Sports TV News
Brett Yormark: No Better Partners Than ESPN and Fox
The commissioner also added if no extension is reached the conference has an exclusive window with ESPN and Fox to negotiate until February 2024.

Published
1 year agoon
By
BSM Staff
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has confirmed to The Athletic the conference has began negotiations on a media rights extension with ESPN and Fox.
“I met with ESPN last week, had great meetings with them,” Yormark told Justin Williams. “I think we’re very aligned and like-minded in where we want to go in the future. I’ll be meeting with Fox in the next week to gauge their interest.”
The commissioner also added if no extension is reached the conference has an exclusive window with ESPN and Fox to negotiate until February 2024.
He also noted the ideal television partner would “help us glamorize and market and promote the Big 12 and our member institutions” noting he didn’t believe there were better partners than ESPN and Fox.
“It is an exciting time for college athletics and given the changing landscape we welcome the opportunity to engage with our partners to determine if an early extension is in the best interest of all parties,” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a press release last week. “The Big 12 has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with its multi-media rights holders, and I look forward to having these conversations.”
Sports TV News
MLB.TV Sees Record Numbers in 2023
MLB.TV had nine of its top-10 most-watched days in its 21-year history in 2023.

Published
32 mins agoon
October 3, 2023By
BSM Staff
When MLB.TV was launched in the summer of 2002, the product revolutionized the way people consume the game of baseball, especially for people out of the home marketplaces of their favorite teams. The app has engendered people to become immersed in fandom across the country, a cable television subscription notwithstanding, and has been one of the most successful streaming packages on the market.
In the 2023 season, Major League Baseball reports that there were 12.7 billion minutes of action watched on the platform, up 9% from last year. Furthermore, the outlet has experienced a 14% increase in users, along with a concurrent 17% increase in the games watched. These changes are attributable to the remodeled portal, and likely the rules changes that have hastened play and grown offensive output.
MLB had a 24-minute decrease in the average length of a standard, nine-inning contest and a 7% increase in runs per game, leading fans to come to the ballpark in droves.
The out-of-market streaming service further backed the trend that baseball is on somewhat of a resurgence, with fans ages 18-24 watching 16% more games in 2023 than last season. MLB.TV had nine of its top-10 most-watched days in its 21-year history in 2023, including the top five of all-time. Overall, the number of games watched from start to finish rose by 17%, evidence of the sport being able to more effectively capture the attention of consumers.
Major League Baseball’s postseason coverage begins on Tuesday afternoon with Wild Card round matchups in both the American League and National League on ABC/ESPN.
Sports TV News
Big Ten on Peacock Basketball Schedule Released
In addition to 32 regular season matchups, Peacock will exclusively stream early-round games from the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Published
2 hours agoon
October 3, 2023By
BSM Staff
As part of its new media rights deal, NBC Sports has the right to exclusively stream 47 Big Ten men’s basketball games. For the inaugural season, 34 matchups will be on the streaming service.
In addition to 32 regular season matchups, Peacock will exclusively stream early-round games from the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The announcement of the schedule comes on the heels of reporting that former ESPN analyst Robbie Hummel will serve as one of the color commentators for NBC Sports and Peacock’s coverage of the Big Ten. Additionally, Jordan Cornette, Zora Stephenson, and Noah Eagle are also joining the network for its basketball coverage.
The Big Ten on Peacock basketball schedule is below.
Date | Time (ET) | Matchup |
Mon., Nov. 6 | 7 p.m. | Princeton vs. Rutgers (Trenton, N.J.) |
Fri., Nov. 10 | 7 p.m. | Texas A&M vs. Ohio State |
Fri., Nov. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | UTSA vs. Minnesota |
Fri., Nov. 10 | 8 p.m. | Alabama State vs. Iowa |
Fri., Nov. 10 | 9 p.m. | Tennessee vs. Wisconsin |
Fri., Nov. 17 | 7 p.m. | Morehead State vs. Penn State |
Sat., Nov. 18 | 2 p.m. | USC Upstate vs. Minnesota |
Sat., Nov. 18 | 4 p.m. | Oregon State vs. Nebraska (Sioux Falls, S.D.) |
Tues., Dec. 5 | 7 p.m. | Wisconsin vs. Michigan State |
Tues., Dec. 5 | 9 p.m. | Indiana vs. Michigan |
Sat., Dec. 16 | 4:30 p.m. | Arizona vs. Purdue |
Thurs., Dec. 21 | 7 p.m. | LeMoyne vs. Penn State |
Fri., Dec. 29 | 7 p.m. | Maine vs. Minnesota |
Fri., Dec. 29 | 8 p.m. | Jackson State vs. Northwestern |
Tues., Jan. 2 | 7 p.m. | Purdue vs. Maryland |
Thurs., Jan. 4 | 7 p.m. | Penn State vs. Michigan State |
Thurs., Jan. 4 | 9 p.m. | Minnesota vs. Michigan |
Tues., Jan. 9 | 7 p.m. | Indiana vs. Rutgers |
Tues., Jan. 9 | 9 p.m. | Purdue vs. Nebraska |
Tues., Jan. 16 | 7 p.m. | Purdue vs. Indiana |
Tues., Jan 23 | 7 p.m. | Ohio State vs. Nebraska |
Tues., Jan 23 | 9 p.m. | Michigan vs. Purdue |
Tues., Jan. 30 | 7 p.m. | Illinois vs. Ohio State |
Tues., Jan. 30 | 9 p.m. | Michigan vs. Michigan State |
Tues., Feb. 6 | 7 p.m. | Indiana vs. Ohio State |
Tues., Feb. 6 | 9 p.m. | Michigan State vs. Minnesota |
Tues., Feb. 13 | 7 p.m. | Michigan vs. Illinois |
Tues., Feb. 13 | 9 p.m. | Ohio State vs. Wisconsin |
Tues., Feb. 20 | 7 p.m. | Iowa vs. Michigan State |
Tues., Feb. 20 | 9 p.m. | Maryland vs. Wisconsin |
Tues., Feb. 27 | 7 p.m. | Wisconsin vs. Indiana |
Tues., Mar. 5 | 7 p.m. | Purdue vs. Illinois |
Wed., Mar. 13 | 6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Tournament |
Wed., Mar. 13 | 9 p.m. | Big Ten Tournament |
Sports TV News
Matt Shepard Won’t Return as Detroit Tigers TV Voice
Shepard became the TV voice of the Tigers in 2019.

