K-State Enhances Third-Tier TV Package with Fox Sports, Learfield Sports

K-State Athletics announced an enhanced third-tier television package that includes regional, national, and world-wide distribution as a result of a new multi-year agreement between Fox Sports and Learfield Sports, the multimedia rightsholder for K-State Athletics.

Fox Sports will televise nearly 60 broadcasts, including up to 28 live K-State sporting events this season with regional distribution on FOX Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Midwest, some national distribution on Fox College Sports (FCS) and world-wide distribution on K-StateHD.TV.  A complete schedule of live game telecasts and the various Fox platforms carrying the telecasts will be released in the coming weeks.

“This a big win for the K-State Nation and the Wildcats’ fan base throughout the Midwest and beyond,” said Learfield Sports’ Chief Content Officer Joe Ferreira. “Millions of viewers on a variety of platforms will now be able to catch K-State games and coaches’ shows, resulting in a much greater volume of programming for the Wildcats with a broader distribution than ever before.”

Fans in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and other parts of the nation will see K-State events, which may include approximately eight K-State men’s basketball games, up to 20 women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball games, and additional non-game programming mutually selected by Fox Sports and K-State on Fox Sports platforms including Fox Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Midwest each year during the multi-year agreement.  Selected programming may include the following shows throughout their respective seasons: the Bill Snyder Show, the Bruce Weber Show and the Deb Patterson Show, as well as a preseason football special.  FOX Sports Kansas City has been the television home of K-State sports since 2003.

The new agreement also allows K-State Athletics to stream events on K-StateHD.TV that are not selected for distribution by Fox Sports or any Fox-designated platform. Debuting in 2011, K-StateHD.TV is an exclusive high-definition network providing Kansas State Athletics and Kansas State University a world-wide connection for live athletics and academics events, classic games, press conferences, original programming, as well as on-campus performances and/or lectures.  A joint venture with the university, K-StateHD.TV is ranked first in viewership among all CBS College Network schools.

“We are pleased to announce this new multi-year agreement which will maximize the exposure and visibility of our programs and student-athletes throughout Kansas, the Midwest and the entire country,” K-State Athletics Director John Currie said. “This partnership with FOX, as well as our continued growth with K-StateHD.TV, will afford our fans significant opportunities to watch and support the Wildcats.”

“We’re excited to extend our relationship with K-State into a second decade,” said Fox Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest Senior Vice President/General Manager Jack Donovan. “We enjoy working with K-State and its student-athletes and are pleased to showcase more K-State coverage as part of our new multi-year agreement.”