 On Monday, ESPN and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) reached a milestone 15-year agreement beginning in 2009-10 and continuing through 2023-24. The announcement was made by George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports, and Mike Slive, SEC Commissioner. Financial terms were not released. The landmark deal – the longest national rights agreement in ESPN history -- will result in ESPN entities (ESPN, ESPN on ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN FULL COURT, ESPN International, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic) carrying more than 5,500 SEC events – including football, men’s and women’s basketball, Olympic sports and SEC Championships. ESPN has televised the SEC since 1982. All national programming will fall under the branding “SEC on ESPN.” As part of the agreement: - ESPN and ESPN2 will continue to offer premier SEC games, including Saturday night and two primetime Thursday football games, triple the basketball offerings with three nights (two new) of men’s basketball and present SEC Championships in women’s basketball, baseball, softball and gymnastics.
- ESPN Regional Television will become the new over-the-air syndication home for SEC football and basketball games. In addition, ESPN and the SEC will work together to offer multi-sport packages (including football, men’s and women’s basketball, Olympic sports and conference championships) of SEC content for regional cable syndication.
- ESPNU will now offer exclusive SEC telecasts, including football and basketball and selected conference championships. In addition, the network will present a weekly, hour-long program on SEC sports throughout the academic year as well as sport-by-sport previews, reviews and specials.
- The semifinals and championship of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament will be televised nationally for the first time on ESPN on ABC.
- All SEC championship games except football will be aired on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN on ABC, ESPNU or ESPN Classic.
- The agreement will also showcase the academic successes of SEC student-athletes by including twice-annual programs dedicated to academic accomplishments of SEC student-athletes; an annual Campus Connection (students take part in the production) telecast at each SEC institution; a weekly segment on an SEC show featuring academics; and an online SEC Academic Network utilizing ESPN360.com technology.
- Extensive coverage of women’s basketball and Olympic sports will be offered nationally through ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU and regionally through ESPN Regional Television, including both regular-season and conference championships.
- Comprehensive multimedia rights are also an integral part of the agreement as live SEC action, including football and basketball, will be offered via simulcasts on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV and extensive content rights have been granted to ESPN.com.
- ESPN International, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN FULL COURT, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes will also feature the SEC.
- Each SEC institution retains the right to continue a local multi-media rights package.
“The SEC delivers tremendous quality and depth and a devoted, widespread fan base,” Bodenheimer said. “This historic deal will offer fans more SEC access than ever before through every form of media that exists today or may be developed during the life of this long-term arrangement. We applaud the leadership of the conference as well as these great academic and athletic institutions for supporting this groundbreaking collaboration.” Slive said, “The Southeastern Conference has embodied excellence for 75 years and during the last 26 years, ESPN has carried the stories of our 12 member institutions throughout the nation and the world. With this landmark agreement, ESPN and its platforms will continue to showcase the SEC with more games and original SEC-dedicated content than ever before. The SEC is looking forward to continuing its relationship with ESPN as we move into our next 75 years.” “The Southeastern Conference is pleased to extend its relationship with ESPN and its wide-ranging outlets in this milestone agreement,” said Dr. Lee Todd, President of the University of Kentucky and the Southeastern Conference. “This contract represents an innovative and revolutionary direction for the SEC that will showcase our conference in a variety of means both academically and athletically.” Following are the key details of the new agreement: Football - ESPN has acquired rights to every SEC home football game (excluding those on the network broadcast package) and will serve as the exclusive national cable home and the syndication rightsholder for the conference.
- ESPN and ESPN2: The networks will increase coverage by combining to televise a minimum of 20 SEC games annually, including Saturday night and two primetime Thursday matchups.
- ESPNU: The 24-hour college sports network, which launched in March 2005, will present a package of SEC football for the first time, with a Saturday game-of-the-week (generally in primetime and a minimum of 13 games annually).
- ESPN Regional Television (ERT): The nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming, becomes the official over-the-air syndication home for the SEC and will feature a game-of-the-week package (generally at 12:30 p.m. ET), with a minimum of 13 games each season throughout the SEC footprint and beyond. In addition, ERT will produce and distribute a studio show.
- ESPN360.com: Simulcasts of SEC game telecasts will be offered on the broadband network.
- ESPN Mobile TV: Live games will be simulcast on mobile phones.
- ESPN International: The agreement includes global rights to present live games and encore presentations.
- ESPN Deportes: ESPN has acquired domestic Spanish-language rights for SEC football on the 24-hour, U.S.-based network.
- ESPN GamePlan: The out-of-market college football pay-per-view service, will offer SEC action.
- ESPN Classic: The network may telecast select SEC live games as well as historic and immediate encore presentations.
- ESPN.com: Extensive SEC content, including highlights, will be presented online.
Source: ESPN
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