ESPNU College Football - Broadcast Rights

Broadcast Rights

For more details on this topic, see ESPN#Significant programming rights.

On February 14, 2005, ESPNU reached an extensive agreement with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference, two conferences that are predominantly part of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The seven year agreement, which goes through 2012, gives ESPNU the exclusive cable rights to the MEAC and the SWAC football. The agreement allows ESPNU to televise a minimum of seven football games a season, primarily on Thursday nights. In addition, ESPNU will also have the rights to televise the SWAC Conference Championship through the remainder of the contract.

On March 15, 2005, ESPNU got the rights to televise three quarterfinal matches in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. As the rest of the games following that will air on ether ESPN or ESPN2.

On June 21, 2006, ESPN Inc. also reached a wide ranging agreement with the Big Ten Conference. The ten-year deal, which goes through 2016, allows ESPN Family of networks to broadcast up to 41 games a year, which a portion will be part of ESPNU's coverage of college football.

On August 29, 2006, ESPN Inc. reached a wide ranging agreement with the Big East Conference. The six-year deal, which goes through the 2012 college football season, gives ESPNU the rights to broadcast at least five games per year, until the deal runs out. It also gives ESPNU the rights to produce a weekly program devoted to Big East sports.