Atlantic 10 media deal with three networks announced

The Atlantic-10 Conference has come to agreement with ESPN, CBS Sports Network and NBC Sports Group on an eight-year deal for the conference’s media and television rights beginning in the 2013-2014.

The deal would put all 14 conference members of the A-10 in the top 65 media markets in the United States and be viewable in approximately 33 million television households.  A total of 192 basketball games, 46 women and 146 men, will be broadcast each season through these networks.  
A-10 commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade says that the media deal is a way to help expose an already great basketball conference to the rest of the country.  
“The commitment we have to basketball in our conference has allowed us to have some national exposure,” said McGlade.  “Adding this agreement with these big time networks allows us to expand the exposure we have.”
With the new deal, there are 30 potential men’s basketball appearances on the ESPN networks, 54 on the CBS Sports Network and 50 on the NBC Sports Network.  For the A-10 championships, ESPN will have the rights to each championship game while CBS and NBC Sports Networks will televise the semifinals and quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament.

Duquesne men’s basketball coach Jim Ferry says that the new media deal will not only lead to more exposure, but help with recruiting.

“Anytime you increase television exposure for a league it’s a good thing,” Ferry said.  “The package the Atlantic-10 has put together is unique. I think the increased exposure will not only help raise the profile of the Conference, but will also help with recruiting. Commissioner McGlade and her staff should be commended for getting this deal done. It couldn’t come at a better time for the Atlantic-10.”
The agreement the A-10 has with the NBC Sports Group, which is the first between the conference and the new network, also includes a six-game package for the upcoming 2012-13 season. The games will include significant promotion of the partnership between the A-10 and NBC Sports Network.

The Duquesne men’s basketball team will have seven televised games while the women’s team will have only one televised game.  None of these games will be on the NBC Sports Network.

Junior forward Orsi Szecsi says she is excited to have a chance to play on national television.

“This is exciting because now people can see more women's college basketball games on television,” said Szecsi. “It will also bring more fans to our games at the Palumbo Center.”
The new media deal further separates the A-10 as the best non-big six basketball conference in Division 1. The A-10 has had 41 at-large teams in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in the past 20 years, including three in last three years tournament.  The latest addition to the A-10 conference, NCAA Final Four participants Butler and Virginia Commonwealth University will also give the league more creditably nationally.

The Duquesne men’s basketball season will begin on the road at the University of Albany Nov. 9 while the Lady Dukes will kick off the season at home against Liberty University in the Preseason WNIT Nov. 9.  The men’s first game at the A.J. Palumbo Center will be against James Madison University Nov. 19 in the Progessive Legends Classic.