Oregon Volleyball: Big Ten Brings Added Exposure, Ducks on National TV

The Oregon Ducks volleyball program is beginning a new era in the Big Ten Conference. With a record-breaking 83 Big Ten volleyball matches set to be televised nationally, the Ducks are ready to showcase their talent on a larger stage.

Oregon's Mimi Colyer, center, celebrates the winning shot against Arkansas during the final set in their NCAA Round 2 match in Eugene Dec. 3, 2022. / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

EUGENE-The Oregon Ducks are set to elevate their volleyball program as they join the highly competitive Big Ten Conference. With a record-breaking number of matches to be televised nationally, the Ducks will gain more exposure and recognition as they face off against some of the nation's top programs. 

The Big Ten Conference is arguably one of, if not the most competitive volleyball conferences in the nation. With great success comes a larger platform, more attention, and more opportunities. The Ducks are already witnessing firsthand the crowds the Big Ten brings. 

"We broke our season ticket record last year. We've already broken that again this year," Oregon coach Matt Ulmer said. "Things are really growing, you know, our student-athletes are really being noticed, applauded, and encouraged." 

Oregon Volleyball coach Matt Ulmer, center, calls to his team during their NCAA Round 2 game against Arkansas in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch-The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Monday, the Big Ten Conference announced that a record-setting 83 Big Ten volleyball matches will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network, FOX, NBC, FS1, and Peacock for the 2024 season. In addition, more than 200 matches will be streamed exclusively on B1G+, BTN's subscription service. 

The Big Ten Network will air a record-breaking 68 volleyball matches this season, showcasing all 18 conference teams on traditional television. The coverage kicks off with a highly anticipated matchup between Pittsburgh, a Final Four contender in 2023, and Oregon, a three-time Elite Eight participant, on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. PDT. 

Oregon and Washington State match on Sunday, Oct, 1, 2023 in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

"I'm excited for everybody to see how Oregon plays volleyball, and I think it's a little bit different than everybody else," Ulmer said at Big Ten Volleyball Media Days. "Hopefully it's a show that they appreciate and they like watching." 

The Ducks are fresh off a historic season where they ended the season with a 29-6 record, a program high for wins under Ulmer. The Ducks also made their second-consecutive trip to the Elite Eight after spending the entire season ranked among the top 10 in the country. So far, nine of Oregon's regular-season matches will be televised on either BTN or FS1 in the upcoming season, with another streaming on Peacock. Two more televised games on BTN are to be determined, including Sep. 28 when Oregon hosts Indiana.

While the Ducks were on national TV nine times during the 2023 regular season, the six matches on the Pac-12 Network were of much lesser value. The main Pac-12 Network only had an average of 12.4 million subscribers in 2023, compared to 43.8 million for the Big Ten Network.

Oregon middle blocker Karson Bacon hits as the No. 2 Oregon Ducks host Hawaii in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon Volleyball Television Schedule

Date	Match	Site	TV	Time [PT]
Friday, Aug. 30	Pttsburgh at Oregon	Eugene, OR	BTN	7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sep. 27	Illinois at Oregon	Eugene, OR	FS1	7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 3	Oregon at Ohio State	Columbus, OH	BTN	5:00 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4	Oregon at Penn State	University Park, PA	BTN	4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9	USC at Oregon	Eugene, OR	BTN	6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 30	Oregon at Washington	Seattle, WA	BTN	6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2	UCLA at Oregon	Eugene, OR	BTN	8:00 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 7	Nebraska at Oregon	Eugene, OR	BTN	7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 27	Purdue at Oregon	Eugene, OR	BTN	7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 29	Oregon at UCLA	Los Angeles, CA	Peacock	1:30 p.m.