Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[1SEIACLONE]

yeah it’s not equal media payouts that make the NFL king, because a lot of the other major sports follow that pattern and aren’t close.

I do agree equal review is very important though and that’s why the Big Ten won’t have unequal rev share from the media deal. Glad you agree it’s such a strength!

It set the tone, look at MLB, uneven equal revenue is their major problem. As long as leagues like the SEC and B10 refuse to give up that huge advantage it will always be a sticking point. The B12 had the same problem, the larger schools refused to share revenue equals with the smaller schools. Look what
happened to that league.

Keep hanging on the belief that Ohio State, Michigan and a few others are different, because unequal revenue is coming to the B10, it's not if, but a matter of win. Each team will get a set medium and then you want more, earn it.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

It set the tone, look at MLB, uneven equal revenue is their major problem. As long as leagues like the SEC and B10 refuse to give up that huge advantage it will always be a sticking point. The B12 had the same problem, the larger schools refused to share revenue equals with the smaller schools. Look what happened to that league.

Except the Big 12 and ACC really aren't peers with the Big Ten and SEC any more in any real fashion. That split had already happened whether it's officially official or not.

Exact same as the difference between the Big 12 and ACC and the G6.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Except the Big 12 and ACC really aren't peers with the Big Ten and SEC any more in any real fashion. That split had already happened whether it's officially official or not.

Exact same as the difference between the Big 12 and ACC and the G6.

They maybe is time for them to take their ball and other sports and set up their own league.

 

[isucy86]

It's the reason the NFL is king, and every else is playing catchup. Doesn't matter if you are Giants in NY or Green Bay, everyone gets the same dollar amount out of the media. You want to win, then draft, and coach better. Teams like Michigan already have a recruiting advantage, but they also need a two to one money advantage to stay competitive?

With the money the NFL makes today, maybe the big brand/big market teams wouldn't agree to equal media share in 2026. But the NFL also has hard salary cap.

The time for P4 to share media revenue is 15-20 years too late. The revenue difference for Big10/SEC vs. Big12/ACC is too large ($30M annually).

It's the same scenario, if G5 schools insisted Big12/ACC share their media revenue ($40M vs. $10M). Doubt any Big12 or ACC would agree to that sharing.

IMO, the bigger area the Big12/ACC should be focused on is CFP revenue share. If we keep acquiescing on CFP, that's where the real money is. 11 playoff games is worth more than the ENTIRE Big10 (or SEC) media deal.

 

[isucy86]

Doubling/tripling media revenues now isn't important for Michigan (or anyone else in the B10)?

That is another asinine hot take from your end.

Fox doesn't have the financial resources to double B10 media revenues when the current deal expires. And as you're now well aware, as long as Fox maintains their majority stake in BTN, they own B10 media rights and they aren't going to con providers on sublicense deals again like they did with CBS and NBC on the current deal. Both CBS and NBC now have (or will have) new ownership.

I would be curious what you do professionally.

I can guarantee you based on working in Finance for a large, diversified, multi-national corporation that both NBC & CBS crunched the numbers and determined their ad revenue & subscription fees less rights fees & production costs generated a sufficient ROI.

And with next Big10 media deal, CBS & NBC will have to fight off other big pocketed bidders like Amazon, Apple, etc.

Plus as you alluded, Paramount/Skydance might have a huge appetite for college sports with CBS, TNT & Paramount+ streamer under it umbrella.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

It set the tone, look at MLB, uneven equal revenue is their major problem. As long as leagues like the SEC and B10 refuse to give up that huge advantage it will always be a sticking point. The B12 had the same problem, the larger schools refused to share revenue equals with the smaller schools. Look what
happened to that league.

Keep hanging on the belief that Ohio State, Michigan and a few others are different, because unequal revenue is coming to the B10, it's not if, but a matter of win. Each team will get a set medium and then you want more, earn it.

I have an obvious bias towards Michigan but when exactly is this unequal media rev share happening?

You just got done saying how it’s such a good idea and makes teams stronger so why wouldn’t it continue like it always has. Michigan won’t be pushing for it and neither will the vast majority of the conference. Also when the rest of the league says no, the issue dies.

You’re right that leagues shouldn’t have unequal rev share. That’s why the big ten and SEC don’t do it. Replace leagues with conferences and here we are

 

[FriendlySpartan]

They maybe is time for them to take their ball and other sports and set up their own league.

No one wants that as it’s truly the end of a lot of athletic programs if that happens

 

[cykadelic2]

Explain how CBS/NBC got conned?

Those deals are both now bargains and they'd sign those deals 10 times out of 10. There's not a single non-NFL or Olympic thing on those networks that commands the same ad revenue or audience that their Big Ten packages do.

Wrong, primarily due to Fox's excessive control of game selection as primary rights holder.

