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 package includes at least three appearances by the Valparaiso University men’s basketball team.
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.
Telecasts shown within the FOX Sports Midwest distribution area will also be streamed on FOX Sports GO.
Valpo’s first appearance in the package comes on Thursday, Dec. 28 on the road at Indiana State, a 6 p.m. CT tipoff from Terre Haute. The Crusaders’ other two games will both emanate from the ARC, as Valpo hosts Southern Illinois at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6 and Bradley at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20. All three of Valpo’s regular season games will air locally on NBC Sports Chicago, while some other games in the MVC package will air locally on NBC Sports Chicago Plus.
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.
Between the Valley’s ESPN, CBS Sports and Fox Sports Midwest/NBC Sports Chicago television packages, the Crusader men’s basketball team will appear on linear broadcasts at least seven times during regular season conference play, with the potential for two other conference regular season appearances. In addition, every game from the conference tournament will be broadcast on linear television, while Valpo has a pair of linear broadcasts in non-conference action as well.
