The Big 12 a pair of contracts with ESPN and FOX Sports Media Group. Both contracts
expire after the 2024-25 athletic year.
The ESPN deal allows for 19 games per year from 2012-2015, then 23 games starting
in 2016. Games can air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and Longhorn Network (Texas games
only). FOX's deal is for up to 40 games per year to place games on FOX, F/X, FSN
and FOX College Sports. A minimum of six of FSMG's games must appear on FOX. Overall,
a minimum of 25 games must air on ABC, ESPN, F/X or FOX.
Individual institutions will retain the rights to at least one game not aired by
ABC or FSMG, allowing those institutions to explore other avenues to televising
those games. Institutions can elect to return their institutional game to FOX for
their package to televise.
Regarding Longhorn Network, one Texas game per year airing on the network counts
as an institutional game, like all other Big 12 schools. Any subsequent Texas games
airing on Longhorn Network will count towards the ESPN contract.
As part of the FSMG contract, up to three games can move to Thursdays and the network
has the ability to place games on the Friday after Thanksgiving and Sunday of Labor
Day weekend.