The Bowl Championship Series is coming to ESPN starting in January 2011 (following the 2010 regular season).
ESPN and the BCS announced the deal on Tuesday. It includes exclusive television, radio, digital, international and marketing rights for the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls. ESPN already had the rights to the Rose Bowl from an earlier agreement.
ESPN is currently available in 98 million American homes. The current BCS deal with Fox Sports expires after the 2010 games.
This means the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls, plus the National Championship Game, will be televised in prime time each January. The schedule has not been released. There will also be a BCS show on ESPN every Sunday to unveil the current rankings.
The games will also be carried on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes Radio. Digital Media rights include operation of the official BCS Web site and the opportunity to simulcast the games online at ESPN360.com and on ESPN Mobile TV for mobile devices.
ESPN International will distribute and televise the BCS matchups around the world through networks and syndication, including on the re-branded ESPN America in Europe (known as NASN until Feb. 2009). In addition, ESPN has the right to televise BCS games on ESPN Deportes, the U.S. Spanish-language sports network.
“The BCS will thrive on ESPN,” ESPN president George Bodenheimer said. “Our slogan is ‘College Football Lives Here’ and the BCS will now top college football’s best regular-season and studio coverage, the sport’s top awards shows, Bowl Week and other national championships all carried on our family of networks. This is a proud day for ESPN and an exceptional day for this great sport and its passionate fans.”
“We are tremendously pleased to reach an agreement with ESPN and feel that the BCS games from 2011-14 will be in good hands,” said BCS commissioner John Swofford, who is also the commissioner of the ACC. “With the continued growth of technology and the depth of coverage that ESPN gives to the college football fan on all its platforms during the regular season, this postseason partnership is a natural fit.”
Credit: ESPN
