Big Ten Conference
ROSEMONT, IL (WSAU) — The Big Ten Conference has finalized its new media rights package with three major US broadcasters and, for the first time, a presence on a major US streaming video service.
As rumored two weeks ago, the deal will include NBC and CBS in addition to the league’s established partnership with FOX. Football will be the centerpiece of the deal, with each network holding the exclusive rights to one national broadcast window each Saturday beginning in 2024.
Those days will start with the Big Noon Kickoff on FOX at 11 AM CT. CBS will follow with a game at 2:30 CT, and NBC will close out the day with a primetime game kicking off between 6-7 PM CT. The remaining games will be divided between Big Ten Network and FS1.
NBC will also own the right to stream a handful of B1G games exclusively on Peacock each season. All CBS games will also be available on their streaming service, Paramount Plus.
The deal will also rotate the Big Ten Conference Championship game between the three networks.
CBS will have a scaled-back seven-game schedule in 2023, which is also their last year carrying SEC games, before expanding to a full 15-game slate in ’24. The Tiffany network will also expand its basketball coverage to include the women’s basketball Conference Tournament Championship game in addition to the final three games of the men’s tournament.
Peacock will also carry more than a dozen basketball games each season.
All told the package will be worth more than $1 billion per season between 2023-2030. The deal coincides with USC and UCLA’s entry into the league and does include escalators should the league expand beyond 16 schools. Many see that as a sign that the league is not done expanding.
It’s projected that the deal could mean up to $75 million per school annually, not including bonuses that would come with on-field results such as bowl games or NCAA tournament appearances.
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