Black College Sports Airing on New ESPN Network

By Rivea Ruff
Black College Wire

ESPNU, dedicated to college athletics, plans to air contests between historically black colleges and universities. ESPN announced in December that it had signed seven-year deals with the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

New network will air select MEAC, SWAC games.

ESPNU said it plans to air at least seven football games and eight men's basketball games from each conference each year, mainly on Thursday evenings. Men's and women's championship matches for both conferences are to be televised also, along with matches in baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field and other sports.

Traditionally, black college teams do not receive as much media coverage as their Division 1-A counterparts. It is rare that viewers can watch Howard University women's lacrosse or Florida A&M football.

ESPN is seen as the authority on sports broadcasting and information.

"It's a win-win situation," said Michael Humes, an ESPN spokesman. "It's an opportunity for more exposure for [SWAC and MEAC] and good for business for us as well."

Mike Hall, 22-year-old winner on ESPN's "Dream Job" reality series, has been named ESPNU's lead anchor. ESPN.com reports that he will be responsible for pre- and post-game coverage and interviews for more than 300 events to air on the new network this year.

The channel launches on the eve of men's and women's college basketball championship week.

Dennis Thomas, commissioner of MEAC, called the marriage perfect. "We have formed a partnership with ESPN over the last seven to eight years," he said, referring to coverage of the MEAC and SWAC basketball conference championships each year on ESPN 2. "This is a great move and speaks highly about our MEAC brand."

"The SWAC schools have responded very positively to this announcement," said SWAC commissioner Robert Vowels. "They realize that the history, as well as the athletes, of each school has a chance to get exposure."

The first event to be televised by ESPN or ESPN 2 is the Sept. 3 SWAC/MEAC Challenge, which matches a MEAC football team and a SWAC team.

Rivea Ruff is a student at Howard University who writes for The Hilltop. Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.

Posted Feb. 28, 2005