 “We’re pleased with how this event continues to grow,” said Clint Overby, Senior Director of Events, ESPN Regional Television. “Both leagues, along with ESPN, have worked to create matchups in locations where we believe we can be successful.”
Teams invited to participate in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational are chosen by ESPN in consultation with the conferences and are based on geographic and competitive criteria.
“It is a privilege to host this great ESPN basketball event at U.S. Bank Arena,” said Arena GM Kristin Ropp. “Featuring two great programs from the Big East and the SEC should prove to make for a memorable day of basketball in Cincinnati.”
“On behalf of the Nashville Sports Council, we are excited to host the 2008 SEC/BIG EAST Invitational at the Sommet Center,” said Scott Ramsey, president and CEO of the Nashville venue. “We are confident that Music City will provide an exciting atmosphere for the players, coaches and fans of Tennessee, Marquette, Vanderbilt and South Florida.”
I n the 2007 SEC/BIG EAST Invitational, Villanova, then ranked No. 21, converted a four-point play and scored 13 points in the final three minutes, overcoming a 21-point deficit and beating LSU 68-67 in Philadelphia. South Carolina beat Providence by the same margin, 68-67, in the opener in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Ala., Georgetown topped Alabama 70-60, and West Virginia beat Auburn 88-59.
Tickets for the 2008 SEC/BIG EAST Invitational are expected to go on sale in late summer.
For more information, visit www.bigeastsecinvitational.com or ESPN-plus.com, home of ESPN Regional Television.
ESPN Regional Television/Event Ownership
The nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming, ESPN Regional Television (ERT) annually produces more than 900 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. – Big East, Big 12, Mid-American, Sun Belt, Western Athletic).
ESPN Regional Television markets and/or owns several other sporting events, including collegiate basketball events: the O’Reilly Auto Parts All-College Classic (Oklahoma City); the Old Spice Classic (Orlando, Fla.), the Anaheim Classic (Calif.), and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan); collegiate football games, including the Bell Helicopter Armed Forced Bowl; the Papajohns.com Bowl; the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl; the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, the New Mexico Bowl; and the MEAC/SWAC Football Challenge; as well as the National Golf Challenge presented by Callaway.
ESPN Contact: Jenny Zimmerman at (407) 566-2213; jennifer.j.zimmerman@espn.com
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