Projections for Big Ten Media Rights in 2022

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WindyCityGopher

WindyCityGopher

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It is going to be fascinating to see how media negotiations play out for the Big Ten next year. They will certainly lead to an even more massive influx of dollars into all the Big Ten schools, but moving away from ESPN would have its risks (i.e. getting ghosted like the NHL and other non-properties, and Gameday never stepping foot on a Big Ten campus during the duration of the contract). However, if the Big Ten gets the hero treatment from both Fox and CBS - plus all their dollars - I wouldn't see that as a bad thing. Stay tuned.


 


Need the CFP media deal to get broken up, as well.

Everyone will get more money if FOX and/or others get pieces of it.
 

I have long anticipated a full breakup of the Big Ten and ESPN. The Big Ten will start to become a rather exclusive property of Fox and its family of networks. Each major media conglomerate is betting ALL IN on streaming and exclusive content and Fox is going to build its CFB house around the Big Ten that nobody else has. I work in-house at one of these places (not Fox or ESPN) and I hear how we talk about the future of content.

The Big Ten and Fox have long moved on from flirty glances across the room and are now making out in the corner while the SEC and ESPN cuddle on the couch. It's just a matter of one of them walking over and breaking up when we all see what's going down.
 

The ghosting issue is probably a real concern. They basically ignored the NHL for years. And if that has a negative influence when it comes to bowl games, that's bad too. ESPN controls the rights to all but three bowls.

But at the same time, I hate the amount of control they have over the sport.
 



First, yes, end the damn exclusive Sunday Ticket deal with DirecTV. While I have DTV, I will NOT pay nearly $400 a year for the opportunity to watch my out of market team the 6-8 times they're not on locally.

Secondly, I wouldn't be surprised if long-term each network ends up with a conference. ESPN/ABC get SEC. BTN/Fox get B1G, CBS and NBC work out the remaining. I know our deal is likely a Fox/CBS combo to start, but could see that narrowing long-term.
 


fmlizard said:
I have long anticipated a full breakup of the Big Ten and ESPN. The Big Ten will start to become a rather exclusive property of Fox and its family of networks. Each major media conglomerate is betting ALL IN on streaming and exclusive content and Fox is going to build its CFB house around the Big Ten that nobody else has. I work in-house at one of these places (not Fox or ESPN) and I hear how we talk about the future of content.

The Big Ten and Fox have long moved on from flirty glances across the room and are now making out in the corner while the SEC and ESPN cuddle on the couch. It's just a matter of one of them walking over and breaking up when we all see what's going down.
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Yeah ESPN clearly only has the SEC in mind.

Time to stay away from ESPN... rope in CBS a bit or .. something anyone. BTN THE OCHO!

ESPN's production values are worse than my local cable access channel once you leave prime time .... even for say 9pm start games on ESPN... camera guys can't even follow the damn ball ...
 




discochris said:
The ghosting issue is probably a real concern. They basically ignored the NHL for years. And if that has a negative influence when it comes to bowl games, that's bad too. ESPN controls the rights to all but three bowls.

But at the same time, I hate the amount of control they have over the sport.
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I don't think this is the same. ESPN could afford to just ignore the entire sport of professional hockey. They can't really cover college football and ignore the B1G. Are they going to show the top 4 rankings as 1. Alabama, 2. Redacted, 3. Georgia, 4. Redacted or something? They will surely favor their precious SEC in non-game coverage but they already do.
 


Does ESPN/SEC have a stranglehold on the CFP and bowl games? That is my perception.

I wonder if the Big Ten, PAC 12, and other conferences form a closer alliance to break the SEC growing monopoly.
 



hungan1 said:
Does ESPN/SEC have a stranglehold on the CFP and bowl games? That is my perception.

I wonder if the Big Ten, PAC 12, and other conferences form a closer alliance to break the SEC growing monopoly.
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For now, yes. I think the only bowls they don't have some amount of control over are the Holiday, Sun and Arizona bowls.
 

discochris said:
The ghosting issue is probably a real concern. They basically ignored the NHL for years. And if that has a negative influence when it comes to bowl games, that's bad too. ESPN controls the rights to all but three bowls.

