What happens to MSN now?
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia University will award its multimedia rights to IMG College, according to a report by Street & Smith's Sports Business Daily.
The agency owns rights to more than 80 universities and is working through the final parts of contract negotiations with WVU athletic director Oliver Luck. According to the report, a formal announcement is expected in the coming weeks.
IMG College got the bid over several other contenders such as Fox Sports Net, CBS Collegiate Sports Properties, Learfield Sports and West Virginia Radio Corporation. IMG College's contract with West Virginia will begin July 1 and the agency is already searching for a general manager.
End of MSN?
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Brian G.
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EZ103.3FM
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Re: End of MSN?
Likely WVU media partner denies subsidy claim
IMG spokesman says deal won't be used to leverage more ad buys for Marshall
by Jared Hunt
Daily Mail staff
Charleston Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201301270158
West Virginia University's multimedia rights for sports coverage, advertising and marketing will likely be managed by IMG College. As the deal became known, a media outlet claimed it would be used to subsidize Marshall University sports programming.AdvertiserCHARLESTON, W.Va. - The apparent winner of West Virginia University's so-called Tier 3 multimedia rights says it does not intend to pressure WVU advertisers into subsidizing Marshall University sports programming.
Last week, multiple sources confirmed to the Daily Mail that WVU and media firm IMG College had agreed to a 12-year contract that could carry an overall value of $110 million for the firm to manage its Tier 3 multimedia rights, which include radio sports broadcasting and some televised football and basketball games.
WVU was one of a few schools to still manage its Tier 3 broadcasting and marketing in-house, mainly through its Mountaineer Sports Network.
The new arrangement is designed to make WVU athletics more attractive to regional advertising. The university is expected to net an additional $5 million a year through the new contract.
IMG currently manages some multimedia rights for both Marshall University and University of Pittsburgh athletics.
When news of the agreement with WVU broke last week, speculation mounted over how IMG would incorporate WVU marketing with Marshall and University of Pittsburgh sports.
It has been known for some time that WVU's selling off of its Tier 3 rights will cause relationships with current advertisers to be reevaluated.
On Thursday, MetroNews - owned by West Virginia Radio Corp., which also had sought WVU's Tier 3 broadcasting rights - cited an anonymous source who said IMG was likely overpaying for WVU's rights in order to subsidize its underperforming Pitt and Marshall properties.
The source speculated that IMG would attempt to "squeeze" WVU sponsors into buying bundled advertising packages with Marshall sports.
"I promise you, IMG will hold some people hostage to get more money for Marshall," the MetroNews source said.
Representatives from WVU and IMG have declined to officially comment on the new deal, since it is still not finalized.
However, an IMG spokesman said the claim that the company was trying to shore up Marshall advertising was not true.
"IMG College has a longstanding and highly productive 15-year relationship with Marshall, which continues to perform well," said Andrew Giangola, vice president for strategic communications.
"Any assertion of any school subsidizing Marshall is completely incorrect and unfair to the school," Giangola said.
IMG spokesman says deal won't be used to leverage more ad buys for Marshall
by Jared Hunt
Daily Mail staff
Charleston Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.com/News/201301270158
West Virginia University's multimedia rights for sports coverage, advertising and marketing will likely be managed by IMG College. As the deal became known, a media outlet claimed it would be used to subsidize Marshall University sports programming.AdvertiserCHARLESTON, W.Va. - The apparent winner of West Virginia University's so-called Tier 3 multimedia rights says it does not intend to pressure WVU advertisers into subsidizing Marshall University sports programming.
Last week, multiple sources confirmed to the Daily Mail that WVU and media firm IMG College had agreed to a 12-year contract that could carry an overall value of $110 million for the firm to manage its Tier 3 multimedia rights, which include radio sports broadcasting and some televised football and basketball games.
WVU was one of a few schools to still manage its Tier 3 broadcasting and marketing in-house, mainly through its Mountaineer Sports Network.
The new arrangement is designed to make WVU athletics more attractive to regional advertising. The university is expected to net an additional $5 million a year through the new contract.
IMG currently manages some multimedia rights for both Marshall University and University of Pittsburgh athletics.
When news of the agreement with WVU broke last week, speculation mounted over how IMG would incorporate WVU marketing with Marshall and University of Pittsburgh sports.
