By Alexa Brackin
News Editor
Baylor announced a new multiyear agreement with Fox Sports to televise Baylor athletic events. on Fox Sports Network’s platforms, beginning the 2013-2014 school year. The agreement will allow Fox Sports to televise one Baylor football game, all available men’s basketball games and a package of women’s basketball games annually.
The programming will take place primarily on Fox Sports Southwest, which reaches nearly nine million homes in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas but will also include possible airings on Fox Sports, Fox Sports Southwest Plus and Fox College Sports, as well as digital broadcasting on affiliated websites.
“The Baylor brand has never been stronger, and we are excited about the opportunity to build on the well-established partnership we have enjoyed for many years with FOX Sports,” Baylor Director of Athletics Ian McCaw said. “This agreement, coupled with the recently negotiated Big 12 television contracts, will afford unprecedented exposure for Baylor Athletics on FOX Sports Southwest and other FOX Sports platforms on both a national and regional basis, which will be a powerful asset in recruiting and a wonderful opportunity for our fans to enjoy more coverage than ever before.”
Baylor football telecasts will be produced solely by Fox Sports, while all others will be produced as a collaboration between Fox Sports and Baylor.
“We’re excited to continue our relationship with Baylor and expand our partnership with the university even deeper,” FOX Sports Southwest Senior Vice President and General Manager Jon Heidtke said. “This agreement is the perfect complement to our new FOX Sports Media Group deal with the Big 12 and fits in nicely with our mission statement to be the preeminent regional sports network in the Southwest. We look forward to showcasing more Baylor events and programming than ever before to Bears fans both regionally and nationally.”
The network will also air non-game programming selected by Baylor and Fox Sports. This will be the first time that Baylor women’s basketball will be broadcasted as a package.
The deal, which has also been closed with Texas Tech and TCU, is part of the push to be, as Fox Sports.’ general manager John Heidtke says, “bullish on the Big 12.”
