US sports broadcaster ESPN has signed a long-term extension to its rights deal with the Sun Belt Conference collegiate sports organisation.
The existing deal had been due to expire after the 2019-20 season, but the renewed agreement will now extend the partnership through to the end of the 2027-28 campaign.
ESPN will serve as the exclusive media partner of the Sun Belt Conference and deliver coverage of more than 500 of its events across 10 sports.
Coverage will be available across ESPN’s linear channels and its new ESPN Plus streaming service that is due to launch this spring.
Sun Belt Conference commissioner Karl Benson said: “The continuation of our agreement with ESPN marks one of the most historic announcements since the Sun Belt’s founding in 1976. This is truly an ‘all in’ collaboration with ESPN, the Sun Belt, and our member institutions and the volume and accessibility of our games will have a profound impact on the future of the Sun Belt.”