Section 5 - Radio

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National radio rights

Originating radio networks' telephones

Local radio rights

Internet Streaming

Radio rights fees

 

Non-rights holding stations/networks covering championship

 

National radio rights.  CBS Sports owns the national radio syndication and satellite radio distribution rights to all 88 NCAA championships.  CBS has subcontracted the rights to all 88 NCAA championships to Westwood One.  Westwood One information can be found via the Internet at www.westwoodone.com.

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Local radio rights.  Host Communications, Inc. administers the NCAA local radio rights.  No exclusive rights shall be granted, except in those instances when a competing institution shall request such rights for a station or network that contracted for exclusive coverage of the institution's regular-season games.  Such exclusive rights then shall be restricted to the markets where exclusivity existed during the regular-season games.  In the instance that two universities or colleges have radio stations in the same market, then exclusive rights shall not be granted in that market.

The university or college station of each competing institution, or the station designated by that institution as its official station, shall be guaranteed broadcast space.  Applications from other stations will be referred to the media coordinator and space will be made available as the facilities permit.  HOST and the NCAA reserve the right to deny radio stations the right to broadcast NCAA championship events.

Institutions may stream their own games on the Internet only under the following circumstances:


All stations broadcasting any round of an NCAA championship shall be required to fill out the NCAA Championship Radio / Internet streaming online form.  Click here to access the form.  

Questions may be directed to HOST (Mike Dodson - 
mike.dodson@hostcommunications.com, Phone 859/226-4390).  The online radio agreement must be fully completed including the I.P. address of the audio player if the broadcast is going out via the Internet and submitted by fax in advance of the round to be broadcast.  Please note, rights will not be granted until the online form is completely filled out.

Host Communications will authorize the form and submit it to the on-site media coordinator/host sports information director.  Facilities may not be reserved until the media coordinator/host sports information director has received an authorized radio agreement from Mike Dodson at HOST.  On-site personnel from the radio station also should retain a signed copy of the radio agreement for reference.

All originating stations will be invoiced for rights fees associated with these broadcasts.  A fee will be charged for each affiliate station of the network as well.  Stations will be charged for each game/round of the championship in which it broadcasts.  

A participating or host institution shall make no additional charge or receive any additional consideration for the rights accorded hereunder to the originating station(s) or network.

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The radio rights fees owed to the NCAA are as follows:

Division I championships (excluding men's and women's basketball)

Commercial radio stations (non-student or student)

$80 for the flagship
$30 for each affiliate station joining the network.

Non-commercial radio stations feeding a commercial station

$75
$30 per affiliate

Non-commercial radio station not feeding a network

$75

Student-run, non-commercial radio stations

$0

Internet streaming - Link comes off NCAA championship Web site only

$80

Commercial Internet-only fee

$80

 

Note: These fees are on a per game basis.

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Division II and III championships

Commercial radio stations (non-student or student)

$55 for the flagship
$20 for each affiliate station joining the network.

Non-commercial radio stations feeding a commercial station

$50
$20 per affiliate

Non-commercial radio station not feeding a network

$50

Student-run, non-commercial radio stations

$0

Internet streaming - Link comes off NCAA championship Web site only

$55

Commercial Internet-only fee

$55

 

Note: These fees are on a per game basis.

Division I men's basketball

Commercial radio stations (non-student or student)

$850 for the flagship
$185 for each affiliate station joining the network.

Non-commercial radio stations feeding a commercial station

$500
$185 per affiliate

Non-commercial radio station not feeding a network

$500

Student-run, non-commercial radio stations

$0

Internet streaming - Link comes off NCAA championship Web site only

$200

Commercial Internet-only fee

$250

 

Note: These fees are on a per game basis.

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Division I Women's basketball

Commercial radio stations (non-student or student)

$175 for the flagship
$60 for each affiliate station joining the network.

