How much is the Big Ten's TV deal worth, and when does it expire? Exploring the rumors around realignment and expansion
The Big Ten's TV deal has been described as one of the richest in sports, let alone college sports.
The conference signed a mammoth seven-year rights deal with NBC, CBS and ESPN worth $7 billion when it kicks off in 2025. Programs are bound to earn over $100 million a year under the new deal.
The deal runs from this year until the end of the 2029-2030 season. The 2023 deal will pay less than the rest of the seasons due to the pre-existing CBS deal with the Southeastern Conference to air some of its games.
Power 5 Conference football TV deals, in order based on annual avg. payout per school:
1. Big Ten (starts 2023) - $80-100 mil
2. SEC (starts 2024) - $70 mil
3. Big 12 (starts 2025) - $31.6 mil
4. ACC (current, thru 2035-36) - $30.6 mil
5. Pac-12 (start TBD) - ~$20 mil reportedly
The Big Ten's TV deal and the realignment games
Apart from the Big 12 under commissioner Brett Yormark, the Big Ten has been the busiest conference in the realignment and expansion games.
The humongous Big Ten TV deal has been credited with causing the formation of a Power Two alongside the SEC. The addition and expansion of these programs are being called the creation of superconferences that will detach them from the rest.
The conference even released a statement regarding rumors of further expansion:
“The Big Ten Conference is still focused on integration of USC and UCLA, but it’s also the commissioner’s job to keep chancellors and presidents informed about new developments as they occur.”
The Big Ten has been pinpointed as a potential destination for Clemson. The Tigers are the only football program outside of the SEC to have won the national football championship since 2015.
Another prestigious program being linked with a move to the Big Ten is independent Notre Dame. Apparently, the Fighting Irish are gunning for a deal with NBC on par with what Big Ten programs are getting.
The Big Ten has been making eyes at Notre Dame for a while, and that would make the conference even more powerful.
There's even a special clause inserted into Big Ten's TV deal involving Notre Dame. Should Commissioner Tony Petitti convince the Fighting Irish to join, the three networks would all pay the conference an extra fee.
Tony Petitti's conference already has programs with strong football cultures and winning pedigrees like the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes. This aspect alone almost makes the Big Ten's TV deal worth it for the networks.
There has been speculation that the Big Ten's expansion will continue until it becomes a 16-team conference. This would likely prompt a change in the College Football Playoff format.
Even though the Big Ten's mega-TV deal has just been negotiated, this hasn't stopped it from stocking up on elite programs for future negotiations.
The conference realignment and expansion games are not only geared toward the present, the new business-savvy commissioners are playing chess with the future, not checkers.