TNT has more linear cable subs than ESPN and has the existing, long term relationship with the NBA which they spend big bucks on. If the money is right, a Saturday night GOTW #2 on TNT would be great for the B12/PAC. USA would be the other great alternative for a GOTW #2.
They also now own several former Regional Fox Sports net channels, rebranded as ATT sports net. They also own MLB Net, NBA TV, Golf TV, Turner sports Interactive, Bleacher Report, Motor Trend Channel.
While this might not be a great scenario, they could be a viable bidder.
With their sports content on their sports channels, plus what they host on TNT and TBS, Including Nascar, NBA, MLB etc. They could look to start or convert one of their other channels to a Complete sports network, to compete with ESPN and FS1. They have quite a bit of content already and adding college sports, Football and Tier 3 could be a lot of content to kick off a Sports Channel.
The worst part of this is they have no major over air Network, to compete with ABC, CBS NBC. They have worked with CBS in the past and are 50% partners with CBS/Paramount on the CW network. So maybe they could partner with someone, like CBS although I dont know how that would work, as I think CBS will be a major bidder themselves.
But with that in mind, CBS could be the ABC, to the WB/Discovery Sportsnets ESPN, possibly. With a complete conference tiers 1-3 that makes up a lot of content, and if they can pull in a few G5 games etc for fillers, that would be a possibility. Especially in a 16+ team conference.
I do not know how realistic this is. But WB/Discovery I think is probably searching to try something new right now, they need a win, as they have had several things not work out recently.
But I could see a few scenarios of what they could try, at least as a player in the bidding process. Who knows who actually wins the deal in the end, but the more bidders the better.