ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference will clear a 22-game men's basketball television package on FOX Sports Midwest and NBC Sports Chicago (formerly known as Comcast SportsNet Chicago) in 2017-18, Commissioner Doug Elgin announced today.
The Valley, with Niles Media Group of Kansas City serving as its production company, has worked in conjunction with FOX Sports Midwest -- along with its sister regional cable outlets FOX Sports Indiana and FOX Sports Kansas City -- and NBC Sports Chicago to clear the telecasts.
ESPN3 -- ESPN's digital network -- will also distribute the productions outside the two networks' combined six-state regional footprint -- Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.Â
Telecasts shown within the FOX Sports Midwest distribution area will also be streamed on FOX Sports GO.
For Indiana State, the Sycamores will make at least four appearances on the MVC TV Network. The MVC opener on Thursday, December 28 against Valparaiso will tip-off at 7 pm (ET) live from Hulman Center on the network. The coverage continues on Wednesday, January 10 when Northern Iowa visits at 7 pm (ET). The return trip against the Panthers on Saturday, February 3 will also be shown live on the network from Cedar Falls beginning at 4 pm (ET). ISU is also slated to perform in front of the MVC TV cameras on Tuesday, February 6 when the Sycamores host Missouri State at 7 pm.
Earlier in 2017, the Missouri Valley Conference executed multi-year agreements with FOX Sports Midwest and NBC Sports Chicago to secure its regional sports network home for men's basketball through the 2019-20 academic term.
"In the ever-changing landscape of linear and digital production and distribution, it's comforting to have partners like FOX Sports Midwest and NBC Sports Chicago which cooperate to provide us with long-standing regional sports coverage," said Elgin, who is in his 30th year with The Valley and the longest-tenured commissioner in the league's 111-year history.
"While navigating professional sports programming and maximizing your exposure, it's vital to have people like Jack Donovan (senior vice president/general manager at FOX Sports Midwest) and Greg Bowman (vice president/programming at NBC Sports Chicago) at your side," said Elgin.
For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Missouri Valley Conference will conduct games prior to the Christmas holiday, and both of those games will be shown on FOX Sports Midwest and NBC Sports Chicago -- Loyola at Missouri State (Dec. 22) and Illinois State at Evansville (Dec. 23).
New league member Valparaiso visits Indiana State (Dec. 28) and Loyola plays host to Evansville (Dec. 30) to complete the 2017 portion of the schedule.
The 2018 package includes Southern Illinois at Valparaiso (Jan. 6), Northern Iowa at Indiana State (Jan. 10), Bradley at Loyola (Jan. 13), Bradley at Illinois State (Jan. 17), Missouri State at Drake (Jan. 20) and Loyola at Bradley (Jan. 31).
Coverage continues with Indiana State at UNI (Feb. 3), Missouri State at Indiana State (Feb. 6), UNI at Drake (Feb. 10), Missouri State at Southern Illinois (Feb. 14), Bradley at Valparaiso (Feb. 17) and Bradley at Missouri State (Feb. 21).
"This is a new era for the Conference with the addition of Valparaiso, and we have a tremendous platform with which to share Crusader stories and anecdotes with long-time MVC fans," said Jack R. Watkins, MVC Associate Commissioner and tournament director for Arch Madness.Â
The 2018 State Farm MVC Men's Basketball Championship -- the league's 28th consecutive tournament in St. Louis -- on March 1-4 will feature nine games with the first six contests being shown on FOX Sports and NBC Sports Chicago.
Both opening-round games on March 1 and the four quarterfinal games on March 2 will air on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana, FOX Sports Kansas City, NBC Sports Chicago and ESPN3 outside the six-state RSN footprint.Â
"FOX Sports Midwest has been distributing tourney games almost as long as we've been playing at Scottrade Center," said Watkins. "A presenting partner for the event since 1997, FOX Sports Midwest and its affiliates have been our regional television home for 21 seasons, and it's great to know that FOX Sports and NBC Sports will showcase the 30th chapter of Arch Madness in 2020."
The semifinal games on March 3 will be shown on CBS Sports Network for a third-consecutive year, and the title contest on March 4 will air at 1 p.m. Central on CBS Sports for a 13th-straight season.
