ESPN+ Reaches Multi-Year Agreement with Patriot League for Live and Archived Sporting Events

ESPN+ has signed a multi-year agreement to carry the Patriot League sporting events starting in the 2020-2021 season. The first of more than 800 events will stream on Sunday, September 20th with a women’s soccer match between Navy and Pittsburgh.

What’s Happening:

  • The Patriot League has reached a multi-year agreement that makes ESPN+ the exclusive digital home for live and archived Patriot League sporting events, starting with the 2020-21 academic year.
  • ESPN+ will be home to more than 800 annual events, including college football games, and men’s and women’s basketball contests.
  • The agreement also includes regular-season coverage of Patriot League men’s and women’s lacrosse in addition to regular and post-season coverage of Patriot League baseball, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and volleyball, in addition to championship coverage of other League sports.
  • The first event involving a Patriot League school this fall is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, when Navy hosts Pittsburgh in a women’s soccer contest (2 pm ET).
  • In addition to the Patriot League, ESPN+ has agreements with more than 20 leading college athletic conferences including:
    • Big 12
    • AAC
    • America East
    • ASUN
    • Atlantic 10
    • Big South
    • Conference USA
    • ECAC Hockey
    • Horizon
    • The Ivy League
    • Metro Atlantic
    • Mid-American
    • Missouri Valley
    • NEC
    • Ohio Valley
    • Southern
    • Southland
    • Summit
    • Sun Belt
    • WAC
    • And more

What They’re Saying:

  • Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel: “The Patriot League has been among the leaders within intercollegiate athletics for its live streaming production with its robust and high-quality live digital programming for more than a decade. We are thrilled to work with ESPN+ to showcase Patriot League student-athletes on this leading sports streaming platform.”
  • Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming Acquisitions and Scheduling: “The Patriot League has a proud academic and athletic history featuring so many great institutions and rivalries, which we will showcase on ESPN+ through this new multi-year agreement. As a Holy Cross alum, I am personally very excited about the opportunity to watch my alma mater play among the more than 800 annual events that this deal includes.”

About the Patriot League:

  • The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards.
  • The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class.
  • Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.

More ESPN+:

  • Beyond college sports, ESPN+ programming features exclusive:
    • UFC and Top Rank boxing events
    • MLB and NHL games
    • Professional domestic and international soccer
    • Grand Slam tennis
    • International and domestic rugby and cricket.
  • Additionally, the streaming service offers exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.
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