But at the same time, I hate the amount of control they have over the sport.
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ESPN regardless of whether people like it or not.....has too much influence. I would think that would be concerning if the Big Ten completely broke away. Especially when you look past football. So many basketball games every year....and the Fox flagship station isn't going to play weekday college bball games over whatever primetime trash they have on most days.
 

stocker08 said:
ESPN regardless of whether people like it or not.....has too much influence. I would think that would be concerning if the Big Ten completely broke away. Especially when you look past football. So many basketball games every year....and the Fox flagship station isn't going to play weekday college bball games over whatever primetime trash they have on most days.
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Agreed 100%. We are all thinking football here, but don't forget about basketball. ESPN is far superior to everyone when it comes to basketball. That needs to be taken into account.
 

Fasternu said:
Agreed 100%. We are all thinking football here, but don't forget about basketball. ESPN is far superior to everyone when it comes to basketball. That needs to be taken into account.
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Right. Probably don't want to burn that bridge....when ESPN/2 are the channels that typically play the most notable games during the week. It wouldn't keep FS1 from playing the top Big Ten games....but I still think your more casual fans are looking to ESPN/2 for mid week bball. Not to mention that if the Big Ten has a fallout with the ESPN Networks.....now you have more games than can be broadcast on available networks. Week 10 of the football season when the Minnesota/Indiana and Michigan/Maryland games were on at the same time was a joke. In the local area....our game was relegated to a garbage overflow channel in pixelated SD for almost a half. I'd hate to see how the Fox owned BTN would handle multiple basketball games per night. Disaster would be my guess.
 

stocker08 said:
ESPN regardless of whether people like it or not.....has too much influence. I would think that would be concerning if the Big Ten completely broke away. Especially when you look past football. So many basketball games every year....and the Fox flagship station isn't going to play weekday college bball games over whatever primetime trash they have on most days.
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Key word w all Fox networks. Trash. Would prefer never to have to watch any Fox network, but if this change happens, I will hold my nose and watch BIG games.
 

stocker08 said:
ESPN regardless of whether people like it or not.....has too much influence. I would think that would be concerning if the Big Ten completely broke away. Especially when you look past football. So many basketball games every year....and the Fox flagship station isn't going to play weekday college bball games over whatever primetime trash they have on most days.
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stocker08 said:
Right. Probably don't want to burn that bridge....when ESPN/2 are the channels that typically play the most notable games during the week. It wouldn't keep FS1 from playing the top Big Ten games....but I still think your more casual fans are looking to ESPN/2 for mid week bball. Not to mention that if the Big Ten has a fallout with the ESPN Networks.....now you have more games than can be broadcast on available networks. I'd hate to see how the Fox owned BTN would handle multiple basketball games per night. Disaster would be my guess.
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BTN will likely not air multiple basketball games at once.

Under the scenario speculated in the linked article, your weeknight Big Ten basketball games would most likely air on FS1, FS2, BTN, and CBS Sports Network. Clearly, none of those have the viewership that ESPN does, but certainly comparable with ESPN 2 or definitely with ESPN U (where two Gopher games have been so far). All of those networks hit at least 65 million households.

Weekend games would also hit FOX and CBS, which they already do now.

I agree, there's definitely a fear of missing key exposure if you leave ESPN totally. That said, I do watch CBS Sports Network occasionally, and I actually think they do a nice job with a decent lineup of analysts (some of whom work for big CBS for NCAA Tourneys). Big Ten fans currently have little reason to watch that network, but if games ended up there, it would be fine with me.
 

tjgopher said:
BTN will likely not air multiple basketball games at once.

Under the scenario speculated in the linked article, your weeknight Big Ten basketball games would most likely air on FS1, FS2, BTN, and CBS Sports Network. Clearly, none of those have the viewership that ESPN does, but certainly comparable with ESPN 2 or definitely with ESPN U (where two Gopher games have been so far). All of those networks hit at least 65 million households.

Weekend games would also hit FOX and CBS, which they already do now.

I agree, there's definitely a fear of missing key exposure if you leave ESPN totally. That said, I do watch CBS Sports Network occasionally, and I actually think they do a nice job with a decent lineup of analysts (some of whom work for big CBS for NCAA Tourneys). Big Ten fans currently have little reason to watch that network, but if games ended up there, it would be fine with me.
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Doesn't Fox have a deal with the Big East too? I feel like FS1 typically plays the best Big East games most nights. Just don't see how they manage to air all these games if ESPN is off the table.
 



tjgopher said:
BTN will likely not air multiple basketball games at once.

