Report: Winner emerges for SEC Game of the Week TV rights; potential CBS buyout discussed
By Jake Rill
Published:
A new home for the SEC Game of the Week appears to have been decided.
After it was previously reported that SEC football would be leaving CBS after the 2023 season, ABC/ESPN has won the bidding for the SEC Game of the Week rights, according to Clay Travis of Outkick the Coverage.
Travis also reported that negotiations will now focus on whether ABC/ESPN could buy out any of the four years left on CBS’s deal, which could cost more than $350 million per year.
This will be a huge change for the SEC, as CBS has been a television partner with the conference since 1996. That was when CBS returned to broadcasting regular-season college football on a weekly basis.
The only other reported contender for the SEC rights was FOX Sports, but ABC/ESPN had appeared to be the favorite.
With the potential for a buyout, it will be interesting to see how quickly this new deal develops from here and when SEC football could begin airing weekly on ABC/ESPN.
Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. He has covered the SEC since 2016.
