The Sports Report: Big Ten media deal means more eyes on USC and UCLA

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Sam Farmer: The Big Ten has finalized a monumental media-rights agreement inspired by the NFL’s coast-to-coast takeover on Sundays — and paves a path to ending those late-night USC and UCLA games that only part of the country watches.

As of next fall, the conference will feature morning games on Fox, afternoon games on CBS and prime-time games on NBC.

“I think this media deal will give more attention to the West Coast schools,� Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren told The Times. “We’ll be starting at 9 in the morning Pacific time, and because of the quality of the games, with fans across four time zones, it’s going to give validity and credibility to all our games, from the morning, throughout the day and into the night.�

The Big Ten, which officially adds USC and UCLA in 2024, announced the long-awaited media deal Thursday. The seven-year pact that begins in 2023 is worth more than $1 billion per season. In fact, the total value of the deal is nearly $8 billion, with financial escalators that could push it to nearly $10 billion, according to individuals with knowledge of the negotiations but not authorized to speak about it on the record.

The massive deal could give UCLA some high-caliber ammunition in its bid to secure Big Ten membership and ward off the University of California regents who have openly raised the possibility of blocking the school’s planned move from the Pac-12.

Warren, a former Minnesota Vikings executive, said some of the strategies and truisms he learned in the NFL are reflected in this agreement.

“One thing that I really admire about the NFL is they have done a really good job of creating brand credibility and fan avidity,� he said. “The way you do that is you have to make it as simple as it can possibly be for fans to find the content that they’re looking for. With this new structure, I want fans on Thursday to start thinking about what they’re going to be doing on Saturday, to know that they’ll be able to start their day with Fox and roll right into an afternoon with CBS and an evening with NBC.�

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Blocking UCLA’s move to Big Ten could have massive fallout for UC regents

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: After a scorching monthlong stretch coming out of the All-Star break, the Dodgers lineup didn’t exactly go cold against the Brewers in Milwaukee this week.

But for the first time in a while, it certainly looked mortal, as the team settled for a four-game split against a potential playoff foe after a 5-3 defeat at American Family Field on Thursday.

“It’s gonna happen,� manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve swung the bats well. But the old adage — good pitching beats good hitting.�

RAMS

From Gary Klein: Until this week, the only preseason drama surrounding the defending Super Bowl champion Rams centered on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s right elbow, and whether the 14th-year pro would be ready for the Sept. 8 opener against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium and beyond.

Based on his efficient performance during an intrasquad scrimmage this week, Stafford appears to be managing any discomfort caused by tendinitis. Like nearly every Rams starter, he will be ensconced on the SoFi Stadium sideline during Friday night’s preseason game against the Houston Texans.

But there is still quarterback intrigue, courtesy of coach Sean McVay.

After not playing back-up John Wolford during the 2021 preseason or last week against the Chargers, McVay said that Wolford would play the first half against the Texans, Bryce Perkins the second.

Is it simply, as McVay said, an opportunity for Wolford to take game snaps? Or a way to measure whether Perkins can unseat Wolford for the back-up role?

Here are five areas to watch against the Texans.

CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: It is a routine that’s anything but routine, Justin Herbert hanging around after most of his teammates have left the practice field to throw more passes.

A perfectionist chasing perfection.

“This guy’s out here like an hour and a half after just throwing the same route over and over and over,� wide receiver Keenan Allen said. “If it’s not a spiral, he’ll just keep throwing the same one. It’s crazy.�

The longest tenured of all the Chargers, Allen was asked about Herbert’s predecessor with the team, Philip Rivers.

“Philip never stayed after practice to throw the ball,� Allen joked.

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USC FOOTBALL

From Ryan Kartje: A new season and a new staff was supposed to equal a fresh start for Korey Foreman. But through two crucial weeks of USC’s preseason camp, the former No. 1 overall recruit has barely had the chance to get started.

An undisclosed injury has kept Foreman sidelined since last week. Before that, he missed time for what USC coach Lincoln Riley called “a prior commitment.� Altogether, he’s sat out most of the Trojans’ camp so far — after missing the start of spring practice with an injury too — leaving minimal opportunities for him to make any sort of impression on USC’s staff ahead of the season.

“Is that a concern, Korey missing that? Sure,� Riley said on Tuesday. “But I want to make the point, it’s not because it’s Korey, it’s because it’s a player on the USC football team.�

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1909 — The first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Twelve-thousand spectators watch Austrian engineer Louis Schwitzer win a five-mile race with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour. The track’s surface of crushed rock and tar breaks up in a number of places and causes the deaths of two drivers, two mechanics and two spectators.

1921 — Detroit’s Ty Cobb gets his 3,000th career hit at age 34, the youngest player to reach that plateau.

1934 — Helen Hull Jacobs wins the women’s title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships.

1981 — Renaldo Nehemiah sets the world record in the 110 hurdles with a time of 12.93 seconds in a meet at Zurich, Switzerland.

1984 — Lee Trevino beats Gary Player and Lanny Wadkins by four strokes to take the PGA championship at Shoal Creek, Alabama.

1993 — Sergei Bubka wins his fourth consecutive pole vault title at the World Track and Field championships at Stuttgart, Germany.

1995 — Mike Tyson starts his comeback, knocking out Peter McNeeley in 89 seconds at Las Vegas. McNeeley’s manager Vinnie Vecchione jumps into the ring to stop the fight after his boxer is knocked down twice in the first round.

2001 — Michael Schumacher gets his fourth Formula One championship and matches Alain Prost’s series record of 51 victories by winning the Hungarian Grand Prix.

2016 — Usain Bolt scores another sweep, winning three gold medals in his third consecutive Olympics. At the Rio de Janeiro Games, Bolt turns a close 4x100 relay race against Japan and the United States into a typical, Bolt-like runaway, helping Jamaica cross the line in 37.27 seconds. Allyson Felix wins an unprecedented fifth gold medal in women’s track and field, running the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay team.

2018 — Jockey Drayden Van Dyke wins a record-tying seven races at Del Mar, including the $200,000 Del Mar Mile. He ties Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza for most wins in a single day in the seaside track’s history. Van Dyke’s only loss in eight mounts comes when he finishes second in the sixth race.

Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally

Mike Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley. Watch and listen here.