ESPN and ACC reach billion-dollar agreement

10 May 2012 | Posted in Agencies, Broadcast, College Sports, North America | By David Cushnan

ESPN has renewed its billion-dollar broadcast deal with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), on revised financial terms, until the 2026/27 season.

The new agreement is said to be worth US$3.6 billion in total, an uplift on the  the previous US$1.86 million deal signed in 2010 which was due to run until 2023.

The revised deal begins in July and is reflective of Pittsburgh and Syracuse's imminent arrival in the league, which will extend schedules in men's basketball and football.

ESPN has also gained the rights to regular-season women's basketball games from the conference and will also broadcast a variety of Olympic sports. It will utilise multiple platforms to broadcast games, including ESPN networks internationally.

• University of Texas and ESPN touchdown on new deal
• ESPN acquires NCAA rights for US$500 million

Signficantly ESPN has, for the first time, acquired the rights to sell title sponsorship rights to all ACC tournaments. Those rights have been packaged up in the overall US$3.6 billion value of the deal.

"This expansion and extension of our exclusive agreement brings tremendous value to our company and to ACC fans everywhere," said ESPN president John Skipper.

"We look forward to showcasing this premier conference across all platforms through 2027."

Each school in the conference stands to receive US$4.1 million more per season under the terms of the new agreement.

Picture shows EPSN president John Skipper.

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