Let’s do some informed speculation about what is going on and what likely will occur with the Big 12 and Pac-12 TV deals. What I’m going to stipulate will impact whether there’s quite a bit more college football realignment.
1. When it’s all said and done, I believe the Big 12 will find yourself on ESPN and Fox Sports, and the Pac-12 can be on ESPN and Amazon Prime Video.
2. I think they’ll receive similar contracts. The Big 12 has been aiming for $400 million per 12 months, but I’m undecided they’ll get there. They’re within the $350M-$360M range with ESPN paying a much greater share than Fox because ESPN could have more and superior games if a deal happens.
3. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 likely will seek a financial premium from digital player Amazon to attempt to match the Big 12’s haul. Amazon has not checked out itself as a special form of distributor versus traditional players, meaning it doesn’t really consider it should must pay greater than its competition. How that plays out can be vital for the Pac-12. Amazon already is working with the NFL, however the Pac-12 needs to be wary of repeating the exposure problems which have occurred with its Pac-12 Network disaster. There shouldn’t be much indication Apple is heavily involved (though I wouldn’t totally eliminate the chance). Can Pac-12 get to $400M? Again, I believe they might get close, but I’m undecided they’ll get there.
4. The Pac-12 currently has a bonus over the Big 12 in its negotiations. The Pac-12 can negotiate with anyone. To receive probably the most money, it likely goes to want Amazon to step up. Fox Sports has interest, but between the bad blood stemming from Fox’s alleged involvement in USC and UCLA moving to the Big Ten and Fox not being as aggressive in bidding, I believe the Pac-12 and Fox could also be done with one another long-term. I don’t see many other suitors besides ESPN and Amazon for the Pac-12, which could harm the number the conference receives. I assume Warner Bros. Discovery might be a wild card.
5. The Big 12 still has three years remaining on its current contracts with ESPN and Fox. In the event that they negotiate an extension, there can be no sweetener by way of added money for the subsequent three years before Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC. In 2012, ESPN reported the ESPN/Fox Big 12 deal to be a 13-year deal for $200 million. The yearly rate is usually higher toward the tip of contracts. Anyway, 2012 is a protracted time ago.
The Big 12 could wait a bit of lower than a 12 months and a half to maneuver out of the exclusive negotiating window with incumbents ESPN and Fox and go to the open market, getting the digital players equivalent to Amazon involved. That might create more leverage. Nonetheless, there’s a strong feeling the Big 12 desires to do a deal now and remain with ESPN and Fox, that are the largest media players in college football.
6. If the cash is close, you’ll moderately be on ESPN and Fox Sports than Amazon at this point. Perhaps that changes someday, but that’s not today. Nonetheless, if universities are receiving similar money from their cuts of the brand new rights deals, does any school leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12? Or vice versa?
Quick Clicks
A potentially great hire by CBS and Turner Sports in Jay Wright. Besides being a Hall of Famer, Wright is beloved for being a very good guy. That might be a excellent combo. Let’s be clear: Bill Raftery shouldn’t be going anywhere. But he can be 80 by the point the subsequent March Madness rolls around. If Wright, 60, commits to broadcasting and doesn’t return to coaching, he eventually could move from the studio to be a part of the Final 4 game broadcast. … Brian Windhorst index fingers up time: We detailed a number of weeks ago what is occurring with the NBA’s updated app. As a follow-up, keep your eye on what is going on in Los Angeles with Clipper Vision. The NBA team goes to supply its games direct-to-consumer with six different feeds. It is a Steve Ballmer move, but don’t think for a moment the entire league won’t be very curious to see how the $199-per-season package performs. … It’s a win for MLB to have the World Baseball Classic on Fox Sports and its family of networks. It was previously on MLB Network. The event has a probability to be something someday if pitchers aren’t held back from participating fully. Undecided that ever will occur, but in international soccer, where the World Cup is the largest tournament in sports, there shouldn’t be even an issue of whether players will represent their country. The WBC may never get there, but when it does, it might be special. … MLB Network could have its morning program, “MLB Central”, on in the course of the World Series, which is a very good job and about time. .. On Wednesday from 4-6 p.m., SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio will broadcast a two hour-tribute to Christopher (Mad Dog) Russo before he goes into the Radio Hall of Fame on Nov. 1. Steve Torre will emcee the live show that can feature guests. … We knew Peyton Manning wasn’t at his home for the “Manningcast.” Now we all know he’s in his friend’s garage. “It’s a buddy of mine,” Manning told Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times. “At first, I used to be going to do it at my house. Then I discovered that ESPN goes to have to go away all that equipment there year-round, and that didn’t excite me. So I called my friend and said, ‘Hey, you will have this garage, you don’t use it much, it’s got a number of space. Do you mind if I did this show out of it?’ He was great. He was very gracious to do it.” … The Giants-Jaguars game began without announcers as a result of an audio issue before we finally heard Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth. Myers struggled throughout the sport and lacked emotion on the Giants’ final stop on the goal line.
