ESPN Regional Television has announced today the return of the Big East Game of the Week which is normally aired on local stations or regional sports networks on Saturdays. Taking strategy from the SEC Network, for the first time the Big East Game of the Week will air outside the conference footprint and be seen on the West Coast. Here’s the release:
ESPN Regional Television and BIG EAST Conference Announce BIG EAST Network College Basketball Game of the Week Syndication PackageCHARLOTTE, N.C. – ESPN Regional Television, Inc., and the BIG EAST Conference have announced that their 2009-10 BIG EAST Network Game of the Week regionally syndicated basketball package will air in nearly 50 television markets covering 24 states. Once again, the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week has the most substantial coverage of any regionally syndicated college basketball network, with the designated market areas of the network’s affiliates covering nearly 50 million households (41% of the U.S.).Sixteen of the nation’s top 35 television markets will have clearance, including New York; Chicago; Philadelphia; Washington DC; Boston; Tampa, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; St. Louis; Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; Baltimore; Hartford, Conn.; Kansas City, Kan.; Cincinnati; Milwaukee; and for the first time, Los Angeles.The package will consist of 12 BIG EAST Conference matchups, beginning Saturday, Jan. 2, with a battle between perennial BIG EAST powers and long-time rivals: undefeated Syracuse, ranked No. 5 in the nation, and Pittsburgh, a No. 1 seed in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Each of the BIG EAST Conference’s 16 member institutions is represented on the 2010 Game of the Week schedule.“We are again pleased to provide our viewers with a consistent window for BIG EAST Conference basketball,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president & general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “ESPN’s multimedia platforms continue to help deliver BIG EAST content to a significant base of college basketball fans. This season’s schedule of games is a fantastic representation of the BIG EAST Conference and its member institutions and will showcase the exceptional quality and competitiveness of the league.”The games will be distributed nationally via the ESPN GamePlan pay-per-view package, which is available to fans via cable, DIRECTV and Dish Network.“Providing our 16 member institutions and student-athletes with maximum television exposure is always one of our highest priorities,” said BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto. “With a reach that includes more than one-third of the nation’s households – and still growing — no regional syndicated television package provides more exposure than ESPN Regional’s BIG EAST Network Game of the Week. Fans in markets that stretch across the country can continue to count on seeing the best of BIG EAST basketball at the same time each week during the season.”Along with Pittsburgh at No. 5 Syracuse on Jan. 2, the BIG EAST Network will feature preseason No. 23 Louisville at Pittsburgh on Jan. 16, No. 13 Georgetown at No. 8 Villanova on Jan. 17 and a Feb. 13 showdown between Cincinnati and No. 10 Connecticut. The schedule concludes with a special 2 p.m. ET start on Feb. 27 with Cincinnati at No. 6 West Virginia. All other games will tip off at noon ET.2010 BIG EAST Network ‘Game of the Week’ Schedule
Date Time (ET) Matchup Sat, Jan 2 Noon Pittsburgh at Syracuse Sat, Jan 9 Noon St. John’s at Louisville Sat, Jan 16 Noon Louisville at Pittsburgh Sun, Jan 17 Noon Georgetown at Villanova Sat, Jan 23 Noon Rutgers at Georgetown Sat, Jan 30 Noon Marquette at Connecticut Sat, Feb 6 Noon Marquette at Providence Sun, Feb 7 Noon USF at Notre Dame Sat, Feb 13 Noon Cincinnati at Connecticut Sun, Feb 14 Noon DePaul at Seton Hall Sat, Feb 20 Noon St. John’s at USF Sun, Feb 27 2 p.m. Cincinnati at West Virginia BIG EAST Network Basketball AffiliatesState City Station AffiliationCalifornia Los Angeles KJLA LATVConnecticut Hartford-New Haven WTNH, WCTX ABC, MyNetFlorida Orlando-Daytona Beach-Mel. BrightHouse RSN&nbs
p; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota WFTS, ABCBrightHouse RSNllinois Chicago WCIU-DT 4 INDRockford WTVO-DT 2 My NetIndiana Evansville WAZE, WAZE-DT CWIndianapolis WTTV CWSouth Bend-Elkhart WBND,WCWW, ABC, INDWMYS IND
Kansas Wichita-Hutchinson KSCW, KWCH CW, CBSKentucky Lexington WTVQ, WTVQ-DT ABC, MyNetLouisville WHAS ABCLouisiana New Orleans Cox-New Orleans RSNMaryland Baltimore MASN RSNMass. Boston-Manchester WCVB ABCMissouri Kansas City Metro Sports RSNSt. Louis Charter RSNNew York New York SNY RSNAlbany-Schenectady-Troy Time Warner RSN
Binghamton Time Warner RSNBuffalo Time Warner RSNElmira Time Warner RSNRochester Time Warner RSNSyracuse Time Warner RSNUtica Time Warner RSNWatertown Time Warner RSNOhio Cincinnati WKRC, EKRC CBSColumbus WWHO CWDayton WBDT CWYoungstown WYTV, WYTV-DT ABCPA Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York WHP, WLYH CBS, CWJohnstown-Altoona WHVL MyNetPhiladelphia WPHL MyNetPittsburgh WTAE ABCWilkes Barre-Scranton WSWB CWRhode Island Providence-New Bedford Cox-New England RSNW. Virginia Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill WOAY ABCCharleston-Huntington WCHS, WVAH ABC, FOXClarksburg-Weston WVFX FOXParkersburg WTAP-DT 2 MyNetWheeling-Steubenville WTOV NBCWisconsin Green Bay-Appleton WACY MyNetLa Crosse-Eau Claire KQEG FamilyNetMadison WMSN FOXMilwaukee WMLW IND
Certainly a huge station list for the Big East Network.
