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The terms of Amazon's deal with Deion Sanders and the University of Colorado-Boulder have been revealed, per reporting by USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer. Sanders will continue doing a docuseries on his tenure as coach of the Colorado Buffaloes as he did at Jackson State. The university entered a deal with his business manager Constance Schwartz-Morini who is the co-founder of SMAC Productions and SMAC Entertainment earlier this month.
Colorado has granted SMAC Productions several rights and terms to film the documentary on campus. In his report, Schrotenboer outlines the rights granted to SMAC Productions as:
- Final editorial control (although Colorado will have some input, especially in matters concerning compliance and footage that could be detrimental to the brand)
- The ability to enhance the “dramatic value” of the series
- Access to Colorado-owned footage and archived material with the right to use the footage royalty-free
- Access to the likeness of Colorado coaches, players, staff, students, and others affiliated with the university for filming, per the securement of media releases by participants
- Colorado has the option to renegotiate over an extension if SMAC Productions is able to secure more seasons. Colorado can decline filming of the series in future seasons if they deem fit to.
Perhaps the biggest news from the report, however, is the terms of financial compensation between the university and SMAC Productions. Schrotenboer documents that the contract does not mention financial compensation for Colorado and that the institution did not ask for financial compensation in lieu of Sanders's already substantial impact on the program.
“The exposure of hiring Coach Prime has already paid dividends in the form of record-breaking ticket and merchandise sales, and we are confident the documentary will only increase these ‘Prime Effect' impacts throughout the university,” said university spokesman Steve Hurlbert.
Schrotenboer documents in the report that this is different from what's been seen in similar deals with college sports teams. He specifically highlights Michigan getting $2.25 million in 2017 for granting Amazon the right to do a show on the football program.
The University of Colorado Buffaloes face off against TCU on September 2nd at 12 PM on Fox.