ESPN and Southwestern Athletic Conference announce multi-year media rights agreement through 2030-31

ESPN and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) have reached a new multi-year media rights agreement that will bring conference football and basketball competition to ESPN networks through the 2030-31 academic year. The global rights agreement includes championship and regular-season coverage across ESPN’s linear and digital networks.

Under the agreement, ESPN will annually present:

• 10 regular-season football games on ESPN networks and ESPN+
• The SWAC Football Championship on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
• The SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship on a linear ESPN network
• The SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship on a linear ESPN network
• All other rounds of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments on ESPN digital networks
• Four regular-season men’s basketball games 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,” said Mallory Kenny, director, programming & acquisitions, ESPN. “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.”

“Our continued partnership with ESPN reflects the strength, tradition and national appeal of the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland. “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.”

Separately, ESPN Events and the SWAC have extended the conference’s participation in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Cricket Celebration Bowl through 2032. The six-year renewal ensures the continuation of two marquee events that serve as annual celebrations of HBCU football in Atlanta.

“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 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Celebration Bowl. “We are excited to continue showcasing the energy, tradition and excellence that define SWAC football over the next six years. Each year, these events bring together teams, alumni and fans in Atlanta to celebrate the very best of HBCU football and create memorable moments that resonate far beyond the playing field.”

The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff – which first began in 2005 – takes center stage in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 29, as Alabama A&M faces Howard in primetime (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). ESPN Events’ 11th edition of the Cricket Celebration Bowl is set for Saturday, Dec. 12 at noon on ABC, as the champions of the SWAC and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) face off in the National Championship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.