Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

(08-31-2020 07:26 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

When Fox sold it's properties to Disney they specifically kept Fox Sports and Fox News because they were the most profitable. The only part of the deal that the government did not approve of, for antitrust reasons, was the sale of the regional sports networks to Disney. I don't remember to who or how much they went for but, you can look it up.

(08-31-2020 07:26 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

Maybe because FOX doesn't want to sell any more than ESPN does? FOX has shown every indication of wanting to be a strong player in college football, and their B1G contract is the cornerstone of that. The whole "Big Noon Kickoff" thing is built around the B1G deal, which gives them natural content at that time spot.

(08-31-2020 07:35 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(08-31-2020 07:26 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

Maybe because FOX doesn't want to sell any more than ESPN does? FOX has shown every indication of wanting to be a strong player in college football, and their B1G contract is the cornerstone of that. The whole "Big Noon Kickoff" thing is built around the B1G deal, which gives them natural content at that time spot.

Why would ESPN be worried about FOX for?

(08-31-2020 07:26 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

You assume...

1) ESPN/Disney has an unlimited amount of $$$$$$.

2) FOX is willing to sell its most valuable college football asset. If FOX is willing to just walk away from the Big Ten, they might as well just quit college football altogether. FOX has adopted the Big Ten as their conference and has tried to catered to their fans. I don't expect them to give up the B1G as easily as CBS gave up the SEC.

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/college...-time.html

https://awfulannouncing.com/ncaa/fox-is-...itism.html

ESPN is not the only network in college football. If college conferences only had one network possibility, the amount of money to your university would be limited as ESPN would be bidding against itself as to how much money the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac 12 will get this decade. Luckily for the conferences, FOX and maybe CBS is in play (and if NBC came to its senses and realized there were more schools that played football than Notre Dame we'd have more competiton).

(08-31-2020 07:56 AM)schmolik Wrote:  

(08-31-2020 07:26 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Seriously, ESPN execs could save themselves a ton of $$$'s in acid reflux, heartburn, etc. medicine if they just went ahead and bought out Fox's contracts with the Big Ten. Or is the federal government prohibiting them from doing so under antitrust/antimonopoly laws???

You assume...

1) ESPN/Disney has an unlimited amount of $$$$$$.

2) FOX is willing to sell its most valuable college football asset. If FOX is willing to just walk away from the Big Ten, they might as well just quit college football altogether. FOX has adopted the Big Ten as their conference and has tried to catered to their fans. I don't expect them to give up the B1G as easily as CBS gave up the SEC.

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/college...-time.html

https://awfulannouncing.com/ncaa/fox-is-...itism.html

ESPN is not the only network in college football. If college conferences only had one network possibility, the amount of money to your university would be limited as ESPN would be bidding against itself as to how much money the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac 12 will get this decade. Luckily for the conferences, FOX and maybe CBS is in play (and if NBC came to its senses and realized there were more schools that played football than Notre Dame we'd have more competiton).

Agreed, it's better for everyone when there is more networks wanting to air games. Big 12 has contracts with both Networks. No need for one to push the other out

Who says that ESPN is "worried" about what the Big Ten might or might not do?