ESPN Out for B1G TV Rights

[drednot57]

This is all over You Tube. ESPN has withdrawn its bidding for B1G TV deal. FOX, CBS, NBC to carry its FB games, IIRC, starting 2024. This has to be a positive for the BIG12. It also, IMO, boosted the value of PAC12 TV rights. ESPN has more money to spend, and it wants "PAC12-After-Dark" time slot. What this means for the BIG12 remains to be seen. I believe the BIG12 will also get a boost to TV revenue. What that'll look like is anyone's guess. Overall I think it's a positive for the BIG12.

 

[drednot57]

CBS, and reportedly NBC paid $350 million, each network, to carry one B1G game a week per network. CBS in the 3:30m PM ET time slot and NBC in the 7:30 ET time slot a la its NFL games. CBS, to solve any conflicts with its SEC contract, the best guess is it will sell the rights to the remaining SEC games to another network, probably ESPN, and go all in on B1G.

 

[JM4CY]

This is not a good, positive thing.

 

[DeereClone]

Cyclones.TV here we come

 

[Cyclonepride]

I'm certain BTN will still be a thing, so Big Ten fans will potentially have to have all these networks plus any related streaming service to make sure that they can watch all the games. That would be annoying.

 

[HawaiiClone]

This is all over You Tube. ESPN has withdrawn its bidding for B1G TV deal. FOX, CBS, NBC to carry its FB games, IIRC, starting 2024. This has to be a positive for the BIG12. It also, IMO, boosted the value of PAC12 TV rights. ESPN has more money to spend, and it wants "PAC12-After-Dark" time slot. What this means for the BIG12 remains to be seen. I believe the BIG12 will also get a boost to TV revenue. What that'll look like is anyone's guess. Overall I think it's a positive for the BIG12.

I have also heard the theory that ESPN now may have more money to spend and that they may want to fill their inventory elsewhere.

 

[CoachHines3]

SIAP but I read a quote from Mack Rhoades and he said the Big 12 could nip the heels of the SEC/BIG10 in terms of $$$.

Now, I find that hard to believe and maybe we have different definitions of "nip the heels"

 

[BCClone]

SIAP but I read a quote from Mack Rhoades and he said the Big 12 could nip the heels of the SEC/BIG10 in terms of $$$.

Now, I find that hard to believe and maybe we have different definitions of "nip the heels"

If UO and UW came along with about 2 more, I think we could be in that 70+MM area. Average about 75-80MM over the term of it, if the big ten is in that 100MM area. Disbursements here and not just media rights I'm talking.

 

[CoachHines3]

If UO and UW came along with about 2 more, I think we could be in that 70+MM area. Average about 75-80MM over the term of it, if the big ten is in that 100MM area. Disbursements here and not just media rights I'm talking.

Yeah, we'd have to grab 2 or 4 more teams to possibly get there. What we have right now, I don't think would be enough.

Maybe he was foreshadowing a bit!

 

[Frak]

I honestly don’t know why this is a huge surprise. ESPN already has the SEC and ACC. They were never going to be in the bidding for T1 rights for the B10.

 

[BCClone]

I honestly don’t know why this is a huge surprise. ESPN already has the SEC and ACC. They were never going to be in the bidding for T1 rights for the B10.

Everyone believed Fox would have T1, it was the tier 2 that ESPN had and people thought they would possibly keep that.

We also have to remember, this is what we are HEARING, there have not been any concrete statements from anyone to my knowledge. It could be statements to help each other. ESPN may have said they are pulling out to see if the Big 10 is bluffing with their numbers and the Big 10 could be leaking CBS and NBC to try to get someone to jump at a bigger number.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I have also heard the theory that ESPN now may have more money to spend and that they may want to fill their inventory elsewhere.

Seems questionable, given rumors over the last few years that Disney has been advised to sell off ESPN due to the weight of its contracts.

 

[CoachHines3]

Seems questionable, given rumors over the last few years that Disney has been advised to sell off ESPN due to the weight of its contracts.

I still think one of these days an apple/amazon/google will buy ESPN.

 

[jdcyclone19]

This is all over You Tube. ESPN has withdrawn its bidding for B1G TV deal. FOX, CBS, NBC to carry its FB games, IIRC, starting 2024. This has to be a positive for the BIG12. It also, IMO, boosted the value of PAC12 TV rights. ESPN has more money to spend, and it wants "PAC12-After-Dark" time slot. What this means for the BIG12 remains to be seen. I believe the BIG12 will also get a boost to TV revenue. What that'll look like is anyone's guess. Overall I think it's a positive for the BIG12.

I don't think this is a good thing for the PAC because now ESPN is the lone bidder. Fox has declined to big on the PAC so unless there is another player, the PAC is still in some trouble. Especially if ESPN wants the XII with the 4 corners.

 

[jdcyclone19]

I still think one of these days an apple/amazon/google will buy ESPN.

There's been talk for a few years of Disney wanting to divest ESPN due to the large contractual obligations and that Apple was interested at one point.

 

[HawaiiClone]

Seems questionable, given rumors over the last few years that Disney has been advised to sell off ESPN due to the weight of its contracts.

The theory was that a network that didn't get a Big 10 deal would still have the cash that they had set aside for a deal with the Big 10.

 

[Gonzo]

I honestly don’t know why this is a huge surprise. ESPN already has the SEC and ACC. They were never going to be in the bidding for T1 rights for the B10.

ESPN bid around $180 million (I think) this time around for B1G games. They knew they weren't going to get the top games, so when B1G came back at them for twice that $$$ figure, they walked.

 

[Clonehomer]

Yeah, we'd have to grab 2 or 4 more teams to possibly get there. What we have right now, I don't think would be enough.

Maybe he was foreshadowing a bit!

Adding more teams will not increase the per team payout unless the teams alone exceed that payout. There aren't any of those whales left on the board. Add teams to stabilize the conference and ensure a power conference tag, but don't go beyond that. More teams just means the denominator is larger too.

 

[Clonehomer]

ESPN bid around $180 million (I think) this time around for B1G games. They knew they weren't going to get the top games, so when B1G came back at them for twice that $$$ figure, they walked.

I had seen ESPN offered $300M and the conference wanted $350M and apparently got it from someone else.

 

[jctisu]

ESPN bid around $180 million (I think) this time around for B1G games. They knew they weren't going to get the top games, so when B1G came back at them for twice that $$$ figure, they walked.

For the amount the BIG is rumored to have wanted ESPN to pay for not even getting the top games they absolutely should have walked. They have the SEC, so it's not like they were going to be shut out of the two primary leagues. That price tag isn't worth it for what ESPN would be getting. It is for a player like NBC or CBS who doesn't have anything to go on since CBS is losing the SEC.