According to Sports Business Journal, B1G and ESPN have reached a new six-year agreement. The full article is set forth here (may be behind a paywall) but highlights include the following:

1. This is for the second half the package that is to be split with Fox. This includes approximately 25 football games and 50 basketball games. [Madison Hawk Comment: Note that the math does not add up as there are still approximately 5-10 football games 10-20 basketball games still unaccounted for. It is unclear whether these will be split between Fox/ESPN or go to BTN].

2. The price is $190M annually, compared to Fox's payment of $240M and the current ESPN payment for all of the rights (other than the B1G football championship game) at $150M. This is a significant increase for the B1G. From approximately $180M ($150M + $30 from Fox for B1G championship) to $430M for the same package.

3. Fox will have priority selections over ESPN. Specifically, it will have the B1G football championship every year. In addition, there is a selection order of game selection between Fox and ESPN but Fox will be able to select the initial week it will have first selection. Look for Michigan vs. Ohio State to be on Fox most years.

4. Games will be on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. There will be "far fewer" games on ESPNU.

5. The length of the ESPN deal is six years, same as the Fox deal.

6. B1G and CBS reached an extension for basketball so the B1G basketball tournament finals and semi-finals will continue to be on CBS.

What we are watching is the steady demise of ESPN.

Yes, it is a bit surprising that ESPN was willing to let Fox have the premier B1G games. ESPN still has the CFB playoff and all of the ACC rights and much of the G5 rights but half of the BXII and Pac 12 rights belong to Fox and the top games of the B1G and SEC belong to Fox and CBS respectively. ESPN seems content with sharing the top spot with Fox.

ESPN knows that even the second pick Big Ten CFB games will bring significant ratings with desirable demographics for advertisers, at a still relatively cheap price compared to other properties.

(06-20-2016 07:11 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  ESPN knows that even the second pick Big Ten CFB games will bring significant ratings with desirable demographics for advertisers, at a still relatively cheap price compared to other properties.

This. They do the same thing with the SEC - CBS still gets to cherry pick the best SEC game each week. Hasn't hurt ESPN or the SECN much in regards to that.

(06-20-2016 07:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-20-2016 07:11 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  ESPN knows that even the second pick Big Ten CFB games will bring significant ratings with desirable demographics for advertisers, at a still relatively cheap price compared to other properties.

This. They do the same thing with the SEC - CBS still gets to cherry pick the best SEC game each week. Hasn't hurt ESPN or the SECN much in regards to that.

Yeah....the 2nd or 3rd SEC Game is still better than most P5 #1 Games each week...still have good matchups when Bama or Florida off the table but you still have LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi State with the entire ACC with FSU & Clemson....plenty of programming on Saturdays..

This triples the payouts for the B1G. The gap has started.

(06-20-2016 07:35 AM)Nebraskafan Wrote:  This triples the payouts for the B1G. The gap has started.

The Gap was already there....again not so much a P5...from the beginning with the B1G/SEC got the separate Orange Bowl Deal it was apparent...you have the Mega 2-(B1G/SEC)...Power 3-(Pac 12, ACC, Big XII)...Tweener-(AAC/MWC) and the Little 3-(Sunbelt, C-USA & MAC)....

31.4 million just from this. That does not include BTN payouts and other payouts.

(06-20-2016 07:38 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(06-20-2016 07:35 AM)Nebraskafan Wrote:  This triples the payouts for the B1G. The gap has started.

The Gap was already there....again not so much a P5...from the beginning with the B1G/SEC got the separate Orange Bowl Deal it was apparent...you have the Mega 2-(B1G/SEC)...Power 3-(Pac 12, ACC, Big XII)...Tweener-(AAC/MWC) and the Little 3-(Sunbelt, C-USA & MAC)....

That's a good way to describe it. The issue now becomes "will the gap between the M2 and P3 be large enough to destabilize the P5, in the sense that either (a) some schools in the P3 will think the gap too large and agitate for inclusion in the M2 and/or a weakening of agreements like GORs that make it difficult for them to leave, thus weakening their P3 conference, or (b) the M2 will perceive the gap between themselves and the P3 as large enough to permit them to raid the P3"?

I think both are reasonably likely. Heck, we already have one example of (b), the B1G was able to lure MD from the ACC with the promise of much higher future media dollars.

^^ Playing Devil's Advocate, when people speak of G5 additions (ie. Cincy, UConn, USF, etc.) they argue the point they are just additional mouths to feed. Using the same logic, wouldn't it behoove the B10 to remain at 14 since any single addition (usual suspects include Oklahoma, Kansas, UVA, UNC, etc.) would have to be worthy $40M+ to keep the other 14 from sustaining a loss on their TV revenue?

