Big 12 entering early media rights negotiations ahead of schedule, per report

The Big 12 is heading back to the table for the conference’s media rights negotiations, more than a year ahead of the expiration of its current contract.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Big 12 is heading to the table soon with ESPN and FOX to discuss a new media rights deal. Those discussions come more than a year and a half out from the expiration of the current contract.

Sources: The Big 12 and its TV partners, Fox and ESPN, have agreed to enter early contract discussions about the league’s next television deal. The conversations will begin soon and come a year-and-a-half before the contract’s exclusive negotiation window. https://t.co/7MTWf2KPwY

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 31, 2022

According to Thamel, the move could allow the Big 12 the possibility of getting “tangible future revenue numbers” for member schools and potential prospects via expansion. There is also no formal window for the negotiations, and a more traditional timeline would resume for the next negotiations.

“[Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark] is doing what he should be doing, trying to gain an advantage,” an industry source told ESPN.

Part of the reasoning for the Big 12 heading to the table early is the Pac-12’s decision to also head to the negotiating table early. The Pac-12 had previously indicated an “enviable position” of being the next conference in the TV market after the B1G concluded its deal.

Now, the Pac-12’s perceived advantage is essentially gone with both conferences jockeying for position during the current state of expansion.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.