To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/a9CIbE 

April 27, 2010

ESPN Regional Television, along with the BIG EAST Conference and Conference USA, announced the signing of an agreement with each conference for the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg in Florida, effective through the 2013 college football season.

The Sun Belt Conference also signed an agreement to provide a backup for the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg and will provide a team, should there be an opening.

“We are excited to extend the relationship with both charter members of the bowl.” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president & general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “Both leagues have expressed their enjoyment of the bowl game experience in St. Petersburg, and we look forward to more exciting football in the years to come.”

The BIG EAST and C-USA’s agreement with the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg means a team from each conference will again appear in the Florida bowl game, now in its third year. The BIG EAST has won each of the first two games.

The 2010 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg will be played in prime time Tuesday, Dec. 21, with an 8 p.m. kickoff at Tropicana Field, and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

“The growth of the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl in only two years has been extremely impressive,” BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto said.  “St. Petersburg is a very attractive destination for BIG EAST teams and BIG EAST fans. We’re happy that we’re able to continue our agreement with the bowl.”

“St. Petersburg and the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl have provided a first-class event in a fantastic location to reward our teams and their fans for a great season,” Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said. “We are thrilled to continue highlighting our teams on ESPN against a quality opponent.”

In last season’s Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg, the BIG EAST’s Rutgers defeated UCF of Conference USA, 45-24 in front of a crowd of 28,000. In the inaugural game in 2008, South Florida, representing the BIG EAST, defeated C-USA representative Memphis 41-14 at Tropicana Field.

About ESPN Regional Television/Event Ownership
The nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming, ESPN Regional Television (ERT) annually produces more than 1,000 telecasts of sporting events. Programming includes football, basketball, NCAA events, golf and NHRA events accounting for more than 2,200 live and/or original hours of programming. In addition to event ownership, ERT is the production headquarters for ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network; syndication rights-holder and producer of national, regional and local shows for college conferences (e.g. – SEC, BIG EAST, Big 12, Mid-American, WAC).

ESPN Regional Television markets and/or owns several sporting events, including collegiate football events: the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg; Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas); MAACO Bowl Las Vegas; New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Papajohns.com Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.); Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu); Texas Bowl (Houston); the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); and The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards; collegiate basketball events: the 76 Classic (Anaheim, Calif.); Cancun Governor’s Cup; Charleston Classic (S.C.); DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational; Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Old Spice Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tipoff (San Juan); SONIC All-College Basketball Classic (Oklahoma City) and BracketBusters; as well as the new ESPNU Warrior Classic (Lacrosse) and the ESPN National Golf Challenge presented by Callaway. For more information, visit ESPNPlus.com.

-30-

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl Media Contact: John Gerdes at 813-909-3152 or [email protected]

ESPN Media Contact: Jenny Zimmerman at 407-566-2213 or [email protected]