Sugar Bowl - Broadcasting

Broadcasting

In recent years, television broadcast rights to the Sugar Bowl have been part of the BCS contract. From 1999-2006, the game aired on ABC as part of its BCS package, where it had also been televised from 1969 through 1998. The Sugar Bowl was the only Bowl Alliance game to stick with ABC following the 1995, 1996 and 1997 seasons; the Fiesta and Orange Bowls were televised by CBS. Prior to that, NBC aired the game for several years. From 2006 to 2010, Fox broadcast the game, while ESPN picked up the Sugar Bowl after picking up the rest of the BCS beginning in the 2009-2010 season.

In November 2012, ESPN announced that it had reached a deal to maintain broadcast rights to the Sugar Bowl through 2026. ESPN will pay $55 million yearly to broadcast the game beginning in the 2014-15 season under the new contract, which will take effect following the conclusion of ESPN's contract with the BCS. ESPN made a similar deal to maintain broadcast rights to the Orange Bowl following the discontinuation of the BCS as well.