The
broadcast package will debut with nine football game
broadcasts beginning in September.
The football
broadcast package will be followed by a planned 16-game basketball
broadcast schedule, including five games from the 2009 Southland
Basketball Tournament in Katy, Texas.
In addition to football and basketball, the Southland Network will also feature the championship games of the 2008 Volleyball Tournament and the 2009 Baseball Tournament. It is also anticipated that all live game broadcasts will be simulcast by video streaming on the Southland’s official web site, http://www.southland.org/.
Also
planned are nine episodes of a new 30-minute magazine show, “Inside the
Southland Conference,” which will feature stories and interviews with
league coaches, administrators and student-athletes.
“Inside
the Southland Conference” debuts on network affiliate stations in
September and will continue with new episodes through May, 2009.
“We’re
thrilled to announce plans for the new Southland Conference Television
Network,” league commissioner Tom Burnett said. “Our campus
administrators have discussed enhancements in our television options in
recent years, and the league’s television committee developed a great
plan in the last year to promote the Southland and its successful
athletic programs.
“The
enthusiasm and unanimous support from the member institutions for this
new package has been met with a great deal of interest from broadcast
stations in the Southland’s three-state region,” Burnett added, noting
that broadcast license negotiations are ongoing with numerous stations
and regional cable networks.
“We expect an announcement of network affiliates prior to the start of football season.”
The
Southland Network will also broadcast a wildcard game on the last
regular-season weekend, and will determine the exact matchup as the
conference race develops.
“The wildcard gives us
flexibility we’ve never had in previous broadcast agreements, and this
option gives us the ability to ensure a televised matchup that likely
determines the league championship,” Burnett said. “We’ll likely do the
same with the basketball broadcast schedule.
“Additionally,
the monthly magazine shows will give Southland fans and followers the
ability to learn more about the campuses and communities around the
league,” he said.
“Plus, we can feature those sports and student-athletes that don’t usually gain television exposure.”