Big Ten to Televise More Than 80 Volleyball Matches in 2024
The Big Ten continues to lead the way in its coverage of college volleyball. This week, the conference announced that a record 83 matches will air on television during the 2024 season.
Big Ten Network will broadcast at least 68 of those matches, a network-record. Other networks that will air volleyball matches for the league this year include FOX, FS1, NBC and Peacock. All 18 schools will make an appearance on TV this season, as well.
Along with the 83 television broadcasts, B1G-Plus will stream more than 200 volleyball matches throughout the season.
The first volleyball match to air on Big Ten Network this season will come on Friday, Aug. 30 when Pitt travels to Oregon. That match begins at 10:30 p.m. ET. The network then concludes its regular season coverage on Saturday, Nov. 30 with a double-header: Nebraska vs. Maryland (7 p.m. ET) and Michigan State vs. Wisconsin (9 p.m. ET).
The Big Ten also revealed that this will be the first season in which NBC airs a collegiate volleyball match.
"For the first time in collegiate volleyball history, NBC will carry three nationally televised matches, beginning with Nebraska at Ohio State on October 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET," the statement read. "Wisconsin will visit Purdue on October 26 for a match inside Mackey Arena, carried live on NBC at 3:30 p.m. ET. Rounding out NBC’s Big Ten Volleyball coverage is Penn State at Wisconsin on November 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET."
As popularity in volleyball grows, the Big Ten continues to put more resources behind the sport. It has seen tremendous growth in recent years, resulting in some of the most-viewed matches in college volleyball history.
"On October 29, 2023, 1.66 million fans tuned in to watch Big Ten volleyball on FOX, the most-viewed regular season women’s college volleyball telecast ever," the Big Ten statement reads. "The 2023 national championship match between Texas and Nebraska set a viewership record for the sport, averaging 1.7 million viewers, up 115% from the 2022 championship match, with female viewership up 151% from 2022."
The complete Big Ten volleyball television schedule can be viewed here.
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DUSTIN SCHUTTE