NYSportsJournalism.com - ACC, The CW Ink Football, Hoops Broadcast Deal
The first ACC football game on The CW is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 when the Pittsburgh Panthers football team plays non-conference opponent Cincinnati Bearcats.
Games will then air every Saturday throughout the season in the afternoon and in primetime.
In addition to 13 football games, The CW will broadcast 28 men’s basketball games and nine women’s basketball games in December, January and February.
Men’s basketball doubleheaders will air every Saturday afternoon and women’s basketball games will air on Sunday afternoons.
The CW acquired the rights to these live ACC football and basketball games from Raycom Sports, which sub-licenses the rights from ESPN.
The ACC in July 2016 signed a 20-year media rights pact with ESPN thru 2035-36
Raycom Sports will produce all games for The CW.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to be adding The CW to our weekly television lineup for ACC football and basketball games,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., said via the conference.
“The CW’s national distribution will directly benefit our student-athletes, teams, alumni and fans. We appreciate ESPN and Raycom working together and look forward to the partnership with The CW.”
ACC teams include Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, North Carolina State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
ACC partners include Ally, Bojangles, Gatorade, Food Lion and New York Life.
The CW in January signed a deal wi
th LIV Golf to air tournaments beginnng with the 2023 season.
“We are committed to making The CW a destination for live, appointment-viewing sporting events,” Dennis Miller, president, The CW, said via the network.
“The ACC is home to some of the most decorated college football and basketball teams in the country and we look forward to welcoming these avid sports fans to the network as we continue to broaden our audience.”
According to Hunter Nickell, CEO of Raycom Sports via the company, “The CW is going to be a terrific partner for the legendary ACC.
“The longest-running television relationship in college sports belongs to the ACC and Raycom Sports. Now, The CW brings national broadcast network coverage to the great fans of these 15 famous schools.”
