NEW YORK – The soon-to-be-renamed Big East has completed its television deal with ESPN.
The contract announced Tuesday for football, basketball and other sports runs through the 2019-20 season and pays about $20 million a year.
The so-called Catholic 7 basketball schools are leaving the conference and taking the Big East name; they're completing an agreement with Fox.
The rest of the league will include South Florida, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Temple, Memphis, Central Florida, SMU and Houston in 2013. East Carolina and Tulane are to join in 2014 and Navy is scheduled for football in 2015, with a 12th member expected.
ESPN has been affiliated with the Big East in its various incarnations for more than three decades. The network will own rights to at least 66 football games and 170 men's basketball games annually, licensing some to other channels.
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