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SALT LAKE CITY — The Big Sky Conference, which is home to Southern Utah University and Weber State University, is joining the "Worldwide Leader of Sports."
The conference, which is headquartered in Farmington, Utah, announced Wednesday morning a new multi-year streaming partnership with ESPN, which will feature more than 600 conference events being streamed on ESPN+. The exact terms and length of the new contract, which replaced PlutoTV as the conference's streaming partner, were not immediately released.
Under the new deal, ESPNU will also televise two football games, and a regular-season men's basketball game and the championship games for the men's and women's basketball tournament will be featured on the wide array of ESPN networks each season.
The partnership begins in July, according to the conference, with the first event — Football Kickoff — being streamed live on ESPN+ on Monday, July 26.
"This landmark agreement for the Big Sky and our membership rightfully aligns the nation's preeminent FCS conference with the strongest media brand in sports," Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill said in a statement. "We are absolutely thrilled to join the ESPN family and deliver an elevated viewing experience with hundreds of Big Sky contests on ESPN+ each year.
"In addition, the numerous linear opportunities on ESPN networks now available to us is unprecedented among our peers, and yet another way that we will enhance the brand of the Big Sky."
ESPN+ is a subscription-based platform from the worldwide leader and is approximately $6 per month if not bundled with "The Disney Bundle" of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.
We are proud to announce our new partnership with @ESPNPlus 🤝 Streaming #ExperienceElevated, starting this July 📈 @DavePasch x @BigSkyCommishpic.twitter.com/fXuwGobAN3
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) June 9, 2021
