The Big Ten unveiled the long-awaited details to its brand new media rights package on Thursday, and it is quite a monster. The Big Ten will enter into a new media rights deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC all having an opportunity to showcase Big Ten football beginning in 2023.
The Big Ten revealed the details of its new media rights package that will begin on July 1, 2023 and run through the 2029-2030 seasons. FOX, NBC, and CBS will all get a high-profile timeslot to feature Big Ten football, and the extra options of placing Big Ten games on FS1 and NBC’s streaming platform Peacock on top of the Big Ten Network will potentially extend the visibility of the conference in ways never seen before.
And, of course, the revenue this deal will generate is astounding. The Big Ten’s new deal is valued at $1 billion annually for a grand total rising to $7 billion over the course of the package’s lifespan.
Seven. Billion. Dollars.
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) August 18, 2022
FOX will continue to use its noon eastern timeslot to feature a high-profile game with its Big Noon Kickoff. CBS will lock in a Big Ten game for 3:30 p.m. ET in its traditional college football time slot (the SEC is moving exclusively to ESPN), and NBC will feature a Big Ten game in primetime every Saturday night.
CBS will include seven football games and regular season and postseason men’s basketball. CBS will also air the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals and final will continue to air on CBS as it has for 25 years. Every CBS Big Ten football and basketball broadcast will be available for streaming on Paramount+ as well.
Beginning in 2024, CBS will televise up to 15 regular season football games from its initial lineup of seven games in 2023.
NBC will broadcast 14 to 16 games each season in the brand new Big Ten Saturday Night. Every NBC broadcast will be available on Peacock as well.
FOX will continue its existing arrangement with the Big Ten to televise football and men’s basketball games.
The Big Ten Championship Game will be shared between the three networks as well, with FOX getting the majority share of broadcasts. FOX will air the Big Ten Championship Game in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029. CBS will get the game in 2024 and 2028. NBC will air the 2026 championship game.
Giving all three major media partners a chance to showcase the Big Ten is a bold strategy, and having all three networks buy in to selling Big Ten football should bode well for the conference in the next seven years.
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