The SWAC and ESPN have agreed to a new multi-year media rights extension that will keep the conference’s football and basketball championships and regular-season games on ESPN platforms through the 2030-31 academic year.
The agreement includes coverage across ESPN’s linear television networks and digital platforms, continuing a partnership that dates to the launch of ESPNU in 2005.
Under the new deal, ESPN will televise 10 regular-season football games annually across its networks and ESPN+, along with the SWAC Football Championship on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament championship games also will air on ESPN linear networks, while the remaining tournament games will stream on ESPN digital platforms.
The package also includes four regular-season men’s basketball games each year on ESPN networks or ESPN+.
“The SWAC consistently delivers exciting competition, passionate fan engagement and some of the most anticipated championship events in HBCU athletics,” ESPN Director of Programming and Acquisitions Mallory Kenny said. “The SWAC has been a valued teammate of ours since the launch of ESPNU in 2005, and we’re pleased to continue bringing the conference’s premier football and basketball events to fans across our networks and expanding the visibility of the student-athletes and programs that make the SWAC such a significant part of college sports.”
SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland said the agreement reinforces the conference’s national profile.
“Our continued partnership with ESPN reflects the strength, tradition and national appeal of the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” McClelland said. “This agreement ensures our student-athletes, coaches and member institutions will continue to receive premier national exposure while showcasing the excellence of SWAC football and basketball to audiences across the country. We are excited to build on this longstanding relationship and continue elevating the SWAC brand for years to come.”
In a separate announcement, ESPN Events and the SWAC extended the conference’s participation in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Cricket Celebration Bowl through 2032.
The six-year renewal keeps the annual HBCU football showcase events in Atlanta. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge, which debuted in 2005, will feature Alabama A&M against Howard on Aug. 29 in a primetime game on ABC. The 11th Cricket Celebration Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 12 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the champions of the SWAC and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will meet for the HBCU national championship.
“The SWAC’s rich football heritage and passionate fan support have helped make the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Celebration Bowl two of the most anticipated events in HBCU sports,” said John T. Grant, executive director of the two events. “We are excited to continue showcasing the energy, tradition and excellence that define SWAC football over the next six years.”
The media rights agreement and event extensions further strengthen ESPN’s long-standing relationship with the SWAC while ensuring continued national exposure for one of the nation’s premier historically Black athletic conferences through the next decade.
