ESPN might bid on March Madness

(November 5, 2009) If the NCAA opts out early next year from its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS for the men's basketball tournament, ESPN would be interested in bidding for the rights to March Madness, said Burke Magnus, ESPN's senior vice president of college sports programming.

CBS' contract runs through 2013. But the NCAA has the right to opt out by July 31, 2010. If it does, it would leave CBS's annual rights fees, according to NCAA numbers, of a little more than $2.2 billion for 2011-2013 in search of a bigger payday from another TV partner.

"We do 1,100 college basketball games a year and they all lead to one thing and that's the NCAA tournament," Magnus told USA TODAY Wednesday. "If it were to become available, and fit the definition of a business decision for us, I'm quite certain we'd be interested."

Mike Aresco, executive vice president of programming for CBS Sports, declined to comment on whether the NCAA might opt out early: "We have a great relationship with the NCAA. We expect to be in business with the tournament for a long time."

ESPN annually carries the play-in game on Tuesday night of the tournament's first week. Prior to the current contract, ESPN carried some early round men's games.

But it has been under the CBS banner that March Madness took off in popularity, virtually dwarfing the regular season.

If ESPN were to get the Big Dance, nobody would be happier than analyst Dick Vitale, who is reduced to studio duty in March instead of being courtside.

"I know Dick would be the first one on line there. It would be great for him and great for the sport," Magnus said.

ESPN already has the NCAA women's basketball tournament, is taking over the Bowl Championship Series games next year and has said it would be interested in the Olympics.

The NCAA did not return phone calls and e-mails seeking comment.

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