ESPN Announces Agreement for The SEC Network

02 May, 2013

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN on Thursday announced a 20-year agreement to operate a SEC network that is scheduled to debut in August, 2014.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said the SEC network will produce 1,000 live events each year, including 450 televised on the network and 550 distributed digitally. Slive says the network will carry approximately 45 SEC football games each year “and a depth of content across all sports.”

No financial terms were released for the deal, which continues through 2034.

The announcement came at a news conference attended by Slive, ESPN President John Skipper, 32 SEC coaches and each of the league’s 14 athletic directors. The emphasis was this is to be a national network.

“We believe this conference has national appeal,” Skipper said. “This is a national network. This is not a regional network. We understand that in the 11-state footprint is where the most passionate fans are, but there are a lot of SEC fans in California and Texas and New York and Connecticut and Virginia and Nebraska.”

The league’s coaches and athletic directors said having the national network will make all sports more attractive.

“In volleyball, we may want to go after players in California or in the Midwest,” said Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity. “Now they can see the SEC is going to have a broadcast of Georgia-Florida volleyball match on ESPN on Tuesday night at 9 o’clock. That’s the type of stuff you can only dream about. Now we have it unfolding.

“Football, obviously, that’s already well-populated. What it does for your Olympic sports is just immeasurable.”

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, who already has a national recruiting base, said the network will make all SEC schools more attractive to national recruits.

Slive also would not discuss details of the ownership arrangement with the SEC and ESPN.

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