In the BIG 10 conference Commissioner James Delaney occupation is to manage the media contracts, from which the members of its conference reap a substantial percentage of revenue to pay for its athletic programs. James Delaney was one of the prominent individuals in television marketing, and the Division 1 subdivision college football playoffs. Delaney has a keen interest in generating money for athletic programs, and considered the stakeholders that were affected by his media contracts.
Delaney stated, “There’s no enthusiasm for funding these programs by central administration’s so were basically on our own…I’ve found it much easier to generate revenue than to cut cost. I’m being honest with you” (Sandomir, 2006, p. 8-8; Thomas, 2009,
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This deal was in place along with the deals the BIG 10 already had in place with ESPN and ABC. The sports network was intended to pacify fans as well as alumni, not only in the Midwest but throughout the nation. It was another strategy that is concomitant with the television contracts within the BIG 10. The conference controlled the primary owner at 51 percent, with 49 percent being owned by FOX’s parent company NEWs Corp. The channel owned rights to 35 football games, along with 105 men’s basketball games, live coverage of other conference sports, and programming coaches’ shows. The BIG 10 conference strived to rationalize an educational function without a tax exemption. Bob Thompson, president of FOX sports felt strongly about the deal with the BIG 10, and it benefited both parties involved. Thompson stated, “College Football generates a level of passion you don’t see in other sports. With its long history of successful schools and teams, and size and strength of TV markets, the Big 10 is extremely important” (Gardiner, 2007, p. 10C; Heistand, 2006; Wolverton, 2007). College football millions of diehard fans throughout the country, and the vast television market in the BIG 10 region naturally creates monopoly for BTN. Stadiums cannot hold an entire fan base of a collegiate football team, and what better way, to broadcast live games at the local homes, and sports bars of fanatics. In 2007 the BTN made settlements with 40 minute cable companies, and DirecTV’s basic satellite package. Eventually the BTN cut a deal with Dish Network, which permitted the BTN to spread 28.5 million households world-wide. From 2008 to 2010 the BTN was alone returning $66 million a year to the conference, only collecting 80 cent per