B1G Media Rights with Fox Network

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Sources: Fox, Big Ten Closing In On Media Rights Agreement

By John Ourand & Michael Smith - Street & Smith

Published April 19, 2016

 

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Fox is close to signing a deal that gives it half of the Big Ten’s available media rights package, according to several sources. Deal terms still are flexible – both in terms of money and rights. However, the two sides have agreed on basic terms that will give Fox the rights to around 25 football games and 50 basketball games that it will carry on both the broadcast channel and FS1 starting in the fall of '17. The deal runs six years and could cost Fox as much as $250M per year, depending on the amount of rights the Big Ten conference puts in its second package.

The Fox deal essentially is half of the package of games that had been with ESPN (as part of a 10-year, $1B deal that expires next spring) and CBS (as part of a 6-year, $72M basketball-only deal that also expires next spring). The Big Ten will return to the market to solicit bids on the second half of the package. The conference has the flexibility to allow for another network or two to pick up that half. ESPN will be one of several TV networks engaged for the second half of the Big Ten’s package, along with the usual suspects of CBS, NBC and Turner.

The second package also is expected to include around 25 football and 50 basketball games. The package also could include rights to the football championship games every other year, though sources caution that the rights in the second package are flexible and could include more – or less – games.

The conference also is holding back some digital rights that it will offer to digital media companies, sources said. The deal does not include Big Ten Network’s package of rights, which runs to '31-32. Fox already has a relationship with the conference; it owns 51% of BTN.

Fox’ deal is a blow to ESPN, which had held most of the conference’s rights previously. Sources said that ESPN presented a non-competitive bid several weeks ago, as the company continues to look for areas to save costs. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Jon Barrett, the conference’s longtime legal counsel, negotiated the deal for the Big Ten, which did not hire an outside media consultant. Fox Sports President Eric Shanks and Exec VP/Business Larry Jones negotiated on behalf of Fox.

[ThompsonHoosier]

Would love to hear Gus Johnson announce some of our games!

[LockdownD]

1 minute ago, ThompsonHoosier said:

Would love to hear Gus Johnson announce some of our games!

Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson in AH.  

[Alford Bailey]

Gus Johnson in the Carnegie Hall of college basketball? I like it.

[HoosierAloha]

Would love to hear Gus Johnson announce some of our games!

If we could get a Gus Johnson and Bill Walton on the same call all would be right in the world.

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[ChiHoosier5]

It's definitely good in terms of financial value, but I would much rather have games on ESPN and ESPN2 than FS1. Also, games on ESPN get much more of a national attention especially to recruits. Just feel I hardly ever just turn on FS1 bc its such a high/random number channel, only truly turn it on when I specifically know something is on there. I know its not a big deal, just my two cents. 

[X-Hoosier]

I feel like we just keep losing.... Indiana decides to stay with Adidas and the B1G goes with Fox Sports... awesome...

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[biteoftheapple]

The story clearly states this is one half of the total package. All other networks are clearly still available.

[akhosrof]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2016/04/19/big-ten-jim-delany-new-deal-stunningly-big-deal/83247570/

We’ll see where the final numbers come out, but it seems almost certain that Big Ten schools will soon be banking more than $30 million per year — a number that doesn’t even include what the conference makes off the Big Ten Network and digital rights. When it’s all said and done, it could be a $40 million distribution.

While somewhat on the topic of B1G media rights. There is a Michigan poster on Twitter, @bluevodreal, who is a supposed Michigan insider. He's has been posting for a month now that the B1G is trying to get FSU, G-Tech, UNC and UVA into the conference. He has said there is 60-40 chance of B1G expansion announced by the end of the summer. Anyone catch this?

[X-Hoosier]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2016/04/19/big-ten-jim-delany-new-deal-stunningly-big-deal/83247570/

We’ll see where the final numbers come out, but it seems almost certain that Big Ten schools will soon be banking more than $30 million per year — a number that doesn’t even include what the conference makes off the Big Ten Network and digital rights. When it’s all said and done, it could be a $40 million distribution.

