ESPN and BCS Reach Four-Year Agreement
All Games on ESPN 2011-2014; Also Includes Rights For ESPN Radio, Digital Media, International, Marketing and More
ESPN has reached an extensive agreement with the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), granting exclusive TV, radio, digital, international and marketing rights for 15 BCS games from January 2011 through January 2014. It includes the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls each season and the BCS National Championship Game in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
The announcement was made by George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports, and John Swofford, BCS Coordinator and ACC Commissioner.
“The BCS will thrive on ESPN,” Bodenheimer said. “Our slogan is ‘College Football Lives Here’ and the BCS will now top college football’s best regular-season and studio coverage, the sport’s top awards shows, Bowl Week and other national championships all carried on our family of networks. This is a proud day for ESPN and an exceptional day for this great sport and its passionate fans.”
Swofford added, “We are tremendously pleased to reach an agreement with ESPN and feel that the BCS games from 2011-14 will be in good hands. With the continued growth of technology and the depth of coverage that ESPN gives to the college football fan on all its platforms during the regular-season, this post-season partnership is a natural fit.”
Thank goodness. I have not enjoyed watching BCS on Fox. It has been a complete disconnect for so many people, since Fox shows no regular season games. ESPN will hype the games like they normally do, but at least the people that cover it will now be broadcasting it.
By: Michael on November 18, 2008
at 11:31 AM
The good news is no more Joe Buck. The bad news is we could get Pam Ward.
Hopefully the Mouse is smart enough to use the ABC teams (Herbstreit, Mussberger, Danielson, etc.)
By: MF on November 18, 2008
at 11:39 AM
Thank god, Fox is terrible.
MF, Pam Ward is strictly for the 11 AM Big Ten games that almost no one watches. No way she gets anywhere near the BCS games.
By: Adam on November 18, 2008
at 2:17 PM
I agree, Michael.
College football on Fox seems incongruent. ESPN is a giant suckhole of sports, soulless some might say, but it’s where I go for college football. Fox has a toe in college football, but only a toe. ESPN is neck deep.
My favorite college football voice is Chris Speilman. He knows the game. That’s what I want out of my college football TV people. I have to admit, Lou Holtz is growing on me. He’s what Dick Vitale was before he became a calculated sideshow.
By: marcmwm on November 18, 2008
at 5:23 PM