Flo Sports

[Kuiper]

A fourth Flo Sports announcement - the (DII) Great Midwest Athletic Conference

FloSports and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) have entered into an exclusive five-year media rights agreement that will begin in the fall of 2025, bringing 13 universities to the FloCollege platform. Through the agreement, FloSports will provide a global platform to live stream over 1,450 regular-season and postseason events annually. The partnership further reinforces FloSports' commitment to Division II athletics - adding an eighth Division II conference to the portfolio - and the 18th NCAA conference to FloCollege in the Fall.

The Great Midwest Athletic Conference is a NCAA Division II athletic conference with member institutions located in Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. The conference sponsors 26 conference championship sport offerings serving more than 7,000 student athletes.

Current full member institutions include Ashland University (OH), Cedarville University (OH), University of Findlay (OH), Hillsdale College (MI), Kentucky Wesleyan College (KY), Lake Erie College (OH), Malone University (OH), Northwood University (MI), Ohio Dominican University (OH), Thomas More (KY), Tiffin University (OH), Ursuline College (OH), Walsh University (OH),

"Partnering with FloSports marks a significant milestone for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and reflects the collective efforts of our member institutions to produce compelling digital content that has driven demand for wider distribution," said Great Midwest Commissioner Tom Daeger. "We're excited to collaborate with FloSports and their talented team starting in 2025-26 to further elevate the broadcasts our members and the league produce. The revenue generated from this media rights agreement will enable the conference to enhance the championship events for our student-athletes and help member schools improve their production capabilities."
 
FloCollege will deliver live and on-demand coverage for the G-MAC full sports calendar covering more than 20 sports. Beyond live competition, FloSports will also invest in original content and storytelling initiatives online and across social media aimed at elevating the profile of G-MAC student-athletes and institutions.

Michael Levy, FloSports SVP of Global Rights & Acquisition, added, "The Great Midwest is a powerful DII conference with an attractive footprint in the middle of the U.S. We think its addition to FloCollege will enhance the FloCollege offering, while providing a national platform and robust support across the FloSports network to the conference." FloSports has committed to investing more than $50 Million to support the FloCollege platform and contribute to rights fees, production, content, product technology, and marketing. The direct investment in conference rights helps member institutions apply funding towards their own broadcast and production capabilities to further enhance the quality of coverage across all sports, ensuring parity and inclusivity.

[Kuiper]

By my count, there are 9 D3 conferences signed on with Flo Sports:

Landmark
NEWMAC
SCIAC
SCAC
LEC
ODAC
OAC
NWC
UAA

I think that's 93 schools (92 if Austin College is still a holdout in the SCAC), which is getting close to accounting for one-quarter of all D3 schools.  It's even closer if affiliate schools are included on those deals with respect to their games played in those conferences, such as the football affiliates in the ODAC.  Given the regional diversity of the conferences, the chances that a school from a non-Flo Sports conference will play at least one or two non-conference games at a school whose stream is contractually paywalled are also growing significantly.

[jknezek]

Well... I'm done I guess. I won't pay to watch W&L sports. I'd donate, but not pay FloSports. It's not the same thing. Bummer.

[Gregory Sager]

FloSports = cordyceps

[Gray Fox]

Well... I'm done I guess. I won't pay to watch W&L sports. I'd donate, but not pay FloSports. It's not the same thing. Bummer.

Some of my normal donation went to Flo instead.  And I get a matching contribution from my employer

[IC798891]

Well... I'm done I guess. I won't pay to watch W&L sports. I'd donate, but not pay FloSports. It's not the same thing. Bummer.

Some of my normal donation went to Flo instead.  And I get a matching contribution from my employer

You should send that to your athletic director and head of philanthropy

[jknezek]

Well... I'm done I guess. I won't pay to watch W&L sports. I'd donate, but not pay FloSports. It's not the same thing. Bummer.

Some of my normal donation went to Flo instead.  And I get a matching contribution from my employer

Yes. I rather suspect this will be the end of most of the remaining fandom D3 has managed to accrue since the early 2000s when it became possible to watch the events. It will return to a bastion of only those who live close enough to attend a few games and the devoted parents who follow their kids for a few years and drop out again. To be fair, the fandom never really grew big enough. Not enough alums who cared, but this will return it to the 90s.
You should send that to your athletic director and head of philanthropy

[IC798891]

Yes. I rather suspect this will be the end of most of the remaining fandom D3 has managed to accrue since the early 2000s when it became possible to watch the events. It will return to a bastion of only those who live close enough to attend a few games and the devoted parents who follow their kids for a few years and drop out again. To be fair, the fandom never really grew big enough. Not enough alums who cared, but this will return it to the 90s.

Not sure what you mean??? On X, Pat and his crew told me their reporting on this from 2024 was all we needed! And assuredly that reporting included interviews with lots of fans who follow D3 sports online, and who would have reassured Pat and his crew that this was a great thing.

I mean, they interviewed plenty of people who were *getting* money from the deal. Most certainly, basic journalism would have taught them to interview people who are now expected to pay for it, to get their take

[y_jack_lok]

I mean, they interviewed plenty of people who were *getting* money from the deal. Most certainly, basic journalism would have taught them to interview people who are now expected to pay for it, to get their take

This is the gist of the problem. None of the articles announcing these deals even hints at benefits for fans/viewers. The closest they come is hyping the fact that you can watch so much more stuff -- more conferences, more sports, etc., etc. The one one possible benefit is that (supposedly) all the broadcasts will be archived, so if you can't watch live you can watch later.

[IC798891]

I mean, they interviewed plenty of people who were *getting* money from the deal. Most certainly, basic journalism would have taught them to interview people who are now expected to pay for it, to get their take

This is the gist of the problem. None of the articles announcing these deals even hints at benefits for fans/viewers. The closest they come is hyping the fact that you can watch so much more stuff -- more conferences, more sports, etc., etc. The one one possible benefit is that (supposedly) all the broadcasts will be archived, so if you can't watch live you can watch later.

None of these articles bothered to talk to any fans/viewers. Pathetic journalism

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

These aren't journalism pieces; they're press releases.

[EnmoreCat]

FloSports = cordyceps

I had to look this up and am glad I did!

[y_jack_lok]

These aren't journalism pieces; they're press releases.

Doesn't matter. If they believe there is a benefit to fans/viewers then they would certainly articulate that, even in a press release, as a way to persuade people to pay for a subscription.