- ESPN Exercises Contract Option on Current Rights Deal
ESPN will televise BYU football through the 2019 season, continuing a current agreement between ESPN and the school which began with the 2011 season. The announcement that ESPN executed its contract option was made by BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe at the school’s football media day this morning in Provo, Utah.
Nick Dawson, ESPN Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions said: “BYU has played an important role in ESPN’s college football history, having aired its games for more than 32 years. Continuing the relationship for the 2019 season secures another top-notch program for our industry-leading portfolio. Year-after-year, ESPN continues to provide fans the deepest schedule featuring the nation’s best teams.”
As part of the original agreement, which remains intact, ESPN receives first selection rights to all BYU home games, with a minimum of one game designated annually for BYUtv. Select BYU road games are televised by ESPN through other conference agreements.
Holmoe said: “We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with ESPN for decades and that relationship seems to get stronger every year. There is great collaboration and I feel really good about what we are doing together. We’ve had good dialogue about extending the contract and felt this option would give us some time for additional conversations.”
ESPN’s Networks to Televise BYU’s Marquee Matchups in 2017
An ESPN network is set to televise BYU’s marquee football matchups this season, including the 2017 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff vs. LSU from Houston on (Sept. 2). The Cougars home matchups against Utah (Sept. 9), Wisconsin (Sept. 16) and Boise State (Oct. 6), in addition to their season opener vs. Portland State (Aug. 26), will also be on an ESPN network.
ESPN’s 2017 BYU Football Games
| Date | Time (E.T.) | Opponent | Network |
| Sat, Aug. 26 | 3 p.m. | vs. Portland State | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept. 2 | 9:30 p.m. | vs. LSU (2017 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff from Houston) | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept. 9 | 10:15 p.m. | vs. Utah | ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| Sat, Sept. 16 | 3:30 p.m. | vs. Wisconsin | ABC or ESPN |
| Fri, Oct. 6 | 10:15 p.m. | vs. Boise State | ESPN |
| Sat, Nov. 4 | TBD | at Fresno State | TBD |
| Fri, Nov. 10 | 10:30 p.m. | at UNLV | ESPN2 |
Additional games may be added
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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [email protected] and @DerekVolner
