Division II and the College Sports Television Network have announced a three-year television and broadband partnership that will showcase more than 80 live Division II regular-season football and basketball games, beginning with coverage in fall 2006.

The arrangement, which was announced July 27, provides for nine televised games (three football and six basketball) and 72 games via broadband (40 football and 32 basketball).

The three football games scheduled for broadcast on CSTV this season include Michigan Tech at Grand Valley State at 7 p.m. ET September 21; Abilene Christian at West Texas A&M at 8 p.m. ET October 19; and Slippery Rock at Indiana (Pennsylvania) at 7 p.m. ET November 2. The basketball schedule, which will begin in January, will cover an eight-week period and will be announced later. It will feature an equal number of men’s and women’s contests.

"This partnership offers a unique blending of national exposure and cutting-edge technology," said Charles Ambrose, chair of the NCAA Division II Presidents Council and president of Pfeiffer University. "CSTV will build a Web page to feature Division II messaging and weekly live games. Other elements, such as video highlights of each game and live stats from the featured game, could become part of the Web page, as well."

The regular-season partnership is in addition to Division II’s extensive postseason television menu (21 telecasts in 2005-06). The new agreement, which runs through 2009, will highlight student-athlete accomplishments and promote Division II. More than 74,800 student-athletes compete at 290 Division II colleges and universities nationwide.

The 40 Division II football games will appear four per week over a 10-week period beginning September 9. The 32 basketball games will be carried over eight weeks beginning January 7. No subscription fees will be charged to broadband users. The increased exposure has the potential to reach 50,000,000 homes through CSTV cable outlets and NCAA syndication agreements.

"CSTV’s goal is to connect all college sports fans to their favorite teams and sports at every level," said CSTV President and CEO Brian Bedol. "In this unprecedented partnership with the NCAA, we will maximize our industry-leading multi-media platforms to showcase the exceptional student-athletes competing in Division II. This partnership is another example of how the relationship among CSTV, CBS Sports and the NCAA will continue to define the fan experience by delivering the most comprehensive game coverage and groundbreaking digital content."

Although no financial details were announced, Ambrose said the Association and CSTV will equally share commercial revenue from the broadband package. Time will be provided for public service announcements from the two participating schools and conferences during the broadcasts. NCAA announcements and messaging also will be included.

The CSTV partnership is part of Division II’s strategic-positioning initiative, which is designed to distinguish Division II from other segments of intercollegiate athletics.

"Division II will now have a media partner committed and dedicated to telling the division’s story each year from September through March," Ambrose said. "This is great news for our membership and an exciting place for us to launch the new Division II strategic-positioning platform."