Could new TV deal go like this?

**ruxCYtable** · 01-20-2011, 07:32 PM

Was just thinking about this in the car driving home. So our Fox deal is up in 2012 and our ESPN deal is up in 2016, right? What if ESPN buys up what was covered by the Fox deal, consolidates it into one contract and then creates an ESPN Big 12 Channel within their family of networks. Then it could be regional by cable provider so you'd get all the ISU games in Iowa, all the Mizzou games in Missouri and so forth and when your team isn't playing it'd default back to a national feed. Of course, hopefully they'd offer the option to get all the regions via the sports pack or something for out-of-staters. Could it work like this? Just throwing it out there...diarrhea of the keyboard.

**gocubs2118** · 01-20-2011, 07:33 PM

I'm hoping ESPN makes another channel just for the Big XII, that would be sweet.

**Rogue52** · 01-20-2011, 08:25 PM

ESPN would then own all the rights to Texas, so maybe...

**Clonehomer** · 01-20-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by ruxCYtable

Was just thinking about this in the car driving home. So our Fox deal is up in 2012 and our ESPN deal is up in 2016, right? What if ESPN buys up what was covered by the Fox deal, consolidates it into one contract and then creates an ESPN Big 12 Channel within their family of networks. Then it could be regional by cable provider so you'd get all the ISU games in Iowa, all the Mizzou games in Missouri and so forth and when your team isn't playing it'd default back to a national feed. Of course, hopefully they'd offer the option to get all the regions via the sports pack or something for out-of-staters. Could it work like this? Just throwing it out there...diarrhea of the keyboard.

I'm not sure that ESPN could swap TV networks like that. Even if they want to, it would be a nightmare for satellite networks to handle. They would essentially have to create a separate channel for each team and that won't happen. If ESPN gets the Big12 contract, I would imagine that they could do something like they have done for full court where you have a yearly fee that gets you access to a couple of Big12 channels that will cover all of the games not on the mothership.

Although, given ESPN's history I don't know if ESPN getting the second tier contract would be good for ISU. ESPN hasn't exactly been overly helpful in getting the lower tier games on TV. That's why the Big12 even has a contract with fox sports. Also, ESPN would almost have to add channels to cover the Big12 completely. Expect that to be expensive.

The best solution is for the Big12 to get CBS, Fox, or NBC to pick up everything in 2016.

**kingcy** · 01-20-2011, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Clonehomer

I'm not sure that ESPN could swap TV networks like that. Even if they want to, it would be a nightmare for satellite networks to handle. They would essentially have to create a separate channel for each team and that won't happen. If ESPN gets the Big12 contract, I would imagine that they could do something like they have done for full court where you have a yearly fee that gets you access to a couple of Big12 channels that will cover all of the games not on the mothership.

.

They do it now. They show one game on ABC and another on ESPN or ESPN2. If the game is in your region it is on ABC but out of reigon games are on one of the ESPNs and it varies form reigon to region what games are on what station. I think there are also 3 alt ESPNs on Dish and Direct where they show other games from time to time.

**ruxCYtable** · 01-21-2011, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Clonehomer

I'm not sure that ESPN could swap TV networks like that. Even if they want to, it would be a nightmare for satellite networks to handle. They would essentially have to create a separate channel for each team and that won't happen. If ESPN gets the Big12 contract, I would imagine that they could do something like they have done for full court where you have a yearly fee that gets you access to a couple of Big12 channels that will cover all of the games not on the mothership.

Although, given ESPN's history I don't know if ESPN getting the second tier contract would be good for ISU. ESPN hasn't exactly been overly helpful in getting the lower tier games on TV. That's why the Big12 even has a contract with fox sports. Also, ESPN would almost have to add channels to cover the Big12 completely. Expect that to be expensive.

The best solution is for the Big12 to get CBS, Fox, or NBC to pick up everything in 2016.

Isn't that how Fox operates the Big Ten Network now though? (I believe BTN is contracted out to Fox). I think sometimes there are other BT games on BTN in other regions but we still get the Iowa games here. Surely if Fox can pull it off, ESPN can.

If we have to wait until 2016 to get a solution there are going to be a lot of ****** off fans. And I can't imagine they held the conference together by saying,"We'll get you a new TV deal...in 2016."

**CyBobby** · 01-21-2011, 08:51 AM

You will have to talk to Texas about any big 12/ espn deal....The Univ of Texas seems to be the one who will yea or nay any future tv deal with fox/ espn or name your tv network of choice!!!!

Goodbye Texas A & M and Oklahoma have a good trip to the southeastern conference.

**Rogue52** · 01-21-2011, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by CyBobby

You will have to talk to Texas about any big 12/ espn deal....The Univ of Texas seems to be the one who will yea or nay any future tv deal with fox/ espn or name your tv network of choice!!!!

Goodbye Texas A & M and Oklahoma have a good trip to the southeastern conference.

I really don't think the SEC will independently move to expand above 12 teams. If the Big Ten does, they will react and get their pick of whomever.

**CycloneJames** · 01-21-2011, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by ruxCYtable

Isn't that how Fox operates the Big Ten Network now though? (I believe BTN is contracted out to Fox). I think sometimes there are other BT games on BTN in other regions but we still get the Iowa games here. Surely if Fox can pull it off, ESPN can.

If we have to wait until 2016 to get a solution there are going to be a lot of ****** off fans. And I can't imagine they held the conference together by saying,"We'll get you a new TV deal...in 2016."

This is what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure the Big 10 Network has 1 main channel, but it has several alternate channels. When several teams are playing at once, you get the regional game closest to you. For example, in the non-conf football season there were several games on at the 11:00 time slot that were being shown on BTN. The Iowa game was being shown on the local network.