The college sports lineup on ESPN will continue to feature the Big South Conference after the two sides agreed to a multi-year extension. As part of the extension, the conference’s games will be available across ESPN’s platforms and make ESPN+ the exclusive digital home for Big South productions. The six-year deal runs through the 2030–31 season and will see more than 800 Big South events carried annually across ESPN networks and ESPN’s direct-to-consumer offering.
What the Big South-ESPN Extension Includes
- The men’s Big South championship game will air on ESPN or ESPN2; the women’s championship will air on ESPNU. ESPNU will also televise six events per season, including a minimum of four men’s “Wildcard” basketball broadcasts.
- ESPN+ remains the exclusive digital home for Big South Network productions, streaming regular-season and championship broadcasts across several sports (football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, softball).
- The agreement permits the Big South to continue locally produced, linear telecasts (up to 50 per year) within the conference footprint while also having those telecasts coexist on ESPN+.
“ESPN is proud to extend our long-standing relationship with the Big South Conference,” said Mallory Kenny, ESPN Director of Programming & Acquisitions in a statement. “This agreement reflects ESPN’s continued commitment to showcasing the achievements of Big South institutions and sharing their stories with viewers across our networks. We look forward to building upon three decades of history together and further elevating the Big South in the years ahead.”
Big South Increases Exposure + Stability
This extension cements a decades-long relationship (dating back to national broadcasts in 1991) in a world where college teams are switching conferences due to media deals. Now, Big South programs have consistent national distribution on both linear networks and ESPN’s DTC platforms.
For mid-major conferences, steady placement on ESPN linear channels plus exclusive streaming windows on ESPN+ can boost recruiting visibility, alumni engagement, and sponsorship opportunities. The allowance for local telecasts to coexist with ESPN+ also preserves regional coverage while widening the national audience
“I would like to extend immense gratitude to ESPN, particularly Nick Dawson and Mallory Kenny, for their continued support of the Big South Conference,” said Big South Commissioner Sherika A. Montgomery. “Our extended agreement is a testament to ESPN’s strong commitment to our Conference, the compelling experiences of our student-athletes, and the competitive excellence that defines our sport programs — especially in basketball. This enhanced partnership significantly elevates our brand visibility, recognition, and reputation on a national level. More importantly, it provides our student-athletes with a broader platform to compete, excel, and share their stories with a wider audience.”
ESPN’s Broader Rights Push
The Big South extension comes as ESPN is expanding across multiple properties. Disney/ESPN recently boosted its NWSL footprint with a supplemental rights deal that adds 16 regular-season NWSL matches per year on ABC and ESPN, including a weekly “Match of the Week” and full Decision Day coverage for 2026–27. That move doubled the NWSL’s presence on Disney platforms and signals ESPN’s renewed commitment to live sports content.
At the same time, ESPN is reportedly closing in on exclusive digital rights to out-of-market Major League Baseball games under a framework that could fold MLB.TV into ESPN’s streaming lineup and award ESPN in-market rights for a handful of clubs. If finalized, that deal would be another example of ESPN shifting more legacy sports inventory into its DTC ecosystem.
Additionally, ESPN and the WWE are in the first year of a five-year partnership. ESPN Unlimited is the domestic home of WWE Premium Live Events (PLEs) in a deal that was accelerated, beginning with last month’s Wrestlepalooza. The Worldwide Leader in Sports acquired exclusive domestic rights for the wrestling PLEs for more than $1.6 billion.
With the recent moves, ESPN is doubling down on live events, which reliably draw audiences across both TV and DTC platforms. The Big South-ESPN extension is a win for the conference’s national profile and a strategic piece in ESPN’s larger effort to pack more live sports into its linear and streaming product.