WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 22, 2008) – The Colonial Athletic Association released today the most extensive men’s and women’s basketball television package in conference history with 110 televised contests. The announcement was made during the conference’s Media Day festivities at the ESPN Zone in Washington, D.C.

“Our great television partners – Comcast SportsNet, CN8, CSS and ESPN – will bring a record number of exciting CAA games to millions of households on a weekly basis,” said CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager.  “Our continued growth would not be possible without their unqualified support.”

The 92-game men’s basketball composite broadcast slate features 33 appearances on the various ESPN platforms, including four regular-season games and the CAA Championship on ESPN/ESPN2, eight games on ESPNU and five syndicated games on ESPN Regional Television. That number could rise as all 12 CAA teams are once again participating in the ESPNU BracketBusters on February 20-21, 2009.

The largest-ever Comcast syndicated package features 28 games on the Comcast SportsNets (CSN Mid-Atlantic, CSN Philadelphia, CSN New England and CSS) and 20 games on CN8, the Comcast Network, providing tremendous exposure in many of the nation’s largest media markets. CN8 will once again televise the quarterfinals and semifinals of the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship.

“CAA teams are playing some of the most exciting college basketball on television today and this schedule is an integral part of our comprehensive Comcast SportsNet college programming lineup,” said Mike Sheehey, senior vice president of sports content for Comcast Sports Group, which manages Comcast SportsNet and CSS. 

The women’s basketball composite television schedule includes 12 regular-season conference matchups as well as the CAA Women’s Basketball Championship semifinals on CN8 and the championship game on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic and CSS. In total, 18 games will be televised throughout the CAA footprint.

“Along with our extensive regular-season coverage, we’re especially excited that again CN8 is the home of the CAA Tournament,” said Jon Gurevitch, vice president of CN8 Sports. “On all of our 40 or so college basketball telecasts this year, we’ll also be making games available on air, online and ON DEMAND. It really underscores our commitment to local sports.”


CAA TELEVISION PACKAGE HIGHLIGHTS:
            
•    A minimum of 33 appearances on the various ESPN platforms, including at least four regular-season games on ESPN/ESPN2, 25 appearances on ESPNU and ESPN Regional Television and the CAA Championship game on ESPN.

•    Nearly 50 games in a widely-syndicated Comcast SportsNet/CN8 package, featuring a cumulative total of 60-plus CAA appearances available in the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Richmond, Norfolk and Atlanta television markets, reaching a potential audience of over 20 million TVHH;

•    Seven games (Four Quarterfinals, two Semifinals and the Championship) of the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship available either regionally or nationally.

•    An expanded Women’s Basketball package with at least 12 regular season CAA games (18 total).

•    Regional syndication of both CAA Women’s Basketball semifinal games and the CAA Championship game.