Cincinnati.com: Big 12 money will impact UC athletic revenue, reach
Joining the Power Five conference means a much bigger piece of the collegiate athletics revenue pie
UC celebrated joining the Big 12 on July 1, a move that will see a dramatic increase in both revenue and media exposure. Cincinnati.com published a story about the news, reporting that by making the College Football Playoff in 2021, UC earned $6 million to be distributed by the AAC to member teams. The ESPN media deal which began in 2020 earned a little less than $7 million per school. That's all about to take a Big 12 leap.
Completed last fall by Commissioner Brett Yormark prior to the agreed-upon negotiating window, the Big 12 added a six-year extension for $2.28 billion which runs through 2030-31. The deal with ESPN and Fox has an annual average of $380 million per year and is projected to pay each school $31.7 million. Translated, UC has quadrupled what they were earning in the AAC, Cincinnati.com reported.
“There’s a lot of momentum with the commissioner Brett Yormark and everything the Big 12’s doing,” UC AD John Cunningham said. “We’re in a great spot.”
The story went on to say football coach Scott Satterfield's crew just had a huge recruiting weekend and top-notch players continue to visit and/or commit. Earlier this summer, UC's 2024 class was rated higher than any of the other Big 12 schools though they hadn't yet played a game at Nippert Stadium in the new league.
“It’s a lot of talk for media people and fans and that type of thing,” Satterfield said. “If you’re not picked high, you’ve got to go out there and prove it. As a coach, you have to prove it anyway. I think we’re putting together a football team that’s going to be very competitive to go out there and compete in the Big 12.”
Read more about new UC football coach Scott Satterfield here.
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