• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Get your ticket now!

Parts of Big Ten’s $7B Media Rights Deal Still Up In The Air

  • Schools may reportedly lose out on around $70 million.
  • Deals weren’t completed when former commissioner Kevin Warren left conference.
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Big Ten’s new media rights deal with Fox, CBS, and NBC are set to begin this fall — but the financial figures could be in jeopardy.

Initially heralded as vital for the conference’s future and valued at $7 billion, the seven-year deals negotiated by former Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren have fallen under the microscope after ESPN painted a chaotic picture of Warren’s successor Tony Petitti’s first month on the job.

When Warren left to become the Chicago Bears’ new president, the Big Ten’s media deals hadn’t been officially signed. ESPN reports that more than $70 million — about $5 million per school — is now up in the air due to unsettled payment figures.

Additionally, flagship schools like Michigan and Ohio State are apparently unhappy with a requirement to play night football games well into November, claiming they didn’t agree to it.

Nebraska athletics director Trev Alberts said the Cornhuskers would have no issue playing at any time slot — perhaps unsurprising given the school’s recent struggles on the field.

With no suggestion that Fox, CBS, or NBC will pull out of the impending agreements before the college football season starts, it’s likely that Big Ten schools’ revenue from the contracts will be lower than originally reported.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Lee Corso’s Farewell Delivers Record ‘College GameDay’ Viewership

ESPN averaged 3.5 million viewers, per preliminary figures.

Fox, YouTube TV Reach Deal, Avoiding CFB Blackout

Saturday’s Texas-Ohio State college football game will be fully distributed

The Next Chapter in the Network Battle for College Football Dominance

Fox and ESPN will jockey for viewers and attention at Texas–Ohio State.
Tom Brady

NFL Continues to Loosen Tom Brady Restrictions

Brady will be able to attend production meetings–remotely–this season.

Featured Today

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
August 26, 2025

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.

NFL on Nielsen’s Latest Measurement Upgrade: ‘More Work to Be Done’

The league calls its relationship with the agency a “protracted journey.”
ESPN
August 27, 2025

Disney Sues Sling TV Over $5 Day Passes Granting ESPN Access

Newly introduced short-term subscriptions spark a legal challenge.
August 28, 2025

NFL Preseason Sees 17% Jump in TV Ratings, Best Since 2018

Average audiences for the exhibition games increase sharply from last year.
Sponsored

Gareth Bale on MLS vs EPL, Retirement & Buying Cardiff City

Gareth Bale shares his post-soccer business playbook.
August 27, 2025

FCC Chair Joins Fox–YouTube TV Fight With Big Game on the Line

The Trump appointee is now involved in another media carriage fight.
Aug 24, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tommy Fleetwood holds the FedExCup Trophy on the 18th green after winning the TOUR Championship golf tournament.
August 26, 2025

PGA Tour TV Ratings: Fleetwood’s Breakthrough Caps Playoff Surge

Sunday’s final round drew nearly 4.5 million viewers on NBC.
August 26, 2025

NFL Sunday Ticket Debuts Monthly Plan—but at a Steep Cost

Previously, fans had to purchase the service for the entire season.
August 21, 2025

Fox Enters Streaming Wars With Leaner, Sports-Heavy Approach

A different strategy marks the arrival of the network’s streaming service.