Could ESPN soon be heading down the road to the Final Four?
USA Today reports that ESPN “would be interested in bidding for the rights” to the Men’s NCAA Tournament, should the NCAA opt out of its current deal with CBS in 2010. Currently, ESPN only has the rights to the NCAA Tournament play-in game.
ESPN SVP of college sports programming Burke Magnus says he’s “quite certain” ESPN would be interested in the rights to the NCAA Tournament, “[i]f it were to become available, and fit the definition of a business decision for us.”
The current NCAA deal with CBS, which was signed in ’99 and went into effect in ’03, lasts through the 2013 season — but the NCAA can opt out of the deal by July 31, 2010.
In a statement to USA Today, CBS Sports EVP of Programming Mike Aresco touted the “great relationship” between CBS and the NCAA, and said that CBS “[expects] to be in business with the tournament for a long time.”
ESPN already has the rights to another crown jewel of college sports. Last November, the network acquired the rights to the Bowl Championship Series, including the BCS National Championship Game. ESPN also has the rights to the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
Source: USA Today
