Friday, December 4, 2015

2015 CFB TV Facts & Figures - MAC

The MAC entered 2014 with an expanded ESPN television arrangement, but many fans felt that the contract didn't quite live up to its billing as games on regional television disappeared in favor of ESPN3 streaming.  In 2015, the national and regional exposures increased through sublicensing from ESPN, which is intended to increase in 2016 as well.

Here's the MAC's scorecard.  Please note these counts exclude the conference championship game:

* Six regular season games aired on ESPN2, down two from the eight games that aired on ESPN or ESPN2 in 2014.  Another eight aired on ESPNU, up one from last season.

* Overall, the number of games on ESPN's linear TV channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS) was only down one from 2014 with the networks airing 15 games in 2015.

* Nineteen games were sublicensed by ESPN to regional and national television outlets.  American Sports Network picked up ten games and Buckeye Cable took another three games, both for regional television with ESPN3 distribution outside of the TV footprint.  CBS Sports Network took another six games for national television and will add another six games per season over the next three seasons.

* 44 games aired exclusively on ESPN3, down eleven from 2014.  Sublicensing to television outlets no doubt cut into this count.

* Of the 34 games shown on TV either regionally or nationally, Ohio and Western Michigan each appeared eight times.  Western Michigan made the most national TV appearances with six.

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