College Swimming League Announces TV Deal with ESPN; Broadcast Dates Set
The College Swimming League (CSL) and ESPN today announced a multi-year media rights agreement that makes ESPN the exclusive home of CSL competition in the United States and Canada. Under the agreement, all six regular-season matches will stream live on ESPN+ each season, while the CSL Wild Card and Championship will air on ESPNU. Events will also be available on the ESPN App.
Courtesy: CSL
The CSL features 12 NCAA programs (Virginia, Michigan, Louisville, Indiana, Cal, Stanford, Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, North Carolina State and Ohio State) competing in a four-team match format over a six-match regular season, building toward the Wild Card and the Championship at the close of each season.
“College swimming features outstanding student-athletes, passionate fan bases and exciting competition, making the College Swimming League a strong addition to ESPN’s collegiate sports lineup. We’re excited to bring fans every regular-season meet on ESPN+ and the Wild Card and Championship on ESPNU, providing season-long coverage across our platforms.” — Mallory Kenny, Director, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN
“Landing a deal with ESPN for our inaugural season is a monumental milestone that will elevate collegiate swimming to unprecedented heights. Fans across North America can tune in to watch 12 of the top NCAA swim programs compete in high-stakes, elite matchups. Broadcasting live from world-class venues across the United States, ESPN will bring the incredible speed and intense rivalries of the CSL straight into millions of homes, anchoring our league as a premier fixture in sports.” — Rob Kent, Chief Executive Officer, College Swimming League
“When you think of college sports, you think ESPN, so to build a brand-new property from the ground up and earn a live national TV window on ESPNU is huge. This is big for the CSL, but it’s even bigger for the sport and the fans who have waited years to finally see college swimming on TV.” — Kyle Sockwell, Chief Operating Officer, College Swimming League
About the College Swimming League
The College Swimming League (CSL) is a dynamic new fan-first event series staged in the fall of the college swimming season. Featuring 12 NCAA programs competing in a four-team match format, the CSL is built to give the sport a bigger stage, packaging top college swimming into must-watch competition for fans in the building and at home and culminating in the Wild Card and the Championship. For more information, visit www.collegeswimmingleague.com and follow @collegeswimmingleague.
The above press release was provided to Swimming World by the College Swimming League (CSL).
