US sports broadcaster ESPN has agreed a seven-year rights deal, beginning with the 2013-14 academic year, with Kansas Athletics, the athletics division of the University of Kansas.
Under the deal, ESPN’s online streaming platform ESPN3 will annually carry a minimum of 70 live events distributed nationally.
Kansas Athletics and IMG College, the organisation’s multimedia rights-holder, last week agreed a local rights deal with Time Warner Cable Sports under which it will show 50 contests per year – including two exhibition and four non-conference men’s basketball games – exclusively on Metro Sports in Kansas City and in the state of Kansas.
ESPN3 will deliver those 50 events nationally outside that territory. ESPN3 will also carry on an exclusive basis a minimum of 20 additional contests nationally, including in Kansas City and the state of Kansas. ESPN3 currently reaches more than 85 million US homes to fans that receive their internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider.
ESPN’s 70 events include one regular-season American football game, the football spring game, six men’s basketball games and basketball’s Late Night in the Phog event, as well as 16 women’s basketball games. ESPN3 will also deliver the Kansas Relays athletics event and multiple volleyball, baseball, softball and women’s soccer games.