ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State football team will be featured on ESPN3 during the 2012 season, thanks to an agreement reached between ESPN and the Missouri Valley Football Conference to carry five games as part of a Missouri Valley Football Conference Game of the Week package.
"The availability of these games on ESPN3 allows fans to watch live events across multiple screens, whether that's through Xbox LIVE on your TV screen, or while on the go on your smartphone, tablet or laptop," Missouri Valley Football Commissioner Patty Viverito stated. "ESPN3 has established itself as a standalone network with mainstream appeal in a fast-paced digital media world. We're pleased with our growing relationship."
As part of the agreement, ESPN3 will carry at least five college football games from the Missouri Valley Football Conference beginning this season, which includes the Oct. 13 game between Illinois State and Youngstown State (1 p.m. CT). In addition, as many as 15 additional games will be carried on ESPN3 and announced later, as part of a cooperative effort between institutional production companies. This game is added to the four live ISU football games set to be shown on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, as part of the athletic department's local television partnership with the regional sports network.
The four games, which will all be produced by Niles Media Group, the official television production team of Illinois State Athletics, will be the first of 20 Redbird TV events produced this season on the Illinois State Sports Network. WMBD Sports Director Kurt Pegler along with Illinois State All-America linebacker Boomer Grigsby, will provide the commentary for the football telecasts on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, whose regional television base reaches 4.7 million homes.
The Illinois State Sports Network will produce TV broadcasts for the Sept. 8 game at Eastern Michigan (noon CT), Sept. 22 at Western Illinois (3 p.m. CT), Oct. 27 at Northern Iowa (4 p.m. CT) and Nov. 3 at Indiana State (1:05 p.m. CT).
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold level members. It is currently available to 73 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.
The Redbirds will open fall training camp Saturday, Aug. 4, in preparation for the season-opener Saturday, Sept.1, against Dayton at Hancock Stadium.
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