MSU athletics makes $150 million deal with FOX Sports – Lansing State Journal
Michigan State’s athletic department Thursday announced a 15-year agreement worth more than $150-million with FOX Sports for the school’s multimedia rights.
The deal, which will begin during the 2016-17 academic year, will give Fox Sports access to the school’s 25 varsity sports, a release from the athletic department said. It includes “in-venue signage, as well as print, radio, television programming, corporate hospitality, digital and social media integration, promotional and experiential activities, and intellectual property rights and official designations.”
MSU was the last school among the Power 5 conferences to deal with its own licensing rights, according to the school.
MSU athletic director Mark Hollis said the additional revenue will help the athletic department increase scholarships, cost-of-attendance payments, academic support, travel, athletic training and medical services.
“Now is the right time and FOX Sports is the right partner for Michigan State,” Hollis said in the release. “FOX Sports can focus on building the Michigan State brand and leverage synergies with the FOX Sports family of networks, including FOX Sports Detroit and BTN.”
FOX Sports owns and operates the Big Ten Network. Spartan Sports Network will retain its offices in East Lansing and work in conjunction with FOX Sports to handle radio broadcasts, coaches’ shows and other programming.
“We are proud to partner with Michigan State Athletics and its roster of long-term, committed corporate sponsors,” said Kyle Sherman, president of FOX-owned Home Team Sports and FOX College Properties. “This is a special opportunity, and one we are committed to growing in the finest traditions of Michigan State Athletics.”
The announcement comes two days after a report in Sports Business Journal that the Big Ten is nearing a deal to give half its media rights for football and men’s basketball to FOX and FOX Sports 1 for as much as $250 million per year.