ESPN, SEC Network reach agreement with Comcast Xfinity, closing in on DirecTV

By Adam Silverstein
July 17, 2014

Florida Gators fans across the state of Florida and country can rest easier as ESPN and the SEC Network announced Friday that they have reached a deal for the channel to be distributed by Comcast at launch on Aug. 14.

An agreement is also reportedly in the works with DirecTV.

Already set to be available on AT&T U-Verse, DISH Network, Google Fiber, Cox Communications and a variety of local cable carriers, SEC Network will now be in approximately 22 million more homes across the country by reaching a distribution agreement with Comcast.

“We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with ESPN to deliver the SEC Network to Xfinity TV customers on multiple platforms,” said Matt Strauss, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Video Services, Comcast Cable in a press release. “Whether in the home or on the go, Xfinity TV customers will be able to watch their favorite Southeastern Conference teams in more ways than ever before.”

According to Kristi Dosh, SEC Network will be carried on Comcast’s Digital Starter tier in the 11 states that are part of the Southeastern Conference footprint (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas) and on the Digital Preferred tier across the rest of the country.

Comcast tells me SEC Network will be carried on Digital Starter plan in SEC states and Digital Preferred in the other markets.
An flyer marked “For Internal Use Only, 7/14” leaked on Thursday evening when “a source at Comcast” shared it with AwfulAnnouncing.com.


Additionally, multiple reports also have DirecTV near a deal with ESPN to carry the SEC Network.

The most recent, via FOXSports.com, notes that DirecTV “expects to be able to provide the network soon.”

Once DirecTV is on board, only Time Warner Cable and Verizon FIOS will remain as major national providers without SEC Network contracts. Florida residents are also hoping that Bright House Networks can arrange a deal with ESPN before the channel launches.

DirecTV boasts approximately 20 million subscribers. Time Warner, which Comcast hopes to acquire in a merger, has nearly 12 million subscribers.

2 Comments

  1. Bobbi Roberts says:

    I’m sorry, but the new SEC network is in no way a great deal for fans of the University of Florida and Sunshine Network. Throughout the week we were able to view almost every basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, and softball games. Now, I’m lucky to see the U of F play one sport each week. What has happened to all of the Gator games in other sports that used to be viewed on Sunshine Network? This is not good. This is supposed to be better?

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