The importance of the Barkley deal
Sometimes it is sweet to receive confirmation of something you already know, which is what Warner Bros. Discovery gave us by signing Charles Barkley and the remainder of the “Contained in the NBA” crew to contract extensions that can keep them on Turner Sports — if the network is capable of retain NBA rights in three years when its contract is up. Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith receiving latest deals is critical, but Barkley is the kingpin.
I reported last week that it was a 10-year deal that was for greater than $100 million. I don’t know the precise number, but I think it’s closer to $200 million — likely within the Tony Romo–Troy Aikman $18M a 12 months neighborhood. Barkley got paid.
It is a move you make as you prepare your bid for the NBA. Though there have been a number of aspects that led to Romo’s sports-media-changing payday, the largest was the importance for Paramount/CBS to retain its NFL rights. Prior to the pandemic, there was a sense that Bob Iger’s Disney not only wanted Super Bowls, but could go after CBS’ AFC Sunday package to air on ABC. CBS didn’t wish to go into NFL rights negotiations with Romo lining up on Disney’s side.
At the tip of the day, the leagues almost at all times go for the bids with probably the most money, but when you will have arguably the best studio show in sports television history, it’s a very good place to begin.
The leagues care about presentation. ESPN/ABC was unable to upgrade its No. 1 football booth prior to securing its improved cope with more games and Super Bowls. Nonetheless, it promised it will, and delivered first with the Manningcast after which by hiring Aikman and Joe Buck.
Actions at all times speak louder — and the brand new deals for Barkley and Co. inform you Turner definitely desires to keep the NBA. And in the case of its iconic studio team, it made sure to box out ESPN, Amazon, Apple and every other entity which will want in on the subsequent set of NBA game packages.
College Football Playoff issues
A really good story from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger on the difficulties of scheduling the faculty football playoff since the NFL dominates so lots of the good windows. Dellenger writes:
All of this has college football executives rightfully stewing as they try and schedule eight additional games in an expanded playoff — all of the while attempting to avoid going head-to-head with America’s No. 1 sport.
“You’re just trying to attenuate all of the ways the NFL will f— you,” says one top CFP official.
The best time to schedule the NCAA football championship is likely to be the week between the NFL’s conference championships and the Super Bowl. That might be too late within the minds of school administrators and there might be sponsorship issues as people gear up for the Super Bowl, but that’s the week to do it. It matches the nicest from a viewership perspective.
The perfect date for school football playoff semifinals might be the Saturday before the NFL conference championships. These dates don’t appear to be into account at this point, but we’re at all times attempting to help.
Black Friday win for Amazon
It is difficult to not think the Black Friday NFL game on Amazon Prime Video goes to be an enormous win for the streamer starting next season. The NFL probably can be incentivized to make the primary 3 p.m. matchup a very good one to begin on the precise footing. This Friday game very easily could grow to be an element of Thanksgiving football tradition over time. When Amazon and the NFL discussed its long-term deal for “Thursday Night Football,” there have been talks about Amazon getting the Thanksgiving night window, but ultimately the NFL decided to proceed with NBC’s Sunday night crew on Turkey Day. That resulted within the deal for the Black Friday game. To me, having the Amazon Prime Video game within the late afternoon probably is best than a primetime game on Friday because it might be an ideal time to veg on the couch with some leftovers. Plus, the NFL probably didn’t wish to have any issues potentially impinging on what’s traditionally an enormous highschool football night and is roofed by the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act.
A Sports Broadcasting Act for 2022
If I could create a 2022 Sports Broadcasting Act, it will include eliminating all lower-third news feeds during live sporting events. The continual scroll is unneeded within the day and age of the smartphone. I believe most network executives know higher, as evidenced by the actual fact they don’t have it on during big games. ESPN doesn’t have it on “Monday Night Football.” They do prefer to promote stuff within the right-hand portion of the scroll, nevertheless it is visually unneeded. Call your local congressperson about this vital issue.
