FOX, ESPN and CBS: The Competition for College Football TV Rights

March 4, 2025 by Staff

There is no doubting the popularity of college football. In many areas of the United States, it is even more popular than the NFL. Since college teams play most of their games on Saturdays, and not on Sundays like the majority of the NFL games, it is only logical that the biggest American TV networks fight over the rights of NCAA football. And the conferences go to battle against each other in search of the most lucrative deal that will help them retain the schools they have in their fold, and attract more popular schools.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame continues to thrive as an independent with the financial backing of its own deal with NBC. The expansion of the College Football Playoff, from four teams to twelve, has been an underlying consideration for schools jumping from one conference to another. But it all comes back to the money.

In the days of the Transfer Portal, along with NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) contract bidding for the top players, these schools have to create a pathway to deeper pockets and streams of revenue that are separate from their school's educational budgets.

Virtually every game involving the 130-plus major college football teams is televised, either by an OTA (over the air) network such as CBS, or a cable outlet such as ESPN, or a related streaming service. Some conferences, with partnerships through those major players, have their own branded networks. It is safe to say that - in the world of college football - there are only two things equal to the competition on the football field - the fight for TV rights, and the growing interest in sports betting, especially online. There are now many major operators offering their odds for intercollegiate championship competitions. You can find a complete overview at www.oddschecker.com/us/football/college-football by Oddschecker, one of the most important comparators in the iGaming industry. This platform is widely used and can give an insight of news, statistics and, obviously, suggest the best odds on the net to whoever would like to bet.

College football is must-see television for sports fans all over the country. FOX, ESPN and CBS have been the biggest bidders, but the CW has also gotten in the act.

The PAC-12 deal

Those broadcast right contracts were the catalyst in the breakup of the PAC-12 which saw ten of its twelve members defect to other conferences prior to the start of the 2024 season. The PAC-12 found itself without a contract, and made a poor effort to negotiate a new deal. So off to the Big Ten went the historically significant southern California programs of USC and UCLA, along with the two most successful programs in the northwestern United State - Oregon and Washington.

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah -- the four corners schools - all bolted for the Big 12.

Stanford and California were later absorbed into the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference).

Washington State and Oregon State were left to fend for themselves. They created a partnership with the Mountain West Conference for 2024 and will play as independent schools in 2025, before re-merging in 2026 as members of a reconstituted PAC-12 after pillaging the very conference that helped them out - the Mountain West.

On July 1, 2026, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State will all officially leave the Mountain West to join the new PAC-12, alongside the Beavers and Cougars. They also picked up UTEP from Conference USA as the necessary eighth member to be sanctioned as a conference by the NCAA.

Those conferences will, in turn, attract schools from other conferences - such as Northern Illinois agreeing to leave the MAC for the Mountain West.

Now, the PAC-12 expects to have a new TV deal in the coming days. Traditional bidders like ESPN and FOX are in the discussion. Reportedly, Turner Sports and the CW are also looking for a slice of the pie.