Recent Comments

It may just be an aberration, but Netflix just took a huge dive on the stock market because they didn't add as many subscribers as anticipated by analysts.

I only bring this up because it's a fairly important tidbit in the narrative that streaming OTT services will make cable go way of the dinosaurs sooner rather than later.

I don't feel like this a good thing. This is a everyone has one, and we need to follow situation, that took years for them to make. If this happened before or at the same time the SEC did it, I would be much happier about it.

At this point it would have been better to be progressive and think ahead like the BIG did when they came up with their own station.

Making a deal with a streaming company for a streaming station is the power move that forces all others to follow down the road. Amazon is going to be a major provider of streaming sports very soon because they can outbid the cable companies.

I want us to take the next step instead of following the other companies. It's the only way to get ahead of the others and get better revenue.

Trends in the market

So I didn't see a better recent thread to post this, but apparently fansided has done a season preview for us:

http://nflmocks.com/2016/07/17/virginia-tech-complete-2016-season-preview/

The author, Sam Beckenstein, notes that we lost key contributors Brewer, Dadi, and Kendall. I found this interesting, in that Brewer gets sort of mixed reviews in my mind, Kendall was out most of the year, and Dadi (as french noted in another thread) may have been sort of a mixed blessing with his speed on the outside (plus his busted club of a hand).

He goes on to say that Ford, McMillan, and Moto are our key returnees. Ford is a no-brainer, but Travon, from all reports, hasn't locked down the starting position yet. We've yet to see how he'll be used, although I certainly would have said he was a key returnee as well. Moto, to me, is the biggest question mark. If he plays spectacularly this year our defense will be absurd.

I thought we discussed this recently but couldn't find the right thread.

From what I've read, it looks like the digital channel will be available through the Watch ESPN app, meaning that you'll have to have an ESPN subscription to view it. If you're a cord-cutter, that leaves you with 2 options, I would think: either borrow a valid login from someone who still has traditional cable/satellite (I suspect there'll be a healthy black market for valid login credentials) or purchase ESPN through something like Sling TV. The second option was my plan for football season even before the ACC digital channel was announced. For $20/mo, you get 19 different cable channels, including ESPN and ESPN2. I'm assuming that subscribing to Sling TV will get me access to the ACC digital content, or else I will not be a happy camper.

Fuente can sell the offensive side of the ball very well from the looks of it.

I hope Bud and Wiles can somehow find a way to land 1-2 top defensive players in the next year or two.

Cable has at least another 25-30 year life span of similar returns because most adults in this country are not going to switch to an exclusive OTT solution. While growth is flat because 30 and unders are going to an alternative solution, the majority of viewers use traditional cable, fios or in home satellite. And ESPN is the only channel that can dictate its terms to the providers.

In 3 years, there will little change to the cable landscape but expect a different viewing experience with advertisers - to keep the cash flowing they have to find a solution to dvr'ing past commercials. I expect to see screen overlays, scoreboard sponsorships, 15 second breakaways, etc. to get the job done.

I love how we're extracting fundage from a biased network that has traditionally hated us.

"That's why ESPN is in the discussions with us," Swofford said. "They like to make money, too. And we like to make money, as well."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article...

Yes, this. With Nigel and Woody starting and two guys earning the backup positions who have high expectations, the next line of guys was going to have a hard time getting reps. It's too bad, he'll be missed, but I don't think this will change our expectations too much.

Baron a major major Sett back, Hewitt find a good fit for hit skills.

Hill be Dooley missed.

Hopefully Bass fishing

Thanks! Shot it on my Go Pro