DESTIN, Fla. -- At this time last year, the Southeastern Conference was still pondering whether to start its own TV network.
Television again will be the primary topic as the league opens a four-day run of its annual spring business meetings here today at the Sandestin Beach Hilton. But this time, the talk will be how the conference will implement the extensive and lucrative new TV contracts it has signed with CBS and ESPN that take effect starting in the upcoming football season.
While those 15-year contracts were signed last August -- CBS for $800 million and ESPN for a mind-blowing $2.25 billion -- the best news came late last week when it was announced Comcast and DirectTV were picking up ESPNU and ESPN360.
That was huge for SEC viewers. ESPN wants to use every one of its outlets, even ESPN Mobile TV (live games shown on mobile phones), to telecast conference football, men's basketball and women's basketball, as well as increased exposure for Olympic sports.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive has said every football game involving an SEC team, whether it's league play or non-conference, will be televised, starting with the 11:30 CT game previously telecast to nine states by Raycom. Now, the 11:30 game will be done by ESPN Regional and will have the capability to be shown nationwide.
Also, each SEC school can reserve one game a year for a pay-per-view showing.
"We are about to become the most widely distributed conference in the country," Slive said.
Not to mention the richest. It is expected this year, the SEC will distribute a record $130 million or more in revenue to its members. Next year at this time, with the new TV contracts starting in the fall, that total should increase by $100 million.
Because of the TV and the SEC's reputation as the nation's most powerful athletic conference, Slive reportedly will have pointed discussions with the league football and basketball coaches during these meetings.
Though he realizes the SEC is extremely competitive, he hasn't been fond of coaches trash-talking at booster clubs and in the media.[full story]
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