Business of Sports Media : How the ESPN deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is a big win for the Big 12

There goes the Big 12, wheeling and dealing its way to increased media exposure for football and men’s basketball through an industry trade between ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns TNT and TBS.

Actually, check that: The Big 12 was wheeled and dealt as part of an exchange of inventory between media titans.

For once, the conference wasn’t the prime mover of its own content. It was the willing, able, clear-eyed and strategically shrewd opportunist that recognized the immense benefits within a much larger deal hatched by the NBA, ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery to settle a lawsuit.

As a result, 13 Big 12 football games that would have been shown annually on ESPN+ have been sub-licensed to TNT and TBS starting next season. The same goes for 15 Big 12 basketball games.

We view the development as a clear but modest win for the conference. After all, the trade involves one third-tier football game per week, on average. (Premium Big 12 content will remain on ESPN and Fox.) The true benefits of the deal are rooted in the Big 12’s long-term strategic goals.

This isn’t about 2025-30, folks. It’s about 2031 and beyond.

The arrangement positions the Big 12 for greater success when it negotiates a new media rights contract at the turn of the decade.

The conference’s current arrangement with Fox and ESPN expires in the summer of 2031. Because media negotiations typically begin 12-18 months before the start of the next contract term, the Big 12 will head to market at the turn of the decade after its content has aired on TNT and TBS for five competition years.

The Big 12 will have established relationships with Warner Bros. Discovery executives and proof of performance for its inventory — all of which could facilitate negotiations for commissioner Brett Yormark.

The more competition for media rights, the higher the asking price. By airing games on TNT and TBS in advance, Yormark hopes to increase the likelihood that Warner Bros. Discovery bids on Big 12 media rights in 2030.

Especially the basketball rights.

The Big 12 is the top basketball conference in the country. Even though Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to sublicense a College Football Playoff game from ESPN — the two media companies have become quite friendly of late — both TNT and TBS are known for their basketball broadcasts.

They have been the home of NBA games and ‘Inside the NBA’ and partner with CBS on broadcasts of the NCAA Tournament.

(ESPN agreed to trade the Big 12 inventory in exchange for the rights to air ‘Inside the NBA,’ arguably the greatest studio show in American sports broadcasting history.)

In the Big 12’s ideal world, Warner Bros. Discovery sees value in the Big 12 content over five or six years and bids on the conference’s media rights — either football and basketball or just basketball — as a means of doubling down on its commitment to college sports.

That would move the Big 12 one step closer to the holy grail of media negotiations, where its current partners, ESPN and Fox, have competition from another linear company and, perhaps, one of the streaming giants, Apple or Amazon.

The extent to which Apple, Amazon and their bottomless pockets will value college football and basketball in the 2030s is unknowable.

But even a third bid on Big 12 rights, from Warner Bros. Discovery, would raise the price for ESPN and Fox.

The deal announced this week moves the conference a step closer to that cherished endgame as it tries to compete over the long haul with the SEC and Big Ten.

News, notes and nuggets

— Georgia’s victory over Tennessee was the most-watched game of Week 12, drawing 9.96 million viewers, according to SportsMediaWatch.

The audience added to ABC’s blowout victory in the ratings game. Seven of the 10 highest-rated games of the season have been SEC matchups on ABC. The other three are split between Fox (two) and NBC (one).

— ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ and Fox’s ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ will broadcast from Columbus on Saturday morning when Ohio State hosts Indiana in the premier game of the weekend. The shows were in State College, Pennsylvania, recently for the Penn State-Ohio State game.

— Colorado coach Deion Sanders said this week that he has no intention of leaving for the NFL this winter, explaining that he has “a kickstand down” in Boulder.

But one of his former Cowboys teammates, receiver Michael Irvin, told FS1 that Sanders would accept the Dallas job if owner Jerry Jones agreed to draft quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

“Good sources have told me that,” Irvin said. “Great sources have told me that.”

The speculation is more entertaining than informative considering the Cowboys just signed Dak Prescott to an $8 gazillion deal. Also, the way things work in Jerry World, the losing will merely lead to coach Mike McCarthy receiving a lifetime contract.

Viewer’s guide: Week 13

The penultimate weekend of the regular season features a handful of games with major College Football Playoff implications — and a rare 7:30 p.m. kickoff on NBC.

(All times Pacific)

Indiana at Ohio State (9 a.m. on Fox): The first major challenge for the undefeated Hoosiers and the last major obstacle blocking the Buckeyes from a rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. (Yes, we are aware Ohio State still has to play Michigan. Have you watched Michigan?) TV crew: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft

Brigham Young at Arizona State (12:30 p.m. on ESPN): The team picked 13th in the Big 12 visits the team picked 16th in the Big 12 with conference title implications for both. What a season. What a sport. TV crew: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Taylor McGregor

Colorado at Kansas (12:30 p.m. on Fox): The Buffaloes have won four in a row, while the Jayhawks have back-to-back victories over ranked teams (Iowa State and BYU). TV crew: Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams

Army vs. Notre Dame (4:30 p.m. on NBC): The Black Knights are undefeated and would climb into the CFP conversation with a victory. The Irish would fall out of the CFP race with a loss. The mere fact that this matchup carries national relevance is like something out of the 1940s, and it’s glorious. TV crew: Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen

USC at UCLA (7:30 p.m. on NBC): The Bruins must win their final two games to become bowl-eligible. The Trojans only need one victory but finish the season against Notre Dame, which ramps up the pressure to clinch a bowl berth this weekend. All the pressure is on USC and coach Lincoln Riley. TV crew: Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy and Lewis Johnson

---

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on the social media platform X: @WilnerHotline