Big Ten/ ESPN negotiations "begin"
ESPN has an exclusive negotiating window with the Big Ten, which many expect to end without a deal in place. This will allow the rights to hit the open market and all the major players are expected to be involved. The success of the B1G this past football season in terms of viewership will bring everyone to the table.
ESPN is determined to keep their share of games.
Fox wants to expand their deal.
CBS is looking to replace the SEC after 2023
NBC is hoping to have a CFB double header with ND following Big Ten games
I expect the money is going to be ridiculous. Michigan winning the title this year is certainly to help increase the payday because when they are a good, they are a huge draw. Currently Fox is paying $240M per year and ESPN is paying $190M.
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/Newsletter-Media/2022/02/14.aspx
February 15th, 2022 at 2:15 PM ^
I believe the SEC got a 10 year, $3Bn deal that starts in 2024 (annual payment of US$300 million), which was over five times the SEC's previous deal from CBS. https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/sec-espn-abc-football-tv-rights-cbs/
I don't know how the exact viewership numbers compare, but is it expected that the B1G would get a larger deal? Would BTN still carry non-ABC/ESPN games?
February 15th, 2022 at 2:20 PM ^
I feel my cable bill ri$ing.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:27 PM ^
As long as I get three to five Gus and Joel Klatt games I don't care
February 15th, 2022 at 3:23 PM ^
O!! JA!! BO!!
February 15th, 2022 at 4:07 PM ^
DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES!!!!! DOWN THE SIDELINE!!!!!!
love that guys calls.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:47 PM ^
It’s better when there are exclamation points and a pause at the end of each name. DONOVAN! PEOPLES! JONES! or J! T! BARRETT! Gus is the best man.
February 15th, 2022 at 6:38 PM ^
JT was short.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:28 PM ^
What will it take to have BTN2? You know, a 2nd cable channel, so we have more chance of seeing hockey and other Michigan sports on something other than the half-assed BTN :Plus.
February 15th, 2022 at 3:45 PM ^
"What will it take to have BTN2?"
February 15th, 2022 at 2:38 PM ^
I've always preferred ABC games, and despised CBS games. Everything else is in the middle. Please don't give me Michigan games with Gary Danielson and/or Brad Nessler.
February 15th, 2022 at 7:22 PM ^
I can handle Nessler, but Danielson is just downright terrible. Actually, he used to be pretty good on ABC(?) years ago before he moved to CBS and became beholden to the SEC brand. I believe he (or more likely an underling who works for CBS) must write the narrative for the upcoming game on the Thursday prior, and he sticks to it, damned any evidence to the contrary. He also symbolizes the "We" mentality that conference suffers from. If Alabama is winning, we're all winning!
Agree with you, Rob. Hopefully they will follow the SEC, wherever they land.
February 16th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
I think part of the problem with Gary, and the older analysts, is the industry has moved past them in terms of fans wanting real analysis and not just superlatives. A play-by-play guy's role hasn't really changed but people want a Klatt/Herbie type who is showing what's going on and not just fawning over some 5th year QB's "Grit" as he goes 8-20 for 120 yards. Plus, he lost all credibility with non-Auburn fans anytime he praised Bo Nix.
Hell, he probably lost credibility with Auburn fans over that too.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:43 PM ^
I wouldn’t mind seeing CBS pick up ESPN’s B1G share. It’d be nice to get some 3:30 games again.
Those 3:30 tailgates would get really rowdy in college because students still generally started drinking around the same time they did for noon games but had an extra 3 hours on the backend to put away more booze. Good times
February 15th, 2022 at 3:01 PM ^
Amen. 3:30 games are the best.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:13 PM ^
The user demographic is getting older on this site. Years ago, anyone here suggesting a 3:30pm start would get shouted down by the kids who liked the earlier games because reasons. I suspect more MGOBLOG users live away from A2 now and have a new appreciation for later start (not night) start times.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:52 PM ^
I thought it was the old people that wanted the early starts? I thought the theory was the kids were too hung over to show up for a noon kickoff?