It has been known for some time that WVU's selling off of its Tier 3 rights will cause relationships with current advertisers to be reevaluated.
On Thursday, MetroNews - owned by West Virginia Radio Corp., which also had sought WVU's Tier 3 broadcasting rights - cited an anonymous source who said IMG was likely overpaying for WVU's rights in order to subsidize its underperforming Pitt and Marshall properties.
The source speculated that IMG would attempt to "squeeze" WVU sponsors into buying bundled advertising packages with Marshall sports.
"I promise you, IMG will hold some people hostage to get more money for Marshall," the MetroNews source said.
Representatives from WVU and IMG have declined to officially comment on the new deal, since it is still not finalized.
However, an IMG spokesman said the claim that the company was trying to shore up Marshall advertising was not true.
"IMG College has a longstanding and highly productive 15-year relationship with Marshall, which continues to perform well," said Andrew Giangola, vice president for strategic communications.
"Any assertion of any school subsidizing Marshall is completely incorrect and unfair to the school," Giangola said.
"It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much." - Yogi Berra
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EZ103.3FM
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Re: End of MSN?
Hamrick: MU media deal not 'underperforming'
By Doug Smock
The Charleston Gazette
http://wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201301280223
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Marshall University's athletic director was taken aback by speculation that multimedia firm IMG College was overpaying West Virginia University on its impending deal in order to "squeeze" advertisers into subsidizing Thundering Herd programming.
Mike Hamrick said Monday he is further baffled by a characterization of MU as one of IMG's "underperforming" properties. He took issue with a MetroNews report Thursday on the subject.
"That is irresponsible reporting. That is wrong," Hamrick said. "Our number of clients that have worked with us in the last three years has significantly increased. We've been probably, from the first day IMG and us have been working together, one of their best properties."
The MetroNews report by Allan Taylor cited an anonymous "industry source" that said IMG College was not only bidding high to land the WVU contract, but willing to overpay with an eye toward subsidizing "underperforming" properties at the University of Pittsburgh and Marshall.
In turn, the source told MetroNews that could "squeeze" WVU sponsors into bundling ad packages to help out Pitt and MU.
"IMG could say, 'You want the Mountaineers? Then you're going to have to buy Marshall as well,' " the source was quoted as saying. "I promise you, IMG will hold some people hostage to get more money for Marshall."
That particular theory, and the quote, was repeated in Monday's Charleston Daily Mail, and it's being disputed by Marshall supporters, starting with Hamrick.
Two sources confirmed that two years ago, MU was the most profitable non-BCS school under the IMG umbrella. One source said the school even outperformed UCLA and Illinois at the time.
Essentially, the model is something like this: IMG and other like entities pay athletic departments a set fee in exchange for near-complete advertising, marketing and multimedia rights, and make their profit by exceeding those rights fees in marketing revenue.
IMG produces the radio network programming, including the weekly coaches' shows, and the coaches' television shows. Where possible, the company takes advantage of advertising opportunities on telecasts by Conference USA's partners, including CBS Sports and Comcast.
Also, IMG is responsible for attracting revenue from in-stadium signage, the school's official website and other avenues.
MU's relationship with IMG's predecessor, International Sports Properties, began in the mid-1990s, in ISP's infancy. In fact, Marshall was ISP's third client, after Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
IMG, which purchased ISP in 2010, and Marshall reached a new 11-year deal beginning in 2010-11, which bumped up rights fees from $750,000 per year to $1.43 million per year. As part of the agreement, IMG and MU will split money that exceeds a higher, unspecified threshold.
As part of the deal, IMG bucked up for several improvements at Joan C. Edwards Stadium and the Cam Henderson Center, including new video boards, LED ribbon boards and improved speaker systems, among other things.
IMG serves more than 70 schools, and its website says it serves 67 of the 70 bowl participants from the 2012 season, plus the NCAA and its 89 championships, plus a few conferences in general. There are several competitors in the field, led by Learfield Sports.
West Virginia Radio Corporation, owner of the MetroNews network and a number of stations in Charleston, Morgantown and other state cities, has bid on WVU's contract and appears to be losing out. The company reportedly stands to lose considerable revenue, and has laid off several well-known personalities - long-time employee Rick Johnson and former sports director Frank Giardina have left the local airwaves, for example.
