ESPN and the NCAA have reached a monumental rights deal that will see popular sports like football, soccer, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, and more remain on the Worldwide Leader’s airwaves.
According to Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams, the deal is for eight years and $920 million, at $115 million per year, for 40 NCAA events. The deal maintains some fan favorites including FCS football, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, gymnastics, and more, but adds coverage of the Division I men’s and women’s tennis team championships and the national collegiate men’s gymnastics championship.
Surprisingly, the women’s college basketball tournament was included in the greater rights deal and was not separated like the men’s college basketball tournament and men’s college football.
“ESPN and the NCAA have enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship for more than four decades, and we are thrilled that it will continue as part of this new, long-term agreement,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “The ESPN networks and platforms will exclusively present a record number of championships, including all rounds of several marquee events that, together with the NCAA, we have grown over time. This unprecedented deal also further strengthens The Walt Disney Company’s industry-leading commitment to women’s sports and will help fuel our continued growth, including in the critical streaming space.”
The full list of events are listed below:
Men’s Events to Air on ESPN Properties
- Men’s NIT Basketball Tournament
- Soccer
- FCS, DII, and DIII Football
- Ice hockey
- Cross country
- Water polo
- Indoor and outdoor track & field
- Swimming and diving
- Wrestling
- Gymnastics
- Fencing
- Volleyball
- Lacrosse
- Tennis
- Baseball and Basketball (including DII semifinals and DIII semifinals and finals)
- International rights to the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship (March Madness)
Women’s Events to Air on ESPN Properties
- Soccer
- Softball
- Basketball (includes the WBIT, DII, and DIII)
- Ice hockey
- Field hockey
- Volleyball and Beach volleyball
- Indoor and outdoor track & field
- Cross country
- Swimming & diving
- Bowling
- Gymnastics
- Fencing
- Lacrosse
- Tennis
- Water polo