Published
2 hours agoon
October 3, 2023By
BSM Staff
The Detroit Tigers and Bally Sports Detroit have decided that Matt Shepard won’t return to the team’s television broadcast booth in 2024.
“Bally Sports Detroit thanks Matt Shepard for his five seasons of dedication in the Tigers television booth, and wishes him the best in his future endeavors,” Greg Hammeran, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Bally Sports Detroit, told The Detroit News in a statement. “He’s been a great teammate and has an incredible passion for Detroit sports and bringing compelling storylines to millions of fans every year.
“Change is often difficult, but we feel it’s time to head in a new direction and are looking forward to the process of finding our next play-by-play voice of the Tigers.”
Shepard became the TV voice of the Tigers in 2019 after previous broadcasters Rod Allen and Mario Impemba were fired due to a physical altercation in 2018.
Before joining the Tigers, Shepard hosted radio shows in Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Northern Michigan. He was also previously the radio play-by-play broadcaster for University of Michigan men’s basketball and Eastern Michigan football broadcasts.
During his five-year tenure as the television voice of the Tigers, Shepard was paired with numerous analysts on a rotating basis. Kirk Gibson, Craig Monroe, Dan Petry, Jack Morris, and Cameron Maybin all worked alongside Shepard on Fox Sports Detroit and Bally Sports Detroit.