Is the SEC Leaving CBS? Why is SEC Leaving CBS?
by Mathelene
Updated Nov 27, 2023
Is the SEC Leaving CBS?
Yes, the SEC is leaving CBS after a long partnership. The decision to part ways began over a decade ago when Missouri and Texas A&M joined the SEC. ESPN, another network, agreed to pay the new schools more money, but CBS did not. This caused tension and led to a disagreement over the distribution of funds among the schools.
CBS refused to adjust their contract to account for the new teams, which upset SEC officials. Despite attempts to negotiate, CBS held its ground. Eventually, the SEC and CBS went separate ways. The SEC made a significant deal with ESPN, while CBS moved on to the Big Ten. The final season of the SEC on CBS marks the end of their exclusive broadcasting rights, with SEC football shifting to ESPN's platforms.
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Why is SEC Leaving CBS?
The SEC is leaving CBS because of a strained relationship that started over a decade ago when Missouri and Texas A&M joined the conference. When the SEC expanded, ESPN agreed to pay the new schools more money, adjusting their distribution. However, CBS did not do the same, causing a financial imbalance among the schools.
Despite efforts to negotiate, CBS refused to change its stance. This disagreement led to a gradual deterioration of their relationship. Eventually, the SEC and CBS decided to part ways. The SEC secured a significant deal with ESPN, while CBS moved on to the Big Ten. The final season of the SEC on CBS marks the end of their long-standing partnership, with SEC football now exclusively airing on ESPN's platforms.
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a college athletic conference in the southern United States, founded in 1932 with thirteen initial members. Today, it consists of fourteen universities, including flagship public schools from ten states, three public land-grant universities, and one private research university. The SEC is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, and competes in NCAA Division I, particularly in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football.
The conference, anticipating expansion to sixteen members with the addition of the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma in 2024, has a rich history of national championships across various sports. Notably, the SEC pioneered the NCAA Division I football championship game in 1992 and was a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. Financially robust, the SEC distributed $721.8 million among its 14 schools in 2022. The current commissioner is Greg Sankey, in office since 2015.
SEC on CBS
The SEC on CBS, a long-standing partnership, has been a major broadcaster of SEC sports. Over the years, CBS, ESPN, and the SEC Network jointly aired SEC games, making them widely accessible. CBS, with exclusive over-the-air rights, held the prestigious 3:30 PM game of the week. However, tensions arose over financial arrangements when Missouri and Texas A&M joined the SEC. CBS declined to adjust payments proportionally, causing strain in the relationship.
In 2024, a significant change will occur as CBS ends its broadcast of SEC sports, marking the conclusion of an era. ESPN will become the sole broadcaster, having secured a 10-year deal worth around $300 million per year. This deal covers SEC games on ABC and the SEC Championship Game. The transition signals a new chapter for SEC sports broadcasting, ending a historic run with CBS and emphasizing ESPN's role as the primary platform for showcasing SEC events.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports, the sports broadcasting branch of the American television network CBS, is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The CBS Building on W 52nd Street and Studios 43 and 44 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W 57th Street serve as its primary locations.
CBS Sports boasts premier sports properties such as the WNBA, NFL, Southeastern Conference (SEC) football, BIG 10 Football, NCAA Division I college basketball (including the NCAA men's basketball tournament), PGA Tour golf, the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and the UEFA Champions League.
Recognized for its excellence, CBS Sports received the Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Synchronous Enhancement of Original Television Content for Interactive Use award at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards, specifically for its program March Madness on Demand.
Is the SEC Leaving CBS? - FAQs
The SEC is leaving CBS due to a deteriorating relationship that began over a decade ago when Missouri and Texas A&M joined the conference.
The conflict stemmed from CBS's refusal to implement a pro rata adjustment in payments when the SEC expanded with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M.
Starting in 2024, ESPN will be the exclusive broadcaster for SEC sports, marking the end of CBS's long-standing partnership.
CBS's premier sports properties in its partnership with the SEC included the WNBA, NFL, SEC football, BIG 10 Football, NCAA Division I college basketball, PGA Tour golf, the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and the UEFA Champions League.
The SEC played a pioneering role in televised college football by leaving the College Football Association in 1994 and signing landmark deals with CBS and ESPN.