Report: Big Ten has major plans after agreeing to new TV deals

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Big 10 commissioner Kevin Warren during the Michigan Wolverines game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Big Ten on Thursday officially confirmed its new media rights deals, which will see three different networks airing Big Ten games starting in 2023. That is a big deal, but the conference is not stopping there.

The Big Ten’s new deal will ultimately be worth more than $1 billion annually, a reflection of the conference’s increased reputation and value with the impending addition of UCLA and USC. However, the deal may also signify bigger things to come.

“We are not done expanding,” a Big Ten source told Pat Forde of SI.

This may seem obvious, but the question has remained how aggressive the conference might be after nabbing USC and UCLA. The signal being sent here is that the Big Ten will push just as hard to expand the conference and add even more value to the new broadcast deals they have just agreed.

Reports indicate that the Big Ten is casting a fairly wide net as it hunts for new additions. Ironically, their new deals may have hurt their chances of luring their dream school into the conference.