ESPN and the BIG EAST have struck their first media rights agreement since the current version of the conference launched in 2013. Plus: contract news on Dan Orlovsky and James Brown; a new deal for the PBR.
ESPN, BIG EAST, restart relationship with streaming deal
ESPN and the BIG EAST on Tuesday announced a six-year digital rights deal in which at least 300 events per year will air on the ESPN+ streaming service. The deal, the first between ESPN and the BIG EAST since the current iteration of the conference began in 2013, includes a minimum of 25 men’s (non-conference) basketball games, 75 women’s basketball games and 200 Olympic sporting events.
BIG EAST games previously streamed on FloSports.
The ESPN agreement is in addition to the new rights deals the conference signed with NBC Sports, TNT Sports and incumbent Fox Sports.
ESPN, Orlovsky, reportedly agree to deal; CBS host Brown in extension talks
ESPN and NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky have agreed to terms on a new contract, though the agreement is not yet final, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. Orlovsky, who has been with ESPN since 2018, will continue in his current roles.
McCarthy also reported Monday that CBS and NFL Today host James Brown have begun discussions on a contract extension. Brown, who at 74 is the eldest of the major sports studio show hosts, reportedly “has no plans to retire.” He has hosted one of the major NFL pregame shows continuously since leaving CBS for FOX in 1994, including “NFL Today” since beginning his second CBS stint in 2006.
PBR reaches Fox Nation deal
Professional Bull Riders has reached a deal with the Fox streaming service Fox Nation to carry Friday night events in its Camping World Team Series, it was announced Tuesday. Under the deal, “PBR Friday Night Live” will air on the streamer for ten weeks through the first night of the championship series October 24.
The rights previously belonged to Merit Street Media — the Phil McGraw venture that filed for bankruptcy last week — but PBR terminated that deal in November alleging breach of contract for failure to pay rights fees.
The PBR deal marks the first live sports content on the Fox Nation service.
