Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    An AI-Driven Work Force
    University Transformation
Sign In
News

NCAA Agrees to $10.8-Billion Deal to Broadcast Its Men’s Basketball Tournament

By Brad Wolverton April 22, 2010

In a move expected to shore up the long-term financial health of college sports, the NCAA announced on Thursday that it had signed a 14-year, $10.8-billion contract with CBS and Turner Broadcasting to televise its men’s basketball tournament. The deal will funnel at least $740-million annually to NCAA member colleges and will very likely include an expansion of the tournament field to 68 teams.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

In a move expected to shore up the long-term financial health of college sports, the NCAA announced on Thursday that it had signed a 14-year, $10.8-billion contract with CBS and Turner Broadcasting to televise its men’s basketball tournament. The deal will funnel at least $740-million annually to NCAA member colleges and will very likely include an expansion of the tournament field to 68 teams.

Athletics officials throughout college sports applauded the news, which comes as many programs have seen their own marketing agreements and budgets reduced.

“In this economy, think about how many things have gone backward,” said Christine A. Plonsky, women’s athletic director at the University of Texas at Austin. “The fact that this is a positive move forward is attributable to some really hard work at the negotiating table. ... And when you’re talking about opportunities for young people, it’s a blessing.”

While the vast majority of those dollars will go to elite programs like those at Texas, many smaller athletics departments rely on their tournament distribution to support the day-to-day activities that keep their programs afloat.

“Clearly, it is not hundreds of thousands we’re talking about, but it is very important that we receive some stability of funding,” said Kent Weiser, athletic director at Emporia State University, a Division II program in Kansas. Emporia State has used its NCAA money to help pay for tutors, laptop computers, and buses to transport players to games. “These are things that Division I takes for granted but that make a lot of things possible for us,” Mr. Weiser said.

The proposal to expand the tournament by three teams, which the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors will vote on next week, was one of several that the association’s Division I Men’s Basketball Committee considered. A separate proposal to increase the field to 96 teams was tabled, a move that drew praise from some observers. .

“Rejecting a proposed 96-team format should be applauded, as it appeared to create more conflicts and intrusions on the athletes’ academic obligations,” Amy P. Perko, executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, said in an e-mail message. “That result was incompatible with the NCAA’s operating principles for postseason competition.”

Worries Over Dollars

More than 95 percent of the NCAA’s revenue comes from its tournament contract, but in recent years association officials had expressed concerns that the next deal might not be as large.

The previous CBS contract—worth $6-billion, or about $500-million a year—was not set to expire until 2013. But association officials began renegotiating last summer with the hopes of avoiding a severe reduction in rights fees. (CBS was reportedly worried about losing money on the last deal, which was heavily backloaded.)

Under the new agreement, which includes Internet, wireless, and marketing rights, every game will be shown live on one of four national television networks. CBS shares early-round coverage with TBS, TNT, and truTV, but isn’t on the hook for the full $10.8-billion.

ADVERTISEMENT

When television networks agree to pricey sports deals, they often cover their costs by adding commercial air time during games. But the NCAA prevented CBS and Turner from doing that, said Kevin O’Malley, a television consultant and a former CBS executive who helped the NCAA broker the new contract. Under the deal, no game can have more than four commercial breaks in each half—the same arrangement the NCAA had in its previous tournament contract.

While several people lauded the NCAA for the guaranteed money it brought in, others said the big payout could lead to a further escalation of coaches’ salaries and unnecessary facilities growth. And one critic questioned the logic of signing such a long-term contract in an uncertain media environment.

“We don’t know what the TV or digital-rights market might look like in 14 years—much less in five years,” said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College who studies the finances of college sports. In other words, it’s possible that the association could have left money on the table.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Athletics
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
Brad Wolverton
About the Author
Brad Wolverton
Former senior writer Brad Wolverton covered college athletics at The Chronicle beginning in 2005, focusing on the confluence of money and sports on campus. His research highlighted allegations of academic misconduct, reports of coaches’ meddling in medical decisions, and concerns about a rapid rise in athletics donations.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

More News

Mangan-Censorship-0610.jpg
Academic Freedom
‘A Banner Year for Censorship’: More States Are Restricting Classroom Discussions on Race and Gender
On the day of his retirement party, Bob Morse poses for a portrait in the Washington, D.C., offices of U.S. News and World Report in June 2025. Morse led the magazine's influential and controversial college rankings efforts since its inception in 1988. Michael Theis, The Chronicle.
List Legacy
‘U.S. News’ Rankings Guru, Soon to Retire, Reflects on the Role He’s Played in Higher Ed
Black and white photo of the Morrill Hall building on the University of Minnesota campus with red covering one side.
Finance & operations
U. of Minnesota Tries to Soften the Blow of Tuition Hikes, Budget Cuts With Faculty Benefits
Photo illustration showing a figurine of a football player with a large price tag on it.
Athletics
Loans, Fees, and TV Money: Where Colleges Are Finding the Funds to Pay Athletes

From The Review

A stack of coins falling over. Motion blur. Falling economy concept. Isolated on white.
The Review | Opinion
Will We Get a More Moderate Endowment Tax?
By Phillip Levine
Photo illustration of a classical column built of paper, with colored wires overtaking it like vines of ivy
The Review | Essay
The Latest Awful EdTech Buzzword: “Learnings”
By Kit Nicholls
William F. Buckley, Jr.
The Review | Interview
William F. Buckley Jr. and the Origins of the Battle Against ‘Woke’
By Evan Goldstein

Upcoming Events

Plain_Acuity_DurableSkills_VF.png
Why Employers Value ‘Durable’ Skills
Warwick_Leadership_Javi.png
University Transformation: A Global Leadership Perspective
Lead With Insight
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin