As a marketer and "ad guy" this is a blockbuster move that will have significant implications for sports broadcasting, specifically college football.
CBS will walk away from the SEC when its contract ends after the 2023 football season, and all indications are that the package will move to ESPN/ABC. CBS decided to exit the negotiations for college football's most-watched TV package after making an aggressive bid in the neighborhood of $300 million per season -- a massive increase from the $55 million it currently pays annually for 15-17 games, including the conference championship game.
ESPN's proposed deal is expected to pay the SEC between $360 - $400 million annually over the length of the deal. While CBS has the rights to carry SEC football for the upcoming four seasons it has left on its contract, its expected that the winning network (ESPN / ABC) will look to aggressively "buy" CBS out from its deal for the 2021 season.
Fox Sports was heavily involved in the "bidding" process. But ESPN’s negotiations are in the final stages - and it's considered a done deal.
CBS Sports execs decided that it made more sense to invest the money they would have paid the SEC into other sports. And yesterday they signed a deal to broadcast the UEFA Champions League and Europa Cup. They also agreed on terms for an extension with the PGA Tour that will see a 60% increase in rights fees. CBS is expected to be aggressive in retaining its NFL Sunday afternoon package.
ESPN won the conference over with its argument that it can be more creative with scheduling when it controls all of the rights. With ESPN owning all of the SEC’s football rights, it’s possible that more than one game will be produced for broadcast TV; more top-tier games can be moved to primetime; and the conference can schedule more late afternoon games without having to worry about running into CBS’ exclusive window.
But, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has concerns about all of the league’s rights being tied up with ABC/ESPN because of the leverage it would give the media company.
Winners and Losers :
CBS - This is a big gamble to for CBS to walk away from the SEC despite the cost. The SEC has been a massively successful property for CBS and one if not the best produced sports broadcasts on air. This takes them out of college football - except Army-Navy. And, I love Champions League and Europa Cup but can they make it work given how many stages / matches they will carry - and the time differences ?
ESPN / ABC - Massive winner as they now control all the SEC broadcast rights, and as long as the top SEC teams are successful you can expect to see a significant number of SEC games in the 3:30 and primetime windows on both ESPN / ABC.
Now, ESPN will need to "shred" underperforming broadcast assets to make this work financially.
Monday Night Football will be the first on the block. If ESPN walks away - they will lose an NFL Playoff game, other right's - and could impact their NFL Draft Coverage down the road.
BIG - Neutral, but concerning. On the positive side, the BIG will see massive renewals on their broadcast deals from ESPN / ABC and Fox in 2023. But, they could possibly lose primetime windows for key BIG games. I would like to have seen the BIG work out a deal with CBS to acquire the 3:30 EDT Game of the Week window. I think this would have been massive for the conference.
So, now how can windows be expanded on FOX and solidified on ESPN / ABC. We don't won't to be the Confernce of choice for Noon games across the dial. Another question is who will lead the TV negotiations for the BIG, Kevin Warren has developed a good reputation, but I've heard him referred to as the "Stadium Guy and not a TV Guy". Delaney - as much as we might have despised him, was a brilliant TV negotiator.
ACC - What can you say, doomsday for the worst Power 5 football conference. Sure, Clemson will get great windows year after year. But, where will the rest of the conference games be seen ? The ACC Network is in free fall financially and locked into a terrible deal with ESPN. And, its expected rights deal will be by far the weakest of any Power 5 conference.
CBS will walk away from the SEC when its contract ends after the 2023 football season, and all indications are that the package will move to ESPN/ABC. CBS decided to exit the negotiations for college football's most-watched TV package after making an aggressive bid in the neighborhood of $300 million per season -- a massive increase from the $55 million it currently pays annually for 15-17 games, including the conference championship game.
ESPN's proposed deal is expected to pay the SEC between $360 - $400 million annually over the length of the deal. While CBS has the rights to carry SEC football for the upcoming four seasons it has left on its contract, its expected that the winning network (ESPN / ABC) will look to aggressively "buy" CBS out from its deal for the 2021 season.
Fox Sports was heavily involved in the "bidding" process. But ESPN’s negotiations are in the final stages - and it's considered a done deal.
CBS Sports execs decided that it made more sense to invest the money they would have paid the SEC into other sports. And yesterday they signed a deal to broadcast the UEFA Champions League and Europa Cup. They also agreed on terms for an extension with the PGA Tour that will see a 60% increase in rights fees. CBS is expected to be aggressive in retaining its NFL Sunday afternoon package.
ESPN won the conference over with its argument that it can be more creative with scheduling when it controls all of the rights. With ESPN owning all of the SEC’s football rights, it’s possible that more than one game will be produced for broadcast TV; more top-tier games can be moved to primetime; and the conference can schedule more late afternoon games without having to worry about running into CBS’ exclusive window.
But, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has concerns about all of the league’s rights being tied up with ABC/ESPN because of the leverage it would give the media company.
Winners and Losers :
CBS - This is a big gamble to for CBS to walk away from the SEC despite the cost. The SEC has been a massively successful property for CBS and one if not the best produced sports broadcasts on air. This takes them out of college football - except Army-Navy. And, I love Champions League and Europa Cup but can they make it work given how many stages / matches they will carry - and the time differences ?
ESPN / ABC - Massive winner as they now control all the SEC broadcast rights, and as long as the top SEC teams are successful you can expect to see a significant number of SEC games in the 3:30 and primetime windows on both ESPN / ABC.
Now, ESPN will need to "shred" underperforming broadcast assets to make this work financially.
Monday Night Football will be the first on the block. If ESPN walks away - they will lose an NFL Playoff game, other right's - and could impact their NFL Draft Coverage down the road.
BIG - Neutral, but concerning. On the positive side, the BIG will see massive renewals on their broadcast deals from ESPN / ABC and Fox in 2023. But, they could possibly lose primetime windows for key BIG games. I would like to have seen the BIG work out a deal with CBS to acquire the 3:30 EDT Game of the Week window. I think this would have been massive for the conference.
So, now how can windows be expanded on FOX and solidified on ESPN / ABC. We don't won't to be the Confernce of choice for Noon games across the dial. Another question is who will lead the TV negotiations for the BIG, Kevin Warren has developed a good reputation, but I've heard him referred to as the "Stadium Guy and not a TV Guy". Delaney - as much as we might have despised him, was a brilliant TV negotiator.
ACC - What can you say, doomsday for the worst Power 5 football conference. Sure, Clemson will get great windows year after year. But, where will the rest of the conference games be seen ? The ACC Network is in free fall financially and locked into a terrible deal with ESPN. And, its expected rights deal will be by far the weakest of any Power 5 conference.
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