ST. LOUIS -- Celebrating its 112th season, the Missouri Valley Conference will have an exclusive 100-event package on ESPN networks during the 2018-19 academic year, Commissioner Doug Elgin announced today. Of those 100 games, at least 11 will feature the Sycamores on the ESPN family of networks, plus 14 others which will be institutional productions on The Valley on ESPN -- the league's co-branded digital network with ESPN available through the ESPN App. The Valley on ESPN features productions for ESPN3 and ESPN+.
The Valley, which enters the fifth year of a 10-year agreement with ESPN, will clear 37 men's basketball matchups on ESPN networks -- ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network and ESPN3, as well as ESPN+, the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-to-Consumer and International group, in partnership with ESPN.
Another 63 MVC events -- regular-season baseball and women's basketball plus postseason championships for cross country, women's and men's soccer, volleyball, indoor and outdoor track and field, women's basketball, softball and baseball -- are featured in the package.An additional 650 live events produced by Conference institutions will be delivered exclusively by "Our relationship with ESPN is pivotal to our continued success as an athletic league," Elgin said.
"The ever-increasing exposure from the numerous live event and original content opportunities we have on the network's linear and digital platforms has provided a boost to the teams and student-athletes in every one of our athletic programs."
Games aired on an ESPN network will also be available through the ESPN App, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
Indiana State makes their debut on the package when the Sycamores travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for a game at TCU on Sunday, Dec. 16, for a 5 p.m. (ET) telecast on ESPNU. ISU's season opener at Ball State will air live on ESPN or ESPN+ as a production of Ball State Sports Link.
Indiana State is one of two MVC schools which will compete in ESPN Events' early-season basketball tournaments -- as the Sycamores will travel to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in late December. Indiana State will participate in three games with every contest being delivered on an ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3. The action begins on December 22 when they Sycamores take on Colorado at 3 pm (ET) live nationally on ESPNU. ISU will play either UNLV or Hawaii on December 23 as well as a to be determined opponent on Christmas Day.
The Sycamores' game on January 19 will begin at 2 pm (ET) and will be televised live nationally from Hulman Center when Indiana State faces Loyola. The game will feature a reunion and celebration of the Indiana State Basketball team which advanced the the Final Four 40 years ago. More information will be coming soon about this extremely special day for Sycamore Athletics.
ISU's home game against Missouri State on January 8th will be shown live on The Valley on ESPN as will the road contest at Evansville on January 12. On January 27, the Sycamores will travel to Illinois State where the league will use a 21-day selection process to determine if the game will air on ESPNU or CBS Sports Network. ISU's game at Valparaiso on February 13 as well as the home contest against Illinois State on February 20 will be on The Valley on ESPN.
A wildcard selection process will be used on March 2 when the Sycamores host Northern Iowa. The game will air live on ESPN2, CBS Sports Network or The Valley on ESPN.
With host institutions providing the production and transmission, the league has also selected men's and women's basketball packages for distribution on The Valley on ESPN -- accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices through the ESPN App.
The opening round on March 7 and all four quarterfinal games on March 8 from the 2019 State Farm MVC Men's Basketball Tournament in St. Louis will also be shown on The Valley on ESPN outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
"Given our 112-year history, the Missouri Valley Conference has always made its mark on collegiate athletics," Watkins said. "After looking for ways to share and promote team and individual success, we have the ideal platform with The Valley on ESPN."
"It's hard to believe that this will be fifth year that we will be producing exclusive live event digital content -- both regular-season and post-season offerings -- and bringing forth human interest pieces worth telling."
"In the fall of 2014, the MVC Presidents Council, combined with vital backing from ESPN, made the bold decision to create a vehicle on which we now share our storied past and daily accomplishments via the ESPN App," Watkins concluded.
