Under the terms of the agreement, Fox will air 40 American football games each season from late 2012. The conference’s overall TV revenues, including the eight-year, $480 million deal with ABC and ESPN that runs through to 2016, will increase to an average of about $150 million per year for the 10-team competition.
“In the total context of media arrangements, we think we’re in an as favourable position as anyone in the country,” said Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, who last year led efforts to save the league after Nebraska and Colorado announced plans to leave the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively.
Fox Sports Networks president Randy Freer added: “There is no question that there is upward pressure on the value of sports rights. Sports and college sports have been undervalued comparatively to other content in the marketplace, and this is going to create the opportunity for collegiate sports to create a better marketplace.”
The agreement increases the number of games covered per season on Fox by 20, although Freer has not confirmed whether the new deal includes the option of sublicensing games to networks such as ESPN and Versus as currently allowed under the existing deal.
