New TV Deal

[darell1976]

http://www.undsports...TCLID=209285676

GRAN

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota Athletics Department is pleased to announce that Midcontinent Communications and FOX College Sports (FCS) have reached agreement on a four-year contract that will enable FCS to provide live telecasts of UND football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s hockey.

FCS will air all Midco Sports Network-produced telecasts of the aforementioned sports for the duration of the current contract between Midcontinent Communications and UND Athletics, which runs through the 2016-17 season. However, the contract will be subject to Big Sky Conference television regulations and contractual obligations with ROOT Sports. The Seattle-based DIRECTV Sports Network is a wholly owned subsidiary of DIRECTV and operates three regional sports networks branded ROOT Sports.

The remaining 2013-14 telecast schedule calls for 16 home events to be picked up by FCS. This agreement covers all non-conference and selected conference games. In addition to the telecast of games, MidCo’s weekly programs North Dakota Hockey with Dave Hakstol and UND Sports Extra premier Wednesdays on FCS Central at 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT, respectively.

UND men’s hockey is not part of the Midcontinent-FCS agreement due to National Collegiate Hockey Conference national broadcast restrictions. Home men’s hockey games can be seen online in high definition at UNDsports.com as well as select road NCHC games. Fans can also watch games on UND's iPhone and Android apps.

2013-14 UND/FCS Broadcast Schedule

Date Sport Opponent Time Oct. 24 VB Montana* 7 p.m. Nov. 17 WBB South Dakota 2 p.m. Nov. 21 VB Northern Arizona* 7 p.m. Nov. 22 WHKY Wisconsin* 7 p.m. Nov. 24 MBB North Dakota State 5 p.m. Dec. 14 WBB North Dakota State 2 p.m. Dec. 21 MBB South Dakota State 4 p.m. Jan. 2 WBB Southern Utah* 6 p.m. Jan. 2 MBB Southern Utah* 8 p.m. Jan. 4 WBB Northern Colorado* 2 p.m. Jan. 24 WHKY Bemidji State* 7 p.m. Jan. 31 WHKY Minnesota* 7 p.m. Feb. 13 MBB Montana State* 7 p.m. Feb. 16 WHKY Minnesota State* 2 p.m. Feb. 22 WBB Sacramento State* 2 p.m. Mar. 1 MBB Eastern Washington* 2 p.m.

All times Central.

*Indicates Conference game

MBB - Men's Basketball

WBB - Women's Basketball

WHKY - Women's Hockey

The 2013-14 North Dakota Hockey with Dave Hakstol Show will air each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

(Oct. 23-April 2)

The 2013-14 UND Sports Extra Show will air each Wednesday at 6 p.m.

(Oct. 23-April 2)

UND does have hockey games on the CBS Sports Network, and the NBC Sports Network

[nodak651]

Well that doesn't suck.

[MoSiouxFan]

Great news to see the FCS contract extended through 2016-17. Am wondering how long we're restricted by the NCHC from getting Sioux home hockey games back on FCS. Are we stuck for good, or does the current restriciton end at some point?

[82SiouxGuy]

Great news to see the FCS contract extended through 2016-17. Am wondering how long we're restricted by the NCHC from getting Sioux home hockey games back on FCS. Are we stuck for good, or does the current restriciton end at some point?

It is in place through the end of the contract. I don't remember how long the contract is in place.

[gfhockey]

you can thank that suit coats with the credentials around the neck for this agreement!!!

I have sent numorus tweets to the nchc and haven't got responded back..

[southpaw]

you can thank that suit coats with the credentials around the neck for this agreement!!!

I have sent numorus tweets to the nchc and haven't got responded back..

As an NCHC fan, thank you to those suit coats who increased the exposure for the league by signing this deal that brings 18 regular season games, plus playoffs to a national TV network.

As a UND fan, thank you to Brian Faison for not accepting the watered down WCHA and bringing us into the NCHC. Thank you for voting against the TV contract that took away UND games on FCS. Thank you for continuing to work to get the other UND sports aired nationally on FCS.

[nodakvindy]

Now we just need to get more men's basketball on Midco. It's disappointing that neither the Weber St. or Montana games will be covered.

[gfhockey]

As an NCHC fan, thank you to those suit coats who increased the exposure for the league by signing this deal that brings 18 regular season games, plus playoffs to a national TV network.

As a UND fan, thank you to Brian Faison for not accepting the watered down WCHA and bringing us into the NCHC. Thank you for voting against the TV contract that took away UND games on FCS. Thank you for continuing to work to get the other UND sports aired nationally on FCS.

how manyt times do I have to say this???without UND there wouldn't be a NCHC!!!!

[Cratter]

Would you have Rathered stayed in the wcha with the old tv contract or the nchc with the current tv contract?

My vote is for the latter.

[82SiouxGuy]

how manyt times do I have to say this???without UND there wouldn't be a NCHC!!!!

And how many times do other people have to say that UND needed to leave the WCHA after Minnesota and Wisconsin left? Just because UND is a key piece of the NCHC doesn't give them any more rights or any more votes than any other member of the league. That's how good leagues operate. UND doesn't get preferential treatment in the new league, and they shouldn't.

