ATLANTA—Gray Media has concluded an agreement with the Ohio Valley Conference (“OVC”) to broadcast OVC college basketball games across 20 Gray markets in five states.
As part of the Conference’s multi-year contract with ESPN, the entire package will also be simulcast live nationally on ESPN+ and available through the ESPN app without digital blackouts.
As part of the agreement, Gray’s Tennessee Valley Sports & Entertainment Network looks forward to bringing three Tennessee institutions – Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, and University of Tennessee – Martin, to Tennessee viewers across the state.
The Tennessee Valley Sports & Entertainment Network broadcasts over-the-air in Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gray’s WMC+ in Memphis also participates in the network. The OVC is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee (just south of Nashville).
In addition, Gray’s Matrix Midwest in St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri, will serve hometown viewers of OVC’s Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, and Lindenwood University and Gray’s Illinois stations in Peoria, Quincy, and Rockford will serve fans of OVC’s Western Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University. Gray’s Indiana stations in Evansville, Ft. Wayne, and South Bend will focus on University of Southern Indiana, and Gray will also bring the package to fans of Morehead State University in Lexington, KY.
Gray reported that it anticipates signing an agreement for a third-party broadcast partner in Little Rock for the University of Arkansas – Little Rock.
Garson of Excelsior Sports and Entertainment represented OVC in the deal.
