The Summit League, CBS Sports and Midco have announced a new three-year media rights agreement aimed at expanding national distribution of Summit League athletics.
The new deal will act as a direct-to-consumer branded digital network through Midco aptly named, the Summit League Network according to a press release published Thursday.
“This is a historic moment for the League, and these relationships will give fans a better experience to consume Summit League content, with more national exposure on CBS Sports Network and enhanced digital content through Midco.” Said Summit League Commissioner Josh Fenton.
Starting with the upcoming basketball season, at least six Summit League regular-season men’s basketball games will be televised on CBS Sports Network. This agreement also adds an opportunity to add an additional six men’s or women’s games throughout the year.
In addition to the regular-season matchups, CBS Sports Network will televise select games during the 2024 Summit League Basketball Championships. The Women’s Championship semifinals and final and the Men’s Championship final will be televised nationally for the first time.
“We are excited to begin this partnership with The Summit League,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President of Programming for CBS Sports. “This deal allows us to add live games throughout the regular season to our CBS Sports Network schedule.”
This three-way partnership also expands beyond the basketball court. Starting this fall, the Summit League Network (SLN) will provide a centralized platform that fans can watch regular season broadcasts on. This new network will be distributed by Midco Sports Plus.
“In an ever-changing and complicated landscape of media rights, we believe the unique combination of CBS Sports and Midco helps the League and membership align with these established priorities.” Said Fenton who is leading the League into its 42nd year.
The SLN will include all home regular-season conference and non-conference games for volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, softball, and baseball. All Summit League championships, including cross country, indoor/outdoor track and field, and swimming and diving, will also all be streamed on the network.
“This partnership is a win for everyone involved,” said Midco Chair and CEO Pat McAdaragh. “We are so pleased to further our relationship with The Summit League.”
Subscriptions cost $9.99 a month or $79.99 for a year. The Summit League Network is available through the Midco Sports Plus applications on both mobile (iOS and Android) and connected TV devices (AppleTV, FireTV, and Roku) as well as online at SummitLeagueNetwork.tv.
As a result of this new agreement, live streaming of events through Jackrabbit All-Access at GoJacks.com will end immediately according to a release from the SDSU athletic department. Jackrabbit football will continue to be seen on Midco Sports Plus and/or ESPN+ as well as select games on Midco Sports Network. Wrestling can be seen on FloWrestling, and equestrian can be seen on YouTube as these programs are not affiliated with the Summit League.
