NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its 2016-17 women’s basketball conference schedule on Wednesday, which includes 50 national television appearances for the second consecutive season.
All 14 A-10 institutions will make appearances on national television through the league’s media partners: ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NBCSN and American Sports Network (ASN) for the second straight year.
“This is an impressive conference schedule that will surely showcase the best of the A-10,” stated Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “With a new conference championship format in place, the final weeks of regular season play should be incredibly competitive!”
ESPN networks will feature three games, two regular season contests and the 2017 A-10 championship final from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Va., on Sunday, March 5. ESPNU will air the A-10 championship finale, the 20th straight year an ESPN network has televised the title game. All A-10 games on ESPN networks will also be streamed via WatchESPN.
CBS Sports Network will televise 10 games, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 1 with a rematch of the 2016 championship game between Duquesne and George Washington. In all, CBS Sports Network will air eight regular season contests and the two semifinals at the Atlantic 10 Championship on Saturday, March 4.
NBCSN will produce three regular season conference games beginning with a matchup between St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis on Wednesday, Jan. 11. All A-10 games on NBCSN will also be streamed via the NBC Sports Live Extra mobile app.
ASN will air nine games, including five regular season contests; along with the quarterfinals of the conference championship. The ASN package begins on Sunday, Jan. 22 with a matchup between George Mason and Richmond. A-10 games on ASN are regularly available in up to 60 million households nationwide via their 24/7 dedicated sports channel, selected Sinclair Broadcasting-owned stations, and an affiliate network of regional sports networks.
“Working with our television partners has resulted in multiple exposure opportunities for our programs,” said Atlantic 10 Senior Associate Commissioner Debbie Richardson. “It also allows us to build a schedule that highlights the strength and quality competition within Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball, setting the stage for a celebrated championship in March.”
This marks the fourth year of the long-term television agreement between the A-10 and ESPN, CBS Sports Network and NBCSN. It is also the second year of an expanded partnership with ASN. Atlantic 10 institutions reside in states that comprise 33.3 million television households, approximately 30 percent of the total national media market. There are nine A-10 institutions in or adjacent to the top 25 media markets in the country.
The 2017 Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship will feature a new, enhanced format, with six first-round games being played on campus sites, Feb. 25 and 26, before heading to Richmond, March 3-5 for the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship final. For the third straight year, the A-10 quarterfinals will air live on ASN. Semifinal Saturday on CBS Sports Network tips off at 11:00 am, with the second semifinal at 1:30 pm. Sunday’s championship final on March 5 will air live on ESPNU at noon.
The Atlantic 10 had six women’s basketball teams qualify for postseason play in 2016 – three in the NCAA Tournament and three in the WNIT. George Washington won the 2016 Championship final at the Richmond Coliseum, earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Colonials were joined by Duquesne and St. Bonaventure in the NCAA field of 64. Dayton, Saint Louis and VCU participated in the WNIT, with the Billikens advancing to the third round.