Multiple industry analysts and reports indicate that CBS and NBC overpaid for their respective shares of the B10 media rights deal. The financial terms represented a significant premium as sublicensed deals, especially for NBC, who has been frustrated regarding the deal's return.

And here's the real kicker => FOX bought back the 2026 Big Ten title game rights from NBC. NBC had no choice but to sell if FOX wanted it back. It did. Last year’s Indiana-Ohio St game was most watched title game (18.3 million viewers).

Both CBS and NBC got royally effed and it won't happen again with new ownership for both, And due to Fox's majority stake in BTN and holder of all B10 media rights in perpetuity as majority stakeholder, they obviously aren't going to bid against themselves.

Top Big Ten matchups remain few and far between for NBC, CBS

NBC gets a rare marquee Big Ten game this week as the network and CBS struggle with their new conference schedules.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Wrong, primarily due to Fox's excessive control of game selection as primary rights holder.

Multiple industry analysts and reports indicate that CBS and NBC overpaid for their respective shares of the B10 media rights deal. The financial terms represented a significant premium as sublicensed deals, especially for NBC, who has been frustrated regarding the deal's return.

And here's the real kicker => FOX bought back the 2026 Big Ten title game rights from NBC. NBC had no choice but to sell if FOX wanted it back. It did. Last year’s Indiana-Ohio St game was most watched title game (18.3 million viewers).

Both CBS and NBC got royally effed and it won't happen again with new ownership for both, And due to Fox's majority stake in BTN and holder of all B10 media rights in perpetuity as majority stakeholder, they obviously aren't going to bid against themselves.

Top Big Ten matchups remain few and far between for NBC, CBS

NBC gets a rare marquee Big Ten game this week as the network and CBS struggle with their new conference schedules.

awfulannouncing.com

Sounds like NBC messed up not keeping a ratings juggernaut in the title game. Can’t fix stupid leadership.

Also article is before Indianas ascendance as well as the fact that Fox loses that control in 2032. So things look a little different. We will know for sure next media deal time but I’d be pretty stunned if Media rev didn’t double. Especially if the winning continues

 

[1SEIACLONE]

With the money the NFL makes today, maybe the big brand/big market teams wouldn't agree to equal media share in 2026. But the NFL also has hard salary cap.

The time for P4 to share media revenue is 15-20 years too late. The revenue difference for Big10/SEC vs. Big12/ACC is too large ($30M annually).

It's the same scenario, if G5 schools insisted Big12/ACC share their media revenue ($40M vs. $10M). Doubt any Big12 or ACC would agree to that sharing.

IMO, the bigger area the Big12/ACC should be focused on is CFP revenue share. If we keep acquiescing on CFP, that's where the real money is. 11 playoff games is worth more than the ENTIRE Big10 (or SEC) media deal.

They weren't making that money when they agreed to the deal. It's because they agreed to do it, that allowed the league to become so successful.

 

[cyman05]

No one wants that as it’s truly the end of a lot of athletic programs if that happens

But isn’t that kind of the goal if you’re someone like Michigan? Completely smoke out everybody non B10 and SEC then you care less if you leave them in shambles because they”can’t compete” with us? If they truly don’t want that they would show an interest in creating an environment for a greater good to save a number of these athletic programs that may come to an end.

 

[cykadelic2]

Sounds like NBC messed up not keeping a ratings juggernaut in the title game. Can’t fix stupid leadership.

Also article is before Indianas ascendance as well as the fact that Fox loses that control in 2032. So things look a little different. We will know for sure next media deal time but I’d be pretty stunned if Media rev didn’t double. Especially if the winning continues

Fox doesn't lose control as long as they maintain majority stake in BTN. Until that happens, Fox is holding their Puppet Boy Petitti hostage and is the underlying reason why they are telling the B10 to not support PCSA.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I have an obvious bias towards Michigan but when exactly is this unequal media rev share happening?

You just got done saying how it’s such a good idea and makes teams stronger so why wouldn’t it continue like it always has. Michigan won’t be pushing for it and neither will the vast majority of the conference. Also when the rest of the league says no, the issue dies.

You’re right that leagues shouldn’t have unequal rev share. That’s why the big ten and SEC don’t do it. Replace leagues with conferences and here we are

If I was to guess after the next media deal is signed. but of course you will deny its going to happen until it does and then you will be on here saying that MSU had not choice but to sign the deal, and they are still better off than teams in the B12 and ACC.
Leagues should have equal share of all TV revenue, but those at the top will always do what is in their best interests. Is it far that Purdue gets an equal share to Michigan and Ohio State, no, but it makes for a better overall league. That is what the haves want, to be in a situation where those that at the bottom never catch up. And before you bring up Indiana, as your rebuttal, let's see if they have staying power more than a few years.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Fox doesn't lose control as long as they maintain majority stake in BTN. Until that happens, Fox is holding their Puppet Boy Petitti hostage and is the underlying reason why they are telling the B10 to not support PCSA.

