DirecTV Sports Network to Broadcast Big Sky Conference College Football

DirecTV Sports Networks will produce and televise up to 18 NCAA Big Sky Conference college football games each season under a five-year agreement announced on Tuesday. 

In addition, DirecTV Sports Networks and its Root Sports-branded regional sports networks will be the Big Sky’s official TV partner in basketball, with coverage of up to 12 regular-season conference basketball games as well as Big Sky quarterfinal- and semifinal-round conference men’s basketball tournament games. 

The three Root Sports networks reach more than 8.7 million viewers across 18 states, including Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Utah and Colorado in the Big Sky footprint.

Big Sky Conference Commissioner, Doug Fullerton, said: “I think it’s a proposition where everybody wins. This is in my mind part of the natural evolution of the Big Sky Conference.

“We’ve long had the best distribution of football at the FCS level, and this is just another step in that process. I think it’s recognition that the Big Sky Conference is becoming a major player in the western United States.”

Patrick Crumb, president of DirecTV Sports Networks, added: “That is certainly a game of high interest for Root Sports, to be totally upfront about it. And frankly we’ll put considerable resources around it as we lead up to it.”