ESPN eyes massive deal to secure ninth SEC game rights

In the high-stakes world of college football media, the SEC is about to become even more valuable — and ESPN is ready to pay the price.

The network, already the exclusive home of the SEC after a blockbuster deal that took effect in 2024, is now reportedly willing to shell out an additional $50 to $80 million per year for rights to broadcast a ninth SEC conference game, according to a report by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and Seth Emerson.

Why the big push now? It’s all about leverage and viewership. Eight of the top 10 most-watched teams in college football last season were SEC programs. As ESPN and ABC lean heavily into this dominance, the incentive to lock down more high-stakes matchups is clear — especially with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams and increasing the weight of strength-of-schedule.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has played his cards cautiously. Speaking earlier this year, he acknowledged that while he supports a nine-game schedule, the league is still gauging how playoff selection metrics will value added losses from tougher conference play.

“I really think we ought to be trying to move towards a nine-game conference schedule… But not if that causes us to lose opportunities,” Sankey said on The Paul Finebaum Show.

Texas and Oklahoma joining the conference only adds fuel to the fire. With more marquee programs now in-house, a ninth game could mean another Alabama vs. Georgia-level clash on national TV — and ESPN wants to make sure it’s the one airing it.