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For the second consecutive year, the college men’s volleyball national semifinal matches will not be nationally televised.
The NCAA released its schedule for the upcoming NCAA Tournament revealing that both semifinal matches will not air on ESPN and only will be streamed online live at ncaa.com.
Before last season, ESPN had televised all three matches for the four-team NCAA tournament — both the semifinals and national championship match — for almost a decade. However, the 2012 NCAA Tournament had the championship air on ESPNU, while semifinals were only streamed online.
The NCAA and ESPN are in the second year of a television deal going through the 2023-24 school year that gives the network broadcasting rights to 24 NCAA championships, including men’s volleyball.
This will be the second year that ncaa.com has live streamed the semifinal matches. The online production last year featured a one-person broadcast team in the booth calling both matches.
Despite the semifinals being streamed online, the national championship match will be broadcast live on ESPNU, according to the NCAA schedule.
The 2013 NCAA Tournament will take place at UCLA and begins with the two semifinal matches May 2. The winners will then advance to the championship match May 4.
I don’t get ESPNU. Thanks a #$%@! lot. Money grubbers.
So maybe some one could approach BYU-TV about broadcasting the semi-final matches.