Fox Sports has "strengthened its business hold in the Big East Conference with a new multimedia rights agreement" with Villanova, according to Michael Smith of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The school "will begin working with Fox" at the start of the '16-17 academic year. IMG College, which had been with Villanova since '01, "has the rights until the end of basketball season." The 10-year agreement "includes many of the customary assets, including radio rights and corporate sponsorship." Villanova AD Mark Jackson said that he expects men's basketball coach Jay Wright to be "involved in promoting the school with sponsors and possibly endorsements, when appropriate." The components of the deal "are a mix, including a guarantee and a revenue-split that enables the Wildcats to share in whatever success Fox has with sales once they hit certain thresholds" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/8 issue). In Philadelphia, Joseph DiStefano noted Fox "is looking for a general manager and staff to be 'embedded in Villanova's athletic department,' which would focus on finding more ways to raise more money." Fox already "holds TV and multimedia rights for the Big East Conference and its basketball teams are already shown on Fox Sports media" (PHILLY.com, 2/8).
