ESPN strikes deal to air ACC, College Football Playoff games in select theaters

ESPN is once again partnering with a theatrical company to air live college football games.

Per a release, ESPN is partnering with the Theater Sports Network to air ACC regular season and College Football Playoff games in theaters across the country. Notably, the ACC games will only be available

The Theater Sports Network’s website lists the games that will be available in theaters. The ACC games will be available in the markets of away teams, while neutral site games will be available in both markets involved.

This isn’t the first time ESPN has partnered with a theater company to air live games. In each of the last two years, ESPN and Cinemark teamed up to air College Football Playoff games in theaters across the country. AMC theaters across the country also previously aired out-of-market NFL games.

If this goes well, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the plan expanded next year to include the SEC. I don’t see much downside here for either party. If the swing doesn’t connect, both ESPN and the Theater Sports Network can go back to the drawing board in four or so months.

[ESPN]