It looks like FOX Sports will retain the best Big Ten football games. The conference continues to meet with other media to try to find an overall agreement.
Jean Ourand at Sports Business Journal reports Details of the new deal with FOX are unknown at this time, but more are expected to be released by Memorial Day.
Amazon, Apple, CBS, ESPN, NBC and Turner have all reportedly made presentations at the Big Ten, but FOX will be the anchor partner. FOX Sports President and COO Mark Silverman and Executive Vice President of Business Larry Jones reportedly joined Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as consultants in those meetings.
FOX Sports is majority owner of the Big Ten Network, and Ourand reports that Silverman and Jones in the room are part of the conference’s latest deal with the network.
CBS is still looking for a replacement for its SEC games slate after the 2023 season. Meanwhile, NBC is looking to add Big Ten games to try to couple in a Saturday doubleheader with its Notre Dame games.
ESPN served as the secondary rights holder for the Big Ten. The conference and commissioner Kevin Warren have been at odds with the network over expanding the college football playoffs since 2021, when many accused ESPN of helping the SEC steer Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12 to form a conference that would represent more spots in a potential 12-team playoff.
While ESPN still sees value in doing business with college sports’ most popular conference, the Big Ten may be in a position where they don’t feel like they can renew their deal with the network.
