ADVERTISEMENT ESPN and MEAC Reach Multi-Year Media Rights Agreement Through 2030-31 Posted on: July 27, 2026 • 3 minute read ADVERTISEMENT ESPN and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) have signed a multi-year media rights agreement covering basketball championships and select football and basketball regular-season games through the 2030-31 academic year. The agreement includes global rights. Under the deal, ESPN will carry nearly two dozen regular-season football games annually, including select games on linear ESPN networks; the MEAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Championships on linear ESPN networks; all other rounds of both basketball tournaments on ESPN digital networks; and select regular-season men’s basketball games on a linear ESPN network. “The MEAC has a proud history and continues to play an important role in the HBCU sports landscape,” said Mallory Kenny, Director of Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN. “This agreement reflects ESPN’s commitment to providing meaningful exposure for the conference and ensuring fans can follow its premier football and basketball competition across our networks. We look forward to continuing to showcase the MEAC’s student-athletes, programs and championship moments for years to come, building upon our decades-long relationship.” “This agreement is an exciting step forward for the MEAC and reinforces the strong relationship we have built with ESPN to showcase the excellence of our student-athletes, coaches and member institutions,” said MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills. “This continued partnership will provide our programs with a national platform while creating more opportunities for our fans to engage with MEAC competition and championship moments. We appreciate ESPN’s continued commitment and look forward to working together to highlight the achievements, traditions and stories that make our conference special.” Separately, ESPN Events and the MEAC have extended the conference’s participation in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Cricket Celebration Bowl through 2032. The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff, which began in 2005, opens this season on August 29 when Alabama A&M faces Howard at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The Cricket Celebration Bowl — the national championship game for HBCUs, contested between the MEAC and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champions — is scheduled for December 12 at noon ET on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. “The MEAC has been instrumental in shaping the legacy of both the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Celebration Bowl, helping establish these events as premier showcases for HBCU football,” said John T. Grant, Executive Director of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff and Celebration Bowl. “The conference’s tradition of excellence and competitive success has left an indelible mark on the history of these games, and we are excited to continue welcoming MEAC programs, alumni and fans to Atlanta through 2032. 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