SEC, ESPN Today To Formally Announce Partnership On New Channel

The SEC and ESPN today will formally announce their partnership on a new channel in Atlanta. The original announcement was planned for April 16, but the conference postponed it in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. Industry sources expect ESPN to own the channel and pay the SEC a share of profits. The Charlotte HQs of ESPN Regional Television is expected to serve as a studio hub, while an Atlanta office will be the sales hub. The net, launching August '14, also is expected to replicate the ESPN "GameDay" franchise on a conference level with a traveling SEC "GameDay" crew during football season.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and ESPN President John Skipper will make the announcement. Representing the university presidents will be Florida President Bernie Machen, Chair of the SEC television committee. ESPN Senior VP/Programming Justin Connolly and more than 30 coaches from across the SEC also will attend.