Mid-American Conference signs three-year TV deal
The Mid-American Conference announced a new, comprehensive, multi-year programming and production agreement with ESPN, Inc. at the conference's annual spring meetings.
MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst said in a press release the new agreement becomes effective with the upcoming 2000 college football season.
The agreement guarantees the MAC more than 30 national regular and post-season appearances in football and men's basketball over the term of the agreement (2000-2003).
"We couldn't be more excited about this new arrangement," Chryst said in the press release.
"It affords us guaranteed national exposure in football and men's basketball over the next three years, which is critical as this conference continues to grow. More importantly, it represents a broad and extensive relationship with the leading name in college sports television."
The agreement gives ESPN, Inc. exclusive national rights to both the MAC football and men's basketball championship game, as well as a minimum of five regular-season football games and nine regular-season basketball appearances over the next three years.
Also part of the agreement is that the 2000 MAC football championship game will be televised live nationally on ABC Sports, which is believed to be the first full national broadcast of a MAC football game in the conference's 56-year history.
The game will be scheduled for 1 p.m. (EST) Dec. 2 at Marshall Stadium in Huntington, W.V.
The championship game will be the first contest of ABC's college football tripleheader on Dec. 2, followed by the Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference championship games.
The 1999 MAC football championship game earned a 2.0 rating on ESPN2, making it the second most-watched college football game in the network's five-year history.
In that game Marshall capped its perfect season with a 34-30 victory over Western Michigan as quarterback Chad Pennington tossed a touchdown with seven seconds left in the game.
CMU Football Head Coach Mike DeBord said this is a deal that the MAC has deserved for a long time.
"People around the United States are recognizing that the MAC is worthy of national attention," DeBord said. "I'm glad to see the MAC administration be rewarded for their hard work. This is great for the conference. The championship game (football) will be a great lead-in to ABC's championship tripleheader."
Another change coming from the spring meetings is a new format for the men's basketball tournament that has the championship game on the NCAA selection weekend.
Eight teams will advance to Cleveland's Gund Arena after the first-round tournament games on March 5.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for March 8, with the semifinal games to be played on March 9 and the championship game is scheduled for Saturday evening, March 10, and will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
CMU Men's Basketball Head Coach Jay Smith said the changes are for the better and will help the school and the conference in the long run.
"This agreement will do well for the conference," Smith said.
"We got the largest increase of TV appearances than any other conference in the nation. This is a great opportunity for the school and conference to get national exposure, which will help in recruiting and scheduling."
The new basketball tournament schedule will allow for greater ease of people to schedule a time to attend the event.
"We feel the move of the men's basketball tournament to selection weekend is very significant," Chryst said in the press release. "Going to a weekend format, with the championship game on a Saturday will give us an opportunity to create a tournament fan in the market, while also giving school fans a chance to plan a weekend in Cleveland."
Included within the agreement is a continuation of the league's syndication relationship with ESPN Regional Television, a subsidiary of ESPN, Inc.
ESPN Regional Television will continue to produce the conference's regular-season football and men's and women's basketball regional packages.
In other MAC business, Chryst announced that conference administrators approved a nine-inning baseball format for both regular-season and tournament play.
CMU Baseball Head Coach Judd Folske said he was happy with the changes and said it would be better for the team.
"I think it's (changes) great," Folske said. "It's pure baseball to go nine innings and the changes will elevate us with other conferences playing nine innings. The change will also give us flexibility in scheduling, so we're not playing back-to-back doubleheaders."
The MAC's divisional scheduling framework would continue to be emphasized in its six core sports, including volleyball, baseball and softball in addition to football and men's and women's basketball.
