Good issues come to those that wait, and within the case of the SWAC, a extremely good factor has include the launch of the SWAC TV community.
For SWAC commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland, the timing of the SWAC Media Day announcement is ideal because the convention continues to ascertain itself as one of many nation’s most financially and athletically viable D1 leagues.
“The extent of publicity we expect it’s going to carry will likely be extremely important, and it’s going to be extra than simply soccer and basketball,” McClelland mentioned. “We’re going to broadcast all of our sports activities. Olympic sports activities, girls’s sports activities. It’s going to be an expanded alternative.”
The launch of the community, three years within the making, was fueled by market analysis that confirmed viability for a streaming service.
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 🎥
Welcome to SWAC TV — your all-access cross to the Southwestern Athletic Convention. Stay video games, On-demand replays, Championship moments. Multi function place.
🗓️ Out there for streaming August 1#ALLIN #SWACTV pic.twitter.com/Rqnic09NHI
— Southwestern Athletic Convention (@theswac) July 16, 2025
“What we checked out over the course of these three years is the conduct of our followers, the place they watched the video games, how lengthy they watched the video games, how many individuals, once they switched on and off. In the end, what we discovered was cases of extra folks watching the SWAC digital community than they have been watching ESPN Plus,” McClelland defined. “We now have these video games on HBCUGo, ESPN, and our video games. While you get all the way down to the tip of the season, nobody is aware of which video games are going to be important. Anybody can guess, however now, you don’t have to decide on. It’s only a matter of which platform.”
One other key would be the skill to archive video games for longer.
“We’re searching for our video games to be archived for a major period of time. Part of our strategic plan is to get it proper right here on all of those platforms, then transfer to some type of free TV like Pluto, the place now we have our personal channel and a few televised community on linear TV,” McClelland mentioned. “We wish to have the ability to return and present the 1984 sport with Mississippi Valley State vs. Alcorn State.”
McClelland was clear to level out that the SWAC TV Community will function a complementary piece of the offers the convention has labored out with HBCUGo and ESPN/Disney.
“HBCUGo, ESPN and the Southwestern Athletic Convention are all on the identical web page,” he mentioned. “There are quite a lot of contractual issues to work by, however all three networks are on the identical web page; we’re searching for an excellent, long-lasting relationship with all of our tv companions.”
