After all of the shifts and changes with conference realignment, there is another domino that needs consideration when discussing the ever-changing world that is College Football.
2024 will be the start of a new era of conferences, but things will already look different in a month’s time when Power Five football kicks off. The Big Ten will embark on a new television rights journey that goes into motion this upcoming season. ESPN is no longer a partner with the conference, ending a two-decade-plus relationship.
For the first time in the history of the league, the Big Ten will feature three premier games spanning from the afternoon to evening. It starts at noon ET with FOX‘s “Big Noon Kickoff”. The 3:30 time slot will go to CBS, although not until 2024 due to their current SEC deal. Lastly, “Big Ten Saturday Night” on NBC will cap off an exciting day of football.
There will also be eight games throughout the season exclusive to Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. These will occur where the Big Ten school is the primary attraction, typically during nonconference play. For example, the Michigan State vs. Washington game will be a Peacock exclusive.
At a surface-type level, the $7 billion deal is great for business, and with the conference’s expansion, especially considering the additions of four new schools into the mix next season.
This will allow for more games, bigger ratings, larger payouts, West Coast appeal, and the ability to inject the viewer with more content to watch.
The deals also move the Big 10 into a streaming future. Peacock already has scheduled games, and CBS’s Paramount Plus and the Fox Sports App could get exclusive games in the future. These mediums eliminate the need for traditional cable television, something 72 million people still subscribe to.
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With how much the average cable bill has increased over the last several years, not to mention the idea of streaming-based direct-to-consumer content, it is clear the streaming deal caters to the 18-34 age demographic.
If someone was born after the late ’90s, there’s a high likelihood they grew up with streaming and ease of access to technology at a very young age. However, for those who are a part of Gen X or older, streaming is relatively new and therefore may be difficult to grasp or understand.
Though it still exists, the days of needing cable to watch the ACC or SEC on ESPN are over. A streaming service, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling TV will take care of that. And, if done correctly, finding the actual games themselves will be easier than scrolling through different channels, fighting through non-football games in the process.
The biggest loser in this entire media rights deal is anyone who either doesn’t subscribe to the major streaming services (or doesn’t know how to access them). However, anyone who has them is all set for the future of College Football watching.
Nonetheless, it’s a new era in college sports. Content is king, money is rolling in, expansion has ravaged the sport and the digital age is changing the landscape as to how the consumer watches his or her team play.
And modernization isn’t going away anytime soon, so it’s wise to get used to it before it’s too late.
