It comes down to the marketing dollars and reach. If they are simulcasting the smaller conferences, but they are receiving the same fees that they would on the cable network, seems like it only increases exposure potential.

I have ESPN+ to follow the Big West, and have cut out traditional cable so have no way to watch ESPNU if that was the only place the game was being shown.

The only real affected parties are the cable companies and whoever ESPN sold ESPNU ad space to, but in today's age I would find it hard to believe that wasn't negotiated into the rates.

Now down the road, these statistics could be used to leverage against the smaller conferences if they show that they don't have traction on either the cable network or the streaming platform.