ESPN and the Atlantic 10 Conference have reached a multi-year media rights deal for more than 500 conference events each year to be carried on ESPN+.
The comprehensive new deal makes ESPN+ the exclusive streaming home for a number of the Atlantic 10 Conference’s sports and includes exclusive games from multiple A-10 Championships including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball and lacrosse.
“ESPN+ has quickly established itself as a go-to destination for exclusive sports content,” said ESPN Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling Burke Magnus. “We are thrilled to add the Atlantic 10 Conference, carrying more games from the conference, including multiple exclusive championship events, than any other network, while also offering an increasingly personalized experience on the ESPN app. The new deal bolsters our college sports offerings on ESPN+ to go along with professional leagues such as MLB, NHL, MLS and premier events from Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, UFC and the PGA Tour.”
“The A-10 and ESPN have had a long-term linear television agreement that has been a win-win for both parties,” stated Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “This additional agreement gives the Atlantic 10 and its membership unprecedented visibility on some of the best streaming technology in sports, and it gives ESPN+ a wealth of high-level collegiate sports content. I can’t thank ESPN enough for their partnership with the Atlantic 10 Conference.”
Starting in the 2018-19 season, ESPN’s and the Atlantic 10 Conference’s new deal will make at least 330 men’s and women’s basketball games available on ESPN+ annually, which add to the 16 games already available on ESPN’s linear networks through an existing media rights deal between ESPN and Atlantic 10. Also, ESPN+ will now exclusively stream two opening round games from the men’s basketball championship and four quarterfinals from the women’s championship. An ESPN’s linear network will continue to air the A-10 Championship final of the women’s tournament.
In addition to basketball, a multitude of the conference’s sports will see a drastic increase in regular season exposure on ESPN+, including the vast majority of conference controlled men’s and women’s soccer and baseball games.