Big Sky Conference Inks Television Deal with Scripps to Air Cat-Griz and Other League Games
5/18/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
Key MSU games to air in local markets throughout Montana, as well as ESPN+
Big Sky Conference games will have a strong presence on local television stations through a new partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company, Commissioner Tom Wistrcill announced today. Scripps stations in markets with Big Sky schools will broadcast football and men's and women's basketball games beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.
"This partnership with Scripps allows Big Sky fans to watch games throughout our entire footprint," Wistrcill said. "One of the primary objectives with our conference's media rights is to maximize the number of people who can watch our teams compete, and this deal complements our ESPN relationship by providing extensive television coverage with a renowned media company that has existing relationships across the Big Sky."
The Big Sky Conference retains rights to digitally distribute and stream programming via the ESPN+ app both within and outside the league's footprint, and blackout restrictions do not apply to Scripps broadcasts.
"We want to deliver content that is of high interest to our audiences, and we know viewers in this part of the country are passionate about their Big Sky sports," said Brian Lawlor, president of Local Media for The E.W. Scripps Company. "When it's important to the community, it's important to us." Under the new deal, Scripps holds the rights to broadcast up to 14 conference football games involving Montana State and Montana. Scripps airs the annual Bobcat-Grizzly games statewide in Montana using Scripps Montana CBS Stations. As part of this agreement, one home and one away conference football game for both MSU and its in-state rival airs in primetime. The Big Sky Conference will schedule the balance of the Montana State and UM football games airing in the afternoon on Scripps Montana CBS, NBC and CW TV stations. Scripps also holds the first right to broadcast as many as eight women's or men's basketball games involving Montana State or Montana under the contract. Additional conference football and men's and women's basketball games may be added by mutual agreement between the Big Sky Conference and Scripps. With this new agreement, Scripps will be on-site annually to produce content at the Big Sky's Football Kickoff, Hall of Fame Ceremony and Men's and Women's Basketball Championships. Big Sky contests will not air on ROOT Sports moving forward. Announcements of additional television clearances for Big Sky contests occur at a later date.
Follow the MSU Bobcats (@msubobcats) and the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on all major social media platforms.
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"We want to deliver content that is of high interest to our audiences, and we know viewers in this part of the country are passionate about their Big Sky sports," said Brian Lawlor, president of Local Media for The E.W. Scripps Company. "When it's important to the community, it's important to us." Under the new deal, Scripps holds the rights to broadcast up to 14 conference football games involving Montana State and Montana. Scripps airs the annual Bobcat-Grizzly games statewide in Montana using Scripps Montana CBS Stations. As part of this agreement, one home and one away conference football game for both MSU and its in-state rival airs in primetime. The Big Sky Conference will schedule the balance of the Montana State and UM football games airing in the afternoon on Scripps Montana CBS, NBC and CW TV stations. Scripps also holds the first right to broadcast as many as eight women's or men's basketball games involving Montana State or Montana under the contract. Additional conference football and men's and women's basketball games may be added by mutual agreement between the Big Sky Conference and Scripps. With this new agreement, Scripps will be on-site annually to produce content at the Big Sky's Football Kickoff, Hall of Fame Ceremony and Men's and Women's Basketball Championships. Big Sky contests will not air on ROOT Sports moving forward. Announcements of additional television clearances for Big Sky contests occur at a later date.
Follow the MSU Bobcats (@msubobcats) and the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on all major social media platforms.
#GoCatsGo
#ExperienceElevated
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