(06-20-2016 07:53 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  ^^ Playing Devil's Advocate, when people speak of G5 additions (ie. Cincy, UConn, USF, etc.) they argue the point they are just additional mouths to feed. Using the same logic, wouldn't it behoove the B10 to remain at 14 since any single addition (usual suspects include Oklahoma, Kansas, UVA, UNC, etc.) would have to be worthy $40M+ to keep the other 14 from sustaining a loss on their TV revenue?

That what I'm kind of thinking...the only schools that would truly move the needle for the B1G & SEC is Texas and Notre Dame.

(06-20-2016 07:53 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  ^^ Playing Devil's Advocate, when people speak of G5 additions (ie. Cincy, UConn, USF, etc.) they argue the point they are just additional mouths to feed. Using the same logic, wouldn't it behoove the B10 to remain at 14 since any single addition (usual suspects include Oklahoma, Kansas, UVA, UNC, etc.) would have to be worthy $40M+ to keep the other 14 from sustaining a loss on their TV revenue?

Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas would increase the value of tier 1.

Texas would bring in 100 million a year in new revenue.

It does make the next round all about getting into Texas.

(06-20-2016 08:01 AM)Nebraskafan Wrote:  

(06-20-2016 07:53 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  ^^ Playing Devil's Advocate, when people speak of G5 additions (ie. Cincy, UConn, USF, etc.) they argue the point they are just additional mouths to feed. Using the same logic, wouldn't it behoove the B10 to remain at 14 since any single addition (usual suspects include Oklahoma, Kansas, UVA, UNC, etc.) would have to be worthy $40M+ to keep the other 14 from sustaining a loss on their TV revenue?

Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas would increase the value of tier 1.

Texas would bring in 100 million a year in new revenue.

It does make the next round all about getting into Texas.

Or Notre Dame-(and no don't think the Irish will be joining any conference full time)

Wow.

If the ACC was smart, and it isn't, it would wait and rebid it's contract on the open market. Instead, it is going to lock in long term for pennies on the dollar and spend a fortune on PR to tell everyone what a big win it is.

(06-20-2016 08:23 AM)nole Wrote:  Wow.

If the ACC was smart, and it isn't, it would wait and rebid it's contract on the open market. Instead, it is going to lock in long term for pennies on the dollar and spend a fortune on PR to tell everyone what a big win it is.

Don't remind me...the last deal Swofford signed for IMO left a lot of $$$ on the table...the ACC gets very solid TV Ratings for Football and Basketball.

to the original post 1st point:
1. This is for the second half the package that is to be split with Fox. This includes approximately 25 football games and 50 basketball games. [Madison Hawk Comment: Note that the math does not add up as there are still approximately 5-10 football games 10-20 basketball games still unaccounted for. It is unclear whether these will be split between Fox/ESPN or go to BTN].

For football- this is everything.
Big Ten now with 14 teams playing 9 conference games- at most- can have
63 conference games
42 OOC home games
105 total games.
The number will be around 95-100 games most years. About half of that goes to the Big Ten network.

For Basketball I think the number that was shown on ESPN was roughly 5 games a week in conference play. Then you get the stuff like the ACC/Big Ten challenge. 100 games sounds just about right for that.

I think it will become a fight for Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Big Ten
Offers all three full membership + maybe Rice for another Texas School

PAC-12
Offers all three full membership + Texas Tech

ACC
Offers Texas, Notre Dame deal so Texas can play 6 non-conference games against other Texas schools and national programs.

SEC
Offers Oklahoma and maybe Texas not sure if the SEC wants the baggage that comes with them.

If the SEC and ACC keep working together like they have been they both could get what they want in Texas and Oklahoma. The ACC gets Texas and the SEC gets Oklahoma.

The left overs from the Big 12 will cherry pick the best of the teams from the American and MWC/BYU to become the Big 14, 16...20 who knows however big. The American, MAC, MWC conference takes C-USA/Sun Belt and then one of those conferences dies like the WAC and you are left with 9 conferences.

SEC/Big Ten
PAC/ACC
BIG XX
American / MWC / MAC (when the American and MWC lose teams to the Big 12 the MAC will stay stable and keep moving up)
Left Over Conference (what ever southern schools are left out form their own conference OR with no revenue they could be forced to go FCS like Idaho)

My Disney shares are coming back baby... it's been a terrible couple quarters though.

(06-20-2016 08:25 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(06-20-2016 08:23 AM)nole Wrote:  Wow.

If the ACC was smart, and it isn't, it would wait and rebid it's contract on the open market. Instead, it is going to lock in long term for pennies on the dollar and spend a fortune on PR to tell everyone what a big win it is.

Don't remind me...the last deal Swofford signed for IMO left a lot of $$$ on the table...the ACC gets very solid TV Ratings for Football and Basketball.

The last deal he signed... the ACC was the highest paid conference at the time. But the timing was not great.