Sinclair Broadcast Group subsidiary American Sports Network has reached a multi-year sublicense agreement with ESPN to televise Mid-American Conference college football and basketball games.
ASN, a division of Sinclair Networks Group, will air up to 10 football, 10 men’s basketball and five women’s basketball games each year, beginning this 2015 academic year. First up is a college football Saturday matchup on Sept. 5 featuring the MAC’s Eastern Michigan hosting Old Dominion.
“Our announcement with American Sports Network is another example of the continued growth of Mid-American Conference television coverage,” said MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “This strategic partnership provides key distribution to broadcast affiliates across our footprint and continues the growth of expanded coverage to our fan base. This agreement provides another platform to showcase the outstanding students attending Mid-American Conference member institutions.”
"With high-quality competition, as well as loyal and enthusiastic fans, the MAC is a great addition to our robust schedule of live programming," added Doron Gorshein, COO of Sinclair Networks Group.
The MAC stretches across the Midwest, from Northern Illinois University in the West to the University at Buffalo in the East (and even farther in football, with affiliate conference member UMass). Sinclair has a handful of owned and operated stations in that Midwest region, serving cities including Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, Ohio, Flint, Mich., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Buffalo, N.Y.
