ESPN will soon integrate a pathway to stream certain regional sports networks on its website and app. Plus: FOX will broadcast the Ohio State and Michigan spring football games in April; ABC will carry the NBA Draft Lottery.
ESPN to offer RSN integration on its digital platforms
ESPN will start offering subscribers of certain regional sports networks a new pathway to stream games by selecting a link within the ESPN App or website, per a Monday report in Deadline. The network plans to begin by integrating the Boston-area NESN this week, followed by Washington D.C.’s Monumental Sports Network in May, with others to follow.
The RSNs that become available via ESPN’s digital platforms will be geotargeted such that only those presiding in a local market will be presented the option to watch their local teams. The streams will not be housed natively within the ESPN app, rather the app will serve “as a portal to the RSN telecast,” per the report. Financial terms for the deals between ESPN and the partnering RSNs have not been disclosed. (Deadline, 3.25)
FOX to broadcast two spring college football games
FOX college football analyst Joel Klatt announced on his podcast Monday that the network will air two spring college football games next month; Ohio State on April 13th and Michigan on April 20th. Both games will air on a Saturday at 12PM ET, the window now synonymous with FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff during football season. Klatt said he will be on site for both games next month, though he did not mention if anyone else from the traditional Big Noon Kickoff crew will join him.
The Ohio State game will seemingly mark the first time a college football spring game has aired on a broadcast channel. The two spring games will take place during Weeks 3 and 4 of the UFL season respectively, with FOX set to also broadcast games from that league at 7PM ET those Saturdays. (Klatt, 3.25) (Awful Announcing, 3.25)
ABC to carry the NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA Draft Lottery will make its return to broadcast Sunday, May 12th at 3PM ET on ABC, per ESPN’s advanced schedule. The Draft Lottery last aired on broadcast television in 2003 on ABC — the year LeBron James went first overall — and has not aired in the afternoon since 2002 on NBC. The broadcast will lead directly into a second round playoff game scheduled for 3:30 PM ET. For the past several years, the league has opted to schedule the Draft Lottery on a Tuesday night prior to a playoff game aired on ESPN.
