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| Big 12 Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Big 12 Network |
| Type | Collegiate sports network |
| Country | United States |
| Launched | 2024 |
| Owner | Big 12 Conference |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas |
Big 12 Network is a collegiate sports network serving the Big 12 Conference and its member institutions. Launched amid negotiations involving the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, Pac-12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, and major broadcasters such as ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and NBC Sports, the network aims to centralize distribution for live athletics and ancillary programming. The initiative reflects trends set by entities like Longhorn Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, ACC Network, and streaming ventures including Peacock (streaming service), ESPN+, and Amazon Prime Video sports efforts.
The network's genesis followed shifts in collegiate media rights precipitated by deals involving ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, NBCUniversal, and streaming partners such as Apple Inc. and Amazon.com. Early proposals invoked models from the Longhorn Network and Big Ten Network, while rivalries with Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Kansas Jayhawks, Iowa State Cyclones, and Baylor Bears influenced negotiations. Formation discussions referenced precedents like the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Network expansion, the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference media model, and litigation involving the NCAA. Key milestones included board votes by university chancellors and presidents, agreements with rights holders represented by agencies such as IMG, Creative Artists Agency, and Wasserman. Public announcements coincided with television market realignments involving Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Kansas City metropolitan area, and Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
Ownership is structured through the Big 12 Conference membership, with governance by a board comprising chancellors and athletic directors from institutions including University of Texas at Austin, University of Oklahoma, University of Kansas, West Virginia University, and Texas Christian University. Strategic partners include broadcast corporations like ESPN Inc., Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, while distribution agreements involve carriers such as AT&T, Comcast, Dish Network, and DirecTV. Oversight mechanisms mirror corporate governance practices used by entities like National Collegiate Athletic Association member conferences, and compliance processes reference regulations from the Federal Communications Commission and antitrust considerations examined in cases like American Needle, Inc. v. National Football League.
Programming blends live football and basketball broadcasts featuring teams such as Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Kansas State Wildcats, TCU Horned Frogs, and West Virginia Mountaineers with studio shows, documentaries, and highlight packages. Weekly output includes coaches shows involving figures like Steve Sarkisian, Brent Venables, and Bill Self, recruiting analysis referencing NCAA transfer portal movement, and feature pieces about rivalries like Red River Showdown and Border War (Kansas–Missouri rivalry). Production draws on commentators from Joe Buck, Kenny Albert, Gus Johnson, and analysts such as Mark May and Doug Gottlieb, while offseason content includes draft coverage tied to the NFL Draft and NBA Draft.
The network is available via traditional carriage deals with multichannel video programming distributors including Comcast Corporation, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, and satellite providers Dish Network and DirecTV. Over-the-top distribution leverages platforms like ESPN+, Peacock (streaming service), and dedicated apps compatible with devices from Roku, Inc., Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Chromecast. Regional sports network dynamics involving Bally Sports and retransmission consent negotiations with broadcasters such as WGN-TV and KXAS-TV informed market rollout. International rights for select events were negotiated with partners including DAZN Group and Sky Group.
Production operations are centered in facilities in Frisco, Texas and the Dallas-area campus used by conference offices, with secondary hubs near member campuses like Austin, Texas, Norman, Oklahoma, Lawrence, Kansas, and Fort Worth, Texas. Technical workflows incorporate control rooms modeled on major broadcasters such as CBS Sports Network and utilize equipment from vendors like Sony Corporation, Grass Valley Group, EVS Broadcast Equipment, and graphics systems inspired by Chyron Corporation. Mobile production units and remote trucks are deployed to venues including AT&T Stadium, Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Allen Fieldhouse, and Baylor Ballpark for football and basketball coverage.
The network secured conference-wide rights for live games, sublicensing arrangements with legacy partners ESPN and Fox Sports, and event-specific deals for championship games. Partnerships include content-sharing with institutional networks at University of Texas at Austin and Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, sponsorships from corporate partners like Nike, Inc., Adidas, State Farm, and Capital One, and collaborative broadcasts with collegiate agencies such as Learfield IMG College. Rights negotiations considered NCAA postseason rules, bowl affiliations with entities like the College Football Playoff, and basketball tournament logistics involving National Invitation Tournament venues.
Critical reception compared the network to predecessors such as the Big Ten Network and SEC Network, with commentary from media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN (magazine), Sports Illustrated, and The Athletic. Stakeholder responses from university presidents, athletic directors, and fanbases at institutions like University of Texas at Austin and University of Oklahoma focused on revenue sharing, exposure, and competitive balance. Economic analyses referenced television rights valuations similar to deals struck by the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference, while policy scholars discussed implications for collegiate governance and antitrust scrutiny exemplified by cases litigated in federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Category:Sports television networks in the United States