The way I would put it is to look at MLB TV vs NBA League Pass or NFL Sunday Ticket. MLB TV invested in moving to a streaming model early and it worked out great. The others have horrible streaming products.
Including a streaming component in this deal makes a lot of sense considering all of the trends in the market. It doesn’t mean that for now games won’t be delivered in the same way that they are now (via BTN, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports, USA, etc.) but it means that the league could have a quality streaming product (compare to … BTN Plus now?) that could grow.
I actually think that Amazon landing the streaming rights could be the most intriguing as far as possibilities/tech.
The future of content delivery is not cable, even for live sports.
This is another example of college sports going for a short-term money grab and not having a long-range vision. Think about what happened when the NHL moved away from ESPN. If ESPN ignores the B1G that could have some unforeseen implications regarding NCAA seedings and I think the football side and the CFP would be even more damaging to the B1G. Not to mention events like the B1G/ACC challenge are essentially done by ESPN so things like that could go by the wayside.
I get we are headed to a B1G/Fox vs. SEC/ESPN world (football side especially, apparently basketball too if this report is accurate) but I’m just not sure that is all that wise given the weight that ESPN does carry and the history of that relationship. I think even the B1G giving ESPN some scraps would go a long way toward keeping that relationship viable.
Even with major nationwide infrastructure investments, you’re relying on a homeowner to have a quality WiFi network setup where their streaming device isn’t getting a limited signal from the router.
It will definitely improve in the next 5 years, but I agree with you that I don’t see it being better than a 25-30 second delay just because that’s safe for the provider to avoid angry customers missing the important part of a game. And over time if everyone is streaming, the delay becomes less noticeable. It’s only an issue now because people have group threads during games and somebody is a minute ahead of everyone else.
Exactly. I’ve been at games with a TV monitor showing the live broadcast and it’s 10-15 seconds behind. Some of that delay might be for a dump button to censor something if necessary, but at least some of it is just buffer in case of transmission errors.
what is the deal w time-shifting in a streaming context. I generally like to start games at halftime or later in the day bc the commercials, esp for football, are out of control. are DVR-like functions–including critically the ability to skip ahead 4 minutes–more or less convenient in a streaming setting? (TBH, and I feel like a real duffer admitting this, but this is probably my major sticking point from cutting the cord generally - I know how my cable/Tivo works and that it works reliably.)
There isn’t a single answer for this, so don’t feel bad. Some platforms have DVR-like features where you can start a recorded broadcast. Some platforms let you start an event from the beginning if it’s actively on. Some don’t have that option and you just start it in progress, or wait until it’s done and then can start from the beginning if they let you watch older events.
This will definitely be resolved though, like Dylan mentioned with MLB.tv really figuring out the best user experience for streaming games. It’s not there today, but I’d expect whoever gets the Big Ten streaming rights will have a good answer by 2024 when the games kick off.
ESPN has pulled out of Big Ten media rights negotiations entirely, ending one of the longest sports media relationships in the business. That move clears the way for CBS and NBC to join Fox Sports as Big Ten broadcasters starting with the 2023-24 school year. A formal announcement could come as early as this week. It could push into next week. As part of the deal terms, CBS is expected to carry a football game in the 3:30pm ET window on Saturdays, and NBC would carry one in primetime. NBC’s Peacock streaming service will carry an undetermined number of games per year exclusively. Peacock also will simulcast the games that air on NBC. ESPN said no to the conference’s final offer of a seven-year deal, sources said. That package was for linear-only games and did not have any direct-to-consumer rights. ESPN execs believed that they would have had to pay upwards of $380M per year to keep the package, which was much higher than they were willing to go. ESPN has carried Big Ten football games since 1982. ABC started carrying Big Ten games in 1966. Fox Sports will carry the ‘A’ package of games in the noon Saturday window. FS1 and BTN also will carry an undetermined number of games. Sources confirmed a N.Y. Post report that CBS will pay around $350M for its package. NBC also will pay $350M per year for its package, sources said.
I will be curious to hear when the basketball stuff is announced. So long B1G-ACC challenge? That might have been hard to continue anyway with conference expansion
Football seems pretty cut and dry: Big Noon on Fox, 3:30 on CBS, NBC at 8. Sprinkle games on BTN, Peacock, FS1.
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.
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.
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.
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.