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Mountain West Conference Announces New Media Rights Deal

4 months agoUS
Mountain West Conference Announces New Media Rights DealSource: espn.com
The Mountain West Conference has announced a multi-year media rights agreement with CBS Sports, Fox Sports, The CW Network, and Kiswe, ensuring broad distribution across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. This marks a significant step for the conference as it navigates the evolving landscape of college sports media.

Key Insights

The agreements with CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and Kiswe extend for six years (2026-27 through 2031-32), while The CW Network is committed for five years through the 2030-31 season.

CBS will continue to broadcast top football and basketball games, with select games on CBS and Paramount+&ref=yanuki.com.

Fox Sports will retain rights to the Mountain West Football Championship Game and will broadcast 12 regular-season football games on FOX, FS1, and FS2&ref=yanuki.com.

The CW Network will broadcast 13 regular-season football games, 20 men’s basketball games, and 15 women’s basketball games annually.

Kiswe will be the exclusive streaming platform for all 21 conference-sponsored sports not shown on national linear television.

A new direct-to-consumer streaming service will launch in July 2026, offering over 1,000 live events annually via a premium subscription model, with revenue shared with member schools.

In-Depth Analysis

The Mountain West's new media deal arrives after significant conference realignment, notably the Pac-12 exodus. The conference has worked to stabilize its membership and secure its financial future. The agreement ensures that legacy conference members will not see a decrease from the previous media rights payout of around $3.5 million per year.

The deal provides extensive visibility across various platforms. CBS Sports Network will broadcast 15 regular-season football games, with at least one on CBS and Paramount+&ref=yanuki.com. Fox Sports will air 12 regular-season football games across its networks. The CW will add 13 regular-season football games, 20 men’s basketball games, and 15 women’s basketball games to its lineup. All other events will be streamed via the MW App, transitioning to a paid subscription service.

This multi-platform approach is designed to maximize exposure for Mountain West schools and generate revenue through both traditional broadcasting and direct-to-consumer streaming. The revenue from the MW App subscriptions will be shared with the schools, incentivizing them to drive subscriptions.

FAQs

Q: What sports will be covered under the new media rights deal?

The deal covers football, men’s and women’s basketball, and Olympic sports.

Q: When does the new media rights deal take effect?

The agreements begin in the 2026-27 season.

Q: How will the Mountain West App change?

It will transition from a free streaming service to a pay service with monthly and annual subscription options.

Q: How will revenue from the MW App be distributed?

Subscription revenue will be returned to member schools.

Key Takeaways

The Mountain West Conference's new media rights deal ensures stability and broad exposure for its member institutions. Key takeaways include the comprehensive coverage across CBS, Fox Sports, and The CW, as well as the launch of a direct-to-consumer streaming service. This agreement not only stabilizes the conference financially but also provides opportunities for increased revenue through subscriptions, directly benefiting student-athletes and member schools.

Discussion

What do you think about the Mountain West's new media strategy? Will the move to a subscription-based streaming service be successful? Share this article with others who need to stay ahead of this trend!

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