Idle notes: AAC-ESPN, Golf TV deals, 2026 Olympics

ESPN can reopen its American Athletic Conference rights deal in the event that the University of Connecticut leaves for the Big East, which could happen as soon as next year, Sports Business Daily reported Monday. As first reported by Digital Sports Desk, Connecticut is expected to leave for the Big East starting in the 2020-21 academic year. That is the same year that ESPN’s new 12-year, $83 million/year extension with the AAC goes into effect.

According to SBD, the extension includes language allowing ESPN to renegotiate if one of the teams leaves the conference. However, that clause was put into the deal to safeguard against the loss of football schools such as UCF and Houston. As UConn is primarily a basketball school whose absence will not be felt during football season, it is not clear whether ESPN will exercise its option.

Sports Business Daily reported Monday that Fox Sports is “leaning against” a serious bid for PGA Tour media rights when they become available in 2021. Fox is entering year six of its deal with the USGA, and to this point has carried no other golf events — other than a brief run with the Shark Shootout.

Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour is nearing a two-year contract extension with Golf Channel, its commissioner Mike Whan told reporters over the weekend. The extension will keep the LPGA on Golf Channel through 2021, the same year that the PGA Tour’s rights deals expire.

The Italian cities of Milan and Cortina have been awarded the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking what will be the first time in 20 years that Italy has hosted the Games. Milan prevailed over the Swedish cities of Stockholm and Åre. With the 2026 Games awarded, every Olympic site through the 2020s has been set. The five Olympics in the 2020s will take place in Tokyo (Summer 2020), Beijing (Winter 2022), Paris (Summer 2024), Milan-Cortina (Winter 2026) and Los Angeles (Summer 2028).