ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference will produce a 24-game men’s basketball television package on FOX Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago in 2014-15, Commissioner Doug Elgin announced today.
The Valley, with Niles Media Group of Kansas City serving as its production company, has worked in conjunction with FOX Sports Midwest -- along with its sister regional cable outlets FOX Sports Indiana and FOX Sports Kansas City -- and Comcast SportsNet Chicago to clear the high-definition telecasts.
ESPN3 -- ESPN’s digital network -- will also distribute the telecasts outside the league’s five-state footprint on FOX Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
"It’s hard to believe that it’s been more 20 years since our league made the decision to bring its regional television network operation in-house, but we have thrived as a direct result from our relationships with FOX Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago," Elgin said.
"This year, we will be producing men’s basketball telecasts exclusively for our regional sports network partners. Our 16 regular-season telecasts match an all-time high, while we will produce and clear the first eight games from our men’s basketball tournament for a fifth-straight year on FOX and Comcast," said Elgin.
"Very few NCAA Division I athletic leagues have a relationship with a regional sports networks like the Missouri Valley has with FOX Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago," said Jack R. Watkins, MVC Associate Commissioner.
"Scheduling around professional product and maintaining consistent programming windows for our games are important from a branding point of view. It is through our long-standing partnerships with FOX and Comcast that we are to maximize exposure and tell the 108-year story that is the Missouri Valley Conference," Watkins said.
The nine-week telecast package, which features contests on Saturday afternoons and Wednesday nights, begins on Saturday, Jan. 3, with Drake visiting Missouri State at JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo., in a 3 p.m. telecast.
The remainder of the men’s basketball regular-season package in January features Loyola at Evansville (Jan. 7), UNI at Drake (Jan. 10), Wichita State at Evansville (Jan. 17), Southern Illinois at Evansville (Jan. 24), Drake at Bradley (Jan. 28) and Illinois State at Loyola (Jan. 31).
In the month of February, telecasts include Loyola at Missouri State (Feb. 4), Illinois State at Southern Illinios (Feb. 7), Southern Illinois at Loyola (Feb. 11), Drake at Indiana State (Feb. 14), Illinois State at Bradley (Feb. 18), Bradley at UNI (Feb. 21) and Evansville at UNI (Feb. 25).
The February lineup concludes on Saturday, Feb. 28, when ESPN and FOX Sports Midwest/Comcast SportsNet Chicago will utilize the Wildcard Selection process to choose from five games -- UNI at Wichita State, Illinois State at Evansville, Drake at Southern Illinois, Missouri State at Loyola and Indiana State at Bradley.
The actual games selected for ESPN and FOX/Comcast clearance will be announced on Friday, Feb. 13.
Coverage of the 2015 MVC Men’s Basketball Championship -- the league’s 25th consecutive postseason tournament in St. Louis -- on March 5-8 will feature nine telecasts, including the title tilt on CBS Sports on March 8 -- marking the tenth-straight year the championship game airs on CBS.
Both opening-round games on March 5, the four quarterfinal games on March 6 and both semifinal tilts on March 7 from Arch Madness will air on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana, FOX Sports Kansas City, Comcast SportsNet Chicago and ESPN3 outside the five-state RSN footprint.
"It’s incredible that this will be the tenth Arch Madness final that CBS Sports will air," Elgin said.
"Last season, Wichita State, which had a 31-0 record entering our men’s basketball tournament, captured its initial Arch Madness title and became the first MVC school to start a season 34-0 en route to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. And CBS Sports was there to showcase the Shockers and spread The Valley brand nationally."