Fresno State Athletics
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Network to telecast up to 18 football and 40 basketball games.
June 8, 1999
Englewood, Colo. -
The Western Athletic Conference and FOX Sports Net have reached an agreement for the live telecast of up to 18 football and 40 basketball games over the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons, it was announced today by WAC Commissioner Karl Benson.
The agreement, which also carries a three-year extension option, was approved by the WACs Board of Directors at its annual meeting in Napa Valley, California.
"We are excited and enthused to be associated with Fox Sports Net," said Benson, "as this agreement is a major and important step for the television future of the Western Athletic Conference and its eight member institutions.
"It not only ensures that the WAC will have the national and regional exposure that is so necessary for its continued growth, it also provides for a strong relationship with one of the nations premier sports networks."
For football, the agreement stipulates the telecast of up to three national and five regional football games in the first year, and five national and five regional games in the second year.
For basketball, the agreement calls for three to five national and 15 regional games in each year of the agreement. Included is the national telecast of the mens basketball tournament championship game.
"We are committed to adding to our major college sports programming, and we are happy the WAC has joined the FOX Sports Net lineup," said Arthur Smith, Executive Vice President of Programming and Production for Fox Sports Net. "The competitiveness of the WAC and its intense regional rivalries have national implications on the rankings each year."
Fox Sports Net is the first truly national, regional and local supplier of sports programming and reaches more than 68 million homes through 22 regional networks. The schedule of football and basketball games to be televised for the 1999-2000 season will be announced at a later date.