Los Angeles, CA (March 12, 2013) – FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) today announced a new multi-year television agreement with ECAC Lacrosse. The NCAA Division I conference includes Air Force, Bellarmine, Denver, Fairfield, Hobart, Loyola University Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan.
This season, FOX Sports Networks (FSN) will televise the ECAC Lacrosse semifinals on Thursday, May 2 (5:00 PM ET and 8:00 PM ET) and finals on Saturday, May 4 (4:00 PM ET) live from Hobart College. The games will also be available on FUEL TV and FOX College Sports.
Beginning with the 2014 season, the ECAC Lacrosse tournament will air on FOX Sports 1, FSMG’s new national sports network set to launch in August. FSMG will also have the opportunity to televise a new ‘Game of the Week’ series.
This agreement demonstrates ECAC Lacrosse’s commitment to growing their national brand and building upon the 2012 NCAA Tournament success, which featured Loyola University Maryland winning the National Championship.
“The ECAC is thrilled to have the ability through the FOX Sports Media Group to showcase the talents of the student-athletes of our lacrosse league on national television," said ECAC Assistant Commissioner Ben Layton. "The FOX Sports partnership will create a positive atmosphere for our league championship and allow the country to see how competitive our league continues to be."
“FOX Sports is elated to welcome ECAC Lacrosse and its highly successful member schools into our portfolio of college programming,” said Gary Ehrlich, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports Networks. “We place tremendous value on college sports and this multi-year partnership features many opportunities to expose more people to ECAC Lacrosse and this exciting sport.”
Pattison Sports Group, ECAC Lacrosse’s sports marketing agency, was an advisor on the deal.
“We are thrilled to help ECAC Lacrosse build on their momentum with the signing of this FOX Sports Media Group partnership. The ECAC values FOX Sports’ vision and investment into the game of lacrosse at the collegiate level over the next few years,” said Jeff Long, President of Pattison Sports Group. “Additionally, FOX Sports’ investment and commitment provides the Conference with a great platform and value proposition for Division I programs interested in joining the ECAC.”
FOX Sports' agreement with ECAC Lacrosse bolsters what was already the most comprehensive portfolio of college product in the country, with more than 2,000 marquee events showcased through national and regional platforms, including FOX Sports, FSN, the Big Ten Network, FOX College Sports and FOXSports.com. In addition to ECAC Lacrosse, FOX Sports' impressive roster of collegiate partners includes the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC, ACC and Conference USA.