The Southern Conference (SoCon), Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and Ingles Markets announced Friday a fix-year extension of their media rights agreement.
The new extension will keep SoCon football and basketball contests on regional, linear TV across the Southeast.
“Ingles is proud to support The Southern Conference with an extended five-year agreement,” Melissa Leavell, Ingles Advertising Director, said. “With a history built on character and a commitment to education, the Southern Conference is filled with traditions to be shared. That is why we have also partnered with Nexstar to bring all these traditions into your home every week with the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week. Thank you Nexstar and The Southern Conference for making Ingles part of the team.”
The first games of the agreement will feature football games on Nexstar this fall. Last season’s package includes a total of 30 games, including basketball.
“Regional television carries real weight across the cities and towns in the SoCon footprint. This agreement extends the capacity to tell the story of our 11 institutions, our student-athletes, and the towns that stand behind them,” said The Southern Conference Commissioner Michael Cross. “Nexstar has been a genuine partner in that work, and Ingles Markets continues to invest in this conference in a way few sponsors anywhere can match. Doubling down on the partners who are integrated in SoCon communities is a big part of what we mean when we say “It’s All Here.” We’re grateful to both and excited to keep building alongside them.”
All SoCon football and basketball games on Nextar will air via WSPA (CBS, Channel 7) or WYCW (The CW, Channel 62) in the Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville markets.
“Nexstar and Ingles are proud to extend our commitment to Southern Conference athletics for another five years, reinforcing a partnership that has successfully connected fans with their favorite teams since 2018,” WSPA/WYCW General Manager Kenny Lawrence said. “We are honored to continue working alongside the Southern Conference and Ingles to deliver first-class coverage of championship-caliber competition across multiple sports, bringing these events to the conference’s passionate and loyal fanbase throughout the year.”
According to the release, stations in other markets that can pick up games include WMYT (Charlotte), WWCW (Roanoke), WJHL (Tri-Cities), WCBD (Charleston), WGHP (Greensboro) and WBTW (Myrtle Beach). Non-Nexstar stations EFLI (Chattanooga, TN) and WMUB (Macon, GA) also have the ability to broadcast games.