Mountain West Conference Signs Six-Year Rights Deals With CBS, Fox

CBSSN remains primary rightsholder; Fox gets Boise State football, MW Football Championship

The Mountain West Conference has agreed to a pair of six-year media-rights deals with CBS Sports and Fox Sports. The deals, which are worth a combined $270 million (according to the Associated Press), begin with the 2020-21 season and run through 2025-26.

CBS Sports Network will continue to serve as primary television-rights holder for the conference’s top football and men’s basketball games; Fox Sports will have exclusive rights to Boise State home football games and to the Mountain West Football Championship game.

CBS Sports Stays in the Mountain West Business
The deal extends CBS Sports’ long-term relationship with the Mountain West. CBS Sports Network will continue to broadcast the conference’s best football and men’s basketball games. And the network will televise an additional 10 games of each sport per year.

The CBS Television Network also will broadcast selected football and men’s basketball games throughout the agreement, including the Men’s Basketball Championship — which has been on CBS since 2013 — with an automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship on the line.

CBS Sports Network will also have the option to televise selected Mountain West Conference Olympic sports each year.

“Given both the strength of the Mountain West Conference and success of our partnership over the past 15 years, continuing our long-term relationship with the conference was a priority for us,” says Dan Weinberg, EVP, programming, CBS Sports. “Retaining the conference’s top games for CBS Sports Network is important and builds upon our already strong schedule. We look forward to an exciting future with the conference in the years ahead.”

Says MW Commissioner Craig Thompson, “The Mountain West is pleased to enhance and strengthen our mutually beneficial association with CBS Sports. We are particularly excited about the opportunity to showcase our strong brand and premier football and men’s basketball teams on CBS Sports Network and the CBS Television Network. Our member institutions appreciate the commitment being shown to the conference by CBS Sports.”

Fox Sports Joins the Mountain West Party
Meanwhile, Fox Sports’ agreement marks the first-ever relationship between the network and the conference. In addition to carrying all Boise State home football games and the Mountain West Football Championship game, Fox Sports linear platforms will televise a full slate of MW football and men’s basketball games each year.

“Fox Sports is pleased to add the Mountain West to our roster of top-tier collegiate athletics partnerships,” says Fox Sports President, National Networks, Mark Silverman. “We look forward to showcasing these exceptional programs, coaches, and student-athletes in the years to come.”

Says Thompson, “The Mountain West is excited to begin this next cycle with Fox Sports as a new partner. The relationship allows us to be part of the network’s growing collegiate programming,  and we look forward to working together toward mutual success. This agreement positions us well now and for the future.”

Says Noelle Cockett, president, Utah State University, and chair, Mountain West Board of Directors, “This significant partnership provides essential exposure and revenue advancements to the Mountain West and its member institutions. It will contribute to the continued development of our individual athletics programs and, by extension, our collective efforts to advance the conference.”