Charter signs up for SEC Network launch

Pay-television operator Charter Communications has agreed a carriage deal with sports broadcaster ESPN for the SEC Network, a new pay-television sports channel dedicated to college sport’s Southeastern Conference.

The channel will launch on August 14.

With the addition of Charter, the SEC Network will be available in more than 91 million households across the US at launch.

“SEC Network is currently slated to be available to eight of the top 10 distributors nationwide at launch, covering 90 per cent of all US cable homes,” said Sean Breen, ESPN Media Networks’ senior vice-president of affiliate sales.

The SEC Network will show a minimum of 45 exclusive SEC American football games during the 2014-15 season. Additionally, SEC Network will cover more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, 50 softball games and numerous other matches across the SEC’s 21 sports.