Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Photo: David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Southeastern Conference (SEC) football will no longer partner with CBS after its contract expires following the 2023 season, and will likely move to ESPN/ABC, Sports Business Journal reports.
The state of play: CBS reportedly made an aggressive bid for college football's most-watched TV package, offering about $300 million per season, but network executives decided they would rather invest the money into airing other sports, per the Sports Business Journal.
- CBS currently pays $55 million per year for streaming rights, and ESPN/ABC is reportedly prepared to pay six times that as negotiations wrap up.
- CBS has broadcast SEC games since 1996, the Sports Business Journal notes.
The big picture per Axios' Sara Fischer: It will be interesting to see moving forward if networks continue to win over regional and local sports leagues or if tech companies continue stepping in. There’s less risk involved in moving local content than national league content to tech platforms that are willing to spend lots of cash.
- As evident with CBS, networks will only be willing to spend so much for local or regional rights when they could invest that money in national sports rights.
Our thought bubble: This deal shows how much value is being placed on live sports in an era when very few things are viewed live anymore.
- Worth noting per Axios' Kendall Baker: This would make ESPN heavily invested in the SEC Network, which they already own, but it also shows how invested they are in college football as a whole — where they have the rights to the playoff and bowl season.
Go deeper: The sports streaming landscape, mapped