Whoa. This is big. Billions big.
ESPN just inked a 15-year deal with the Southeastern Conference to carry all the SEC sports CBS did not already have. Price tag: $150m. a year or $2.25b. And that is on top of the 15-year, $55m. a year deal the SEC signed with CBS the other week for over-air-rights.
Where does that leave Raycom, proud sports outlet and owner of WBTV? Out of the SEC biz for the first time since 1986. Not only out of the SEC package, but confronted with with one heck of competitor for sports eyeballs across the South. Raycom Sports carrying SEC games had a nice little synergy with Raycom Media, whose TV stations blanket SEC country.
Then there is the ACC angle. Can Raycom continue to grow the ACC audience in Florida and Georgia as the ACC desires in the face of a SEC-CBS-ESPN juggernaut? Or does Raycom focus even more on the Carolinas and points north, as suggested by the Virginia Tech-East Carolina football game Raycom is underwriting in Bank of America Stadium on Saturday?
And which Raycom sold broadcast rights to….ESPN.
Bonus Observation: Raycom’s broadcasts have been the subject of much criticism over the years — too cornpone and cheesy. But still immensely popular. And profitable.
Special Bonus Observation: Charlotte’s very own ESPNU is also evidently set to join the Comcast family of cable outlets, jumping its footprint to as many as 40 million homes.
