The Big Ten’s new television contract is cute. The SEC’s will be phenomenal.
First, let’s be clear. I’m not talking about how much money any particular network is willing to pay any particular conference for their television rights. Frankly, the money in college athletics has become so obscene that the actual amount in many financial agreements is inconsequential. Television networks and sports are more of a partnership than an actual exchange of goods or services. This just in – the SEC has the better partner.
The Big Ten’s deal with CBS, Fox, NBC and just about any other network willing to carry slow-tempo football is certainly massive, perhaps the biggest in the history of college athletics. Built on the NFL-television model, the Big Ten is reportedly worth $1.2-billion annually. That’s quite a bit of pocket change. No matter.
The SEC, which receives just over $300-million in annual television revenue, will just ask for more when it’s time to ink its television deal and, to no one’s surprise, the SEC will reign supreme once again. The SEC might even ask for a mid-contract renegotiation. However, as stated before, this isn’t about money. This is about the future of the two conferences that are shaping whatever college football may be in the not-so-distant future.
The Big Ten looped Southern California and UCLA into its fold before finalizing negotiations on its shiny, new TV deal. That made sense. The Big Ten now has the No. 2 television market in the nation, Los Angeles, as part of its appeal to television networks. That surely boosted the latest deal. However, it was a cash grab based on the short term. The long-term plan of shipping college student-athletes back and forth across the nation is problematic to say the least. We’ll see how that unfolds. For now, it feels like oil and water. From the SEC’s perspective, the Big Ten’s television package looks like leftovers. Too strong? Think about it.
Disney, i.e. ABC and ESPN, has dedicated itself to covering the SEC from top to bottom. There’s even an SEC Network that the Big Ten has tried to replicate. Mission failed. The SEC Network runs original programs like “SEC Now”, “Marty and McGee” and “The Paul Finebaum Show” amongst others. The Big Ten Network runs soccer and golf – and a lot of it. Sure, the SEC Network and ESPN will cover the SEC in other sports, but they all know where their bread is buttered. Football is king around these parts.
I’m told that surfing in Australia is just different. I don’t know that to be true, but I know that college football in the south is just different. Besides, sharks scare me.
The Big Ten used to be in good with the SEC. Those days are over. ESPN helped Charles Woodson win The Heisman Trophy over Peyton Manning in 1997. That would have never happened under the new broadcast arrangements. ESPN, for better or worse, manufactured a Heisman race that season because simply handing it to someone with a boring story like Peyton Manning wouldn’t have been sensational enough. ESPN needed more! Woodson’s Heisman Trophy should have “Courtesy of ESPN” emblazoned on the bottom.
There’s no question that Woodson was a star player. However, ESPN made him a Heisman Trophy winner and a household name. Imagine what they could do for current SEC players.
Who’s to say that Alabama stars Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr., can’t hop on a plane and knock out a quick promo like Manning and his little brother, Eli, did so famously? Who’s to say Tennessee stars Hendon Hooker and Cedric Tillman can’t do the same? Surely, someone can think of a good bit with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and mustard bottles. Some of this stuff writes itself. When it doesn’t, ESPN has plenty of writers to spark some creativity.
That’s what the SEC is about to get from ESPN, who sees more value in college football in the south than anywhere else in the world. Let’s face it: If ESPN wanted the Big Ten, it would have had them. Instead, the Big Ten forced a Hail Mary all the way to California to pad their pockets. ESPN didn’t want to pay for a product that is inflated because of a television market that is home to millions of people that don’t know if USC’s mascot is a Trojan or a Bruin.
That allowed the 40-year relationship between the Big Ten and ESPN to become strained. Now, it’s over. Now, ESPN has one college athletics entity to focus on: SEC Football.
ESPN has plenty of shortcomings, whether it’s “hot take” middays or a penchant for overt self promotion. However, the latter issue is now perfect for the SEC. Remember the days of the Ohio State-Michigan game dominating SportsCenter for what seemed like two months. That’s over.
There is a debate as to which television package comes with the best pregame show. I don’t know and it doesn’t matter. Everyone has their favorites. College GameDay or Big Noon Kickoff? Lee Corso or Reggie Bush? Debate amongst yourselves.
The pregame show is a very small part of what the television networks are supposed to do to hold up their end of the bargain. Those networks will also be responsible for promoting games during the week. Can anyone do that nearly as good as ESPN? Not even close.
ESPN and SportsCenter are still the go-to for sports fans. That grip isn’t nearly as strong as it has been, but it’s still pretty tight. Want proof? ESPN just averaged nearly 300K viewers to watch kids play baseball and softball. Seriously.
These are happy times in Big Ten country. The bounty flows freely. The harvest is here. Let’s see if everything is so copacetic when the Trojans are playing Rutgers. I’d rather tune into some soccer and golf.