Under the scenario speculated in the linked article, your weeknight Big Ten basketball games would most likely air on FS1, FS2, BTN, and CBS Sports Network. Clearly, none of those have the viewership that ESPN does, but certainly comparable with ESPN 2 or definitely with ESPN U (where two Gopher games have been so far). All of those networks hit at least 65 million households.

Weekend games would also hit FOX and CBS, which they already do now.

I agree, there's definitely a fear of missing key exposure if you leave ESPN totally. That said, I do watch CBS Sports Network occasionally, and I actually think they do a nice job with a decent lineup of analysts (some of whom work for big CBS for NCAA Tourneys). Big Ten fans currently have little reason to watch that network, but if games ended up there, it would be fine with me.
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At the same time, ESPN needs the Big Ten for basketball too. I agree that you probably don't want to be an all or nothing relationship, but ESPN would probably suck up whatever football on Fox relationship the conference has & want to be involved with the Big Ten regarding basketball.
 

When all is said and done, will Gopher fans be able to have reliable coverage without help from the Professor from Gilligan's Island?
Its starting to remind me of the mid 90s when I'd head to the Mall of America to watch a live feed of the game. America Live Sports Bar picked up the feed of games that were tape delayed.
 

stocker08 said:
Doesn't Fox have a deal with the Big East too? I feel like FS1 typically plays the best Big East games most nights. Just don't see how they manage to air all these games if ESPN is off the table.
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FOX currently has a deal with the Big Ten, Big East, and the PAC 12.

So, yes the space is getting crowded. But, if the Big Ten package of games that ESPN currently airs (probably 2-3 weeknight games per week and 2-3 games on weekends), becomes available, FOX and CBS Sports Network will definitely find space for it. The other conferences would likely get the short end of the deal, or have to move elsewhere.

Once conference play starts, it really isn't that much inventory of games. You're basically talking about 6-7 games TOTAL Monday-Friday, and then another 6-7 games TOTAL Sat-Sun.

So, you put 3 games on BTN during the week, 1-2 games on FS 1 during the week, and 1-2 games on CBS Sports Network and you're set. Same on the weekend.

Quite literally, there is next to no chance that Big Ten men's in-conference basketball games would not be on TV.
 
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FireDaveLee said:
At the same time, ESPN needs the Big Ten for basketball too. I agree that you probably don't want to be an all or nothing relationship, but ESPN would probably suck up whatever football on Fox relationship the conference has & want to be involved with the Big Ten regarding basketball.
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Definitely could farm out some MBB games to ESPN as part of a much smaller - but still lucrative - contract.
 
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tjgopher said:
FOX currently has a deal with the Big Ten, Big East, and the PAC 12.

So, yes the space is getting crowded. But, if the Big Ten package of games that ESPN currently airs (probably 2-3 weeknight games per week and 2-3 games on weekends), becomes available, FOX and CBS Sports Network will definitely find space for it. The other conferences would likely get the short end of the deal, or have to move elsewhere.

Once conference play starts, it really isn't that much inventory of games. You're basically talking about 6-7 games TOTAL Monday-Friday, and then another 6-7 games TOTAL Sat-Sun.

So, you put 3 games on BTN during the week, 1-2 games on FS 1 during the week, and 1-2 games on CBS Sports Network and you're set. Same on the weekend.

Quite literally, there is next to no chance that Big Ten men's in-conference basketball games would not be on TV.
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Just wonder if that hurts Big Ten recruiting. I'm guessing FS1 is part of a more basic package along with ESPN/2. But I'm pretty sure that CBS Sports is an upgrade. Maybe I'm wrong. Just seems like it would be a blow to exposure and coverage.
 


Why doesn’t BTN buy the Pac12 Network and Load up on live late night programming and dictate match ups with B1G teams.
Don’t realign, Buy Them.
 

discochris said:
As far as Game Day goes, it seems that Fox's Big Noon show is starting to get just as much publicity.
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I generally stay away from ESPN, like almost entirely, but every now and then I put it on that channel for the game that starts at 9a PST. Good grief, what the hell is Lee Corso still doing there? Corso hanging around is about akin to Sid sticking it out as long as he did. Time to let it go Lee. You were really good a while back, but those days are long, long gone.
 

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