ESPN, Ivy League Ink 10-Year Deal

ESPN and the Ivy League have reached a comprehensive, 10-year deal for ESPN to become the exclusive national broadcaster for the prestigious conference.

The Ivy League — known more for its academics than athletics — includes Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton and Yale.

ESPN plans to carry more than 1,100 events annually from more than 30 sports on its online and TV channels. The majority of those will be exclusively available on ESPN+, the new streaming service from The Walt Disney Company and ESPN. The Ivy League will also have at least 24 events air on ESPN’s TV networks each year, including historic rivalries such as The Game: Harvard-Yale football, and new traditions like the men’s and women’s basketball conference tournaments.

“With this new agreement, we continue to provide fans with the most diverse content through all our networks and platforms, while also deepening our commitment to college sports,” said ESPN executive vice president of programming and scheduling Burke Magnus. “We are significantly enhancing our existing relationship with The Ivy League, providing the conference, its institutions, and fans the most comprehensive coverage of the league to date across ESPN’s networks and platforms, while also adding specific benefits that are made possible with the launch of ESPN+.”

“We are excited to announce this groundbreaking and comprehensive long-term partnership with ESPN, which will dramatically increase our exposure and reach across the League’s broad-based sports offering,” Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris said. “This agreement preserves the Ivy League’s place at the forefront of innovation and connects the League with a partner that is driving the convergence of linear and digital sports programming.”

Starting in the 2018-19 season, fans of the conference and its eight member institutions will receive increased Ivy League content and coverage from ESPN, including exclusive live events, amplified access to highlights and special league content in an increasingly customizable and personalized fashion.

The expanded live content and enhanced fan experience through ESPN+ will also provide more value for Ivy League fans, as they will receive more games and content at a cost less than the current Ivy League Network. For just $4.99 a month, subscribers will get the Ivy League Network (1,100+ events and surrounding programming), as well as thousands of more live events including additional college sports, MLB, NHL, MLS games, plus boxing, international rugby, cricket, as well as exclusive original content and an unmatched on-demand library including the entire award-winning 30 for 30 documentary series and more.