ESPN’s new contract with the SEC means conference football games on several of the networks channels including ESPNU. Until today, ESPNU was not available on Comcast, and required a premium sports package on DirecTV. That has all changed as ESPNU will now be available in DirecTV’s Choice package, and will be available “on a majority of Comcast cable systems by the start of football season.” Official details are below.
ESPN’s press release from this morning provides the details:
DIRECTV TO OFFER ESPNU IN ITS CHOICEâ„¢ PACKAGE
ESPNU’s Distribution More Than 46 Million Subscribers
Disney and ESPN Media Networks and DIRECTV, Inc., today announced an agreement to widen its distribution of ESPNU to DIRECTV’s CHOICEâ„¢ programming package beginning July 1. ESPNU will now be available to more than 46 million college sports fans across the country. As part of the agreement, DIRECTV will also launch ESPNU HD by the end of the first quarter 2010. Additionally, ESPN Classic will be repackaged into the DIRECTV SPORTS PACK.
ESPNU provides college sports fans with more than 550 live events annually and televises some of the top Division I conferences in the nation, including: the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, MAC, SEC, Sun Belt and WAC. The network also has a wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the NCAA that includes extensive coverage of 22 NCAA Championships, including sports from each of the three collegiate seasons.
“ESPNU is committed to college sports programming 365 days a year, and this move to DIRECTV’s CHOICE package allows better access for college sports fans — nationwide — to all of the quality content provided on the network,” said David C. Preschlack, executive vice president, Disney and ESPN Media Networks.
“DIRECTV continues to offer the best sports programming to its customers,†said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development, DIRECTV, Inc. “By expanding the distribution of ESPNU, we take that commitment to another level for all college sports fans across the country.â€
About Disney and ESPN Media Networks:
Disney and ESPN Media Networks’ diverse portfolio contains the most compelling entertainment, sports and news content available to consumers today, including ABC Family, ABC News Now, Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPNEWS HD, ESPNU, ESPNU HD, SOAPnet and Disney XD. Delivering the most popular media brands with their passionate audiences, Disney and ESPN Media Networks brings content distributors exclusive opportunities across multiple platforms including broadband products such as ABC News Now, Disney Online’s Disney Connection and ESPN360.com, as well as video on demand services, including Disney Channel on Demand and ESPN on Demand.
About DIRECTV
DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV – News), the nation’s No. 1 satellite television service, presents the finest television experience available to more than 18 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels – more quality HD channels than any other television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed all national cable companies for eight years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.
Here is the ESPN release about Comcast:
COMCAST ADDS ESPNU AND ESPN360.COM TO LINE UP WITH CONTENT
ON TELEVISION, ON DEMAND AND ONLINE
BRISTOL, CT AND PHILADELPHIA, PA (May 19, 2009) – Disney and ESPN Media Networks and Comcast Corporation today announced an agreement to add ESPNU to its Digital Classic level of service and ESPN360.com to Comcast.net. Comcast will launch ESPNU in a majority of its cable systems in time for the start of the college football season. This includes Comcast’s southern systems which will enjoy coverage of ESPNU’s new Saturday game-of-the-week Southeastern Conference (SEC) package. Comcast will also make ESPN360.com available to its high-speed Internet customers for no additional charge through Comcast.net, which reaches 17 million unique users per month, also in time for this year’s college football season.
With this agreement, ESPNU will have more than 46 million subscribers and ESPN360.com will be available to nearly 41 million homes, a majority of broadband homes in America.
“ESPNU and ESPN360.com have been growing in popularity due to the dynamic live-event programming we’ve been adding to them, and we are thrilled Comcast will offer them to their huge fan base,†said David C. Preschlack, executive vice president, Disney and ESPN Media Networks. “This agreement is a tremendous step forward in serving fans – both on television and online — while growing our collective multi-platform businesses.â€
“Comcast continues to be the place for sports fans to turn to for all the college, professional and high school sports action they want – on television, online and on demand,†said Matt Bond, executive vice president, content acquisition for Comcast Cable. “ESPNU and ESPN360.com will add to the thousands of live sports events that fans already watch on Comcast today.â€
ESPNU provides college sports fans with more than 550 live events annually and televises some of the top Division I conferences in the nation, including: the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, MAC, SEC, Sun Belt and WAC. The network also has a wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the NCAA that includes extensive coverage of 22 NCAA Championships, including sports from each of the three collegiate seasons.
ESPN360.com is ESPN’s 24/7 broadband sports network which offers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually. ESPN360.com has grown to more than 41 million subscribers and is available nationwide. It has more than tripled its distribution in just two years. ESPN360.com is available at no additional charge through Comcast.net to Comcast High-Speed Internet customers. In addition, ESPN360.com is also available at no cost to approximately 18 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks (those with “.edu†and “.mil†domains).
With ESPN360.com, Comcast.net customers will be able to catch sports action online all day and all night. Comcast.net offers extensive content with more than 130,000 videos from providers such as ABC News, CBS News, Fox Sports, Disney, E!, G4, The Weather Channel, CelebTV, and others. Comcast.net is one of the Web’s most visited and deeply engaging sites; 293 MM visits from more than 17.1 MM monthly unique visitors, consuming 4.3 billion page views (source: comScore, March 2009).
About Disney and ESPN Media Networks:
Disney and ESPN Media Networks’ diverse portfolio contains the most compelling entertainment, sports and news content available to consumers today, including ABC Family, ABC News Now, Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPNEWS HD, ESPNU, ESPNU HD, SOAPnet and Disney XD. Delivering the most popular media brands with their passionate audiences, Disney and ESPN Media Networks brings content distributors exclusive opportunities across multiple platforms including broadband products such as ABC News Now, Disney Online’s Disney Connection and ESPN360.com, as well as video on demand services, including Disney Channel on Demand and ESPN on Demand.
About Comcast:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 6.8 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast’s Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
3 thoughts on “ESPNU gets expanded distribution”
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Do not purchase Charter’s $5 extra sports bundle. All you will get is soccer, lacrosse and other international sports most red blooded American males care nothing about.
When I was stationed in England for a little bit — I TRIED to embrace soccer like they did — it just doesn’t register with me. It’s all about the environment you come from I suppose.
Right now — you are paying about $5.50 for ESPN through your cable provider. And it WILL go up due to the massive ESPN / SEC contract. It will come in the form of your provider telling you their “rates are going up.”