B1G and ESPN Reach Media Agreement

Submitted by winterblue75 on

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/college-gridiron-365/os-e… .

 

ESPN is reportedly set to pay close to $200 million per year for the secondary media rights of the Big Ten Conference that according to Sports Business Journal.

All in all, the Big Ten's new television/media rights deals with ESPN, Fox and CBS Sports would pay the league a whopping $2.64 billion over the next six years. The new deal goes into effect next fall and it would nearly triple the average media rights payout.

According to sources in the report, ESPN will continue to carry Big Ten games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, but the number of games on ESPNU will decrease.

 

ijohnb

June 20th, 2016 at 8:44 AM ^

ESPN, and ESPN 2!?  I don't know how Joe Tessitore is going to be able to do this.  That "centralized" studio idea where he calls all games on a delay off  of monitors may have to in deed be implemented.

kevin holt

June 20th, 2016 at 8:46 AM ^

How are they gonna afford that? However, that's awesome. fuck ESPNU first of all, secondly fuck ESPN in general except that it's still necessary for visibility etc. And the B1G got paid. Wins all around.

MGoGrendel

June 20th, 2016 at 10:02 PM ^

He announced his retirement.  Every baseball game or in-studio discussion I watch has former ESPN people.  And they are people I liked watching.  The ditsy "babes" and giggling guys they have on now really suck.  Not much in the way of highlights - just social media like analysis of the players feelings. AND. Loud. Talking. Guys. With a microphone who contradict themselves Every. Other. DAY.   Their Shtick is transparent.

Michigan Arrogance

June 20th, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^

The difference between the two packages is that Fox Sports will carry the Big Ten football championship game every season, which is a strong draw each December. Fox also will have game selection advantages over ESPN, which almost certainly means that the coveted Michigan-Ohio State rivalry will move to Fox most years.

 

For Delany and the Big Ten, the deal is a clear win. Not only did the conference pick up a significant increase in a down market, but the relatively short length of the deal means the Big Ten will be the first major college conference to renegotiate a new deal in what it hopes will be a more robust marketplace.

All_In_For_Michigan

June 20th, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^

Given the loss in cable/satellite subscribers that will continue over the course of this deal, I don't understand why a short deal is a positive, or how the marketplace will be more robust.

That being said, ESPN and/or Fox may have insisted on a shorter deal in order to offer $200-240 million/year, and it's worth taking the money while it's there.

Although subscriber revenue will be down, advertising revenue will continue to be there from college football fans, and the Big Ten likely feels comfortable that its product will continue to be attractive when the next deal is made.

Altogether, this is a great deal for the Big Ten - it takes advantage of Fox's willingness to pay up to expand their sports properties, and it ensures continued exposure and promotion on ESPN.

Farnn

June 20th, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^

I'd rather be able to negotiate afterwards.  Just like with the recent apparel contract, right after Michigan got the "biggest in CFB" OSU and other schools were able to negotiate bigger deals.  Let the SEC renegotiate first, then use that deal to get more.

Mr Miggle

June 20th, 2016 at 9:47 AM ^

They can make a definitive offer to Texas or UNC or whomever before they are locked into their next contract.

Also, this isn't like the apparel deals made in a rising market. There is no way to tell if the market will be up or down then, but it's different with just a few conferences. A couple of big deals early for the most desirable conferences, may leave less money for the others. If I'm the Big 12, for example, I don't like this one bit.

Mr Miggle

June 20th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^

but the grant of rights clauses will keep schools from jumping from Big XII, ACC, etc until their TV contracts are nearly up. If we add someone, it will most likely be around the start of a new deal. A couple of big names would boost our bargaining position, so it would be nice to get the commitments before the new deals are finalized. Going first also should help up get first pick of expansion candidates.

Mr Miggle

June 21st, 2016 at 11:25 AM ^

They have the most reason to, taking in a fair amount less than Texas. I think the first to go may just be the team who gets the first offer, Texas to the Big Ten or OU to the SEC. I could see the Big Ten offering both as a package deal. The rest will be scrambling to join them or be relegated to Group of 6 status.

 

M-Dog

June 20th, 2016 at 10:45 AM ^

Sucks when you are away from home and are somewhere that does not get or show FS1.  Which is just about everywhere.

Everybody gets ESPN. Every restaurant / bar has ESPN on in the background on a Saturday.

When I'm forced to go to my local chinese restaurant on Saturday evening with the Family because "You've been watching that damn football all day", they have ESPN on the TV.  

They are not going to even know what FS1 is.

 

JamieH

June 20th, 2016 at 2:50 PM ^

will become more and more the norm.  It is their defense against cable cutters.  The harder they make it for you to get the big games without a cable package, the less likely you are to cable cut. 

If they leave the big games on the regular networks, you can pick up the broadcast on an OTA antenna, which often gives you even better picture quality than cable anyway. 

drzoidburg

June 20th, 2016 at 9:30 PM ^

i think the point of contention is

1) should the schools allow their games to be broadcast on channels where few students/alum can watch?

i mean what if some chinese channel wanted to dump $1 billion to broadcast all the road games this season? A lot of $ for a 'nonprofit,' a lot of angry fans

The Bos of Me

June 20th, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^

You may, like me, think Delany is an asshat but this is why he's not going anywhere. Money talks. On the field and SEC bully tactics are a distant second.