Post: #1NBC Pushing for Big Ten/NFL Primetime Pairing in Media Rights Deal
“The Big Ten would have exposure in every TV home,” said one source to Front Office Sports. “It would also be a smart idea to follow the model of the most successful sports league in America.”
Big Ten media rights negotiations are getting closer to being completed. The results could mean a minimum of $1.25 billion annual distribution for the conference’s soon-to-be sixteen members. One of the bidders in the process, NBC, has an interesting idea to make the Big Ten the “NFL of college football conferences.”
NBC has reportedly pushed the idea of combining Big Ten broadcasts with its existing Notre Dame coverage and would feature the Big Ten in its primetime window. With CBS, ESPN/ABC also bidding on coverage packages, such a series of deals would make the Big Ten the only college football conference that would be seen across all of the American broadcast networks. Something only few entities have done, like the NFL.
NBC is also pushing the allure of having primetime Big Ten football on Saturday night and primetime coverage of Sunday’s only NFL evening game with Sunday Night Football.
Link:
NBC pitch to the Big Ten
39 Replies
3y
;-)
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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hokieZ71
3y
So either it’s blatantly false or 100% accurate.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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2hhoop3
3y
of the week? The Big Ten has been telling everyone who would listen they were getting a huge new contract for quite a while. Initial negotiations didn't get them the number so timeline was pushed back. Then USC/UCLA is trotted out with new timeline and a bigger number. Now this latest story. Starting to wonder if this is a case of overpromising and being unable to deliver.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
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hokieZ71
3y
That’s a lot of money. And a lot less than $100M. And if that’s all they can get there’s no way they expand further outside ND. But if that’s all they’re getting now there’s also no way ND joins because they can probably get just as much money to stay independent and still have easy access to the playoff.
This also means Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal are in really tight spots. The Pac 12 is not going to be getting much money moving forward. The ACC has an opening here. It doesn’t have to be a long term marriage but it can be better for everybody involved for the next 6-8 years.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
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hokieZ71
3y
I wish I could stop seeing that number being floated for B1G schools. It’s gonnend up closer to $80 than $100. (I know, still a lot)
I’m gonna be PO’d if the ACC can’t add some quality west coast schools and that time zone through this. The B1G isn’t an option for them for the next 6 years or so. The ACC would be a better option during that time than a watered down PAC 12.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
Big Ten - The “NFL of college football conferences.”
I think the SEC will have something to say about that. I haven't watched the NFL in over a decade, so not watching the so-called "NFL of college fooball conferences" will be easy to ignore. It seems like NBC, ESPN and Fox Sports don't truly understand the college football fan and college football experience. They're looking at college football like another professional league. Those buffoons have made mistake after mistake the past decade. Disney/ESPN is a mess right now. The egos of the B1G, SEC and Notre Dame have blinded them from reality. I hope their vision of a semi-pro college football league fails miserably. Those clowns will destroy college football and then wonder what they did wrong that turned millions of college football fans away.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
3y
They are running a business and all that matters is the numbers.
How many people they have exposure to
Average number of viewers for games broken up by day, time, channel, etc.
Advertiser interest and rates
Cost to produce games and studio content
How it all carries over to the web and streaming services where they can generate additional revenue
And always remember, controversy generates more content and more viewers. So they don't mind at all if their actions cause some issues in the sport. That leads to more discussion and more revenue from viewers/readers.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
3y
How has ND's ego "blinded them from reality"?
Its currently status quo for ND 2012-2022.
ND is the one that wants status quo to remain forever.
Its the damn conferences that keep making realignment moves.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
Notre Dame football has by far the biggest ego in college sports.
No other football program is too good for a football conference. Notre Dame still thinks it's the 1940's and 1950's. As a practicing Roman Catholic, I'd rather follow Boston College since they're aren't driven by an enormous ego.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
3y
Ego is how some ACC basketball coaches treated VT when we first joined.
Ego is the SEC saying they could just do their own football playoff.
Ego is the BIG stringing along Oregon and Washington.
Ego is Texas getting their own network back in the day.
I didn't like ND when they stole our Fiesta Bowl spot in 2001. But that is separate from how I view their approach to being independent. They are leveraging their past to secure greater control over their athletics and NBC is willing to enable them. Plus from what I've learned here, wealthy donors prefer being independent and help make it worth while with donations.
I'm sure ND will eventually join a conference when the financial benefits just can't be ignored. But I don't think at this point their stance is from a feeling of being too good compared to others.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
3y
It’s also displayed in how he/they not wanting anything to do with VT, VT carrying ACC Football for several years, then the ACC sticking VT with the absolute worst conference Fball schedules imaginable. They had stuck us with BC and now we’re getting a heavy dose of UVA, Pitt, and Wake each season. Again, about the worst possible outcome. These guys suck.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
Notre Dame has their own network deal. No different than Texas....
with their Longhorn Network. Texas used their brand the same way Notre Dame did. I agree with you that Notre Dame is doing good business. I don't blame them for using the ACC. That's the ACC's fault. I will just diagree with you about the ego part. Notre Dame football, not the university, has a huge ego. No different than the Yankees, Cowboys, Crimson Tide, .... When you become popular and powerful, your ego usually grows. We have thousands of entertainers and politicians to prove my point. Notre Dame will eventually give in and join the Big Ten but they won't go without a fight.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
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hokieZ71
3y
We want things to stay the way they have been since 2004 also, and it's not looking like that will be the case. ND is just an easy target because ND doing what's best for ND will likely end up running counter to what's best for VT's chances of remaining in an unaltered ACC.
