CBS Sports sent this announcement about a new agreement with the Big Ten Conference for basketball games. It starts with the upcoming season and will last through the 2016-17 season, so it’s a six year agreement. This includes the semifinals and finals of the Big Ten Tournament which CBS has had the rights to since its inception in 1998. Overall, there will be at least 24 appearances by Big Ten teams on CBS. This agreement also includes women’s games. We have the press release.
CBS SPORTS AGREES TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH BIG TEN CONFERENCE
CBS Television Network to Broadcast Conference’s Basketball Games Through 2016-17 Season
CBS Sports has agreed to a multi-year agreement with the Big Ten Conference extending its broadcast rights to the conference’s basketball games through the 2016-17 season. The announcement was made today by Mike Aresco, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports and James E. Delany, Big Ten Commissioner.
“We are delighted to extend our Big Ten basketball agreement, which has been a cornerstone of our regular-season NCAA basketball coverage,” said Aresco. “We have an outstanding and longstanding relationship with the Big Ten and Commissioner Jim Delany, and look forward to many more seasons of broadcasting the rivalries, pageantry and high quality competition of the Big Ten.”
“The Big Ten Conference is happy to announce an extension to our CBS Sports agreement,” said Delany. “CBS has been a great partner and has provided outstanding exposure for the Big Ten since 1991, giving our coaches and student-athletes opportunities to compete on the national stage. We love having CBS Sports involved in our regular-season and tournament coverage with our championship game leading into the NCAA Selection Show.”
The agreement, beginning with the 2011-12 season, calls for a minimum of 24 appearances by teams from the Big Ten, including three Big Ten wildcard weekends. CBS Sports will continue to broadcast the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinal and championship games. Additional appearances by various women’s teams from the conference also will be featured.
There you have it.
