Big Ten’s New Media Rights Deal Worth Over $7 Billion

We have waited all summer for the Big Ten’s brand spanking new media rights deal. Finally, after months and months of sitting on pins and needles, our wait is finally over.

And yes, it will be the largest media rights deal for college sports in the nation. Even bigger than the SEC deal which doesn’t come up again until 2034.

The Big Ten announced today that they have struck a deal that will bring in over $7,000,000,000.00 in revenue to the conference. It will be a seven year agreement with CBS, Fox/FS1, NBC, CBS, and of course the Big Ten Network. Peacock, which is an NBC product, will also host Big Ten games exclusively online. The agreement will go through the 2029-2030 academic school year.

The “elder statesmen” of the TV world, NBC & CBS, are reported to each be paying out $350,000,000.00 per year for their packages.

So what does this mean for you, the casual fan? Here is a breakdown of who gets what and when from this agreement.

In regards to football (times in CST):

• Fox will have the 11:00am game
• CBS will have the 2:30pm game (starting in 2024)
• NBC will have the primetime game
• Fox will have four Big Ten Championship Games (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029)
• CBS will have two Big Ten Championship Games (2024 & 2028)
• NBC will have one Big Ten Championship Game (2026)
• Fox or FS1 will carry up to 27 regular season games in 2023 and up to 32 from 2024 moving forward
• BTN will carry up to 41 games in 2023 and up to 50 games from 2024 moving forward
• NBC will carry 16 games in 2023 and 15 games from 2024 moving forward
• NBC games will also be streamed on Peacock
• NBC will carry a primetime game on Black Friday
• CBS will carry 7 games in 2023 and up to 15 games from 2024 moving forward
• CBS will carry a afternoon game on Black Friday starting in 2024
• CBS games will also be streamed on Paramount+
• Added payments will be brought on in 2024 when USC & UCLA join the conference

In regards to basketball

• CBS will carry up to 11 regular season men’s basketball games in 2023 and 15 games from 2024 forward
• CBS will carry the Big Ten men’s tournament semifinals and championship game
• CBS will carry the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament final
• Peacock will be streaming 32 regular season men’s basketball games. Twenty of which will be conference games in 2023 and 47 games (32 conference) from 2024 moving forward.
• Peacock will stream the men’s tournament opening night doubleheader
• Peacock will stream 30 regular season women’s basketball games. Twenty of which will be conference games. All starting in 2023.
• Fox or FS1 will carry a minimum of 45 regular season men’s basketball games per year
• BTN will carry a minimum of 126 men’s basketball games per year
• BTN will carry the four Thursday games per year
• BTN will carry the four Big Ten men’s basketball tournament quarterfinal games

As stated previously, ESPN took itself from the negotiation table this summer. It was not willing to drop the type of cash that the Big Ten was looking for. Though with the SEC and ACC partnership I am sure they are more the fine with their situation.

Some might look at this as bad with Big Ten sports no longer on the Connecticut based media giant. However, the Big Ten moving their brand to these networks and providers opens up the marketplace even more and takes away the power that ESPN could have over the sport.

Making it less of a monopoly like ESPN currently has with many of the bowls and the college football playoff. This is good not only for football but also basketball as Fox, CBS, and NBC will now have more leverage and eyes moving forward.

There are many other reasons why this will benefit us all but I will leave that for another day.

Free markets are a good thing. You can send thank you notes to:

Kevin Warren
5440 Park PL
Rosemont, IL 60018