TNT Sports has been pulling out all the stops as it looks to change its programming priorities.
The company recently secured a multi-year deal with Mountain West Conference Football. TNT also added Big East College Basketball and sublicensed College Football Play-off games from ESPN to their portfolio.
These developments will undoubtedly enhance TNT’s standing in North America and ramp up interest in college sports. Read on as we take a closer look.
TNT Sports Ventures into the Mountain West Conference
College football is returning to TNT after 17 years. The sports channel will broadcast 14 Mountain West games annually on TruTV and the Max streaming platforms.
The first-year schedule spans nine weekends, including four double-headers. The final game of the season will air on Saturday, November 2.
While Mountain West doesn’t garner as much attention as the Power Four Conferences, this deal is still a massive win for TNT.
College football in the US only plays second fiddle to the National Football League (NFL). This partnership allows TNT to tap into that fanbase.
For the Mountain West, this deal is a solid platform that can boost the conference’s profile. Several MW teams will clash with Washington State, Oregon State and the remaining Pac-12 schools, giving them more visibility.
Even though these games have not been picked up by TNT, the exposure from the other match-ups will likely drive interest in Mountain West and its athletes.
The deal will introduce a new audience to a conference that produces some of the most exciting match-ups and talented athletes who go on to shine in the major leagues.
TNT Expands its Basketball Coverage
TNT also agreed a six-year media rights deal with the Big East Conference that starts from the 2025/26 academic season.
The deal is worth around $75‐80 million per year, double the value of the current agreement. Over 65 regular season Big East basketball games will air across TNT’s platforms.
Adding Big East basketball to the line-up alongside the college football offerings gives viewers a broad sports package that appeals to a diverse audience.
The Big East lost CBS as a broadcast partner. NBC and TNT coverage will ensure over 150 men’s basketball games will be available to viewers.
This agreement strengthens TNT’s position as a top college sports broadcaster. It also gives them leverage to attract more advertising revenue and negotiate higher fees from cable distributors.
The Big East agreement is expected to expand TNT Sports’ coverage and draw in viewers who may not previously have engaged in college sports.
TNT’s acquisition of the Big East rights is potentially a game-changer for the company in the Middle East, with sports fans there eager to engage with basketball.
Betting on the sport has become increasingly popular and the prospect of being able to watch live Big East games and wagering on them will appeal to Arab punters.
Many of the sportsbooks linked to real money online casinos in Kuwait already offer markets on college basketball games.
However, with demand likely to increase in the Middle East now TNT have secured the rights to Big East games, betting operators will be forced to ramp up their coverage.
ESPN Sub-Licenses College Football Play-offs to TNT
The most notable development for TNT is the sublicensing deal with ESPN to broadcast up to four College Football Play-off (CFP) games annually until 2028.
TNT will air two first-round games from the expanded CFP from next season and two quarter-final match-ups in the following years.
This is the first time a broadcaster not named ESPN has secured the rights to CFP games since the tournament was inaugurated in 2014.
The CFP is one of the most-watched events in the US sports calendar, and securing a piece of the action is a coup for TNT.
The company is reportedly set to miss out on the domestic rights to the National Basketball Association (NBA), but this deal will help mitigate the loss. The CFP deal gives TNT marquee events to attract viewership.
Many people will look at the move as a defensive strategy to maintain TNT’s relevance in the competitive sports broadcasting market, and rightly so.
The CFP won’t offer the weekly breathtaking action of the NBA, but it is a highly-anticipated event that will attract large viewership numbers.
The sublicensing deal will ensure TNT stays a top player by broadcasting one of the most popular sporting events in North America.