(In response to this post by TerryD)
3y
So we are aligned for the period 2013-present.
I like ND's current arrangement for its 26 sports programs.
I don't want any changes.
But, the fecking conferences will never leave things alone with this realignment BS.
Be mad at them, not ND.
And it is business, not ego. It has been good business practices for ND, too. They are not sitting in a horrible spot.
(In response to this post by hokieZ71)
I'm not mad or even upset. It's just football.
If D-1/FBS football becomes a semi-pro league, so be it. They'll just lose more fans and wonder what they did wrong since these knuckleheads only care about making money and could care less about the fans, rivalries and college traditions.
(In response to this post by hokieZ71)
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ren_hoek
3y
The ACC has performed better in the CFP than the B1G. I don't think they're better than the ACC in football, much less the SEC.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
3y
IMHO, ACC needs to have other teams than Clemson to make that statement true.
(In response to this post by ren_hoek)
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2hhoop3
3y
LSU, Auburn and Florida they have done just fine against all comers in the championship category. The ACC is arguably a distant second with Clemson and FSU, the Big 12 is 3rd and the B1G and PAC12 bring up the rear. Throw in hoops and the battle between the SEC and ACC at 1 and 2 gets tighter and all 3 of the others just fall further behind. The ACC continues to fall behind in the money race but, up until this point they have held their own on the field and the court. In terms of money versus championships in the revenue sports the B1G is far and away the worst performer in terms of championships relative to money spent.
(In response to this post by 133743Hokie)
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ren_hoek
3y
and Michigan got throttled. FSU made the CFP years ago and lost to Oregon. Clemson is 2-1 vs OSU in the CFP. The point is that the ACC is doing just fine compared to the B1G in the CFP.
(In response to this post by VaTechie)
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Truthahn
3y
More appearances and more championships than everyone except the SEC.
I think that is also true of the BCS (between Miami and FSU) the series just before the CFP.
We need better PR.
** Edited by Truthahn at 8/4/2022, 2:27:03 PM
(In response to this post by ren_hoek)
3y
(In response to this post by Truthahn)
3y
Clemson, there's nobody in the ACC remotely close to getting to the CFP. The Big Ten has at least 2-3 programs that are capable.
(In response to this post by ren_hoek)
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ren_hoek
3y
and then maybe UVa and UNC live up to potential as well - schools with their resources should be winning 8-9 games/year minimum.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
3y
As in there just aren't enough ACC fans/alumni.
(In response to this post by ren_hoek)
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2hhoop3
3y
same thing be said of the B1G that it is Ohio State only?
(In response to this post by VaTechie)
3y
** Edited by reestuart at 8/4/2022, 12:52:48 PM
Link:
TV
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
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2hhoop3
3y
started talking about CFP performance which I took to mean championships and playoff appearances. I agree B1G has good TV ratings.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
3y
(In response to this post by VaTechie)
3y
(In response to this post by reestuart)
3y
the other elites. Of course, part of the issue is who they are playing.
(In response to this post by BBBDatVT_)
3y
Their game vs UGA last season was top 5 for the season, but still doesn't break into the top 15.
Most watched games (2015-19)
2016 Michigan-Ohio State ABC 16.841M
2019 LSU-Alabama CBS 16.64M
2017 Alabama-Auburn CBS 13.657M
2018 Michigan-Ohio State Fox 13.345M
2017 Alabama-Florida State ABC 12.557M
2019 Ohio State-Michigan Fox 12.42M
2018 Alabama-LSU CBS 11.543M
2019 Alabama-Auburn CBS 11.43M
2015 LSU-Alabama CBS 11.063M
2015 Michigan State-Ohio State ABC 11.052M
2016 Notre Dame-Texas ABC 10.945M
2015 Ohio State-Michigan ABC 10.830M
(In response to this post by reestuart)
3y
You do have a point though, there is just NO WAY the B1G and SEC are worth SO much more than these other leagues. I think a real outlier here is just how under paid the ACC is. You can’t tell me the ACC brings only 1/3 of the eyes to the TV as the B1G from September to March. It’s much more competitive than THAT. Even though the ACC has done all it could to provide the worst conference football matchups possible, the gap still shouldn’t be that much.
And as a couple points of reference, the Heavily ACC Final Four drew quite similar ratings as the College Football Playoffs. That last home game of Coach K had nearly as many viewers as the Bama versus Georgia championship. Basketball matters and the ACC is the top brand.
You put us on similar financial footing and I bet the ACC will be more competitive with football. You know FSU, Miami, and Clemson would flourish with B1G and SEC money. I think VT would come back strong too, if we had an extra 30-50 million dollars a year to work with.
(In response to this post by ren_hoek)
3y
else. The Pac 12 has been entertaining as heck, but they don't get the numbers.
(In response to this post by BBBDatVT_)
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hokieZ71
3y
Stanford, Washington and Oregon are among the Top 20-25 schools in ratings. Arizona State isn't far behind. Their problem is very limited access to earlier start times on the East Coast. But they do quite well in the later time slots.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
Millions away? Very doubtful
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)
3y
College football isn't nearly as entertaining to me as it used to be. But I still tune in some. Not like in the past, but still.
(In response to this post by VaTechHokiesACC)
3y
For me I watch and just wait for the eventual calm down.
(In response to this post by Old Line Hokie)