A Closer Look at CFB Television Rights

The new Pac-12 division announced its recent TV deal a few weeks ago and it sent shock waves throughout the college football industry.  I had to do a Bugs Bunny double take when I saw that each school was granted $21 million annually throughout the 12 year deal with ABC, ESPN, and Fox.  Holy sh-t.  

 

Let me put this in perspective: SEC schools get $17.1 million annually and Big Ten schools get $18.3.  Will the Pac-12 garner higher ratings than the SEC or Big Ten (let alone 25% more)?  No.  But college football is more popular than ever.  Which means ratings are higher.  Which means networks can charge advertisers more money.  That the SEC’s 15 year deal was solidified two years prior is the only reason it trails the new Pac-12′s.  Rest assured, they will top all schools when up for renewal.

 

Which brings me to Miami’s role in all of this.  Not being familiar with the whole economics of the NCAA and television rights, I figured the ACC would at least be in the same ballpark as the Big Ten and SEC.  After all, they also boast the most prestigious basketball conference in the land, which is also included in the divisional television rights.  Uh, no.  The ACC negotiated a deal in 2010 that disburses $12.9 million annually per school.  Yes, that is a lot of money and signifies why Miami moved from the Big East in the first place, but nearly 40% less than the f’n Pac-12?  30% less than the Big Ten?  Who the F is negotiating for the ACC?  Master P?

 

What’s really going to kill me is the Big East’s new deal in 2013.  It will surely surpass the current ACC deal UM is locked into.  And remember, Miami left the Big East to chase bigger dollars in the ACC.  Big money is big money, but when you’re talking about schools like Washington State earning $9 million more annually than Miami and FSU, something ain’t right.

 

If/when Miami and FSU return to the national spotlight, the ACC deal is going to look even worse.  Listen, I understand that the broadcasting companies bid for these rights and, in essence, the market determines the finalized dollar amount.  But why lock into a 12 year deal?  When any professional athlete signs a long term contract, the reaction is ‘Wow, I can’t believe they’re paying him that much!’  Then, in the finaly year of the 9 year contract, those same people say, ‘Wow, so-and-so only makes that much?’  There’s a term called inflation.  It symbolizes the rise in prices of goods or services over time.  I’m no math wiz, but me thinks that the ACC should have had the foresight to see that in year 2021, this deal is gonna look even sh-ttier than it does now.

 

My vote is to jump ship and move back to the Big East.  In 2013, we’ll get a lot more money, and we can go back to playing a much easier schedule, thus giving us a better chance to play in a BCS bowl and earn even more money.  And win championships.