While somewhat on the topic of B1G media rights. There is a Michigan poster on Twitter, @bluevodreal, who is a supposed Michigan insider. He's has been posting for a month now that the B1G is trying to get FSU, G-Tech, UNC and UVA into the conference. He has said there is 60-40 chance of B1G expansion announced by the end of the summer. Anyone catch this?

Sounds awful.

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[Naturalhoosier]

Feels nice to pull away from the ESPN breast IMO. Not a flashy move but not necessarily a bad one either.

[RBB89]

I feel like we just keep losing.... Indiana decides to stay with Adidas and the B1G goes with Fox Sports... awesome...

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Interesting logic, considering adidas offered us way more money than Nike or UA, and this Fox deal would give each school like $50 mil a year. ESPN apparently low balled the conference.

It really doesn't matter anyway because this is just a portion of the tv rights and ESPN, CBS, etc will fight for the rest. But again, I find the thought of "losing" to the tune of $50 mil fascinating.

[AKHoosier]

I hope we don't have any basketball games on FS1, I don't have that channel.

[LIHoosier]

If ESPN/CBS retain their existing games, I'm gonna need a cheat sheet to remember what channel IU FB or BB is playing on a game by game basis. Potentially ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News(mainly football), Fox, FS1, FS2, CBS, BTN, BTN overflow.

I hope Fox doesn't get lazy and just have the regular BTN guys calling games on the Fox networks rather than their main guys. My dream of dreams would be to have Joe Buck (went pro early before it was cool) call a game at Assembly Hall. He's not doing anything else for a while after the NFL season.

[X-Hoosier]

Interesting logic, considering adidas offered us way more money than Nike or UA, and this Fox deal would give each school like $50 mil a year. ESPN apparently low balled the conference.

It really doesn't matter anyway because this is just a portion of the tv rights and ESPN, CBS, etc will fight for the rest. But again, I find the thought of "losing" to the tune of $50 mil fascinating.

Adidas doesn't have the potential or product quality.

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[mdn82]

Adidas doesn't have the potential or product quality.

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Doesn't have the potential for what? For kids to buy IU Nike apparel? I wished as a kid IU was Nike for look but the school got theirs. It's Nike that felt the IU brand didn't have the potential Adidas did.

[X-Hoosier]

Doesn't have the potential for what? For kids to buy IU Nike apparel? I wished as a kid IU was Nike for look but the school got theirs. It's Nike that felt the IU brand didn't have the potential Adidas did.

Adidas isn't seeing potential. They're trying to save their butts because they're a fading brand in basketball. They didn't even try to compete with Nike for the NBA. They knew they couldnt. Then they picked up James Harden and the NHL. The money we got from Adidas wouldn't touch the potential we could get from Nike.

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[akhosrof]

Adidas isn't seeing potential. They're trying to save their butts because they're a fading brand in basketball. They didn't even try to compete with Nike for the NBA. They knew they couldnt. Then they picked up James Harden and the NHL. The money we got from Adidas wouldn't touch the potential we could get from Nike.

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What makes you think that? Nike didn't even care enough to get Stephen Curry's name right for their presentation to retain him. We would be priority 500 with Nike. Not saying Adidas is better, but until we hang another championship banner or two no shoe company is going to do any favors for us. So until we start contending for championships on an annual basis, take the most money and run.

By the way, I even agree with you on Adidas. The company has a terrible image problem, has overexposed and over expanded its brand, and has mismanaged some premium talent. They are definitely throwing money to tread water.

[HoosierAloha]

Why take less money to possibly get a recruit or two when you can take more money and pump it into facilities? Adidas gear is awesome. The day we switch to all Nike everything will be the day I stop purchasing IU gear.

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[RBB89]

Adidas isn't seeing potential. They're trying to save their butts because they're a fading brand in basketball. They didn't even try to compete with Nike for the NBA. They knew they couldnt. Then they picked up James Harden and the NHL. The money we got from Adidas wouldn't touch the potential we could get from Nike.

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Again, potential for what? Take the $$$.