BCS & Fox in Negotiations -BCS Wants A Lot More Money
The current pact between the BCS and Fox ends in 2010 and the BCS wants Fox to pay 60% more for the Post Season games. That would mean that Fox would pay $132 million a year for its four BCS games.
That’s a huge jump in rights fees, especially with the way the economy is right now. Currently, the BCS collects $82 million yearly for the series.
ABC/ESPN could find themselves back in the hunt for the BCS Championship Game
The SEC recently signed a $3 billion dollar pact with ABC/ESPN, and the BCS just might asking for such a big bump in hopes of getting ABC back in the bidding process.
The BCS/Fox contract gives the network exclusive negotiating rights until the end of this week. Then if the they don’t accept the BCS’ final offer, and if the BCS finds someone in the open market who will pay it, Fox does not have the right to come back and match it.
Should ABC/ESPN get back in the BCS picture they would own a vast majority of the college football product. They would also have the right to move at least one of the BCS games to ESPN.
The BCS is looking for a 4-year extention, (which would coincide with the ABC/RoseBowl contract), while Fox want a 6-year contract.
November 4, 2008 at 7:46 am
Interesting stuff, srr50.
There’s some serious money flowing into college football.
The Fox ratings for Florida/Ohio State in 2006 and LSU/Ohio State in 2007 were very good but I still can’t see Murdoch ponying up that much money in this market.
The Rose Bowl will likely be USC vs. Ohio State/Texas/Florida. Obviously an Ohio State rematch would be a ratings nightmare compared to the alternatives. If ESPN gains rights to the game, they’ll set up shop a week early with Stuart Scott on Sunset Blvd and give a few days of airtime to Kenny Mayne chasing tail on campus with Pete Carroll. And if anyone actually cares, you can catch the Rose Parade on the Disney Channel.
We could very likely see an SEC team (Florida) smoke a Big 10 team (Penn State) in the BCS title game for the third year in a row.
November 4, 2008 at 8:14 am
ESPN already has the rights to the Rose Bowl as it makes its own TV seperate from the rest of the BCS.
November 4, 2008 at 8:46 am
The network does have rights to the Rose Bowl but the current clause requires it be aired on ABC. A new contract would negate that and let ESPN air the game if desired.
If ABC/ESPN ultimately wins the bid and moves even one BCS game to ESPN, it would trigger a clause in its Rose Bowl contract that would allow it to immediately take the annual Pasadena, Calif., game from its home of 21 years on ABC to the cable channel. It’s uncertain if ABC/ESPN would move the game, but it would have the right to do so.
November 4, 2008 at 8:52 am
Gotcha. Interesting.
November 4, 2008 at 9:09 am
Why does everybody keep suggesting Texas to the Rose Bowl. I would think the only way they would take a non-Pac-10 non-B10 team is if they were forced to.
November 4, 2008 at 9:26 am
I would think the only way they would take a non-Pac-10 non-B10 team is if they were forced to.
I would think that if they were looking at a USC-Ohio Sate rematch they would look for any way out.
November 4, 2008 at 9:37 am
Without a doubt.
The Rose Bowl committee would be all over Florida or Texas (likely whichever team doesn’t play for the MNC) over an Ohio State rematch.
November 4, 2008 at 11:30 am
The big Televen is a huge league of suck.
November 4, 2008 at 11:50 am
If Fla, wins the SEC they can’t go to the Rose Bowl. Sugar or BCS CG. If they lose another game the Rose Bowl won’t want them.
November 5, 2008 at 5:27 am
[...] who are angry with Fox’s coverage of the BCS, might get a reprieve in 2010. The BCS wants Fox to pay 60% more for the Post Season games which would mean that Fox would pay $132 million a year for its four BCS games. Again this [...]
November 5, 2008 at 2:05 pm
My concern would be that the commercial time-outs during the games are already tooooooooo looooooooooooooooong. So, the NCAA or somebody out to say, enough! If you want more revenue from the commercials, just increase the cost of each spot.