ASUN and ESPN Extend Media Rights with Expanded Coverage

The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and ESPN have extended their media rights agreement for another year. ESPN will stay on as the ASUN’s media partner through the 2025-26 academic year.

This extension brings more linear network coverage. The Women’s Basketball Championship Final will air on ESPNU in March.

ESPN’s commitment to ASUN sports, especially women’s basketball, stands out in this deal. It’s another chapter in a partnership that’s lasted for decades.

ASUN and ESPN: A Partnership Rooted in History

The Atlantic Sun Conference and ESPN first teamed up in 1989 when ESPN broadcast the league’s Men’s Basketball Final. Since then, the partnership has grown a lot, especially after the ESPN3 On-Campus Initiative launched in 2012.

That initiative let the ASUN produce and broadcast events right from campus. It really boosted the visibility of both the conference and its athletes.

Expansion Through ESPN+

In April 2018, the ASUN and ESPN made a bold move. They announced that 55 events would stream on ESPN’s then-new platform, ESPN+.

This included all of six ASUN Championships: Baseball, Beach Volleyball, Lacrosse, Softball, and Tennis. Fans got access to more events, and the production quality improved across the board.

Record-Breaking Broadcasts

During the 2024-25 academic year, the ASUN and its 12 member schools produced 1,184 ESPN broadcasts. Fourteen conference championships were included in that total.

The Men’s Basketball Championship Final between Lipscomb and North Alabama aired on ESPN2. Nearly 30,000 unique viewers tuned in, which is pretty impressive for the league.

This was the third year in a row the ASUN produced over 1,000 broadcasts. The numbers reached 1,296 in 2023-24 and 1,155 in 2022-23.

Commitment to Women’s Sports

The new agreement brings bigger coverage for the Women’s Basketball Championship Final, now set to air on ESPNU. ASUN Commissioner Jeff Bacon thanked ESPN for helping bring ASUN Women’s Basketball to a national audience.

ESPN’s move fits with their larger push to give women’s sports the attention they deserve. It’s about time, right?

About the Atlantic Sun Conference

Founded in 1978, the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) is an NCAA Division I conference. It sponsors 22 sports and championships.

The conference includes 12 schools across the southeastern U.S.:

• Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tenn.)
• Bellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.)
• University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.)
• Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Ky.)
• Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers, Fla.)
• Jacksonville University (Fla.)
• Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.)
• University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
• University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Stetson University (DeLand, Fla.)
• University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.)

A New Era with the Western Athletic Conference

The ASUN is moving into a new era with its Alliance with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The extended media rights deal with ESPN will be a big part of that.

This alliance aims to strengthen competition for both conferences. It should open up more chances for student-athletes to shine on a national stage.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ leads the U.S. sports streaming scene. It offers exclusive access to over 32,000 live sports events each year, plus a huge library of replays and original content.

You can sign up for ESPN+ on ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com, or through the ESPN App on your phone or other devices. For more info, check out the ESPN+ Press Kit.

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