Non-commercial radio stations feeding a commercial station

$125
$60 per affiliate

Non-commercial radio station not feeding a network

$125

Student-run, non-commercial radio stations

$0

Internet streaming - Link comes off NCAA championship Web site only

$85

Commercial Internet-only fee

$85

 

Note: These fees are on a per game basis.

Division I baseball championship

Commercial radio stations (non-student or student)

$100 for the flagship
$50 for each affiliate station joining the network.

Non-commercial radio stations feeding a commercial station

$80
$50 per affiliate

Non-commercial radio station not feeding a network

$80

Student-run, non-commercial radio stations

$0

Internet streaming - Link comes off NCAA championship Web site only

$85

Commercial Internet-only fee

$85

 

Note: These fees are on a per game basis.

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Rights fee payments for the men's and women's basketball championship will be due to Westwood One prior to the start of each game broadcasted. Westwood One/Host Communications will invoice all rights fees at the conclusion of the other 86 championships. 

Any station that does not broadcast a game of a given championship, after contracting for such space, shall be required to pay a forfeiture fee of 50 percent of the original rights fee for that particular championship.

The commercial format used by radio stations shall conform to acceptable broadcast standards to ensure a quality broadcast.  In addition, all commercial radio stations must follow the The NCAA's Advertising and Promotional Standards.

Only the NCAA Radio Network banner may be displayed at a championship site.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact Jeramy Michiaels via e-mail at 
jmichiaels@ncaa.org.

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Non-rights holding stations/networks covering championship.  Non-rights holding radio stations/networks may report on the events of the championship at anytime from its studio for broadcasts within the framework of general and sports newscasts. It may broadcast live programming from the venue under the following conditions when Westwood One is originating a national radio broadcast of an NCAA Championship event.

  1. Live description of any game in progress is prohibited. Programming shall originate only from the media workroom, and use of NCAA courtesy telephones is prohibited. Radio stations or networks may order telephones from the NCAA telecommunications contact center.
  2. Live programming may not originate from inside the arena on game days from the beginning of the contest of the first game at the site each day until the end of the last game at the site each day.            
  3. Agencies that do not own play-by-play rights, but are affiliates of Westwood One or a participating institution's network may generate live programming (e.g., news reports, call-in show participation) for a maximum of ten minutes per hour at times other than the period described in 2.            
  4. Agencies that are not affiliates of Westwood One or the schools' networks may generate live programming for a maximum of one minute per hour at times other than the period described in 2.

Westwood One will provide up to one (1) minute of audio highlights after the event has concluded for use in a regularly scheduled sports news or news program.  Sports entertainment programs do not qualify under this provision, however, regularly scheduled coaches' shows do qualify.  These highlights can be used for no more than 72 hours after the event has concluded.  Organizations using these highlights must include an audio courtesy "Westwood One and the NCAA."

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Originating radio networks' telephones.  For the Division I men's and women's basketball championships, telecommunication service for the originating radio networks and the NCAA radio network is coordinated through the NCAA telecommunications vendor.  Telephone services available include standard business lines, ISDN circuits, Adtran adapters to adapt Switched 56 engineered equipment to ISDN lines, ring-down circuits, dry pairs, technical support and telephone sets.  Networks should contact the 
NCAA Premium Contact Center for all services at 1-888/838-8080. Please contact the host institution or venue for the remaining 86 championships.

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Internet Streaming.  All commercial Web sites streaming audio and/or video on the Internet shall be subject to a streaming rights fee regardless if the broadcast contains commercial inventory or not. No advertising may appear in the broadcast player. All audio and video streams must be submitted to NCAAsports.com and will be aggregated in the appropriate sections only on the official site.

To apply for NCAA Internet streaming rights, please submit a written document to the NCAA for approval. Click here for a detailed outline of the specific information required for proccessing.  If you have any questions about Internet streaming, please contact Jeramy Michiaels via e-mail at 
jmichiaels@ncaa.org

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