CBS did nothing special for the SEC.Here is an interesting quote from Outkick the Coverage (SEC homers):
"It’s harder to grow your brand with only one broadcast partner. Because now what incentive will Fox, NBC, or CBS have to promote the SEC? None at all. That’s why the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA, the Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12 and (likely the NHL in its next deal) all have multiple broadcast partners.
Second, for ABC/ESPN, this will lead to rampant charges of bias on the part of Disney/ESPN/ABC. Disney is now massively incentivized to promote the SEC; some would argue that promotion will come at the expense of other college leagues.
In a sport where perception is reality, that’s a major issue going forward.
Especially when other leagues may follow the SEC’s lead and pledge exclusive rights to individual networks. The Big Ten could end up all at Fox, the Pac 12 and Big 12 to CBS or NBC? (The ACC was already at ESPN)."
I think Clay Travis (notorious SEC homer) is thinking about the future not just right now.CBS did nothing special for the SEC.
ESPN was already being notorious homers for the conference. Big Ten fans hate ESPN Gameday because of what they perceive as SEC heavy bias.
The Big Ten didn’t leave ESPN completely last contract because their coaches didn’t want to leave their exposure.
This was Disney protecting themselves from Amazon/Netflix steaming services.
NBC is happy with Notre Dame.
Fox would leave exclusive Big Ten rights.
The Big XII and ACC are owned by ESPN.
PAC-12 isn’t worth much unless USC becomes good again.
UNC has been a "sleeping giant" since they last won the ACC championship in 1980. It remains to be seen whether Mack 2.0 will produce the results of Mack 1.0 since more schools are coming into the ACC's home area to recruit. One of their prime recruiting areas was Tidewater Va (Lawrence Taylor). George Welsh, as UVa's coach, reduced that flow to a trickle, then VPI started going into that area quite heavily. Now, just about every school in the traditional East and Southeast is recruiting there. Plus, the notorious AFAM classes were designed to keep their players eligible. They're now gone.{snip}
North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Louisville do have potential to be consistently good. I include UNC as they could be the dominant force in North Carolina FB over Duke, Wake Forest, and NC State. Clemson will remain great - their DC Venables is paid like a head coach and two of his sons will play there for the next 4 or 5 years.
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Holy crap, CBS offered nearly a 6X jump and the SEC said no? CBS knows how much revenue they generate off of these games. It doesn't make sense for them to keep them if they're not getting what they need.