ESPN and the Ohio Valley Conference have announced a new six-year media rights agreement. The new agreement extends ties between ESPN and the conference that span multiple decades, dating back to the league playing midnight basketball games to a national television audience in the early 1980s
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The new agreement to air games across ESPN platforms and networks includes ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer offering, which is inclusive of ESPN+ and launched in August.
As part of the deal, a minimum of 725 events per year will be available digitally on ESPN+. Linear exposure includes regular season basketball telecasts on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Tournament on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPNEWS and the Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship game on either ESPN or ESPN2.
Additionally, the agreement allows the OVC to retain the rights to telecast up to 50 linear events per year locally in the Conference footprint.
“We’re excited to build on our longstanding partnership with the OVC with this new agreement,” said Mallory Kenny, ESPN Director of programming and acquisitions. “This deal underscores ESPN’s commitment to elevating college sports and we look forward to showcasing the OVC’s student-athletes on a national stage across our platforms in the years ahead.”
“We are thrilled to continue our valued partnership with ESPN through this new long-term agreement,” said OVC commissioner Beth DeBauche. “This deal provides an exceptional platform to showcase the extraordinary talent of our student-athletes and the outstanding competition that defines the OVC. ESPN’s commitment to our conference supports our strategic growth initiatives and ensures our member institutions receive the quality broadcast coverage they deserve. We’re deeply grateful to our ESPN partners for their partnership and vision. Equally important, we thank our member institutions for their continued dedication to producing high-quality content that makes these broadcasts possible. This partnership represents more than just media covera
