Kentucky Athletics will receive expanded television coverage through an exclusive 10-year agreement between FSN and Host Communications, UK?s multimedia rightsholder.
FSN will regionally carry all UK football, men?s basketball, women?s basketball and baseball games produced by the Big Blue Sports Network (formerly UKTV) and WKYT-TV. Additionally, FSN will televise weekly coaches shows and ?Behind the Blue,? a new monthly program devoted to showcasing UK?s Olympic sports programs.
FSN provides extensive coverage throughout Kentucky via its FSN Ohio and FSN South regional sports networks; as well as nationally through Fox College Sports. FSN South will carry Wildcat men?s basketball games as the perfect complement to its Southeastern Conference basketball package.
As part of the agreement, FSN will have exclusive live broadcast rights to five UK men?s basketball games each year, beginning with the upcoming 2005-06 season. Those five games ? which this year includes an exhibition against Northern (S.D.) State (Nov. 2) and regular-season contests versus Liberty (Nov. 25), High Point (Nov. 29), Iona (Dec. 23) and Central Florida (Jan. 3) – will also be broadcast on a taped-delayed basis on Big Blue Sports Network affiliates across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
?The FSN agreement further enhances UK?s extensive television distribution,? Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. ?Combining FSN and the Big Blue Sports Network to the other television partnerships we have through the Southeastern Conference gives our fans great coverage of Kentucky Athletics.?
That exposure is evidenced by men?s basketball, which this year, for the first time in school history, will have every game televised live.
?FSN prides itself on delivering the best in local and regional sports to fans across the country,? Randy Freer, COO of Fox Sports Networks said. ?We are proud to be partnering with the University of Kentucky, Host Communications and WKYT-TV in providing exciting statewide coverage of Wildcat men?s basketball and other high profile UK programming.?
?This is an excellent opportunity for UK, its fans and advertisers,? Host CEO and President Tom Stultz said. ?Host is thrilled to have the opportunity to help a wider range of fans see more live games as well as experience the university?s Olympic sports.?
FSN
FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year.
In addition to home team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including Best Damn Sports Show Period and Beyond the Glory. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com.
Host Communications
In addition to their marketing agreement with Kentucky, Host Communications also has marketing agreements with the universities of Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Florida State, Arizona and Oklahoma State, as well as the Southeastern Conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and NCAA Football.
The company also manages four associations, more than 30 internet sites, and has a printing and publishing division that produces more than 700 publications annually including all of the NCAA championship gameday programs. The company is based in Lexington, Ky.