February 15th, 2022 at 6:42 PM ^
IIRC, the kids (or the ones who bothered to show up to the game) liked the 12pm start because they could get the game out of the way, go home, nap and rally for whatever the hell kids do at night.
People from out of town seemed to prefer later starts (but not night) because there is more time to tailgate.
But I may be completely full of shit.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:27 PM ^
You're exactly right. Noon games were the best. Wake up at 7 or 8, drink for a few hours before the game, hit Blimpy Burger for a quint, take a disco nap, and you're golden for a full night. Might be dark and disorienting when you arise from your nap, but just shotgun a Natty Light and you're feeling like a million bucks.
Meanwhile now I wake up at 8 and I've slept in.
February 15th, 2022 at 2:53 PM ^
Maybe they will take a bit less money in return for games with less commercials and stoppages.........or they will pay more money and there will be a commercial break in between downs making games even more unbearable to watch live.
February 15th, 2022 at 3:00 PM ^
To hell with Notre Dame (and NBC)
February 15th, 2022 at 3:19 PM ^
I know the officials running the B1G are incredibly stupid.
But are they stupid enough to sign with NBC and help ND?
February 15th, 2022 at 3:20 PM ^
At least ESPN doesn't put the second-tier games on their crappy subscription streaming service. I'm looking at you Peacock.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:00 PM ^
If I remember right, the share RU and UMd receive goes to 100% next eyar or the year after, so accounting for that the increase per school may not be as much as some would hope.
I'd still expect about a 40% increase in the outlay per school from these deals. So from 50M/school to 70M ish?
February 15th, 2022 at 4:05 PM ^
Fingers crossed for CBS.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:32 PM ^
Que será será. I can't get worked up about how ESPN/CBS/NBC/ABC/FOX/BTN slice up the college football pie. It's all about money. I just saw a report that a majority of the top 100 live broadcasts in the last year were football. It was about the NFL, but I'm guessing a significant number of those broadcasts were also college ball.
However, I will say, OTA broadcasts are more likely to be in 4K, since there is no data compression. And since I watch CBS/NBC/ABC/FOX OTA, that's where I hope to see most Michigan games. The picture and speed is pretty awesome now. I can deal with a few games going to ESPN, but that isn't my preference. Then I have to go to a friend's house or to the bar to catch the game.
I also am all over seeing something done about cutting back on the number or time of commercial breaks. I kinda like when they have commercials with a split screen, so you can continue to see what is happening on the field while a commercial starts or ends.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:45 PM ^
How does one physically manage to have so many repeat posts? I just don't understand how it could happen.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:48 PM ^
IMO:
ESPN has the best overall game presentation.
Fox is fine. Announcers are good. Not sure the camera/production work is quite up to ESPNs level and the commercial breaks are ridiculous.
Could do without CBS, thought it would be amusing to hear Danielson do a 180 and talk about how great the Big Ten is, since he's a whore for whoever CBS is showing.
NBC sucks and I don't want any part of that.
Some combo of ESPN/Fox would be best in my book.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:48 PM ^
I love the referee cam for FOX. Probably the best thing in sports entertainment and let’s me tolerate the commercial breaks from FOX.
February 15th, 2022 at 9:21 PM ^
Fox’s cameras are much better than ESPN/ABC. The picture is crisp and the sound quality just comes across better. Keep Fox, If they go to ESPN they will be just one of many like they are now. It may be worse with the SEC giving ESPN exclusive rights.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:03 PM ^
I really like CBS. I think they have great production value.
Fox is my least favorite. Too many commercials, don't find the production value to be great, I think their studio guys are terrible, but I do like Johnson and Klatt.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:05 PM ^
To be fair, I don't watch a lot of CBS. They are always so busy sucking up to the SEC that I generally can't stand their broadcasts, but obviously they told their people to do that.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:03 PM ^
Regarding night games, noon games, and mid-afternoon games, my personal preference is a healthy mix of the three.
