So last summer I posted that the ACC-ESPN contract "Look-In" did not go well and the relationship was broken and would likely end in an early divorce. Some serious leverage is now being applied by the Alliance against ESPN right now.
This all relates to the current B1G contract negotiation going on now. ESPN really wants to maintain at least a piece of the B1G/Alliance rights. The B1G has recently told ESPN it won't renegotiate with them during the "exclusivity period" happening now. It is very likely the B1G/Alliance is going to shut out ESPN from all future media rights - unless ESPN agrees to terminate the current ACC deal & GOR in order to start negotiating on a new & much more lucrative Alliance deal that will likely include multiple media partners.
ESPN is now on the clock. It will be very interesting to see how they respond to this threat. The ACC & the Alliance seem determined to break up the current ESPN-ACC deal "by any means necessary". I believe both sides have a few more cards left to play before this is over.
Be Ready FSU! A day of choosing is fast approaching.
This all relates to the current B1G contract negotiation going on now. ESPN really wants to maintain at least a piece of the B1G/Alliance rights. The B1G has recently told ESPN it won't renegotiate with them during the "exclusivity period" happening now. It is very likely the B1G/Alliance is going to shut out ESPN from all future media rights - unless ESPN agrees to terminate the current ACC deal & GOR in order to start negotiating on a new & much more lucrative Alliance deal that will likely include multiple media partners.
ESPN is now on the clock. It will be very interesting to see how they respond to this threat. The ACC & the Alliance seem determined to break up the current ESPN-ACC deal "by any means necessary". I believe both sides have a few more cards left to play before this is over.
Be Ready FSU! A day of choosing is fast approaching.
