The Big Ten announced today the details of their new media rights deal, which will have distribution rights with CBS, FOX, NBC and NBC Universal’s Peacock. The full details of the break down of the deal can be found here. According to a report by Sports Business Journal’s Michael Smith, the seven-year deal is worth $8.05 billion.The deal will begin July 1, 2023 and will run through the end of the 2029-30 athletic year. 

According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg “Notre Dame, which has consistently stated its desire to remain independent in football, has a contract with NBC that runs through 2025. Sources said the Big Ten’s finalized media agreement will include language that addresses potential future expansion.” You can check out his article along with an exclusive interview with Kevin Warren here.

CBS, FOX and NBC will combine efforts to televise the seven Big Ten Football Championship Games during the term.

CBS: 2024, 2028

FOX: 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029

NBC: 2026

To say CBS is ready for the deal would be an understatement.

Hello, @B1Gfootball.
Hit the music. pic.twitter.com/PbMHPql1Cz

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 18, 2022

Some Key Points to the Deal

• The Big Ten is projected to eventually distribute $80 million-$100 million per year to each of its 16 members. According to USA Today, the league distributed $54.3 million to most of its members during the most recent fiscal year (2019-20) not impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
• CBS will continue to air Big Ten men’s basketball regular-season and tournament games, and will add the league’s women’s basketball tournament championship for the first time. Peacock will carry up to 47 men’s basketball games (32 conference games) and 30 women’s basketball games (20 conference games) per season. Fox and FS1 will broadcast at least 45 men’s basketball games per season, and Big Ten Network will broadcast at least 126 men’s basketball games per season.
• According to sources, ESPN rejected the Big Ten’s final offer of a seven-year, $380 million agreement, which included fewer marquee games than the network’s current package. Warren reiterated the respect he has for ESPN’s executive team but acknowledged that “owning windows” for football games with certain media partners was a major priority for the Big Ten in this deal. ESPN in 2024 will begin carrying all of the SEC’s football games, and has the ACC’s rights through the 2035 season.
• BTN will maintain its strong position as the home for Big Ten fans, as the network will continue to televise a full slate of football, basketball and Olympic sport competition throughout the entire year.
• CBS’s initial season in 2023 will include seven football games and both regular season and postseason men’s basketball action, along with the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament final appearing on CBS for the first time. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals and final will continue the tradition of airing on CBS, which they have done for 25 years. Every CBS Big Ten football and basketball broadcast will also be streamed on Paramount+, Paramount Global’s direct-to-consumer streaming service.
• FOX has renewed its agreement to televise football and men’s basketball games each season, with the opportunity to carry additional sports throughout the year. The Big Ten Conference’s partnership with FOX reached its high point during the 2021-22 year, as FOX captured the #1 time slot in college football for the first time with its Big Noon Saturday platform that featured 10-14 games involving a Big Ten team, and a men’s basketball season that ended with the top three most watched games in the history of FS1 all featuring Big Ten programs.
• NBC will produce 14-to-16 games on broadcast television each season as it introduces college football fans to Big Ten Saturday Night. Each Big Ten game on NBC broadcast will also be simul-streamed on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s direct-to-consumer streaming service. NBC Sports has established the most dominant primetime franchise in television history, as its Sunday Night Football has been primetime’s No. 1 show for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years – a streak that is currently active.
• Peacock, NBCUniversal’s direct-to-consumer streaming service will deliver exclusive Big Ten football and basketball games each season, as eight regular-season football games will appear on the platform along with as many as 47 regular-season men’s basketball games (32 conference and 15 non-conference) and 30 regular-season women’s basketball games (20 conference and 10 non-conference).