ESPN will "buy the second half of the Big Ten’s media rights package" in a six-year deal worth $190M annually through the '22-23 academic year, according to sources cited by John Ourand in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Fox "agreed to take the other half of the package" for an average of $240M per year, beginning with the '17 football season. CBS Sports also has "told the conference that it will renew its basketball-only package" for $10M per year. The six-year, $2.64B media rights haul "represents a big win for the Big Ten," which will see its "average media rights payout nearly triple when it takes effect next fall." The deal shows that ESPN will "remain an active player in the live rights business, especially when it comes to premium rights." ESPN, like Fox, will "have around 25 football games and 50 basketball games each year." The difference between the two packages is that Fox "will carry the Big Ten football championship game every season." Fox also will have "game selection advantages over ESPN, which almost certainly means that the coveted Michigan-Ohio State rivalry will move to Fox most years." ESPN will carry Big Ten football games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, meaning ESPNU will see "far fewer Big Ten games than it has in the past" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/20 issue). In Lincoln, Steven Sipple notes Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany "showed his business savvy, securing this deal in a down market." The Big Ten staying on ESPN "was critical," as viewers know "exactly where to go to find games" (JOURNALSTAR.com, 6/20).
TWITTER REAX: Re/Code's Peter Kafka asked, "What sports bubble?: The Big 10 just raised prices 3x, and ESPN, CBS and Fox are paying up.” FS1’s Nick Bahe: “Right move by both ESPN and the Big 10.” Rivals.com’s Sean Callahan: “FOX is the big winner on the new TV deal for the Big Ten.” Forbes’ Kristi Dosh: “Big Ten tv revenue skyrocketing with Fox, ESPN and CBS deals, plus profit sharing began last yr with BTN.” Freelance sports writer Robert Wheel: “I imagine the Big Ten saying they can't afford to pay players as a money counting machine whirrs in the background."
