Why You Soon Won’t See Iowa Football on ESPN
We live in an entertainment universe where streaming services have become king. Except for one segment of viewers. Sports fans. When it comes to live sports, television is still king. And the king of those sports-centered, see what I did there, networks have been ESPN. The network has aired many a memorable Iowa Hawkeye football game, but those days now appear to be over.
Sports Illustrated reports that ESPN has pulled out of negotiations with the Big Ten Conference for television rights to their football games. ESPN has aired Big Ten football since 1982. But don't feel too bad for either side in this fight. The Big Ten already has a deal with FOX Sports and is expected to sign deals with CBS and NBC in the coming days. Meanwhile, ESPN will air the best college football conference in the SEC starting in 2024.
Iowa has had some big-time moments in their football program happen on ESPN. A simple YouTube search confirms that. What does ESPN's departure mean for Iowa and the rest of the Big Ten? In the immediate future, SI points out you probably won't see the College Gameday crew in many Big Ten cities. It'll probably be SEC country from now on.
But in reality, it doesn't mean fewer Iowa games on TV. It just changes where you'll be able to see them. Here is what the Big Ten's prime-time game coverage will likely look like starting in 2023. It will feature a game on Fox at 11 a.m., a game on CBS at 2:30 p.m., and then a prime-time game on NBC that night. Still, plenty of chances to watch and yell LET'S GO HAWKS!