UConn Athletics Strikes New TV Deal

SNY to become the official TV home of UConn football and men's basketball.

</p>

UConn and the SNY television sports network today announced a multi-year agreement that will significantly expand television coverage of Husky football and men’s basketball, including 120 hours of game coverage as part of a schedule of more than 300 hours of UConn programming each year.

SNY is the television home of the New York Mets, Jets and Big East Conference and includes its critically acclaimed “SportsNite” show – which airs Monday through Sunday at 10 p.m., 1.a.m. and throughout the morning.  SNY will also create a UConn Huskies sports section on the network’s website – www.SNY.tv – which will feature original content, including video and a dedicated UConn Huskies blog.

“We’re excited to have this landmark partnership with the University of Connecticut, one of the preeminent schools in the Big East Conference and in the nation,” said Steve Raab, president of SNY.  “SNY will provide UConn fans with an unprecedented level of in-depth coverage and original programming dedicated to the Huskies.”

“This comprehensive partnership with SNY will provide the University with a historic level of coverage dedicated to our athletics program, our coaches and student athletes,” said Jeff Hathaway, UConn’s director of athletics. “We’re excited that the official TV home of the Big East Conference is now the home of UConn football and men’s basketball.”

As the exclusive TV home of UConn football, SNY plans to air approximately five live games in 2010 – which will be wrapped by in-depth post-game shows – produced by SNY.  In addition to the network’s live game coverage, SNY will carry a comprehensive Huskies football season preview show, the weekly press conference of head coach Randy Edsall, in-depth post-game shows after games broadcast on SNY, a 60-minute cut-down version of the weekly game, re-broadcasts of every game, a “Huskies Season-in-Review/Bowl Preview,” and UConn’s annual “Football Signing Day” press conference.

There also will be a “SNY Spotlight with Head Coach Randy Edsall,” an exclusive signature series created by SNY’s Original Entertainment Division that features in-depth interviews with New York’s most influential leaders in sports and entertainment.

During the college basketball season, SNY’s all-access pass will feature at least 13 UConn men’s basketball games and a minimum of one women’s basketball game each season.  In addition to the network’s live basketball games – and SNY’s expanded coverage throughout its sports news and entertainment programming – UConn fans will also see a comprehensive Huskies men’s basketball season preview show, in-depth pre-game shows prior to select UConn games broadcast on SNY, a “Huskies Season-in-Review Special,” re-broadcasts of every basketball game shown on SNY and a “SNY Spotlight” with men’s head coach Jim Calhoun and women’s head coach Geno Auriemma.

In addition, Comcast plans to expand SNY carriage for its customers throughout the Nutmeg State, launching it before the first UConn football game in areas of the state serviced by Comcast where SNY hasn’t before been available, including the Middletown, Clinton, Groton, Norwich, Old Lyme and Vernon areas.