Sun Belt, ESPN expand media deal

[RhinoD]

Sun Belt/ESPN expand agreement

Looks like being in the Sun Belt is becoming a little more lucrative already... ESPN appears to like the trajectory of the Sun Belt and the leagues additions, and is thus willing to bump up the money a little bit and add more olympic sports to the ESPN+ package.

"The new agreement, which still runs through the 2030-31 academic year, will provide the Sun Belt with additional financial resources, exposure and linear opportunities for Sun Belt football and basketball.
The agreement expands upon the Sun Belt’s extended ESPN media rights relationship—announced last year—which resulted in a more than 50 percent increase in the number of Sun Belt football games that appeared on ESPN’s linear offerings (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU), including 40 percent of those new opportunities televised on a Saturday.
The new agreement will result in more than 6,000 additional live events available on ESPN+ including men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball and softball."

In other news, Keith Gill signed a contract extension to remain the Sun Belt commissioner through 2030 as well.

 

[THUNDERGround]

This conference definitely has its schit together. This is gonna be good.

 

[goherd73]

I read somewhere that the number of basketball games on linear will increase from 3 to 9. Plus all the rest will be on ESPN+ or 3.

 

[RhinoD]

This conference definitely has its schit together. This is gonna be good.

It's night and day from where we were a couple months ago, to where we are now... Stable leadership, improving public image, better media deal, better travel, and just a general feeling that the league makes sense for all the schools involved.

Everyone rowing in the same direction to make the Sun Belt the best league it can be, is a stark contrast from the "every school for themselves" and the "What the F is Judy doing?" feel of CUSA.

 

[BleedsGreen33]

What? No Facebook games 🤷‍♂️

 

[RhinoD]

More good news from last night... The Sun Belt has added a 6th bowl tie in with the Sun Bowl.

The nations third oldest bowl game, the Sun Bowl will pit a Sun Belt team against either a PAC12 or Independent opponent.

Im not privy to any inside discussions, but this seems like it would be a good spot for the Sun Belt champion to land rather than in New Orleans to play a CUSA team.

 

[19MU88]

What? No Facebook games 🤷‍♂️

 

[oldeherd]

What? No Facebook games 🤷‍♂️

Well, word is starting to "get out" that with the "upgrades" in its membership with the most recent additions, veteran and savvy CUSA Commish Judy "swiftly and deftly" acted to virtually corner the market when it comes to having her Conference virtually saturate Facebook with its games!! "All Facebook, all the time" uttered Judy at the CUSA recent media event, albeit with a somewhat ''strained" smile on her face!!

 

[oldeherd]

More good news from last night... The Sun Belt has added a 6th bowl tie in with the Sun Bowl.

The nations third oldest bowl game, the Sun Bowl will pit a Sun Belt team against either a PAC12 or Independent opponent.

Im not privy to any inside discussions, but this seems like it would be a good spot for the Sun Belt champion to land rather than in New Orleans to play a CUSA team.

One problem with that, RhinoD, with 2 or 3 more defections from the PAC12, they may be around the same overall quality and caliber of the "New" CUSA, if that!!

 

[THUNDERGround]

Well, the Sun Bowl this year will pay out $5,550,000.

 

[herdfan93]

I can't find any info on the Sun Bowl tie-in.

 

[THUNDERGround]

More good news from last night... The Sun Belt has added a 6th bowl tie in with the Sun Bowl.

The nations third oldest bowl game, the Sun Bowl will pit a Sun Belt team against either a PAC12 or Independent opponent.

Im not privy to any inside discussions, but this seems like it would be a good spot for the Sun Belt champion to land rather than in New Orleans to play a CUSA team.

Do you have a source for this? I can't find one.

 

[oldeherd]

Well, the Sun Bowl this year will pay out $5,550,000.

Hearing that, MU"s AD informed Head Football Coach Huff that our top goal in Herd football this season is to get to the Sun Bowl and then "take the money and RUN"!!!

 

[BleedsGreen33]

Hearing that, MU"s AD informed Head Football Coach Huff that our top goal in Herd football this season is to get to the Sun Bowl and then "take the money and RUN"!!!

 

[Herdmaster]

The Sun Bowl would an excellent choice to showcase our team and the school. Good national exposure for the team and the school and really help with recruiting good high-level recruits. It would also help show-off our running backs and QB for possibility playing in the next level.

 

[RhinoD]

Do you have a source for this? I can't find one.

Adding a bowl tie-in

The bowl was not named in the Sun Belt media release because it isn't "official," but I saw multiple social media posts from people who were covering media days that indicated the bowl is the Sun Bowl and that it should be announced before the start of the season.

 

[The Real SamC]

Sun Bowl website says ACC vs. Pac 12.

 

[Tonycried2]

Sun Bowl website says ACC vs. Pac 12.

I will believe the Sun Bowl tie in when I see it...

 

[Catfanatic1979v1]

The Sun Belt will be the best thing to ever happen to Marshall, financially. In terms of football, I think we are in a VERY tough league.