Look, I'm not knocking it...it gives us more opportunities to see our programs, and ASN is broadcast here in Columbus on MY-TV, though last night we got USM/NT...I just wonder why someone thought a new sports network would be a good idea, especially with a limited inventory to sell...their graphics were good (especially in comparison with our CSTV days), and I thought that the announcers were no different than what one would find on the Worldwide Leader or Fox...their camerawork and overall production still suggests that they have a long way to match up with CBSSports or NBCSports networks...anyhow, maybe somebody can tell me how an entity such as ASN can survive and thrive and ultimately make a profit in a saturated field...
The answer is that the number of College Sports syndicators has decreased to 1, Raycom Sports, which is owned by the Raycom Media Group or Station Group if you prefer, they own syndication rights to the ACC, granted to them by ESPN which owns all Media rights in the ACC. When ESPN got out of the Syndication business (the part I oversaw) last year by creating the SEC Network, over-the-air (OTA) stations lost their largest syndication opportunity in that ESPN Regional was by far the largest syndicator of college programming. Over the years syndicating Big Ten, Big XII, MAC, Big East, CUSA (at one time), MAAC, AAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt etc. As these conferences chose to move away from OTA syndication and toward cable -Regional Nets, Conference Nets, etc., there just wasn't a business left for ESPN and other syndicators. When the ACC Network launches, Raycom will be out of that business too. Sinclair Station Group was our (ESPN Regional's) largest client and the largest station group in the country, they launched ASN to fill the hole left for college product available to OTA stations. Granted, there isn't a lot of inventory left for them, thus the smaller conferences that you are seeing them contract with..... CUSA is their best property. ESPN3 has also become a factor as smaller conferences have chosen to move their games there.
Sinclair made a 3 year commitment to ASN, and before you question their business strategy on this, understand that OTA syndication is a POWERFUL element of sales and ratings strategy. For all their successes, and there are many, ESPN-a cable operation from day one- never fully grasped or appreciated the power of OTA stations. Last year the SEC syndicated network out rated the ESPN2 game in the same window most every Saturday in that noon window. When the Big Ten Network launched, we filled the void in the Midwest with a MAC Syndicated network which outrated the BTN game every week for several years, MAC just didn't have the staying power and was replaced with SEC product when ESPN acquired the SEC rights..... today all of those stations are without college product unless they take ASN or ACC from Raycom, and of course Raycom syndicates to its owned stations first (as does Sinclair/ASN)
ASN's first game ODU v Hampton, for example did a 3.0 rating in Las Vegas, a typical major game on ESPN or ESPN2 or FoxSports1 is considered outstanding if it does a 3 rating. NBC Sunday Night Football routinely outrates Monday Night Football on ESPN.......... it is just the nature of OTA vs. Cable. (and there are 20 million US TV households without Cable)
Don't be surprised if ASN fails, but don't be surprised either if it is very successful, and Sinclair has deep pockets!!! In order to be a long term survivor and player in this market however, they need to find better product and have better access to what they have, particularly in CUSA. Let me give you an example: Purdue @ Marshall would be an unbelievable game for ASN, one that would likely go to all 81 million homes that they can touch, and it would possibly do a decent National ratings number, instead the game will go to FoxSports1 and likely do a small national number, but those are the kinds of games that Fox is paying CUSA for......... it is a balancing act for the conferences.
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