According to your own article above it says that BTN only controls the rights of the conference till 2032

 

[FriendlySpartan]

But isn’t that kind of the goal if you’re someone like Michigan? Completely smoke out everybody non B10 and SEC then you care less if you leave them in shambles because they”can’t compete” with us? If they truly don’t want that they would show an interest in creating an environment for a greater good to save a number of these athletic programs that may come to an end.

Not really. The current environment is working quite well for Michigan. That’s why nothing is unlikely to change. There is no need to have a greater good. Ratings and interest is up, and really unless you mainline big12 sports news most people have no idea anything unusual is happening except for Sorsby gambling and Indiana being a Cinderella story.

 

[cykadelic2]

They weren't making that money when they agreed to the deal. It's because they agreed to do it, that allowed the league to become so successful.

….and the article also states that as long as Fox owns the majority stake (60%) of BTN, they control the B10 media rights including beyond 2032 and have little desire or incentive to double media revenues for conference members.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

If I was to guess after the next media deal is signed. but of course you will deny its going to happen until it does and then you will be on here saying that MSU had not choice but to sign the deal, and they are still better off than teams in the B12 and ACC.
Leagues should have equal share of all TV revenue, but those at the top will always do what is in their best interests. Is it far that Purdue gets an equal share to Michigan and Ohio State, no, but it makes for a better overall league. That is what the haves want, to be in a situation where those that at the bottom never catch up. And before you bring up Indiana, as your rebuttal, let's see if they have staying power more than a few years.

It’s not what the haves what which is why they haven’t pushed for that. The only people that have is members not in the P2. That’s kinda the whole point, it makes for a better conference. That’s why unequal rev isn’t happening.

Appreciate you putting a timeline on it, even if that timeline is over a decade out

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Wrong, primarily due to Fox's excessive control of game selection as primary rights holder.

Multiple industry analysts and reports indicate that CBS and NBC overpaid for their respective shares of the B10 media rights deal. The financial terms represented a significant premium as sublicensed deals, especially for NBC, who has been frustrated regarding the deal's return.

And here's the real kicker => FOX bought back the 2026 Big Ten title game rights from NBC. NBC had no choice but to sell if FOX wanted it back. It did. Last year’s Indiana-Ohio St game was most watched title game (18.3 million viewers).

Both CBS and NBC got royally effed and it won't happen again with new ownership for both, And due to Fox's majority stake in BTN and holder of all B10 media rights in perpetuity as majority stakeholder, they obviously aren't going to bid against themselves.

Top Big Ten matchups remain few and far between for NBC, CBS

NBC gets a rare marquee Big Ten game this week as the network and CBS struggle with their new conference schedules.

awfulannouncing.com

So an opinion piece from a blog from almost a year ago when the agreement was in its infancy is proof that they're getting conned? Okay.

Sounds like NBC made a terrible decision to sell that game knowing that FOX had the right of first refusal. Can't help them stepping on their own dicks I guess...

 

[cykadelic2]

So an opinion piece from a blog from almost two years ago when the agreement was in its infancy is proof that they're getting conned? Okay.

Sounds like NBC made a terrible decision to sell that game knowing that FOX had the right of first refusal. Can't help them stepping on their own dicks I guess...

Given your inability so far to provide anything valid to dispute the AA column, you’re going to have to accept they got conned.

 

[isucy86]

Wrong, primarily due to Fox's excessive control of game selection as primary rights holder.

Multiple industry analysts and reports indicate that CBS and NBC overpaid for their respective shares of the B10 media rights deal. The financial terms represented a significant premium as sublicensed deals, especially for NBC, who has been frustrated regarding the deal's return.

And here's the real kicker => FOX bought back the 2026 Big Ten title game rights from NBC. NBC had no choice but to sell if FOX wanted it back. It did. Last year’s Indiana-Ohio St game was most watched title game (18.3 million viewers).

Both CBS and NBC got royally effed and it won't happen again with new ownership for both, And due to Fox's majority stake in BTN and holder of all B10 media rights in perpetuity as majority stakeholder, they obviously aren't going to bid against themselves.

Top Big Ten matchups remain few and far between for NBC, CBS

NBC gets a rare marquee Big Ten game this week as the network and CBS struggle with their new conference schedules.

awfulannouncing.com

How can you say CBS & NBC "got effed" or overpaid and push the 2-3x narrative? If they overpaid, then the media consultants pushing the 2-3x narrative are wrong.

NBC bid on TV rights. Something they do EVERYDAY! They already owned Notre Dame's media rights. And NBC wanted the synergy that having back-to-back Notre Dame & Big10 games would give them. NBC also owns other sport properties and fully understands ad revenue potential. Plus NBC wanted Big10 games to grow Peacock.