As expected, Verizon FiOS has become the latest top distributor to join the SEC Network affiliate roster.
The telco has reached a carriage accord with ESPN and will begin airing the SEC Network prior to Aug. 28, when it televises the first of 45 football games with South Carolina hosting Texas A&M, on channels 75 and 575. Under the pact, financial terms of which were not disclosed, SEC Network will be available to all FiOS TV customers in Florida and Texas – two of the 11 states within the Southeastern Conference's footprint – who receive ESPN. Beyond the Lone Star and Sunshine State, SEC Network will be accessible to the telco's FiOS Extreme and Ultimate customers in all other markets in standard-definition on channel 75 at launch.
With the addition of Verizon FiOS, the SEC Network, which debuted on Aug. 14, will be in more than 62 million households nationwide, and is available to 98 million around the country, making the service, which will present more than 1,000 events during its freshman year, one of the biggest launches in cable history.
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