After a long offseason, the wait is finally over. The Northeast Conference released its linear TV and ESPN+ selections yesterday. The league will stream a quartet of games on ESPN+. Two games will be ESPN+ exclusives, while the other two will simulcast on regional sports networks (RSN) and streaming services.
Get ready to ⭕️ some dates on your 📆... The 2024 #NECFB 📺 schedule has dropped! For the 13th straight year, the NEC is partnering with ESPN, with all 4️⃣ games airing on ESPN+. Select games will also air on @YESNetwork, @NESN & @SNPittsburgh ‼️ 🔗 » northeastconference.org/news/2024/7/30…
The lack of weeknight #NECatNite games on CBS Sports Network was noticeably absent. However, another aspect of the league’s selections deserves a second look.
SportsNet Pittsburgh, New England Sports
Network’s new streaming service, NESN 360, and YES Network will air regular-season NEC games for the first time. On October 5th, the three RSNs will simulcast Wagner at Stonehill with ESPN+. Three weeks later, the trio of RSNs return to simulcast Central Connecticut State at Long Island.
Shockingly, neither regionally-televised NEC games will feature any of the league’s three Pittsburgh area schools. The league could have aired Stonehill playing one of Robert Morris, Duquesne, or Saint Francis in one of the games and one of the conference’s New York City market schools against one of the “Western Pennsylvania Three.”
While RSNs continue to endure a slow death, deals like this allow NEC football to become lead-in programming for pro sports telecasts. Partnering with the TV homes of three of the most popular franchises in the country, the Celtics, Bruins, and Yankees, gives a substantial boost in recognition to the NEC.
A partnership with the TV home of the Penguins and Pirates seems almost as beneficial since the NEC has four schools in Western Pennsylvania. Yet, the partnership seems wasted due to the absence of games featuring Duquesne, Robert Morris, and Saint Francis.
This omission continues a trend seen in last year’s two CBS Sports Network games. Last year, the league featured Wagner and Long Island in their two #NECatNite games, making it clear the league prioritized the New York City market. This year, the NEC completely ignored the Pittsburgh market with its RSN selections while focusing on the New York City and Boston markets.
To include Pittsburgh’s RSN and home of the Penguins and Pirates in regional broadcasts but leave their local schools out of the mix is a dumbfounding decision by the league. While this issue does not seem like a big deal, it could compound with the league’s recent instability to push football-only members Robert Morris and Duquesne to pursue other options. The NEC must be wiser in its regional TV selections in the future to keep all its members happy.
