The Southeastern Conference group of US colleges is in talks with its media rights partners the CBS network and pay-television sports broadcaster ESPN about launching its own cable-television channel.
The SEC is currently finalising a restructured media rights deal with CBS and ESPN. In addition to discussing increased rights fees, the parties have discussed a conference channel that could be ready for launch in time for the 2014 college football season, the SportsBusiness Journal reports.
The negotiating position of the 14-team SEC has been strengthened after it added the Texas A&M and Missouri colleges to its ranks. The two colleges’ addition triggered a clause in the SEC’s current media rights deal which allows it to go back to the negotiating table with its broadcaster partners. The Atlantic Coast Conference’s addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse triggered a similar clause which this month led to a major new media rights deal with ESPN.
The ACC’s new deal with CBS and ESPN will cover 15 seasons, from 2012-13 to 2026-27, and is worth $3.6 billion (€2.8 billion), with $17.1 million being distributed to each participating college per season. The new agreement will begin on July 1, and will replace an existing 12-year deal, from 2011-12 to 2022-23, which is worth $1.86 billion and distributes $12.9 million to each participating college per season.
ESPN’s current contract with the SEC was agreed in 2008 and is worth an average of $150 million per year over 15 years. The agreement granted ESPN all of the rights that CBS didn’t have, preventing the SEC from starting its own channel.