NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Atlantic 10 Conference and ESPN have reached a multi-year media rights deal for more than 500 conference events each year to be carried on ESPN+, the first multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.
The comprehensive new deal makes ESPN+ the exclusive streaming home for most Atlantic 10 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 women’s lacrosse.
“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.”
“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.”
Beginning with the 2018-19 athletic season, ESPN+ will be the home of all digital-only Atlantic 10 home events. This includes all men’s and women’s basketball games not televised, as well as all home Olympic sport events that are streamed. ESPN+ will also be the exclusive home to all A-10 Olympic Sport championship events and the digital platform will carry the first round of the men’s basketball championship (two games) and the women’s basketball quarterfinals (four games). This will supplement ESPN’s coverage of Atlantic 10 men’s and women’s basketball regular season games through the existing linear television partnership. An ESPN’s linear network will continue to air the A-10 Championship final of the women’s championship.
