The Big Ten previously announced kickoff times for early-season games and several special date matchups throughout the fall. But logistics for the vast majority of conference games are not yet known; they will be announced each Monday, starting on Sept. 9.
Those selections are sure to elicit a range of emotions, particularly from fans of the West Coast teams entering the Big Ten. While comparable to the in-season TV selection process used by the Pac-12 in past years, there are important differences.
To the greatest extent possible, the Hotline will attempt to explain in real time why a certain network selected a specific game. (They don’t have it out for your team.)
But for now, we have compiled as much information as possible about the Big Ten’s TV selection process. Hopefully, presenting some rules of the road in advance will help stave off frustration and confusion during the season.
(All times listed are Pacific)
— Generally speaking, the Big Ten has four broadcast windows each Saturday: 9 a.m. (Fox), 12:30 p.m. (CBS), 4:30 p.m. (NBC) and occasionally 7:30 or 8 p.m. (Fox, FS1 or the Big Ten Network).
This season, the conference controls 126 games, broken down in this manner:
43 games on Fox or FS1– Thursday nights on Fox: one (North Carolina at Minnesota)- Friday nights on Fox or FS1: 12- Saturdays on Fox or FS1: 30
24 games on NBC or Peacock– Saturdays on NBC: 14- Black Friday on NBC: one (Nebraska at Iowa)- Saturdays on Peacock: nine
15 games on CBS– Saturdays: 14- Black Friday: one (Minnesota at Wisconsin)
Additionally, the Big Ten Network controls 44 games — nine more than the Pac-12 Networks aired last season.
However, that figure represents just 35 percent of the total number of Big Ten-controlled games (126), whereas the Pac-12 Networks aired 44 percent of the Pac-12’s games last year.
— As policy, the Big Ten does not discuss specific parameters related to the broadcast windows. But based on published interviews with Fox executives and color analyst Joel Klatt, we know the following:
Fox, the Big Ten’s primary media partner, owns the first three selections in the weekly draft. (Note: The networks choose dates, not specific games.)
With the first pick, Fox naturally chose Nov. 30 to ensure that it will broadcast Ohio State-Michigan, the most coveted regular-season game in college sports.
With the second pick, Fox selected Sept. 7, allowing it to secure the Texas-Michigan showdown.
Fox then traded the third pick to NBC in exchange for better options lower in the weekly draft. Not surprisingly, NBC used the No. 3 pick for Oct. 12, the date of Ohio State’s visit to Oregon. (Mark that game for 4:30 p.m. on your calendars.)
Fox also controls the first pick on Nov. 2 and will have the option to air either Oregon-Michigan or Ohio State-Penn State in the ‘Big Noon’ window.
Finally, we know CBS had the first pick on Sept. 21 — the network has already announced the USC-Michigan game in its 12:30 p.m. window.
That’s the extent of our knowledge of the Saturday selections.
— The Big Ten Network (BTN) does not have the No. 1 pick in the weekly draft.
However, every team is required to appear on the BTN at least twice per season, with one appearance being a conference game. (Whether the games are home or road doesn’t matter.)
— There are no requirements for the number of appearances on Peacock, although the conference will attempt to spread the nine Peacock windows across as many schools as possible.
Four games have been announced for Peacock: Rhode Island at Minnesota, Boise State at Oregon, Central Michigan at Illinois and Washington State at Washington.
(Of note: The Apple Cup, set for Lumen Field in Seattle, is on Peacock at 12:30 p.m. because conflict with the Mariners game that evening at T-Mobile Park prevented it from being on NBC at 4:30 p.m.)
— There are no weather-related provisions in the Big Ten’s media contract, although the conference said it will work with Fox, CBS, NBC and the campuses “to understand preferences related to a variety of issues specific to local communities.”
— The Big Ten’s media partners usually will select games 12 days in advance (two Mondays before kickoff), but they have six-day selections available — just as ESPN and Fox did with the Pac-12.
The number of six-day selections is undisclosed but, according to the conference, mirrors the total in the Big Ten’s previous media contract. We believe that number to be four.
— Start times for Homecoming games will be announced 12 days before kickoff. However, the Big Ten has already given the schools two possible broadcast windows, and they are contiguous.
For example, Oregon’s Homecoming on Oct. 26 (against Illinois) could kick at 12:30 or 4:30 p.m. but won’t be a night game.
The same applies to Washington’s Homecoming on Nov. 2 (against USC).
— The Hotline is particularly curious about parameters related to travel and time zones.
Is there a cap on how many 9 a.m. (body time) games the West Coast teams can play in the Central and Eastern Time Zones?
What about teams from the Eastern half of the country playing night games on the West Coast, resulting in Sunday morning arrivals back on campus?
Also, is there a maximum number of night games each team can play, regardless of location?
That information is not public, unfortunately. But the conference said it will work closely “with its television partners and member institutions to balance the additional opportunities for national exposure with the potential impact on academics, health, safety, rest, recovery, and overall competitive equity.”
Always remember: The networks paid for the right to broadcast the best product possible for their audience — a goal that sometimes conflicts with preferences of fans attending the games.
One final nugget: Kickoff times will typically be announced Monday before lunchtime.
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