$500 million worth Big East media rights deal to potentially increase by 35% as Val Ackerman signs new six-year agreement: REPORTS

The Big East Conference has agreed to a new six-year media rights deal. FOX Sports will remain the television partner of the basketball conference, but the deal also brings in NBC Sports and TNT Sports to provide coverage of the conference.

The previous 12-year deal will have made the conference $500 million in rights fees. This new deal is expected to increase revenue by approximately 35-40%

According to the press release, the new agreement will span from 2025-26 to 2030-31 season and provide major national broadcast, cable, and direct-to-consumer streaming coverage of BIG EAST men’s and women’s basketball games and Olympic sport championship contests.

In the agreement, FOX Sports will broadcast 80 Big East men's and women's basketball games and will remain the Big East Men’s Tournament Final through 2031.

Peacock, meanwhile, will start its coverage in 2024-25 and will air 25 regular season games and five early round and quarterfinal conference tournament games. In 2025-26, Peacock and NBC Sports will broadcast over 60 regular season games for men's and women's basketball.

Finally, TNT will air 65 regular season Big East basketball games on TNT, TBS, truTV, and Max, from 2025-26 season.

“Our new agreement that provides coverage by FOX Sports, NBC Sports and TNT Sports will allow the BIG EAST to maintain our already high level of national broadcast and cable exposure while adding first-time streaming coverage for men’s basketball games and expanded distribution of games on the women’s basketball side,” said Creighton University President and BIG EAST Conference Board of Directors Chair Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD.

“The arrangement will provide enhanced revenue and long-term stability for the conference, create benefits for our student-athletes, and allow us to remain nationally competitive in our marquee sport: basketball. We are especially excited to continue our one-of-a-kind relationship with FOX Sports and look forward to building on the exceptional foundation we have established together over the past 11 years.”

According to Sportico, the new deal could generate $75 to $80 million annually for the conference.

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The new deal will increase Big East coverage

By bringing in NBC and TNT, the Big East will add more coverage to other sports along with basketball.

For men's basketball, more than 150 regular season games will be televised, along with up to 65 regular season games for women's basketball games.

Along with basketball, Olympic Sports team championship contests will also be shown on TV as part of the new deal.