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MAC adds to its TV Package.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference continues to upgrade its TV sports package and has now added CBS Sports Network to its list.
The MAC and CBS Sports Network have reached a multi-year deal to televise football and basketball games beginning this season and running through 2018-19. This is done through a sub-license agreement with ESPN.
CBS Sports Network will air up to 12 football and 12 basketball games per year. This upcoming season will have six football games and up to seven basketball games.
This season's football games will include two on Thursday, three Saturday and one the Friday after Thanksgiving.
MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher called this "another important step in the continued growth of Mid-American Conference television coverage.
"Having CBS Sports Network join us is part of our vision for the growth of live national coverage for our fan base. This agreement provides another platform to showcase the outstanding students attending Mid-American Conference member institutions. I look forward to joining forces with the CBS family."
Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports said; "With high-quality competition, as well as loyal and enthusiastic fans, the (MAC) is a great addition to our robust schedule of live programming."
CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers.
Less than a year ago the MAC signed a big deal with ESPN that extended its existing deal through the 2026-2027 season for an estimated $100 million. There have been no numbers on the deal with CBS Sports Net.
According to MAC media relations director Ken Mather, the deal was done through ESPN as part of its sub-licensing agreement with the MAC, so the MAC will not get a cut of that deal.
This season he also reports the majority of the football games on CBSSN, but not exclusively, will be conference games. Mather also said that in the near future there will be an updated TV football schedule that will include the first three weeks of the season, along with the traditional slate of televised midweek games in November.