Also, Marshall switched its Charleston affiliation this academic year from West Virginia Radio's WKAZ-FM to Bristol Broadcasting's WVTS, 94.5-FM and 1240-AM.
By Doug Smock
The Charleston Gazette
http://wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201301280223
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Marshall University's athletic director was taken aback by speculation that multimedia firm IMG College was overpaying West Virginia University on its impending deal in order to "squeeze" advertisers into subsidizing Thundering Herd programming.
Mike Hamrick said Monday he is further baffled by a characterization of MU as one of IMG's "underperforming" properties. He took issue with a MetroNews report Thursday on the subject.
"That is irresponsible reporting. That is wrong," Hamrick said. "Our number of clients that have worked with us in the last three years has significantly increased. We've been probably, from the first day IMG and us have been working together, one of their best properties."
The MetroNews report by Allan Taylor cited an anonymous "industry source" that said IMG College was not only bidding high to land the WVU contract, but willing to overpay with an eye toward subsidizing "underperforming" properties at the University of Pittsburgh and Marshall.
In turn, the source told MetroNews that could "squeeze" WVU sponsors into bundling ad packages to help out Pitt and MU.
"IMG could say, 'You want the Mountaineers? Then you're going to have to buy Marshall as well,' " the source was quoted as saying. "I promise you, IMG will hold some people hostage to get more money for Marshall."
That particular theory, and the quote, was repeated in Monday's Charleston Daily Mail, and it's being disputed by Marshall supporters, starting with Hamrick.
Two sources confirmed that two years ago, MU was the most profitable non-BCS school under the IMG umbrella. One source said the school even outperformed UCLA and Illinois at the time.
Essentially, the model is something like this: IMG and other like entities pay athletic departments a set fee in exchange for near-complete advertising, marketing and multimedia rights, and make their profit by exceeding those rights fees in marketing revenue.
IMG produces the radio network programming, including the weekly coaches' shows, and the coaches' television shows. Where possible, the company takes advantage of advertising opportunities on telecasts by Conference USA's partners, including CBS Sports and Comcast.
Also, IMG is responsible for attracting revenue from in-stadium signage, the school's official website and other avenues.
MU's relationship with IMG's predecessor, International Sports Properties, began in the mid-1990s, in ISP's infancy. In fact, Marshall was ISP's third client, after Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
IMG, which purchased ISP in 2010, and Marshall reached a new 11-year deal beginning in 2010-11, which bumped up rights fees from $750,000 per year to $1.43 million per year. As part of the agreement, IMG and MU will split money that exceeds a higher, unspecified threshold.
As part of the deal, IMG bucked up for several improvements at Joan C. Edwards Stadium and the Cam Henderson Center, including new video boards, LED ribbon boards and improved speaker systems, among other things.
IMG serves more than 70 schools, and its website says it serves 67 of the 70 bowl participants from the 2012 season, plus the NCAA and its 89 championships, plus a few conferences in general. There are several competitors in the field, led by Learfield Sports.
West Virginia Radio Corporation, owner of the MetroNews network and a number of stations in Charleston, Morgantown and other state cities, has bid on WVU's contract and appears to be losing out. The company reportedly stands to lose considerable revenue, and has laid off several well-known personalities - long-time employee Rick Johnson and former sports director Frank Giardina have left the local airwaves, for example.
Also, Marshall switched its Charleston affiliation this academic year from West Virginia Radio's WKAZ-FM to Bristol Broadcasting's WVTS, 94.5-FM and 1240-AM.
"It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much." - Yogi Berra
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Mr. Tom Jones
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Re: End of MSN?
This is an interesting development for the WVMH empire of Chairman Bray. Right now, his "WV Illustrated" bunch, who double as sports guys over at WBOY, produce the coaches' shows, which are broadcast on your friendly neighborhood WVMH station.IMG produces the radio network programming, including the weekly coaches' shows, and the coaches' television shows.
Chairman Bray is getting squeezed from Gray Television (look at a new CBS in Parkersburg on a LP-TV outlet) and Sinclair (see the fireworks happening shortly). Could this be the beginning of the end of WVMH?