If you’re ESPN and you’ve got contracts with every conference on the planet, at some point someone has to say, “Where we gonna put all these games?” Answer: CBS.
CBS Sports announced today that it has signed a multi-year agreement with ESPN to eventually air 26 basketball games per year from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12. This isn’t new. ESPN has sold off SEC football games to networks like CSS and Fox Sports Net since signing their contract with Mike Slive’s league. You can own everything, but you can’t possibly show everything. (Unless the folks in Bristol finally launch “The Ocho.”)
What this means for the SEC remains to be seen. By clearing off more games from other leagues from its schedule, is ESPN preparing to carry more SEC contests now that the league has two new hoops squads and additional inventory?
Stay tuned.
