New college rivalry pits CSTV, upstart ESPN network

ESPN’s plan to launch ESPNU, a 24-hour college initiative, means competition for CSTV, which became the first 24-hour college sports network when it launched in April 2003.

ESPNU is not unlike College Sports Television in concept, with its plans to feature college programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week through various media, including television, radio and Internet. Where it differs is in the nature of the programming.

ESPNU’s programming will weigh heavily on Division I-A football and Division I men’s and women’s basketball, the sports that have been at the core of the college programming on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPNU also will include programming of NCAA championships in the so-called growth sports, such as softball and lacrosse, which ESPN has the rights to broadcast.

“It’s an opportunity to extend the scope of our college activities,” said Len DeLuca, ESPN’s senior vice president, programming strategy. Plans for ESPNU have been in the works for about three years, DeLuca said.

ESPN is in a nationwide search for a general manager of the new network.

ESPNU, which is scheduled to debut in March, will feature about 300 live events during its first year, half of which will be original to the network. The other half will co-exist with other planned production.

Games produced by ESPN Regional Television for local conference markets, for example, could air nationally on ESPNU. Re-broadcasts of games originally on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 could also be shown.

Brian Bedol, president and CEO of CSTV, said he welcomes the new ESPN competition. “One would be pretty crazy not to expect that if we were successful we would attract competition,” he said.

CSTV last month demonstrated its intent to pursue more football and basketball programming.