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Gamecocks turn to SportSouth

New arrangement allows more fans with Time Warner to see USC sports

Written by SETH EMERSON

semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 08.06.08
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SportSouth will be the new regional television home for a number of USC sporting events, including more basketball and baseball games, according to an agreement announced Tuesday.

The agreement between the regional network, owned by Fox Sports, and ISP Sports, the multimedia rights holder for USC, takes effect this month.

The contract replaces a deal with Comcast Charter Sports Southeast, which is not available on Time Warner Cable. SportSouth is on Time Warner channel 21 and serves most of the Midlands.

“We’ve been trying to respond to the school and fans, trying to have broader coverage for our shows,” said Liz McMillan, general manager of Gamecock Sports Properties, ISP’s local management entity.

“With the level of play we have here and the level of coaches we have here, there’s more demand around the country, and we wanted to have a broader reach.”

SportSouth is available in six states: South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and parts of North Carolina.

Though financial terms of the deal were not announced, coverage plans include:

• Twelve USC football replays.

• Eight live nonconference men’s basketball games.

• Four live women’s basketball games.

• Eight live baseball games.

• Thirteen 30-minute episodes of football coach Steve Spurrier’s show, beginning Aug. 24.

• Fourteen 30-minute episodes of men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn’s show.

• Six 30-minute episodes of women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley’s show.

• Eight 30-minute episodes of baseball coach Ray Tanner’s show.

The deal with Comcast included two nonconference men’s basketball games, two baseball games and one women’s basketball game.

McMillan said Tennessee signed a similar deal with SportSouth last year. Florida recently signed a deal with the Sunshine Network, valued at between $8-$10 million per year.

The moves serve as a sign that an SEC network is far from happening, if at all.

“We are excited about this new relationship with SportSouth,” USC athletics director Eric Hyman said in a statement. “And we look forward to having the larger television footprint that this relationship provides. We have worked diligently to bring the Gamecocks into the homes of more people throughout the state of South Carolina and the entire Southeast.”

Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.

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