US sports broadcaster ESPN has extended its long-term rights deal for the Southland Conference US college sports conference.
The deal will run for five years, from 2015-16 through to the end of the 2019-20 academic year.
Under the agreement, ESPN will broadcast a minimum of 120 Southland Conference sports events across its various platforms.
The deal includes annual coverage of the men’s basketball championship on the ESPN or ESPN2 channels, as well as expanded coverage of regular-season and tournament games.
In addition, ESPN will continue to offer the game-of-the-week American football package each season on its ESPN3 channel.
ESPN will also have first selection rights to home athletics contests in the league.
The deal represents the third consecutive five-year agreement between ESPN and the Southland Conference.