ESPN Signs New Deal With The CW For ACC Football & Basketball Games
Disney has announced that ESPN has signed a new sublicensing broadcast deal with The CW to televise ACC football and men’s and women’s college basketball games through the 2030-31 season. As part of this long-term relationship, The CW will air 14 regular-season football games, 30 men’s basketball games, and 10 women’s basketball games each season.
All games will be available to watch nationwide live on The CW’s linear broadcast network, and for the first time, stream live on the ESPN App with the ESPN Unlimited plan. These games will also be available via ESPN On Disney+ for ESPN Unlimited bundled subscribers.
Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network, said in a statement regarding the new deal:
“The ACC has been a transformative partner at the forefront of The CW’s expansion into live sports. The conference was an early believer in our vision to become a broadcast destination for sports. We are thrilled to continue our relationship for another four seasons and provide the widest reach possible for all their games. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the schools and student-athletes, whose stories have resonated deeply with our viewers and helped make ACC matchups some of the most-watched live events on the network.”
The CW first began broadcasting ACC games during the 2023-24 season, with the ACC serving as the network’s entry into live college sports. Four out of the top five highest-viewed college football games on The CW have been ACC matchups, including 2023’s North Alabama at Florida State game, which ranks as the most-watched college football game on The CW to date. Last season, CW broadcasts of ACC football generated 26% year-over-year growth in total viewers and saw significant double-digit increases in adults 18-49 (+32%) and adults 25-54 (+25%). The CW also saw its highest viewership yet for ACC men’s and women’s basketball during the 2025-26 season, with total viewers up 6% and 26%, respectively.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., added:
“We’re grateful for the continued partnership and support of Disney and ESPN, whose longstanding commitment to the ACC remains integral to the success and visibility of our programs. Building on that strong foundation, our extension with The CW reflects the strong momentum in our shared commitment to delivering ACC football and basketball to more fans in new and innovative ways. The CW has been an outstanding partner, and we’re excited to expand our collaboration and further showcase the depth and quality of ACC competition.”]
Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vice president, programming & acquisitions, also added:
“Extending The CW as a broadcaster of ACC sports via this sublicense agreement is a win for ACC fans across the country. The combination of these games being widely available via CW linear network stations while simultaneously streaming within the ESPN App via the ESPN Unlimited plan provide ACC schools terrific exposure and ACC fans maximum flexibility and accessibility however and wherever they choose to watch their favorite ACC teams.”
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