TROJANS TO BENEFIT FROM SUN BELT/ESPN AGREEMENT

[Seminole Indian]

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Sun Belt Conference and ESPN today announced a continuation of their relationship that is the most significant and extensive multimedia rights agreement in conference history.

The two parties have secured a longterm agreement through the 2027-28 academic years that grants ESPN exclusive rights for the distribution of all Sun Belt sports with exposure on ESPN linear and digital platforms. The current deal runs through the 2019-20 academic year as enhancements within that agreement have been reached as well.

The new agreement will have an impact on Little Rock Athletics by providing more exposure on a broader platform for the Trojans. The deal calls for an increased amount of men's and women's basketball games on ESPN platforms, calling for a minimum of 100 games in 2018-19 and 150 games during the 2019-20 season.

Beginning with the 2020-21 academic year, a minimum of 500 events a year league-wide will carry the ESPN flag as every Sun Belt men's and women's basketball game will appear on an ESPN platform. Sun Belt Championship events will also be carried on an ESPN platforms as digital productions will expand to include regular season competition in Sun Belt Sports that have received only limited coverage previously.

"This announcement from the league office clearly shows the continued momentum of the Sun Belt Conference," said Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. "As a league member since 1992, it has been exciting to be part of and witness the success of our conference. The increased exposure will enhance our brand as Little Rock's team and will certainly appeal to our fan base as well as both current and prospective student-athletes."

"The continuation of our agreement with ESPN marks one of the most historic announcements since the Sun Belt's founding in 1976," said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson. "We have enjoyed a long relationship with ESPN since its founding in 1979 and we look forward to being featured on its newest platform, ESPN+, which promises to revolutionize how audiences view content."

The Sun Belt and ESPN's agreement comes after the announcement that ESPN+ will be launched later this spring. ESPN+ will be ESPN's first-ever multisport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service. For just $4.99 a month, subscribers will receive thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear television or digital networks.

Fans will access ESPN+ as an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN app. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN app will give sports fans an unmatched, one-stop digital sports platform that provides easy, dynamic access to everything ESPN offers, anytime, anywhere across mobile and OTT (over the top) platforms.

http://lrtrojans.com/news/2018/3/1/athletics-trojans-to-benefit-from-sun-belt-espn-agreement.aspx

[DeltaBoy]

Good move!