Kevin White discusses the ACC Channel

[HOO86]

We've had a long delay between discussion about the ACC Network. It was discussed a lot in July when the new members joined and the Grant of Rights was promoted. Then crickets. And Swofford is always vague.

But Duke AD, Kevin White, who is on the committee for the ACC Channel is now predicting 2016. I thought it was interesting. He lost me a bit with his McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's analogies. But I think I read it that he sees the ACC moving into second place behind the Big Ten Financially for the long term. Thought you all might be interesting in reading it.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/tee...0,1385903.post

[Freddyburg Hokie]

He doesn't see the SEC channel doing well, then?

[Will Stewart]

He doesn't see the SEC channel doing well, then?

He apparently sees it as #2 Burger King to #1 McDonald's. Sees the ACC Network as a Burger King as well.

[Stech]

Remember when some of us said all 15 signed the GOR for reason? These are pretty smart people that run our ACC Universities.

This article is HUGE...look for the big picture here and remember the comment about the VT AD job becoming a 100 million dollar budget job. Still a lot more to come, but again this is a HUGE step...just being public about it.

We've had a long delay between discussion about the ACC Network. It was discussed a lot in July when the new members joined and the Grant of Rights was promoted. Then crickets. And Swofford is always vague.

But Duke AD, Kevin White, who is on the committee for the ACC Channel is now predicting 2016. I thought it was interesting. He lost me a bit with his McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's analogies. But I think I read it that he sees the ACC moving into second place behind the Big Ten Financially for the long term. Thought you all might be interesting in reading it.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/tee...0,1385903.post

[Will Stewart]

Remember when some of us said all 15 signed the GOR for reason? These are pretty smart people that run our ACC Universities.

This article is HUGE...look for the big picture here and remember the comment about the VT AD job becoming a 100 million dollar budget job. Still a lot more to come, but again this is a HUGE step...just being public about it.

White's candor about where the ACC was is eye-opening. "We were in a bit of a free fall" is strong talk from someone in his position. Damn, Teel can get people to say anything!

[MPHOKIE]

Sounds peachy. However, my question remains: What is the motivation for ESPN to make this happen? They own all the inventory. They show the best basketball games on their main channels and there aren't enough good football games in the ACC to generate national interest in a channel.

[DMaroonHokie]

Sounds peachy. However, my question remains: What is the motivation for ESPN to make this happen? They own all the inventory. They show the best basketball games on their main channels and there aren't enough good football games in the ACC to generate national interest in a channel.

It would be nice for all the reasons and motivations for the ACCN be put on a message board for all to see, but that won't happen. The evidence for this, as Stech said, is all 15 university presidents (very smart people) signed a GOR. They know something we don't. You don't need to see the dynamite go off, just hear the boom.

[Late 80s Hokie]

I think this very much depends on the public appetite, at a lower price perhaps, for "Olympic" sports. An argument can DEFINITELY be made that the ACC has the absolute BEST inventory of sports other than Football and Mens Basketball. That's the sort of stuff that could drive a network, but perhaps at a lower revenue point than the B1G currently gets.

And, how much does ESPN get from internet providers for ESPN3? Maybe they'd get more from cable providers if they put that content on an ACC Network? Then there would be some football and mens basketball, and then the content WOULD be comparable to or better than the B10 Network.

Sounds peachy. However, my question remains: What is the motivation for ESPN to make this happen? They own all the inventory. They show the best basketball games on their main channels and there aren't enough good football games in the ACC to generate national interest in a channel.

[BUGGZY]

Sounds peachy. However, my question remains: What is the motivation for ESPN to make this happen? They own all the inventory. They show the best basketball games on their main channels and there aren't enough good football games in the ACC to generate national interest in a channel.

easy: another channel to force down cable operator's throats for more carriage revenue and more ad revenue. ESPN currently has the rights to a lot of un-aired inventory from their various partners, and if they can find a profitable way to get that inventory on the air, they would LOVE to do it!

[Freddyburg Hokie]

easy: another channel to force down cable operator's throats for more carriage revenue and more ad revenue. ESPN currently has the rights to a lot of un-aired inventory from their various partners, and if they can find a profitable way to get that inventory on the air, they would LOVE to do it!

Carriers are already pushing back against that in a pretty big way, though. Speculation is that ESPN might have to rebrand ESPNU as the SECNetwork, with carriers not wanting to add another channel to pay for every month.