Fox Sports Gets 'Exclusive Rights' to DePaul's New Big East Conference

The New Big East pressed forward into its future this past week, as presidents of the member schools gathered in New York to announce a series of changes that will help shape the basketball-focused conference, including a partnership with FOX Sports.

The network and its national cable channel FOX Sports 1, will have exclusive media rights under the 12-year contract, according to a news release from DePaul University—a member of the new conference.

READ: DePaul Creates New Big East Conference

“We applaud all the Big East schools for taking responsibility for their own destiny and forming what is clearly one of the top college basketball leagues in the country,” FOX Sports president and Chief Operations Officer Randy Freer said, according to a news release. “The quality of the competition is obvious. Five teams who will play in the renewed Big East next season are playing in this year’s NCAA tournament, and seven qualified for postseason play overall."

To coincide with the broadcast announcement, the conference formally welcomed three new members—Butler, Creighton and Xavier.

The three schools now officially join DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Villanova as members of the new Big East conference, set to commence play in a wide range of sports starting with the 2013-2014 academic year.

“The Big East is alive and well,” said Father Scott Pilarz, of Marquette University. “The foundation we have created for this dynamic 10-team Big East conference will help preserve and build upon the Big East’s storied tradition of elite level competition in a wide range of collegiate sports.”

The Big East Tournament will continue to call Madison Square Garden its home, and the new conference will assume the existing long-term lease agreement that extends well into the future.

Editor's note: The above information was provided by DePaul University. For additional info, check out the school's athletic site.