The Missouri Valley Conference has announced Illinois State men’s basketball will be featured 10 times this season as part of the league’s live event package with ESPN, according to a news release issued by the Valley.
The deal includes three ISU games that will air on ESPN2: Jan. 12 at Loyola, Feb. 2 vs. Loyola and Feb. 16 vs. Bradley.
ESPN2 could also add ISU’s season finale against Southern Illinois on March 2.
“Our relationship with ESPN is pivotal to our continued success as an athletic league,” said MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin. “The ever-increasing exposure from the numerous live event and original content opportunities we have on the network’s linear and digital platforms has provided a boost to the teams and student-athletes in every one of our athletic programs.”
Several other broadcasts will appear either on ESPNU or ESPN3; Jan. 27 vs. Indiana State, Feb. 10 vs. Missouri and Feb. 24 vs. Drake. The broadcast designation will be made three weeks before each game.
The Valley has selected three additional Redbird contests to air on ESPN3 or ESPN+: Nov. 28 vs. BYU, Dec. 1 vs. San Diego State and Feb. 20 at Indiana State. Each of those games will be produced and broadcast by the Valley on ESPN.
ISU opens the season Nov. 6 vs. Florida Gulf Coast.
MVC has 100 live events scheduled for broadcast on ESPN networks during the 2018-2019 school year.
ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service which the network launched in April.
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