In August, the Big Ten completed a seven-year media rights agreement with FOX, CBS and NBC. This deal will go into effect on July 1, 2023.
During a media session at Ohio State on Friday, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit was asked about the Big Ten’s latest TV contract.
Herbstreit admit that he’s disappointed ESPN won’t call Big Ten games under the new media rights deal.
“I’m sad,” Herbstreit said, via Eleven Warriors. “I love Ohio State, I love the Big Ten, I love coming into these stadiums. It’s a highlight for me any time we can come here, obviously, or go to Penn State or Wisconsin or any of the [Big Ten stadiums].”
Herbstreit added that he hopes to get another chance to call Big Ten games on a weekly basis at some point in the distant future.
“I just signed a new five-year deal with Amazon and ESPN. Five years from now, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I don’t even know if I’ll be doing college football in five years. But my hope is to come back, to get a chance on a weekly basis to call games in the Big Ten. That would be my hope.”
The Big Ten’s media rights contract will run through the end of the 2029-30 athletic year.
Herbstreit will have to enjoy this Big Ten season while he still can.