Big Ten media rights: ACC/B1G Challenge future in question

Big Ten media rights reports focus on college football, which drives the revenue, but the new partnerships will also involve college basketball. With the B1G reportedly cutting ties with ESPN and turning to FOX, CBS and NBC, there’s uncertainty surrounding the popular ACC/B1G Challenge on the hardwood.

It is by no means the most seismic impact, but it’s difficult — not impossible, but difficult — to imagine the ACC/Big Ten Challenge sustaining past this. https://t.co/4ETMF2Vs4p

— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) August 9, 2022

ESPN helped create the challenge and currently holds the rights to all games. Andy Katz of the Big Ten Network shared that the conferences and their media partners could come to a new arrangement. The easiest way to solve the issue would be if ESPN handled the ACC’s home games while another network handled the games hosted by B1G teams.

Reacting to @Ourand_SBJ news: @BigTenMBB teams can still appear on ESPN Networks in non-conference multiple team events, neutral-site games not in BIG territory. Fate of @theACC-BIG Challenge unknown. Only way is split with ESPN taking ACC home games, another network BIG home.

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) August 9, 2022

Katz points out, however, that even if a media arrangement could be worked out, the B1G may not wish to continue the ACC challenge after expanding to add USC and UCLA to the B1G conference schedule. Katz adds that while a TV split makes it possible to continue, it doesn’t help with the likelihood of the Challenge continuing with the new partnership.

The question will be: Will the @BigTenMBB coaches still want the @accmbb Challenge once it adds @UCLAMBB and @USC_Hoops? It won’t be needed with the addition of more quality conference games. TV sharing makes it less likely too. But we shall see. Stay tuned!

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) August 9, 2022

Incorrect. It can be on ESPN if it’s in BIG territory if negotiated. The Challenge is a home and home and ESPN will not have BIG home rights. https://t.co/hfuceqWHjz

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) August 9, 2022