College TV Rights: Pooling Idea Falls Short

The idea of merging college sports television contracts has been praised by some lawmakers as a way to boost money for schools. A recent study from the SEC and Big Ten says that this plan would actually bring in less cash than keeping each conference’s deals separate.

Growth of Media Rights

The research looks at how the value of media rights has grown over time for major conferences such as the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12. It compares this trend to a $7 billion projection made by a Texas Tech board member who also pushes for a new law to let conferences combine rights. The study finds that the current system would bring in more revenue than any pooled arrangement.

Past Experiments

Critics of pooling point to past experiments that failed. In the early 1980s, after a Supreme Court ruling against the NCAA’s collective deals, schools formed a new association that ended up earning less money than before. That history shows how difficult it is to create a single, profitable package for many teams.

Lessons from the NBA and NFL

The report also notes that the NBA and NFL succeed because they have far fewer teams—30 and 32 respectively. With over a hundred college programs, the logistics of coordinating contracts would be far more complex and risky. Even if an independent body were created to manage a pooled deal, the study warns that it could introduce new problems for smaller schools and athletes.

Bottom Line

Overall, the analysis suggests that keeping media rights decentralized preserves the unique feel of college sports and keeps revenue higher. The idea of pooling, while attractive on paper, does not match the realities of the current market.