CBS SPORTS SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL TO TELEVISE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE BASKETBALL ON CBS AND CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Missouri Valley Championship Game Remains on CBS; CBS Sports Network Adds Eight Regular-Season Games and Tournament Semifinals
CBS Sports has reached a multi-year agreement to televise Missouri Valley Conference college basketball games on the CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network. The deal, which begins this season and continues through 2019-20, is through a sublicense agreement with ESPN.
CBS Sports will continue to broadcast the Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship game, which it has aired for ten consecutive years. Arch Madness coverage extends to CBS Sports Network, which for the first time will televise the tournament semi-finals, as well as eight regular-season games per year.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with the Missouri Valley Conference,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. “Given the national prominence of The Valley, this deal brings more high quality college basketball to CBS Sports Network, and returns the always exciting Missouri Valley Conference Championship to CBS.”
“We’re very proud of the relationship we’ve had over the past decade with CBS Sports. The network has secured the rights to our tournament championship game through 2020 which is clear recognition of the respect our league has earned in college basketball circles,” said MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin. “Having our championship game aired on the first weekend in March by CBS Sports places our league in elite company. We are elated to have CBS Sports Network televising a regular-season men’s basketball package and our tournament semifinals – a fitting tribute to our student-athletes and coaches.”
The perennially strong Missouri Valley Conference saw two teams represent the league in the final Associated Press rankings in 2015 – Wichita State (14) and UNI (11). Both teams played in the NCAA Tournament, with Wichita State reaching the Sweet 16 with victories over storied programs Indiana and Kansas. Wichita State’s run marked the sixth MVC team to reach the Sweet 16 in the past 10 years. The Valley also had the nation’s best post-season winning percentage (.824) in 2015, as the league’s five post-season qualifiers combined for a 14-3 record.
The Missouri Valley Conference, the nation’s second-oldest NCAA Division I conference, continues to be a leader in college athletics and is one of the nation’s most progressive conferences, celebrating its 109th season in 2015-16. League members have worked together to focus on common goals and objectives, placing a high value on league harmony, while continuing to invest in athletic programs to compete at the highest level.
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Three more road wins so far in @ValleyHoops as @BradleyUMBB @BelmontMBB & @UIC_MBB capture road wins. Looks like @DrakeBulldogsMB will do so too. #FatherHarry
Well @RacersWBB followed the men's example and swept Iowa in the @ValleyHoops race! Racers are 6-1 & if @BelmontWBB holds on to their Iowa sweep, the Bruins and Racers will be tied for first. What a trip for those two teams! #FatherHarry
After today's action, @EIUWBB is 8-0 in @OVCSports play. 4 teams @usiwbb @TTUWBB @LRTrojans @LindenwoodWBB are tied at 6-2. Six other teams are under .500. Great race to the finish lies ahead. #FatherHarry
Really entertaining game between @BelmontMBB & @UEAthletics_MBB. Under four minutes left in a one point game. Gabriel Pozzato back in the Aces' lineup. Rogers is playing like I've expected. Triples are dropping. It's fun and @kylejpeach bringing it on #ThePlus #FatherHarry
