.

oh yea there's no question about that.

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

TruTV. Really? They would put games on a channel nobody has heard of and probably very few get?

 

[tm3308]

TruTV. Really? They would put games on a channel nobody has heard of and probably very few get?

Of course they will. They'll bank on fans getting it just so they can see the games. And guess what? They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

 

[spliff45]

TruTV. Really? They would put games on a channel nobody has heard of and probably very few get?

I have it, but only because I'm stuck with Mediacom. That channel is worthless.

 

[switch351]

Couldn't they make up for the lost yearly revenue by gaining viewers? You'd think merchandise and stuff would make up for it in the long run.

 

[JonDMiller]

Deace thinks this is why the ESPN heads are not in favor of expansion, because its not looking like they are going to get this package...and an expanded NCAA field decreases the value of championship weeks that ESPN broadcasts a lot of...heck, there is no need for a conference tournament in many cases if you expand to 96.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

A bad television deal is the reason behind NCAA tournament expansion. CBS is reportedly losing millions on its NCAA deal and is pushing for expansion of the tournament. Unless granted relief, CBS will opt out of the final three years of the contract.

The current contract was negotiated back when no one imagined that the bottom would fall out of the economy. Like most sports TV contracts, it is heavily back loaded. By bringing in a cable partner, the NCAA will be able to grant CBS some relief from the three very expensive final years.

Whether we like it or not, the NCAA needs to generate more "inventory" to make it financially feasible for a new cable partner. Not better, just more.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/65407

To use a phrase widely used during Bill Clinton first presidential campaign: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

Unless granted relief, CBS will opt out of the final three years of the contract.

You have it backwards, the NCAA has the right to opt out, not CBS. Which they will only do if they get more money than the current deal, which the Andy Katz report shows it would be. But CBS wants to bring Turner in to help with the cost, a smart move for them.

I also just checked my satellite guide and I get TruTV, in HD no less. So I guess I don't mind games being on TruTV now