The CW is expanding its lineup of live sports.
The Nexstar-owned broadcast network on Thursday announced a four-year deal to carry 50 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) college football and basketball games, beginning this fall. In total The CW will carry 13 football games, 28 men’s basketball games, and nine women’s basketball games.
The slate of games kicks off with a football game Sep. 9 between the Pitt Panthers and the (non-ACC) Cincinnati Bearcats. As is typical with college football, the games will air on Saturdays. The basketball games, which will run through February, will be held on Saturdays, with the women’s games on Sundays.
The deal to bring ACC games to the network marks a significant expansion in the live sports space for The CW, which Nexstar acquired last year. Until now the only national sports broadcast by the network have been LIV Golf matches.
“We are committed to making The CW a destination for live, appointment-viewing sporting events,” said Dennis Miller, president of The CW Network. “The ACC is home to some of the most decorated college football and basketball teams in the country and we look forward to welcoming these avid sports fans to the network as we continue to broaden our audience.”
The CW acquired the ACC rights through Raycom Sports, which in turn sub-licensed the games from ESPN. Raycom Sports will produce the games for The CW. ACC teams include the Carolina Tar Heels, Pitt Panthers, Syracuse Orange, Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Clemson Tigers, Louisville Cardinals, and Boston College Eagles.
“We are thrilled to be adding The CW to our weekly television lineup for ACC football and basketball games,” added ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “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.”
