As part of a settlement between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery, the Big 12 Conference will see a number of games moved from ESPN’s streaming platform to linear television channels.
The deal will see 13 Big 12 football games and 15 Big 12 men’s basketball games per year moved from ESPN+ to TNT and TBS.
The sublicensing deal lasts six seasons and is part of litigation from WBD over the NBA’s decision to give future rights to ESPN, NBC and Amazon.
TBS and TNT will broadcast the 28 games during timeslots that would have included NBA games. Also, 10 of the 13 football games will be conference matchups.
The deal gives the Big 12 and extra TV partner and brings games that would otherwise be streaming exclusive to linear television.
“This is additive to what ESPN and FOX bring us. That’s why this is a great deal,” commissioner Brett Yormark said in a report from Yahoo Sports. “Any addition to both is complementary and will lead to more promotion and marketing around the Big 12 and conference brands.”
The deal begins at the start of the 2025 collegiate sports season in August. Iowa State is scheduled to open the year on week zero against Kansas State in Ireland on August 23.
