Yippee****** Mike Slive to return for another contract.

[M.Fillmore]

Slive, age 73, still won't hang it up.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24468186/sec-commish-mike-slive-to-return-in-2014-15-ive-got-too-much-going-on

I didn't like Kramer, but he is preferable to Slive.

[Pollodawg]

It doesn't matter who the commissioner is. None of them will be any big help to MSU because we aren't a big fish. I hate it, but that's true. they're going to take care of the UF's, Bama, LSU's and Auburns of the world first. That you can believe.

[engie]

I appreciate what Slive has done for us. Even if you claim he hasn't given us a fair shake -- when he took over, we were an 80th+ ranked athletics department in revenue -- and we're now soon to be top 25 in that department -- that is one of the 25 most visible teams in the country in football season -- and will probably be one of the 2-3 most visible in baseball going forward.

The rising tide has lifted all ships.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Honestly, I don't hate Slive as much as others do. Sure, he doesn't look after us like he does Bama, Florida, etc.- then again, most commissioners are just as bad. Slive did take up for us in 2010 and was a pretty big part of us going to the Gator Bowl.

One thing you can't argue with is the fact that Slive has turned the SEC into THE giant of college athletics, and that has helped MSU greatly.

[dawgindothan]

I appreciate what Slive has done for us... when he took over, we were an 80th+ ranked athletics department in revenue -- and we're now soon to be top 25 in that department

True but how much of that is due to Slive vs what any other SEC Commissioner could've done. Slive isn't responsible for the SEC winning 7 straight football national titles, the SEC region having by far the most passionate fans, and the SEC basically being a level between the NFL and the rest of the college football. And all of that is what's driving the increased revenue, not Slive's decision making.

Slive's biggest mistake is the 15 year SEC tv deals he signed with CBS and ESPN. They sounded great at the time, but 15 year deals are never a good idea. He got out of the ESPN deal by partnering with ESPN on the launch of the SEC Network. But anybody with half a brain would've also made the decision to launch a conference network. The SEC is getting killed on the CBS deal, and we have 10 years left on it. ESPN is paying the same money to broadcast 1 game (the Rose Bowl) that CBS is paying to broadcast 12 regular season SEC games plus the SEC Championship. The SEC Championship alone is worth more than the Rose Bowl, and that's not even counting the 12 regular season games that CBS gets first pick of every week.

[engie]

True but how much of that is due to Slive vs what any other SEC Commissioner could've done. Slive isn't responsible for the SEC winning 7 straight football national titles, the SEC region having by far the most passionate fans, and the SEC basically being a level between the NFL and the rest of the college football. And all of that is what's driving the increased revenue, not Slive's decision making.
This is where you're wrong. Slive IS responsible for the SEC's rise to prominence -- and by proxy a large part of the fan support overall. The entire conference stayed on probation and under major sanctions prior to him. NO conference member has been hit with major sanctions since he rose to power. This can NOT be overlooked in the recruiting aspect that has allowed the SEC to rise to prominence.


Slive's biggest mistake is the 15 year SEC tv deals he signed with CBS and ESPN. They sounded great at the time, but 15 year deals are never a good idea. He got out of the ESPN deal by partnering with ESPN on the launch of the SEC Network. But anybody with half a brain would've also made the decision to launch a conference network. The SEC is getting killed on the CBS deal, and we have 10 years left on it. ESPN is paying the same money to broadcast 1 game (the Rose Bowl) that CBS is paying to broadcast 12 regular season SEC games plus the SEC Championship. The SEC Championship alone is worth more than the Rose Bowl, and that's not even counting the 12 regular season games that CBS gets first pick of every week.
He's got periodic look-ins to adjust the contract as time calls. CBS played hard ball with refusing to pay more when the conference expanded -- and they lost their exclusive time slot. I agree that the deal isn't great with CBS in hindsight -- but it was groundbreaking at the time -- and well before we realized what true value had become. No one had the gift of foresight to see where things were going monetarily. And ESPN is only paying that for the Rose Bowl 6 years later(they are paying the same for the Sugar Bowl BTW) -- or almost halfway through the contract. Previously, as recently as this past season, ESPN only paid about 1/4 of that for the Rose Bowl.

[dawgindothan]

This is where you're wrong. Slive IS responsible for the SEC's rise to prominence -- and by proxy a large part of the fan support overall. The entire conference stayed on probation and under major sanctions prior to him. NO conference member has been hit with major sanctions since he rose to power. This can NOT be overlooked in the recruiting aspect that has allowed the SEC to rise to prominence.

Agree to disagree on this. The no major sanctions has more to do with what a joke the NCAA has become than anything Slive has done.


No one had the gift of foresight to see where things were going monetarily. And ESPN is only paying that for the Rose Bowl 6 years later(they are paying the same for the Sugar Bowl BTW) -- or almost halfway through the contract. Previously, as recently as this past season, ESPN only paid about 1/4 of that for the Rose Bowl.

Which is exactly why 15 year contracts are never smart

[engie]

Agree to disagree on this. The no major sanctions has more to do with what a joke the NCAA has become than anything Slive has done.
Why were we never as prominent prior to him? I really don't see how you can make this argument with any feasibility.


Which is exactly why 15 year contracts are never smart
Pac 12's is for 12 years(through 2024) - http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-20/Pacific-12-schools-will-see-big-payday-from-TV-deals/55095542/1
Big 12's is for 12 years(through 2025) - http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-07/big-12-conference-signs-tv-contract-with-espn-fox-through-2025.html
B1G's is finishing up a 10 year(through 2016) and renegotiating a new one - http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/september/expect-fox-to-bid-for-big-ten-media-rights.html
ACC's is for 15 years(through 2027) - http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9200081/acc-media-rights-deal-lock-schools-okd-presidents

So, are all of these commissioners idiots then?
Fact is -- we don't know exact numbers yet -- but it looks like it's going to be crazy lucrative JUST on tier 2(ESPN). http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2013/05/31/deal-between-espn-and-sec-conference-likely-the-richest-ever/

[dawgindothan]

Why were we never as prominent prior to him? I really don't see how you can make this argument with any feasibility.

My point is that the increase in revenue was SEC wide and had little to do with Slive. Mr. T could've been SEC Commish and the increase in revenue would've occurred. The US economy was cooking when Clinton was President. Was Clinton was the reason for it? No. He was just in the right place at the right time.


So, are all of these commissioners idiots then?

I'm not calling anyone an idiot. And I'm too lazy to read through all those links. But in general, my opinion is that long term contracts (anything over 5-7 years, depending on the circumstances) aren't smart.