CSTV and the Mountain West Conference are scheduled to announce today the creation of the first-ever collegiate conference regional sports network.
The planned Mountain West TV stems from the recently announced $82 million broadcast deal between CSTV and the Mountain West. Details of the regional network were still being completed when the partnership was first announced.
CSTV President and CEO Brian Bedol called the regional network a “major part” of CSTV’s agreement with the Mountain West.
Mountain West TV will launch in 2006, when the larger Mountain West-CSTV agreement takes effect. The network will be made available to the 20 million cable and satellite subscribers in the conference’s geographical footprint, Bedol said. No distribution agreements had been struck as of press time.
Approximately 40 football games, 120 men’s and women’s basketball games and other sports will be featured on the network. The programming would be in addition to programming that would air on CSTV, Bedol said. A studio for the network would open in either Salt Lake City or Denver.
Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson was not immediately available for comment on the network.
— Jennifer Lee
