The Big 12 have a pair of contracts with ESPN and FOX Sports. Both contracts
expire after the 2024-25 athletic year.
The ESPN deal allows for 23 games per year and games can air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and Longhorn Network (see note below re: LHN). FOX's deal is for up to 40 games per year to place games on FOX, FS1, FSN
and FOX College Sports. A minimum of six of FSMG's games must appear on FOX with another six on FS1. Overall,
a minimum of 25 games must air on ABC, ESPN, FOX and FS1. Starting in 2017, the conference will reactivate their championship game. FOX Sports will carry the game in odd numbered years and ESPN has the rights for even numbered years.
Big 12 selection order for each week will be determined via a draft of weeks before the season. In even numbered years, FOX will retain the top choice of weeks and in odd numbered years, ESPN wiil have it.
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.