BYU - ESPN Deal Completed

[hawkwing]

[hawkwing]

ESPN AND BYU ANNOUNCE NEW MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Brigham Young University and ESPN, Inc. today announced a new seven-year media rights agreement for BYU home football games that will continue their longstanding relationship through the 2026 college football season.

In addition to the home television rights agreement, BYU and ESPN Events—a division of ESPN—have also reached agreement for the Cougars to participate in ESPN owned and operated bowl games in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Under a separate agreement, the Cougars are also slated to appear in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

Details of the seven-year media rights agreement

Under the new regular-season media rights agreement, ESPN will continue to televise nationally a minimum of four BYU home football games each season. A minimum of three games will be carried on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, while additional games can air on the three same networks or ESPNU. As part of the agreement, at least one game each season will be carried live on BYUtv. All games will be available to stream on the ESPN App.



Details of the new bowl agreements

The new bowl agreement with ESPN Events provides a bowl tie-in for BYU in 2020, 2022 and 2024 if the Cougars are bowl eligible and not selected to participate in a New Year’s Six bowl. Since 2011, the Cougars have played in four of the 16 bowls owned and operated by ESPN Events, including the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, 2015 Las Vegas Bowl, 2014 Miami Beach Bowl (now Frisco Bowl) and 2011 Armed Forces Bowl.

Under the terms of the new Independence Bowl agreement, the Cougars are slated to appear in Shreveport in 2021 and 2025 versus an opponent from Conference USA and in 2023 versus a team from the Pac-12. The Independence Bowl, televised on an ESPN Network, is the 11th-oldest bowl game in the country and will play its 45th edition in 2020. It was founded in 1976 and is played annually in December at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.

As part of both BYU bowl agreements, the Cougars also have an option to potentially participate in the Cheez-It Bowl in Arizona should its conference tie-ins (Big Ten and Big 12) be unable to provide an opponent. If applicable, that option can be exercised in lieu of one Independence Bowl and one ESPN Events bowl game. The Cheez-It Bowl airs on an ESPN network.

[dsmith1212]

Do I understand correctly that BYU does not have a bowl guarantee (if bowl eligible) in 2026? If so, can I assume it would be in the standard mix for any available remaining bowl slots in 2026.

Am I also correct that BYU would lose both an Independence bowl slot and an ESPN Events bowl slot if it gets into the Cheez-it Bowl once (2-for-1)?

[EM_Puma]

Typical BYU to announce a new contract, but not mention anything about the financial side of it.

[BoiseBYU]

So how much does ESPN pay BYU?

[1967cougar]

So how much does ESPN pay BYU?

Nothing. We will probably never qualify for any of these bowl slots.

[1967cougar]

So how much does ESPN pay BYU?

Nothing. We will probably never qualify for any of these bowl slots.

I'm sorry. I was obviously only referring to the bowl games, not the regular season.

[BoiseBYU]

So how much does ESPN pay BYU?

Nothing. We will probably never qualify for any of these bowl slots.

I'm sorry. I was obviously only referring to the bowl games, not the regular season.

Whew! I was starting to doubt Holmoe’s negotiating skills.

[Fido]

BYU bowl tie ins as I understand them:
2020 ESPN-owned bowls
2021 Independence Bowl vs C-USA or Cheez-It bowl if Big 12 or Big 10 can't fill spot*
2022 ESPN-owned bowls
2023 Independence Bowl vs Pac-12
2024 ESPN-owned bowls
2025 Independence Bowl vs C-USA or Cheez-It bowl if Big 12 or Big 10 can't fill spot*
2026 At-large

* Cheez-It Bowl option is only for one or the other year of 2021 or 2025 but not both with the Indpendence Bowl getting BYU in the other year. If Big 12 and Big 10 can fill their bowl slots both years, BYU will be in the Independence Bowl vs C-USA.

[snoscythe]

So, on a standard six-game home schedule we are guaranteed:

3 games on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC
1 game on ESPNU, ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC
1 game on "streaming" (i.e., ESPN+)
1 game on BYUtv

Any additional home games would only be guaranteed streaming/ESPN+