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ESPN has ended months of speculation about the status of their relationship with the B1G, which had been labeled It's Complicated on their joint Facebook account. Growing tired of deflecting questions at family barbecues about "when you two will settle down," ESPN shelled out $1.14bn for the remainder of the B1G media rights.
The six-year deal sees ESPN forking over an average of $190 million per year for the right to assail Iowan ears with the dulcet tones of Beth Mowins, backed by Joey Galloway's Madden-esque analysis. Fox Sports previously paid an average of $240 million per year for the other half of the B1G rights.
The B1G's total media package comes to $2.64bn, which will see conference-wide media payouts nearly triple next year when the deal begins.