ESPN, the major US sports broadcaster, has agreed a renewed media rights deal with the Western Athletic Conference.

As part of a new multi-year, multi-platform agreement, ESPN will show over 500 annual events on its ESPN+ streaming service and app.

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ESPN will also televise select regular season men’s basketball games and the championship games for the WAC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments on its linear networks.

All home American football and men’s and women’s basketball games will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, as well as selected other events. The WAC will also produce and air over 70 championship events on ESPN+ in the upcoming year.

The extension prolongs a partnership between the two parties that spans more than 31 years.

In May 1995, the WAC became the first conference in the country to have an exclusive contract with ESPN for football and basketball games.

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The conference’s extensive history with ESPN includes having nearly all WAC championship events on ESPN+ since the platform launched in the summer of 2018.

Jeff Hurd, WAC commissioner, said: “The WAC and ESPN have a long history together and it’s exciting to continue that relationship into the future. This multi-year agreement will continue to assist in the WAC’s growth nationally.”

Dan Margulis, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions, added: “As the WAC expands its fan base into new markets across the country, we’re pleased to continue ESPN’s association with the conference, which started more than three decades ago.

“With more than 500 annual events included in this new agreement, we look forward to showcasing the WAC’s talented student-athletes and member institutions.”

ESPN has an extensive rights portfolio of college sports, including lucrative, long-term deals with the Southeastern Conference, Big 12, AAC, and ACC and shares the rights to the Big Ten and Pac-12 with national network Fox.