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Texas A&M has reportedly negotiated the largest multimedia rights deal in college athletics.
According to a report from TexAgs’ Billy Liucci on Friday, Texas A&M is soon expected to announce a 15-year, $515 million agreement with Playfly Sports for the school’s media rights. The deal is fully guaranteed and will boost A&M’s multimedia revenue from $18 million to $34 million annually, according to Liucci.
The agreement will begin in 2026, replacing the previous media rights deal with Learfield Sports.
According to TexAgs, an unspecified portion of the media rights deal will also be set aside for Texas A&M’s NIL efforts.
PlayFly also has multimedia rights deals with Auburn and LSU in the SEC, as well as several schools from the ACC and Big East.
The move comes at a time when athletic departments around the country are feverishly looking for new revenue streams to prepare for a post-settlement environment in college athletics. If approved by a federal judge later this spring, the landmark settlement in the House v. NCAA case will allow colleges to begin sharing revenue directly with student-athletes.
Schools during the 2025-26 academic year will be able to distribute roughly $20 million to student-athletes, with the expectation that a majority of that money will make its way into football locker rooms. The athletic departments are on the hook, however, to find the additional money in their existing budgets.
Some schools have gotten creative, selling the naming rights to their stadiums or in-stadium sponsorship deals. Others are looking to capitalize on their brand recognition for more lucrative payouts. A&M’s new deal is no doubt a sign the Aggies have enough brand strength to compete at the highest level in a post-settlement world.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
