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BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Patriot League has reached a multi-year agreement that makes ESPN+ the exclusive digital home for live and archived Patriot League sporting events, starting with the 2020-21 academic year. ESPN+ will be home to more than 800 annual events, including college football games and men’s and women’s basketball contests.

“The Patriot League has been among the leaders within intercollegiate athletics for its live streaming production with its robust and high-quality live digital programming for more than a decade,” said Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel. “We are thrilled to work with ESPN+ to showcase Patriot League student-athletes on this leading sports streaming platform.”

The agreement also includes regular-season coverage of Patriot League men’s and women’s lacrosse in addition to regular and post-season coverage of Patriot League baseball, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and volleyball, in addition to championship coverage of other League sports.

Both Bucknell University men’s and women’s water polo, along with United States Naval Academy men’s water polo, are tentatively slated to be available on the platform.  Currently, the Ivy League also has an agreement with ESPN+ which provides coverage of home Brown University, Harvard University and Princeton University men’s and women’s water polo games.

Since launching its digital programming in the fall of 2006, the Patriot League has offered thousands of live events and on-demand videos. Annually, the Patriot League broadcasts more than a dozen of its championships. 

“The Patriot League has a proud academic and athletic history featuring so many great institutions and rivalries, which we will showcase on ESPN+ through this new multi-year agreement,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming Acquisitions and Scheduling. “As a Holy Cross alum, I am personally very excited about the opportunity to watch my alma mater play among the more than 800 annual events that this deal includes.” 

In addition to the Patriot League, ESPN+ has agreements with more than 20 leading college athletic conferences, offering fans thousands of live events from the Big 12, AAC, America East, ASUN, Atlantic 10, Big South, Conference USA, ECAC Hockey, Horizon, The Ivy League, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, NEC, Ohio Valley, Southern, Southland, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC and more.

Beyond college sports, ESPN+ programming features exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, MLB and NHL games, top professional domestic and international soccer, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, and more, as well as exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

For just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year), ESPN+ subscribers will get approximately 800 live Patriot League sporting events, along with thousands of live events and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as the full library of 30 for 30 documentaries and ESPN Films.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.

ABOUT ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 8.5 million subscribers in less than two years, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com, or ESPNplus.com. It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PATRIOT LEAGUE ON ESPN+ 

What is included within the Patriot League agreement with ESPN+?
ESPN+ and the Patriot League announced a multi-year agreement that includes more than 800 events annually across the League’s 24 sports. To learn more about ESPN+, CLICK HERE.

Which Patriot League sports will be available on ESPN+?
All home Patriot League football and men and women’s basketball games will be streamed on ESPN+ unless they are broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Each school will determine the live event programming for the other sports. In recent years, the following Patriot League sports have all been streamed through the League’s digital offerings; baseball, lacrosse (m/w), rowing, soccer (m/w), softball, swimming and diving, track and field and volleyball. In addition, ice hockey, sprint football, water polo and wrestling are among some of the non-Patriot League sports that could also be streamed. 

In addition, a number of road contests involving Patriot League institutions will also be available on ESPN+.

Where can I find the Patriot League game schedule on ESPN+?
Visit the ESPN+ schedule page for the complete event schedule information. A schedule for Patriot League-only home live events is available here.

 How do I subscribe to ESPN+?
 A subscription to ESPN+ is available for purchase via ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or the ESPN App. Fans can access ESPN+ content only after they have subscribed. To subscribe, CLICK HERE.

 What is the price of ESPN+?
 ESPN+ is offered at $5.99/month or $49.99/year. Fans can also subscribe to ESPN+ as part of the Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) for just $12.99/month.

 Where can I watch ESPN+ with my subscription?
 A subscriber can watch ESPN+ in the Watch tab of the latest version of the ESPN App. It is also available on ESPN.com, Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, tvOS), Android smartphones, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku devices, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Amazon Fire devices (TV, Stick, smart TV, Tablets).

Can I watch non-Patriot League events with my ESPN+ subscription?
Yes, your subscription will allow you to watch all ESPN+ content, including thousands of other college sports events, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, MLB and NHL games, top professional domestic and international soccer, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, and more, as well as exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. 

Will games be archived on ESPN+?
All games streamed live on ESPN+ will be available for 30 days following the conclusion of the contest.

Is Patriot League programming on ESPN+ available outside the U.S.?
Video streaming via ESPN+ is not available outside the US at this time. The Patriot League will establish a platform for international viewers to watch Patriot League contests. The link for international viewership will be announced shortly.  

How do I find out how much available bandwidth I have with my current Internet connection?
To test your bandwidth, you may use the following link – www.speedtest.net

Whom do I contact if there are questions about the ESPN+ or the ESPN App?
If fans have any questions about the ESPN+ or the ESPN App, please direct them to customer service. 

 

Collegiate Water Polo Association