Television
FILE - The national championship trophy is seen before a new conference for the NCAA college football playoff championship game between Clemson and Alabama, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The university presidents who oversee the College Football Playoff voted Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, to expand the postseason model for determining a national champion from four to 12 teams no later than the 2026 season.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Venues, dates, TV, NFL: How to assemble CFP expansion puzzle

By Ralph D. Russo Sep. 20, 2022 12:09 PM EDT

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (55) gives chase as Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball for a long gain in the second half of a NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Football's return dominates Nielsen television ratings

Sep. 13, 2022 06:50 PM EDT

FILE - Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Ajla Tomljanovic, of Australia, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in New York. It could have been just one night, but Williams' exit from tennis turned into a boon for ESPN. Williams' third-round defeat at the hands of Ajla Tomljanovic had the largest audience of any tennis match in ESPN's 43-year history, beating the 3.9 million who watched the 2012 Wimbledon men's final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
US Open Women Singles

Sep. 07, 2022 03:27 PM EDT

FILE - Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Ajla Tomljanovic, of Australia, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in New York. It could have been just one night, but Williams' exit from tennis turned into a boon for ESPN. Williams' third-round defeat at the hands of Ajla Tomljanovic had the largest audience of any tennis match in ESPN's 43-year history, beating the 3.9 million who watched the 2012 Wimbledon men's final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Serena Williams' goodbye to U.S. Open a ratings boon to ESPN

By David Bauder Sep. 07, 2022 03:26 PM EDT

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
B1G deal: Big Ten lands $7 billion, NFL-style TV contracts

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 18, 2022 09:27 AM EDT

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy gestures during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Oklahoma, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma St's Gundy steadies program after tumultuous 2020

By Cliff Brunt Dec. 03, 2021 04:46 PM EST

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) runs the ball for a first down as Dallas Cowboys' Malik Hooker (28), Justin Hamilton (99), Jourdan Lewis (26) and Dorance Armstrong (92) attempt to make the stop in overtime of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Thanksgiving football, Big 10 rivalry game score in ratings

By David Bauder Dec. 01, 2021 04:53 PM EST

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy gives a thumbs up to fans after their 32-24 win over Texas in an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Oklahoma St. coach Gundy agrees to perpetual 5-year deal

By Cliff Brunt Oct. 22, 2021 12:50 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 13, 2021, file photo, New Tennessee State University NCAA college football coach Eddie George smiles during a news conference in Nashville, Tenn.. George is one of several high-profile former pro athletes to take on athletic programs at black colleges and universities at a time when the country seems more than ready. (George Walker/The Tennessean via AP, File)
Eddie George, other former All-Pros, making impact at HBCUs

By Teresa M. Walker Sep. 09, 2021 02:35 AM EDT

Georgia running back Zamir White runs over Clemson cornerback Mario Goodrich during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
College football's return boosts television ratings

By David Bauder Sep. 08, 2021 05:08 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, The Red River Showdown logo is displayed on the field of the Cotton Bowl, prior to an NCAA college football game between the University of Texas and Oklahoma, in Dallas. Texas and Oklahoma made a request Tuesday, July 27, 2021, to join the Southeastern Conference — in 2025 —- with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey saying the league would consider it in the “near future.” (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
SEC welcomes Texas, Oklahoma after boards accept invitations

By Paul Weber Jul. 30, 2021 11:08 AM EDT

FILE - Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, left, jokes with LSU head coach Ed Orgeron and Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, right, as they pose with the College Football Championship trophy during a news conference ahead for the College Football playoffs in Atlanta, in this Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, file photo. The College Football Playoff would expand from four to 12 teams, with six spots reserved for the highest ranked conference champions, under a proposal that will be considered next week by the league commissioners who manage the postseason system. A 12-team playoff would also include six at-large selections and no limit on how many teams can come from any one conference, a person familiar with announcement told The Associated Press on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the CFP has not yet released details. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
CFP expansion could increase annual revenue to $2 billion

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 11, 2021 05:59 PM EDT

Baylor guard Jared Butler (12) drives up court past Gonzaga guard Aaron Cook (4) during the second half of the championship game in the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 5, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
About 17 million view Baylor's championship win over Gonzaga

By David Bauder Apr. 06, 2021 06:25 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2019, file photo, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott speaks to reporters during the Pac-12 Conference women's NCAA college basketball media day in San Francisco. Scott is stepping down at the end of June 2021, ending an 11-year tenure in which the conference landed a transformational billion dollar television deal but struggled to keep up with some of its Power Five peers when it came to revenue and exposure. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron, File)
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott stepping down at end of June

By Ralph D. Russo Jan. 20, 2021 10:51 PM EST

FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White (45) sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the second half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., in this Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, file photo. Rodgers had his worst game of the season in Green Bay’s 38-10 loss at Tampa Bay Back on Oct. 18, as he threw two game-changing interceptions and completed less than half his pass attempts. Rodgers gets a chance to make amends for that performance Sunday when the top-seeded Packers host the Bucs in the NFC championship game. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)
Comfort TV viewing gives ratings boost to football, dramas

By Lynn Elber Jan. 20, 2021 08:12 PM EST

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2015, file photo, Akron head coach Terry Bowden watches during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Massachusetts in Foxborough, Mass. Bowden has been hired by Louisiana-Monroe to rebuild a program that went 0-10 this season. Bowden, the son of former Florida State coaching great Bobby Bowden, has been serving as a graduate assistant at Clemson the last two years. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Ex-Auburn coach Terry Bowden hired to lead Louisiana-Monroe

Dec. 23, 2020 02:26 PM EST

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump, left, introduces former college football coach Lou Holtz during a campaign stop in Butler, Pa. Holtz has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 83-year-old former college football coach confirmed the test Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, to Columbia, S.C., TV station WOLO. “I don’t have a lot of energy right now,” Holtz told the ABC station. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
Former football coach Lou Holtz tests positive for COVID-19

Nov. 19, 2020 10:28 PM EST

Players of the Guatemalan national soccer team sing their national anthem wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, before a friendly soccer match against Honduras in Guatemala City, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
The Latest: Lou Holtz tests positive for coronavirus

By The Associated Press Nov. 19, 2020 10:18 PM EST

USC Trojans v. Arizona State Sun Devils playing in an empty stadium in the first half of a NCAA football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2020. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)
Pac-12's morning starts have some fans, some critics

By Anne M. Peterson Nov. 11, 2020 05:11 PM EST

FILE - Bob Costas attends the Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award ceremony honoring Billy Crystal in New York on Nov. 12, 2018. CNN announced that Costas will join their network as an on-air contributor. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
Costas joins CNN to talk on intersection of news and sports

By David Bauder Jul. 24, 2020 12:49 PM EDT