Greg McElroy breaks down problems with Big Ten media deal

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy had a few questions amid problems with the Big Ten’s media deal going into next season. Basically, the conference is across three networks: CBS, Fox and NBC.

In 2024, the CBS package will come into full effect. NBC now owns night games for the Big Ten, which could cause some schedule changes for teams who traditionally don’t play at night late in the season.

McElroy discussed the media landscape of the conference on Always College Football.

“Speaking of television issues, the Big Ten is currently in the midst of a little bit of an issue,” McElroy said. “Not that it’s going to have a long term effect on everything that’s going on. But we all celebrated the Big Ten deal with NBC, Fox and with CBS. But as Tony Petitti has now officially taken over for Kevin Warren, the deal that Kevin Warren was celebrated for is actually largely incomplete. There’s a lot of things that still need to be ironed out … There are 12 sources, multiple sources that have been quoted as to these being the problem … 

“I don’t think it’s a deal breaker. I don’t think it’s a huge issue. But just to make sure that you’re aware of where things are right now schools have to pay back nearly $40 million to Fox, because according to sources, Kevin Warren delivered NBC the Big Ten title game in 2026, without full authority to do so. And as a result, it’s going to be a financial penalty for some of the schools in the Big Ten.”

Big Ten media deal a problem?

McElroy dove into the actual scheduling as well, saying it’s kind of all over the place.

“The other thing that’s interesting (is) the Fox Big Ten package is gonna run mostly at noon … they’ll have the big game of the week at noon every single week,” McElroy said. “But CBS and NBC both have their fair share of picks throughout the course of the season. That would lead to them actually having the best game of the weekend. CBS’ best game, if they end up with the number one game that week, and there will be several per season, that game will be played at 3:30 Eastern Time on CBS. And then NBC. They have prioritized primetime. So they’re going to be at 7:30 Eastern Time on NBC. 

“It’s going to be terrific to have different Big Ten windows each and every week but based on how the draft order is concerned, Fox has top couple picks then CBS, then NBC and then they kind of snake draft the rest of it. Well, there are going to be weeks where NBC has the first overall pick which means they will put that game in primetime.” 

How about Big Ten scheduling?

That’s where scheduling could be an issue or something drastically different in 2023. Some teams traditionally don’t play primetime games late in the season.

“And one thing that the Big Ten has not done, with a ton of examples in the past are Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, they have not traditionally played night games in November,” McElroy said. “So a few things that they need to figure out with that because Penn State and Ohio State and Michigan, they’ll be at the top of the food chain for CBS, NBC and for Fox. 

“Well on the weeks that Fox and CBS, when the weeks that they pick first, then you’ll be in the noon and the 3:30 window. But the weeks that the NBC crew will pick first, they’ll obviously be at night, and the three teams have already expressed a little bit of frustration about having to play games at night when they have not traditionally done so in the past.” 

Overall it might not be the worst thing in the world for the Big Ten.

“It’s something to iron out there,” McElroy said. “I don’t think it’s a big deal. I’m thrilled about NBC, CBS and Fox having involvement in college football and I know the Big Ten will be well represented in all three windows each and every week throughout the football season as well.”