Good things come to those who wait, and in the case of the SWAC, a really good thing has come with the launch of the SWAC TV network.
For SWAC commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland, the timing of the SWAC Media Day announcement is perfect as the conference continues to establish itself as one of the country’s most financially and athletically viable D1 leagues.
“The level of exposure we think it’s going to bring will be highly significant, and it’s going to be more than just football and basketball,” McClelland said. “We’re going to broadcast all of our sports. Olympic sports, women’s sports. It’s going to be an expanded opportunity.”
The launch of the network, three years in the making, was fueled by market research that showed viability for a streaming service.
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 🎥
Welcome to SWAC TV — your all-access pass to the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Live games, On-demand replays, Championship moments. All in one place.
🗓️ Available for streaming August 1#ALLIN #SWACTV pic.twitter.com/Rqnic09NHI
— Southwestern Athletic Conference (@theswac) July 16, 2025
“What we looked at over the course of those three years is the behavior of our fans, where they watched the games, how long they watched the games, how many people, when they switched on and off. Ultimately, what we found was instances of more people watching the SWAC digital network than they were watching ESPN Plus,” McClelland explained. “We have those games on HBCUGo, ESPN, and our games. When you get down to the end of the season, no one knows which games are going to be significant. Anyone can guess, but now, you don’t have to choose. It’s just a matter of which platform.”
Another key will be the ability to archive games for longer.
“We’re looking for our games to be archived for a significant amount of time. A part of our strategic plan is to get it right here on all of these platforms, then move to some form of free TV like Pluto, where we have our own channel and some televised network on linear TV,” McClelland said. “We want to be able to go back and show the 1984 game with Mississippi Valley State vs. Alcorn State.”
McClelland was clear to point out that the SWAC TV Network will serve as a complementary piece of the deals the conference has worked out with HBCUGo and ESPN/Disney.
“HBCUGo, ESPN and the Southwestern Athletic Conference are all on the same page,” he said. “There are a lot of contractual things to work through, but all three networks are on the same page; we’re looking for a great, long-lasting relationship with all of our television partners.”
