Host With The Most: Agency Able To Continue NCAA Partnership

CBS Sports, which has an 11-year deal for media, marketing and promotional rights with the NCAA, has formally announced that it has awarded marketing, licensing and select media rights to KY-based Host Communications. The rights to be handled by Host include the NCAA corporate partner program, merchandise licensing for marks of the NCAA and its championships, selected TV rights for NCAA championships not carried by CBS or ESPN, and program publishing for NCAA championships. Host's deal with CBS will run concurrently with CBS' NCAA deal, from '02-13. Host has partnered with the NCAA since '75 (CBS). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reports that with the Host deal, CBS will "recoup $600 million of the $6 billion it will spend" on the NCAA men's basketball tournament and other championships (N.Y. TIMES, 7/11). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Jennifer Lee cites sources as saying that the 11-year deal is for $550-575M (SBJ, 7/9). In Lexington, Amber Mobley notes ISL bid as high as $800M for the NCAA rights last year. Host Founder & CEO Jim Host: "We're paying more than we've paid in the past. It's a considerable amount and a major commitment on behalf of the company" (HERALD-LEADER, 7/11).