Big Ten brings additional attention, Ducks on national television

EUGENE-The Oregon Ducks will enhance their volleyball program by joining the highly competitive Big Ten Conference. With a record number of games televised nationally, the Ducks will gain more exposure and recognition as they compete against some of the best teams in the country.

The Big Ten Conference is arguably one of the most competitive, if not the most competitive, volleyball conference in the country. With great success comes a bigger platform, more exposure, and more opportunities. The Ducks are already experiencing firsthand the crowds that the Big Ten brings.

“We broke our season ticket record last year. We’ve done it again this year,” Oregon coach Matt Ulmer said. “Things are really coming around, you know, our student-athletes are really being noticed and applauded and encouraged.”

On Monday, the Big Ten Conference announced that a record-breaking 83 Big Ten volleyball games will be broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network, FOX, NBC, FS1 and Peacock during the 2024 season. In addition, more than 200 games will be streamed exclusively on B1G+, BTN’s subscription service.

The Big Ten Network will broadcast a record-breaking 68 volleyball games this season, featuring all 18 conference teams on traditional television. Coverage begins with a highly anticipated matchup between Pittsburgh, a Final Four contender in 2023, and Oregon, a three-time Elite Eight participant, on Friday, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. PDT.

“I’m excited to see how Oregon plays volleyball, and I think it’s a little different than everyone else,” Ulmer said at Big Ten Volleyball Media Days. “Hopefully it’s a show that they appreciate and enjoy watching.”

The Ducks are coming off a historic season, finishing with a record of 29-6, the program’s highest winning record under Ulmer. The Ducks also made the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year after being ranked in the top 10 in the country all season. So far, nine of Oregon’s regular season games this upcoming season will be televised on either BTN or FS1, with another streaming on Peacock. Two more televised games on BTN have yet to be determined, including the Sept. 28 game when Oregon hosts Indiana.

While the Ducks appeared on national television nine times during the 2023 regular season, the six games on the Pac-12 Network were of far lesser value. The main Pac-12 network averaged only 12.4 million subscribers in 2023, compared to 43.8 million for the Big Ten Network.

Oregon Volleyball TV Schedule