[Redneksioux]

And how many times do other people have to say that UND needed to leave the WCHA after Minnesota and Wisconsin left? Just because UND is a key piece of the NCHC doesn't give them any more rights or any more votes than any other member of the league. That's how good leagues operate. UND doesn't get preferential treatment in the new league, and they shouldn't.

There's some preferential treatment though. Look at the number of CBS sn games they get.

[82SiouxGuy]

There's some preferential treatment though. Look at the number of CBS sn games they get.

My guess is that CBS Sports made the decision on the schedule, not the league. That's not the same as the league showing preferential treatment. I base that guess on the fact that the league probably wouldn't have chosen games with Big 10 teams, they would have chosen games with 2 league members.

[southpaw]

how manyt times do I have to say this???without UND there wouldn't be a NCHC!!!!

Without the NCHC, UND would have been in the minority in the WCHA.

Without Western Michigan and SCSU there wouldn't have been an NCHC. Without DU and CC there wouldn't have been an NCHC.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

you can thank that suit coats with the credentials around the neck for this agreement!!!

I have sent numorus tweets to the nchc and haven't got responded back..

I'm sure respondeding to your tweets is right at the top of their priority list.

[Redneksioux]

My guess is that CBS Sports made the decision on the schedule, not the league. That's not the same as the league showing preferential treatment. I base that guess on the fact that the league probably wouldn't have chosen games with Big 10 teams, they would have chosen games with 2 league members.

Any clue if their schedule was finished prior to the contract being agreed to by th nchc? If CBS was after ratings, why wouldn't they choose und to be on their channel every Friday?

[sprig]

Any clue if their schedule was finished prior to the contract being agreed to by th nchc? If CBS was after ratings, why wouldn't they choose und to be on their channel every Friday?

Seems odd that the league would sellout to CBS for just 18 games (including the 3 playoff games). Seems that both Denver and CC's TV on ROOT and Altitude is also cut back considerably, with Denver having just 6 games on ROOT. CC apparently has another local deal for some TV with a local cable co, but I'm not sure what the other teams in the NCHC have regionally, but would guess it's not much. Seems like it was more important for the league's team's to limit national exposure for the Sioux rather than gain much of anything themselves.

[82SiouxGuy]

Any clue if their schedule was finished prior to the contract being agreed to by th nchc? If CBS was after ratings, why wouldn't they choose und to be on their channel every Friday?

I've never heard of a schedule being completed before the contract. The schedule was announced in July 2013, http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/22796258/cbs-sports-network-to-televise-18-nchc-games-in-201314, while the contract was announced in January 2012, http://www.uscho.com/2012/01/31/new-nchc-gets-tv-deal-with-cbs-sports-network/, so I'm pretty sure the contract was first. My guess is that the contract contains a provision requiring them to broadcast multiple games for all teams. Otherwise it would be a UND contract, not a NCHC contract. The contract is meant to provide visibility for the entire league, it isn't a marketing tool for UND alone.

[82SiouxGuy]

Seems odd that the league would sellout to CBS for just 18 games (including the 3 playoff games). Seems that both Denver and CC's TV on ROOT and Altitude is also cut back considerably, with Denver having just 6 games on ROOT. CC apparently has another local deal for some TV with a local cable co, but I'm not sure what the other teams in the NCHC have regionally, but would guess it's not much. Seems like it was more important for the league's team's to limit national exposure for the Sioux rather than gain much of anything themselves.

Duluth has 13 games on My 9, I don't know if any other teams have anything.

[yababy8]

And how many times do other people have to say that UND needed to leave the WCHA after Minnesota and Wisconsin left? Just because UND is a key piece of the NCHC doesn't give them any more rights or any more votes than any other member of the league. That's how good leagues operate. UND doesn't get preferential treatment in the new league, and they shouldn't.

Ok I'll give you that. I'll accept that UND took the high road, acted with a high level of diplomatic integrity and established credibility as the consummate team player in their new league. I'm all for that. But in doing so the league and UND discounted the value and respect they should have had for just exactly what UND brings to the league; a 12,000 sold out arena, a traveling fan base which spends tens of thousands of dollars in THIER communities, and simply a program that is one of if not the most respected programs in the nation. I think the "league" showed a bit of disrespect thereof these facts when they agreed to the restricted TV deal with CBS... Notre Dame agreed with me..

BUT for the sake of argument with ol 82Sioux I will concede the point. UND did the right thing for their future (Note: I agree with the caveat that any of the rest of the teams in the NCHC that voted for the deal are ignorant asses).

But there is another point which should be vetted:

Why would anyone for ANY reason, including CBS, be interested in restricting national coverage of any NCHC game on ANY night that CBS is not telecasting a game? This makes absolutely zero sense. CBS only benefits from more coverage outside of when they CHOOSE to cover games because the more exposure you have the more interest you generate. Consider this; Would ESPN really choose to have no NFL games televised on Sunday just so they can be the only "NFL SHOW" out there? Answer, ahhh, hell no@! The league would be done in five years if that contract saw the light of day. Everyone benefits from more exposure period. CBS should have agreed to a contract which gives them the right of first refusal for any given night. Anything more than that had no benefit only detriment.

