Auburn will double the school's multimedia rights revenue in a new deal with Fox Sports announced today. The new 10-year agreement with Fox’ growing collegiate properties division will guarantee Auburn $120M, sources said. Fox would not comment on financial specifics. Auburn will have additional opportunities to benefit financially if Fox’ sales hit certain thresholds. The school’s previous nine-year deal with IMG College averaged a little more than $6M per year. “Fox Sports will allow us to grow our brand nationally and enhance our brand value,” Auburn AD Jay Jacobs said. “The entire Fox Sports team has proven how much they believe in Auburn throughout this entire process.” Auburn represents another significant addition to the portfolio for Fox’ collegiate properties group. The media giant is in the final stages of a new 15-year, $150M multimedia rights deal with Michigan State that will be announced in the coming weeks. Auburn and Michigan State join Georgetown, USC and Villanova as Fox properties. “Auburn will be one of a select group of Power 5 properties operated by Fox Sports,” Jacobs said. “As a flagship property, Auburn will benefit from specialized and personalized treatment. This belief is supported by their revenue projections and their valuation of Auburn athletics.” The loss of Auburn stands out as another setback for IMG College, which in recent months has lost the rights at UCF and Villanova.
WHAT COMES WITH THE DEAL: As part of the new deal, Fox picks up Auburn’s rights for corporate sponsorship, the Tigers’ radio network, hospitality, in-venue signage, social-media integration, promotional activities and intellectual property rights, as well as other inventory. “Auburn is a tremendous addition to Fox Sports’ elite portfolio of college multimedia partnerships,” said Kyle Sherman, President of Fox-owned Home Team Sports. Fox’ collegiate properties are a division of HTS. “We look forward to connecting brands into the power of the Auburn community, and acting on the shared vision for what we will build together to create value.” Jacobs and his new partners at Fox said they also will look for ways to drive Auburn content to FS South and FS Southeast, which reach 13 million homes throughout Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Some important figures in the negotiations will not be around to pop the cork on the champagne today. Auburn and Fox were able to finish off the 10-year deal despite some late-game personnel changes. Auburn COO, David Benedict, who was front and center with Jacobs during talks, left last week to become UConn AD. Meanwhile, Fox’ point person on the deal, Dan Shell, parted with the company last month to join IMG College.
