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B1G Payday: Fox (might) pay us $250m/yr for 1/2 of our football games

It looks like we're going to watch games on FS1/FOX instead of ESPN, and get paid a lot more for it.

By LincolnParkWildcat
Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

The Big Ten conference is about to reap a major media rights windfall according to news coming out of www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.

As best I understand it, half of the Big Ten football games are allocated to the Big Ten network, and the rest assigned to ESPN. (The Big Ten network is a joint venture split 51/49 with Fox). Basketball is split between BTN and CBS. However, that deal is ending.

Fox is willing to part with $250,000,000 each year for the rights (over a period of six years) for 25 football games and 50 basketball games to be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Fox.

$250,000,000 a year over six years for 1/2 of the current inventory!!!

We're getting paid (apparently) at just the right time. Hot damn