Last year of CW-ACC deal?
I believe this upcoming season (2026-27) is the last for the CW sublicensing deal. Any rumblings of what comes next, and how much more $ the conference stands to make by taking these rights to the open market? I believe @RandomAsianGuy speculated (please correct me if I'm wrong) previously it could be in the $3M/year range per school.
CW is nice from a viewership perspective by being OTA, but the presentation is somewhat lacking IMO. TNT does a much better job presentation-wise with Big 12 content; however, it sounds as though TNT Sports might be getting nuked as a result of the proposed WBD/Paramount merger, which would take them out of the running.
I doubt ESPN wants the additional rights back - they have enough content for their timeslots as it is and have been selling off Big 12 content to TNT, NBC and CBS.
I think it's probably most likely that the CW re-ups as they've been wanting to get a foothold in sports media rights. But I certainly would not be opposed to CBS/CBSSN or NBC/NBCSN making a play for the package. Wouldn't mind FOX/FS1 either, but they are cash-strapped at the moment and likely have enough content already with the Big Ten, Big 12, and MLB in the fall. I doubt any streamers would be interested in what amounts to a Tier 3 package.
14 Replies
4mo
(In response to this post by SMU Pony)
4mo
Totally understand why they value sports as well; its one of the only (maybe the only) things people will watch live.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
E
EDGEMAN
4mo
...cable and streaming channels.
(In response to this post by mancunian)
4mo
been part of the original deal, but they have done a great job. I'm glad I was wrong about them.
(In response to this post by mancunian)
4mo
that you can't "steam" at your convenience.
(In response to this post by mancunian)
4mo
I think the ACC is done with CW as they are pivoting to MWC and P12.
The original Raycom's contract (currently with CW) expires in 2027.
What's murky is whether the rights to those games (a package of one football game and two men’s basketball games per week, plus women's basketball) go back to the ACC or to ESPN.
A 2022 N&O article states that in 2027 “each ACC school will get an immediate bump of about $3 million more per year from the ACC.” So maybe the ACC already sold this package to ESPN for around $45 million a year ($3 million × 15 schools).
Even if it goes to ESPN, Disney may still decide to sublicense the package to another broadcaster.
I'm hoping for NBC, CBS, or at least TNT.
Link:
News&Observer
(In response to this post by SMU Pony)
4mo
** Edited by 33laszlo99 at 3/9/2026, 10:34:37 PM
(In response to this post by SMU Pony)
4mo
you are too right.....
ESPN has purchased rights to all their conference partners' at many times in excess of their needs, so they can offload it to other networks, broadcast it on stream, or decide just to hold it. That's part of the exclusive ESPN package. When ACC got on CW, they worked the deal, that got some residual from the CW.
If CW is going into football, the brand of ACC (which IS still better than Pac 12 or MWC) is still great, with national feed. So, I see CW has just growing its brand.
(In response to this post by 33laszlo99)
4mo
Raycom deal?
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
4mo
with TNC, CBS, and Peacock streaming being added after the initial deal with ESPN/FOX. ESPN/FOX purchased the rights to games, but not the rights to all of them - only the volume and pecking order of who gets first choice. Hell, I don't even know how much they will receive in media money moving forward, as it's piecemeal, 4 linear channels, and two streaming (ESPN+ and Peacock).
All of the rights to ACC content is owned by ESPN, and is governed by that contract.
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
4mo
I thought ESPN and Fox purchased everything (including Tier 3 rights) in 2022 and then subsequently sublicensed to TNT, CBS, and Peacock.
The TNT sublicense was part of the deal to get Inside the NBA on ESPN.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
4mo
the ACC. CBS purchased some games, and Peacock purchased games as well. CBS and Peacock goes to the conference. We aren't talking big money, as off the top of my head it was worth $1M++ per school.
(In response to this post by SMU Pony)