ESPN, Fox and CBS signed their new deals with the Big Ten last year, but it only took the conference another 13 months to officially announce them. So we know that all three networks will be airing Big Ten games, The ESPN Family of Networks/Fox Sports Group on football and CBS/ESPN/Fox on basketball.
With Fox Sports in, it means that there’s a new place to watch Big Ten games after ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU and Big Ten Network had aired them dating back to 2007. Now Fox has joined the party through the 2022-23 season. Let’s take a look at what each conference partner will air.
We thank Matt Sarzyniak, the man behind Matt’s College Sports on TV, for this information.
BIG TEN NETWORK
It’s been extended as the home of the Big Ten by another five years through 2032. And BTN will air ten men’s basketball tournament games starting in 2018. It’s an increase of five from the five it used to air.
CBS
Will air at least ten regular season basketball games, mostly on Sundays and it continues to air the semifinals and finals of the men’s basketball tournament.
ESPN
Home to 27 football games on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. ABC or ESPN will air at least six primetime games a season.
The latest
As for basketball, ESPN or ESPN2 will combine to air 38 men’s games.
The networks of ESPN will cover women’s basketball and Olympic sports.
FOX
Fox and FS1 will be the home of 24 – 27 football games, nine of which will be aired in primetime. Fox will air the football championship game every season.
You’ll see 39-47 men’s basketball games on Fox/FS1 with as many as ten aired on Fox.
Fox will have the first priority of games for much of the football season, although ESPN will get first pick in some weeks. It means you’ll see games like Ohio State-Michigan on Fox rather on ABC.
As for basketball, CBS, ESPN and Fox will have equal priority on pick of games.
It’s going to be a slight adjustment to have Fox involved on the Big Ten, but by the time this contract ends in the next decade, we’ll have gotten used to watching games on Fox and FS1.
About Ken Fang
Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.
He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.
Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.