ACC, CW ink deal to air 50 football, hoops games

This fall, the ACC will begin airing football and basketball events on the CW Network, a new addition to the league’s Saturday broadcast schedule.

The CW has secured the rights to 50 ACC games, beginning Sept. 9 with Pitt‘s football game against Cincinnati. Thirteen ACC football games will air Saturdays on the CW, which will broadcast 28 ACC men’s and women’s basketball games throughout December, January and February. The ACC will have men’s basketball doubleheaders on the CW every Saturday, and women’s basketball doubleheaders on Sunday afternoons.

Raycom Sports, which sublicences ACC events from ESPN, sold its rights to the CW but will continue producing them. The CW has not aired college sports events but is the exclusive home for LIV Golf. The network is best known for broadcast series, including “All-American,” which focuses on college football players in the Los Angeles area.

“We are thrilled to be adding The CW to our weekly television lineup for ACC football and basketball games,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “The CW’s national distribution will directly benefit our student-athletes, teams, alumni and fans. We appreciate ESPN and Raycom working together and look forward to the partnership with The CW.”

The ACC in July 2016 agreed to a 20-year media rights agreement with ESPN that runs through the 2035-36 academic year. Some league members have expressed frustration with the long-term agreement, as the ACC significantly trails the SEC and Big Ten in revenue. Phillips has vowed to be creative in seeking solutions to create greater revenue.