STrib: What could the new Big Ten media rights package mean for the Gophers? (Basketball viewing impacted)

BleedGopher

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Doubling of annual media revenue

The previous Big Ten media rights deal was signed in 2017, a six-year contract with ESPN and Fox worth $2.64 billion — or about $440 million per season. The new deal dwarfs that, and will create a dramatic increase in media revenue. In 2019, the most recent athletic department budget not affected by the pandemic, the Gophers earned $45 million in conference distributed media rights — $36 million for football, $9 million for men's basketball. While the new contract will gradually increase over time, it will eventually see the conference distribute $80 million to $100 million in media revenue to the Gophers annually for football and men's basketball, according to multiple media reports. For perspective, consider: In 2019, total operating revenue for the entire athletic department was $130 million.

Basketball viewing impacted

Losing ESPN as a broadcast partner may not have a big impact for football viewership since so many games will be on national television, but it creates questions for how fans will watch Gophers men's and women's basketball. The Gophers men had six games and the women had one on ESPN networks last season. The biggest change is that Peacock — the NBC streaming service — will stream as many as 47 men's basketball games (32 conference games) and 30 women's games (20 conference) per season. The Big Ten Network will still be a primary broadcast partner for the sport, while CBS will air 11 regular-season men's games in 2023 and 15 per season starting in 2024. That network will continue to broadcast the Big Ten tournament semifinals and championship. Fox and FS1 will air at minimum 45 regular-season men's games per year.


Go Gophers!!
 

I’m not in favor of needing to subscribe to another steaming service to see routine games. I lost FSN when YouTube dumped them. Haven’t gone back and haven’t missed it. Could easily see that pattern repeating itself. If too many games are not easily accessible on TV, it won’t help the program or in arena environment, or growing the fan base. At least with ESPN as a partner, we were assured most games were reasonably easy to see. The cash is nice, but we also need people to participate and care.
 

I’m not in favor of needing to subscribe to another steaming service to see routine games. I lost FSN when YouTube dumped them. Haven’t gone back and haven’t missed it. Could easily see that pattern repeating itself. If too many games are not easily accessible on TV, it won’t help the program or in arena environment, or growing the fan base. At least with ESPN as a partner, we were assured most games were reasonably easy to see. The cash is nice, but we also need people to participate and care.
I agree. But streaming is not going anywhere. The Twins game tomorrow is available only on Apple TV. We will have 2-3 games/year only on Peacock, in addition to the 2-3 that are only on BTN+.
 




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