Joe Buck had one year remaining on his deal with FOX when he accepted an offer to join his longtime partner Troy Aikman at ESPN. In addition to paying Buck a massive amount of money, ESPN also had to make a trade with the play-by-play announcer’s former employer.
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, FOX agreed to let Buck out of his contract early as a gesture of good faith. However, the network did work out an agreement with ESPN. FOX and ESPN share the rights to Big Ten football games. They have a drafting system where they pick specific games, and ESPN has agreed to let FOX pick one Big Ten game earlier than usual next season in exchange for Buck.
As college football writer Bryan Fischer notes, the deal likely amounted to ESPN giving FOX the Sept. 3 Notre Dame-Ohio State game.
ESPN seems to have traded ND at Ohio State to Fox for letting Joe Buck walk a year early then. https://t.co/w8N7maPpja
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) March 12, 2022
That is the first game of the season for Notre Dame and Ohio State, and both programs could be ranked in the top five of preseason polls. FOX will gladly take that marquee matchup.
Buck’s deal with ESPN is expected to be in the $60-75 million range. Aikman had an opt-out in his contract with FOX, so no trade was necessary between the two networks. The Hall of Famer is, however, making a lot more than Buck at ESPN.
Photo: Jan 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; FOX analyst Joe Buck before the NFC Divisional Playoff football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
