ESPN and the Ivy League committed to a 10-year deal that makes ESPN the exclusive national media rights holder for the conference, carrying more than 1,100 events annually from more than 30 sports on ESPN media platforms. Starting with the 2018-19 season, the majority of events will be on ESPN+ although the Ivy League will also have at least 24 events air on ESPN’s linear networks each year, including rivalries such as Harvard/Yale football as well as the men’s and women’s basketball conference tournaments.
“With this new agreement, we continue to provide fans with the most diverse content through all our networks and platforms, while also deepening our commitment to college sports,” said ESPN executive vice president of programming and scheduling Burke Magnus. “We are significantly enhancing our existing relationship with The Ivy League, providing the conference, its institutions, and fans the most comprehensive coverage of the league to date across ESPN’s networks and platforms, while also adding specific benefits that are made possible with the launch of ESPN+.”
“We are excited to announce this groundbreaking and comprehensive long-term partnership with ESPN, which will dramatically increase our exposure and reach across the League’s broad-based sports offering,” Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris said. “This agreement preserves the Ivy League’s place at the forefront of innovation and connects the League with a partner that is driving the convergence of linear and digital sports programming.”
