I think ESPN tries to leverage that idea to get a lower bid accepted. I find it interesting that the Big Ten isn’t willing to play along this time.
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What about all the basketball games previously on ESPN though? That’s 4-6 games a week right? Presumably that gets pushed down the line unless all of a sudden NBC and CBS are putting Big Ten Basketball in weekday primetime. Or I guess maybe most Big East games move to streaming only or something.
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I assume FS1 gets the top draw for weekday games now and potentially takes on more inventory then they were last year.
The worst part of this is that it means a ton of Big Ten hoops on FS1 which I can’t stand. And potentially Big Ten hoops without Hummel.
Then if it is NBC and CBS then you have USA and CBSSN which probably are going to choose Big Ten games over what they have (probably bad news for A10, MWC type leagues). Then BTN and then you have Peacock that probably gets something.
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Football in-conference works out really neatly. 4 windows, 16 teams. Presumably not an accident. Each network has a primary and a cable secondary (Fox/FS1, NBC/USA, CBS/CBS Sports). Out of conference is when you get stuff pushed to Peacock and whatnot.
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I’m not sure if NBC and CBS are bidding on anything for CFB other than the one game, though. I would think BTN and FS1 choose before some of those other networks’ secondary tiers, but I’m not sure.
He was a lead BTN analyst last season. Did he make a move to ESPN since then?
He did both BTN and ESPN last year, so we’d still get him on the B games I suppose but not the A games.
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Didn’t realize Benetti officially made the jump over to Fox from ESPN. Couldn’t find any contract details re: Hummel just googling but could imagine the same impetus that pushed Benetti could do the same to Hummel. Dk if everybody feels the same way I do about Jason but IMO he’s incredible. Feel very lucky he calls Sox games.
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yeah losing espn is going be a blow to b1g basketball, football will be fine though
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I’m fine leaving the ESPN networks for basketball coverage. I’m still bitter from that BS camera angle they had during that Ohio State game.
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cbb is becoming more and more niche and lack of espn can really impact those sports, see nhl
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They’re going to win by paying the most money.
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Not TruTV? Dang!
ESPN is kind of in trouble no? They keep downsizing staff and it seems like when I go by it while channel hopping they show a lot of what used to be fringe sports. It seems like espn is losing clout to me on the whole.
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yet they give out big money on hacks like Skip and SAS
Yes I think ESPN is in real trouble. Even SEC folks are acknowledging that. It’s really just SEC-or-bust as far as college sports go for ESPN now. College sports were always a huge part of ESPN’s programming and losing the Big Ten, among other issues, is a real blow, even if they do have the SEC. I mean really, their programming for college football is hilarious. I can’t tell the difference between it and the SEC Network.
As for us: Big Ten hoops on FS1 is going to absolutely stink. They are the worst. BUT, Gus Johnson for football is 
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Maybe FS hoops stuff will get better now that they have more B1G inventory. They got Benetti. Maybe Hummel can come over.
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Casey Jacobson loves Juwan though, right? So even though he knew nothing about how UM played, he at least would be familiar with our existence…which was better than the majority of FS1 studio and in-game announcers.
Everyone is dodging the real question…will Bill Walton transition over to Fox? I can’t see NBC or CBS going for him. Anything that reduces the chances of Walton calling a UCLA/UM game will make me happier.
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I don’t watch ESPN other than live games, but didn’t they scale all of that back like 5-6 years ago? Skip left for Fox around then I thought.
Benetti is just so good at his job. Major upgrade for Fox.
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