It has been discussed to various lengths over the past year, but the time has come for the Big Ten Conference to begin accepting offers from networks as it begins its next round of media rights negotiations. The Big Ten is expected to continue the trend of cashing in with a new rights deal even at a time when its two most significant partners, ESPN and FOX Sports, are undergoing cost-cutting measures.
The Big Ten’s current media rights contract is with ESPN, while the contract for the Big Ten Football Championship Game is under a separate contract with FOX Sports. FOX also has a 51 percent ownership stake in the Big Ten Network (the Big Ten owns the remaining 49 percent). As noted by Awful Announcing, it should probably be expected ESPN and FOX will split the media rights for Big Ten football games, with FOX possibly prepared to cut a bigger cut of the distribution to provide more live content for FOX Sports 1.
CBS Sports also has a contract with the Big Ten for Big Ten tournament semifinal and championship matchups. CBS also has a handy relationship with the SEC to broadcast the SEC Game of the Week, and it should not be expected CBS makes any significant push for Big Ten football. Instead, look for CBS to try and keep its basketball contract moving forward.
ESPN’s existing contract pays the Big Ten $1 billion over 10 years, which was monumental when it was signed. However, compared to the growing media rights values in more recent years while the Big Ten sat waiting its turn in line, the ACC, SEC and Pac-12 all saw their conferences’ media rights values soar over $3 billion. It stands to figure with new members in the New York market and Washington D.C. market, the Big Ten is banking on joining the $3 billion club.
Can the Big Ten eclipse the $4 billion mark? That may be quite optimistic, especially if media rights deals are starting to plateau in growth, but you know commissioner Jim Delany will do what he can to drive the price up as close to that mark as he can.