OSU game, most November games, and most tomato can/creampuff out of conference games, put at noon. Imhe, the timing of the OSU game was perfect. Shifting it later would have not improved things, and having the game finish as dusk was beginning was awesome. Even though I wasn't there, I'd imagine it was glorious to go to dinner or parties or drive home around 4:30 - 5pm. Shift things to 9pm for the end? Nah.
Fall 2022, I'd be up for ONE night game in September, along with PSU mid-October, for 2 night games at home. For the remaining six home games, I'd go three and three between a noon and a 3:30pm start. Probably one 3:30pm start in Nov., one or two more in September. Hard to say with MSU, but I think it makes sense for that to be at noon as well. It will still be a raucous atmosphere, plus it will have plenty of eyeballs watching on TV.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:54 PM ^
Me agreeing: If OSU has to play another night game against fucking Rutgers I might vomit.
My disagreement: I know it’s tradition and I’m not gloating about the outcome, but the 2006 version of The Game was amazing under the lights at the end of the game. 2016 and this year should’ve been 3:30 or 8pm starts. The downside? Our fans might be overly belligerent by that time.
February 16th, 2022 at 11:15 AM ^
Agree on some of that schedule. I'd love to see (but likely never will):
Aug/Sept games:
Since we have to have a night game each year, keep it here
The rest of the games 3:30
Oct games:
If we have to have a second night game, this is the month, but not in the last week of the month
Mix of 3:30 and noon
Nov games:
Noon games... all of them. No night games. Ever.
My reasoning, purely personal, is I love the tailgating but I loathe having to get up at like 5 to 6a to get there and get a decent spot. That and November just isn't hospitable for long-term tailgating without lots of antifreeze. Mid-afternoon games give time to get there, you don't have to scramble early, can get there and ease into the day. If I weren't going to the games then Idc when the games are played, I'd work with it.
February 15th, 2022 at 5:14 PM ^
I can't wait to be expected to pay more so that millionaires and billionaires can get a raise!
February 15th, 2022 at 5:35 PM ^
February 15th, 2022 at 5:47 PM ^
Screw espn/sec. Always would be second class to sec. Go with anyone else.
February 15th, 2022 at 6:06 PM ^
I'm more concerned about getting more hockey games on something other than BTN plus.
February 15th, 2022 at 6:29 PM ^
One billion dollars.
February 15th, 2022 at 9:45 PM ^
Almost halfway there.
February 15th, 2022 at 6:35 PM ^
Money, money, money. All it means to me is endless adds. I seldom watch any team other than Michigan because of the four hour+ time required to watch. There are books to read, walks with my wife, time for my grandchildren and a life to be lived. It’s over in a blink and watching adds is not rewarding way to spend your life,
February 15th, 2022 at 10:39 PM ^
During the Super Bowl with woke ads and porno 1/2 time show I'm sticking w college games.
February 17th, 2022 at 10:17 AM ^
What in the fuck are you talking about?
February 15th, 2022 at 7:49 PM ^
Harbs saying he is at M for as long as they want him prob adds $50mil/yr to a contract. Just by him being Jim he provides untold hrs of content per week collectively on all the daily stream/TV/podcast/radio shows.
February 15th, 2022 at 8:56 PM ^
Wow, I truly am sorry for clogging up the board! Neg away!
February 15th, 2022 at 10:38 PM ^
All of your 63 posts have been negged multiple times. But here’s another since you seem to like it.
EDIT: And if you could share the secret to such an epic multi post (so others can avoid) that would be great. Inquiring minds want to know!
February 15th, 2022 at 9:05 PM ^
Go to CBS!!!! Have them and Fox carry all the games
February 15th, 2022 at 10:37 PM ^
Bought a 3D TV and was hoping to see games on this platform on TV. I make my own 3D videos and lost one at the Big House. Shit.