Dan Patrick weighs in on alliance potentially blocking Playoff expansion, why Big 12 was left out of group
By Keith Farner
Published:
As the ongoing discussions move forward with the alliance between the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12, the conferences appear to be jockeying for position in terms of TV rights deals related to the College Football Playoff.
Dan Patrick reported on his radio show Monday morning that a source told him how the alliance is coming together. Patrick first recalled that he got information in late July about multiple conferences working together.
“The Pac-12 and Big Ten were looking at some kind of merger or alliance because they wanted to protect the Rose Bowl contract that they have,” Patrick said. “Now the ACC, fearing of being left out, jumped in. They also aligned with the higher education, the Big Ten, the Pac-12 from what I’m told, and that’s why the Big 12 is on the outside looking in. Iowa State’s going to be a good football team, but other than that and Kansas basketball, do you want any of these schools? Kansas would be the only school that would be interesting if you’re the ACC and you can bring them in for basketball. But you just don’t want to be left out, but the Big 12 is going to be left out thanks to Texas and Oklahoma.”
Ultimately, it may come down to how involved ESPN is, and whether the alliance can make moves to allow Fox Sports or Amazon, or another bidder to join the competition for CFP TV rights.
“The alliance, they have to think about the bigger picture here,” Patrick said. “If the Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC are going to try and play for a championship, they want to make sure that there are other TV partners here. Because ESPN basically owns or is in partnership with the SEC. And they have that until 2025. From what I’m told, the alliance will attempt to block the College Football Playoff expansion until 2026, because they don’t want ESPN in bed with SEC and getting SEC schools to play on ESPN. They want other TV partners in here, they don’t want a monopoly with ESPN and the SEC. Alliance wants to maintain normalcy with practical legislation. If they expand the playoffs in 2023, ESPN owns the SEC, and the College Football Playoff.”
The Alliance (#Big10, #ACC, #Pac12) will try to block #CFP expansion until 2026. If they were to expand in 2023 ESPN would own the TV rights to both the #SEC and College Football Playoffs. ESPN having both could create an advantage for SEC schools in CFP selection. pic.twitter.com/DiCmvSTnY7
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 23, 2021
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
