The Big Ten Conference is reportedly discussing a private capital deal; NBCUniversal and YouTube TV reach a short-term extension; and the LA Clippers are centralizing their digital broadcasts. Plus news on Pedro Martínez, Big South Conference, Monumental Sports Network and a new FDSN show.
Big Ten reportedly discussing private capital deal
The Big Ten Conference is said to be in discussions about a private capital deal that would bring at least $2 billion into the league and its member schools and potentially include a decade-long extension of the conference’s grant of rights through 2046, according to sources cited by Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel of ESPN. The conference is reportedly considering three different private entities and a decision is expected to reportedly occur in upcoming weeks.
One configuration that is being discussed would create a “new commercial entity within the Big Ten that would house all revenue generation such as media rights, sponsorships and league revenue streams,” something that has the working title of “Big Ten Enterprises.” The new venture would be focused on business development rather than standard league functions, which would remain under the purview of the conference. The Big Ten had been looking at preliminary bids from private equity firms earlier in the year, as first reported by Sportico in January.
Sources cited indicate support “from nearly the entire league,” though the two highest-profile programs — Ohio State and Michigan — remain in discussions as the conference looks for unanimous support ahead of a vote. Member institutions of the Big Ten Conference currently receive payments under the ongoing seven-year media rights deal reportedly worth a total of $7 billion across Fox Corporation, Paramount and Comcast Corporation. Should a private capital deal be approved, annual distributions would be divided into 20 stakes that include the 18 schools, the league itself and the private capital investor.
Private equity has been moving into college athletics amid changes adjacent to the sport in recent years, such as the ability for athletes to be paid by schools and the move to a single football transfer portal. The Big Ten is in the second year of the current 18-team alignment with the additions of UCLA, Oregon, USC and Washington, and the conference is reportedly aiming to have more than 20 teams in the future. The conference has also been advocating for College Football Playoff expansion plans that would guarantee the conference as many as seven automatic bids.
NBCUniversal, YouTube TV reach short-term extension
NBCUniversal and YouTube TV reached a short-term extension as the two sides continue negotiating a new carriage deal, it was announced shortly after their deal was to expire early Wednesday morning. News of the short-term extension came just days after the companies issued statements warning about a potential blackout, including YouTube TV offering to give its customers a $10 credit if the networks remained unavailable “for an extended period of time.” Several reports had indicated that YouTube TV wants to “ingest” Peacock into its app, something that had presumably been holding up the negotiations. It remains unknown how long the short-term extension will hold as NBCUniversal presents several marquee sporting events in the coming weeks.
YouTube TV is said to be viewing itself as being a “major player in the distribution game” and is seeking to be treated accordingly, per a recent report by Alex Sherman of CNBC. Sherman explained that YouTube TV wanted to secure lower rates for the NBCUniversal portfolio of networks, but that executives from the latter “view YouTube skeptically” since a blackout could drive users to the traditional YouTube platform. NBCUniversal started warning viewers about the potential outage last week with messages both on screen and across social media explaining the situation.
While the NBCUniversal networks remain available on YouTube TV through the short-term extension, TelevisaUnivision networks are currently not accessible through the platform. YouTube TV is offering its Spanish Base subscribers a $6 credit or a refund “depending on your billing provider.” The carriage agreement for the networks expired at the same time, and there was no update on the situation on Wednesday morning. YouTube TV is said to be in negotiations with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN regarding a carriage agreement before their current deal expires.
‘ClipperVision’ reportedly moving into team’s FanDuel Sports Network app
Three years after the LA Clippers launched the “ClipperVision” direct-to-consumer streaming platform, the vertical will be merging with the team’s FanDuel Sports Network app to centralize the digital broadcast presentations, according to a report by Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal. The move will eliminate the need for the “ClipperVision” brand to exist starting on Saturday, Oct. 18. Several of its innovative feeds are no longer going to be available as well, such as CourtVision, Mascot Mode and Korean-language broadcasts.
The Clippers, whose games are broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network SoCal, are entering the penultimate season of their contract with Main Street Sports Group reportedly worth $34.59 million for this year.
The “ClipperVision” direct-to-consumer platform has been viewed as an archetype of sorts for other models that entered the marketplace in the years to follow. The Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz introduced DTC apps in 2023 coinciding with their move away from regional sports networks to a distribution model blending broadcast and streaming platforms. Ahead of the last NBA season, the Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans created their own platforms and departed their RSNs as well. Heading into the 2025-26 season, 13 NBA franchises will have games broadcast through FanDuel Sports Network-branded RSNs, but the league is said to be interested in launching a national streaming solution in the 2027-28 season.
Plus: Pedro Martínez, ESPN-Big South Conference, Monumental Sports Network, FanDuel Sports Network
- Hall of Fame SP Pedro Martínez has signed a multiyear extension with TNT Sports under which he will continue to appear as a studio analyst during regular-season and postseason coverage of Major League Baseball from TNT Sports. The extension comes two weeks after the company signed game analyst Ron Darling to a multiyear contract renewal.
- ESPN and the Big South Conference have reached a six-year media rights extension that will run through 2030-31, which will mark four decades since the entities started working together. Under this deal, Big South basketball championship games will continue to air on linear television, and the conference is permitted “to retain the rights to telecast up to 50 linear events per year locally” within its footprint while they remain accessible through ESPN+.
- Monumental Sports Network is now available through the DirecTV MyHome Team add-on to the MySports Genre Pack, the RSN shared on Wednesday. The RSN was dropped from Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV last night amid expiring carriage agreements, and general manager Friday Abernethy subsequently stated that the RSN had and would continue to offer “numerous fair deals filled with economic concessions to keep [the] programming accessible.”
- FanDuel Sports Network is launching a one-hour live weeknight whiparound show hosted by former ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor Stan Verrett that will make its premiere on Monday, Oct. 27 at 5:30 PM ET. The program, which is titled “FanDuel Sports Network Countdown Live,” will include analysts and reporters providing insight on matchups, breaking news and more ahead of NBA and NHL contests.
