Fox and College Football

**CyForPresident** · 01-06-2011, 08:01 PM

Didn't see this posted, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Fox wants in on the college football market.

Report: Fox gets rights to first Pac-12 championship game - Campus Rivalry: College Football & Basketball News, Recruiting, Game Picks, and More - USATODAY.com

FOX Sports reaches deal with Conference USA for TV rights - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN

Fox made a big move today by buying the rights to the PAC 12 championship game for $25 million a year (an insane amount for one game). Fox bought the Big 10 championship game for the same amount. Fox also bought the rights to CUSA football today for $42 million

ESPN outbids Fox for ACC television rights | Triangle Business Journal

A few months ago, Fox also lost a bidding war with ABC over the new ACC TV contract for a total of $155 million a year. The previous contract was for $67 million, a 231 percent increase.

This is great news for ISU and the Big 12. In the last few months, Fox has bought the rights for the Big 10 and PAC 12 championship games, expanded its coverage into new conference markets with the CUSA, and made a serious run at one of ESPN's major TV deals.

With the Big 12 TV contract negotiation this spring being the only major conference TV contract until 2016 and Fox's new commitment to college football, it's becoming clear the Big 12 is gonna get paid. Just in the nick of time too.

**GMan** · 01-06-2011, 08:06 PM

This is why I always thought the naysayers who think "The Big 12 is screwed and will disband in 2 years. Where is this mythical mega TV contract?" are wrong. College football has tremendous TV value, and Fox wants more college football as evidenced by their bid for ACC football. I would be surprised if the Big 12 doesn't land a nice TV contract in the near future, and if they do, I will be equally surprised if it isn't with Fox.

**CyForPresident** · 01-06-2011, 08:20 PM

Something else to consider is that ABC will have very little programing on Championship Saturday with no Big 12 championship game.

CBS - SEC Championship
FOX - PAC 12 and Big 10 Championship
ABC - ACC Championship

The Big 12 would be really, really smart to move OU/Texas to Championship Saturday for ABC. Move the game to Jerryworld and have Jerry Jones pay a huge sum of money to ease the pain of losing the tradition of the Cotton Bowl and the Texas State Fair. We don't need a championship game if that happens. Imagine the hype over an 11-0 Oklahoma playing an 11-0 Texas.

**cs6804** · 01-06-2011, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by CyForPresident

Something else to consider is that ABC will have very little programing on Championship Saturday with no Big 12 championship game.

CBS - SEC Championship
FOX - PAC 12 and Big 10 Championship
ABC - ACC Championship

The Big 12 would be really, really smart to move OU/Texas to Championship Saturday for ABC. Move the game to Jerryworld and have Jerry Jones pay a huge sum of money to ease the pain of losing the tradition of the Cotton Bowl and the Texas State Fair. We don't need a championship game if that happens. Imagine the hype over an 11-0 Oklahoma playing an 11-0 Texas.

You mean 10-1 Oklahoma playing a 10-1 Texas after ISU beats both of them.

**twojman** · 01-06-2011, 08:49 PM

This could be good for the Big 12 to have Fox and ABC battling for coverage. What if NBC joins the fray? I would love to have 2 Big 12 games weekly on national TV via NBC. If Fox is bidding big I would think they would want to put a couple of games each week on the broadcast station, not just the Fox Sports, there would be so much more exposure.

**alarson** · 01-06-2011, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by twojman

This could be good for the Big 12 to have Fox and ABC battling for coverage. What if NBC joins the fray? I would love to have 2 Big 12 games weekly on national TV via NBC. If Fox is bidding big I would think they would want to put a couple of games each week on the broadcast station, not just the Fox Sports, there would be so much more exposure.

Almost surprising NBC hasnt gotten in on it.

**SCNCY** · 01-06-2011, 09:10 PM

I hope something can work out where we can still have a contract with ABC but also have games on Fox, similar with the the SEC does with ABC/ESPN and CBS.

**Haverhill** · 01-06-2011, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by cs6804

You mean 10-1 Oklahoma playing a 10-1 Texas after ISU beats both of them.

The game will be worthless because 12-0 Iowa State will have already won the Big 12.

**Tre4ISU** · 01-06-2011, 09:30 PM

I love bidding wars when I'm not bidding.

**Clark** · 01-07-2011, 08:20 AM

I'm pretty sure Fox has the rights to the Big 10 championship game as well.

After suffering through the BCS bowls that they covered last year I'm lukewarm on the idea of them doing these championship games.

I'd be surprised if NBC got in on any bidding. They already have Notre Dame football.

**CyJack13** · 01-07-2011, 08:52 AM

[QUOTE=CyForPresident;2083151]Didn't see this posted, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Fox wants in on the college football market.

Report: Fox gets rights to first Pac-12 championship game - Campus Rivalry: College Football & Basketball News, Recruiting, Game Picks, and More - USATODAY.com

FOX Sports reaches deal with Conference USA for TV rights - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN

Fox made a big move today by buying the rights to the PAC 12 championship game for $25 million a year (an insane amount for one game). Fox bought the Big 10 championship game for the same amount. Fox also bought the rights to CUSA football today for $42 million QUOTE]

And this is why people shouldn't discount the B12 trying to get back to 12 teams.

**Rogue52** · 01-07-2011, 09:23 AM

If a conference championship is going for $25 million, I think we need to figure out a way to have a conference championship.

**cyfanatic** · 01-07-2011, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

If a conference championship is going for $25 million, I think we need to figure out a way to have a conference champtionship.

Exactly. You can divide the pie different ways but in most scenarios throwing an extra $25 million into the ingredients will make it taste better to everyone! I understand why people think dividing the tv contract 10 ways vs 12 ways results in more money per school but that is not necessarily the case at all. What if we can get 2 more schools that will increase a potential offer from a tv network? Staying at 10 schools does not seem like a strong position to be in for the Big 12.

**RustyClone** · 01-07-2011, 09:48 AM

OU/Texas will not be moved. Texas vs. aTm and OU/OSU are the potential games to be played on championship weekend.

**jbhtexas** · 01-07-2011, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

If a conference championship is going for $25 million, I think we need to figure out a way to have a conference champtionship.

Conference championship games don't go for $25,000,000. From the original article in Sports Business Daily...please note the bolded part...

Fox Secures Rights To First Pac-12 Football Championship Game

Industry sources said Fox is paying the Pac-12 $25M for the championship game and other game inventory that is the result of the conference’s expansion from 10 teams to 12.