So the bottom line is this Mr. Faison supporter 100% of the time; The contract was massively ignorant on this level and there aint no two ways about it. And this is what Faison SHOULD have to answer to and be accountable for...

[gfhockey]

Yeah baby!

[82SiouxGuy]

Ok I'll give you that. I'll accept that UND took the high road, acted with a high level of diplomatic integrity and established credibility as the consummate team player in their new league. I'm all for that. But in doing so the league and UND discounted the value and respect they should have had for just exactly what UND brings to the league; a 12,000 sold out arena, a traveling fan base which spends tens of thousands of dollars in THIER communities, and simply a program that is one of if not the most respected programs in the nation. I think the "league" showed a bit of disrespect thereof these facts when they agreed to the restricted TV deal with CBS... Notre Dame agreed with me..

BUT for the sake of argument with ol 82Sioux I will concede the point. UND did the right thing for their future (Note: I agree with the caveat that any of the rest of the teams in the NCHC that voted for the deal are ignorant asses).

But there is another point which should be vetted:

Why would anyone for ANY reason, including CBS, be interested in restricting national coverage of any NCHC game on ANY night that CBS is not telecasting a game? This makes absolutely zero sense. CBS only benefits from more coverage outside of when they CHOOSE to cover games because the more exposure you have the more interest you generate. Consider this; Would ESPN really choose to have no NFL games televised on Sunday just so they can be the only "NFL SHOW" out there? Answer, ahhh, hell no@! The league would be done in five years if that contract saw the light of day. Everyone benefits from more exposure period. CBS should have agreed to a contract which gives them the right of first refusal for any given night. Anything more than that had no benefit only detriment.

So the bottom line is this Mr. Faison supporter 100% of the time; The contract was massively ignorant on this level and there aint no two ways about it. And this is what Faison SHOULD have to answer to and be accountable for...

Faison didn't negotiate the TV deal. The commissioner at the time, Jim Scherr, negotiated the deal. It has been stated that Faison voted against it. What else would you have him do? Pull UND out of the league? UND has 1 vote out of 8, they don't have veto power. But keep on hating, it seems to keep you going.

As far as the exclusivity clause, that kind of thing happens all the time. This isn't the NFL. Networks like to have exclusivity. I'm sure I could find other examples if I cared enough to go look (how many national networks have the right to broadcast the NHL?). The NFL has a huge demand, they can make a lot more money by making all games available to networks by using multiple networks. You can't compare a college hockey conference to the NFL. Part of the draw for CBS, and probably part of the fee they are paying the conference, is based on them being the exclusive provider of national broadcasts for the NCHC.

[Redneksioux]

Faison didn't negotiate the TV deal. The commissioner at the time, Jim Scherr, negotiated the deal. It has been stated that Faison voted against it. What else would you have him do? Pull UND out of the league? UND has 1 vote out of 8, they don't have veto power. But keep on hating, it seems to keep you going.

As far as the exclusivity clause, that kind of thing happens all the time. This isn't the NFL. Networks like to have exclusivity. I'm sure I could find other examples if I cared enough to go look (how many national networks have the right to broadcast the NHL?). The NFL has a huge demand, they can make a lot more money by making all games available to networks by using multiple networks. You can't compare a college hockey conference to the NFL. Part of the draw for CBS, and probably part of the fee they are paying the conference, is based on them being the exclusive provider of national broadcasts for the NCHC.

What about the big ten? Hockey east?

[82SiouxGuy]

What about the big ten? Hockey east?

What about them? They have nothing to do with negotiations between the NCHC and CBS Sports.

[82SiouxGuy]

What about the big ten? Hockey east?

Look how well things worked out for Wisconsin, they even lost most of their home games on TV, http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-mens-hockey/2013/9/16/4739186/big-ten-hockey-tv-schedule-not-as-sexy-as-previously-expected.

[mksioux]

I've bashed the NCHC deal enough. I still don't get it and I don't like it. But I'm done. I just hope CBS SN decides they like the product so much that they televise more than 18 games in future years of the contract. I also hope the NCHC is in a better bargaining position the next go-around and can get the exclusivity clause eased a bit. I agree that, at most, the exclusivity clause should only apply when CBS SN is actually airing a game that night. Those are my hopes going forward. No sense bashing what already happened any more. I think UND fully understands that its fans aren't happy about this deal, so there's no use beating a dead horse. I trust UND will do what it can to improve the TV deal going forward.

As for the rest of the sports, I really like the fact that FCS is still engaging UND, even with mens hockey off the table. That is a really good sign. Quite frankly, I'm a little surprised. I like the fact that the relationship still exists and is strong. It's great for the other sports. And it will help that a relationship is still in place for if/when the NCHC exclusivity clause is eased. This is a really good announcement IMO.