Linfield University is joining together with its eight fellow Northwest Conference institutions in support of a new partnership with streaming provider FloSports that will offer live and on-demand video coverage of most every athletic event Linfield participates in.
FloSports, the NWC, and its member schools, are entering into an exclusive five-year media rights agreement that begins this fall.
Schools are expected to receive annual investments from FloSports to build and expand broadcast capabilities and make other investments within the athletic department. Linfield personnel will continue to staff and operate all home broadcasts.
"Entering into this agreement with FloSports was a conference-wide decision," said Linfield Vice President and Director of Athletics
Scott Brosius. "While it does represent a change in how our streams are viewed, we do believe this partnership signifies a positive step forward. We anticipate increased quality of our streams conference-wide, as well as programming allowing viewers to watch college sports not just from within our conference, but from all across the country. This is the direction other Division III conferences are moving toward. Many of our out-of-conference competitions already require a FloSports subscription."
As Brosius noted, FloSports subscribers will have the capability to access more than 40,000 events nationwide spanning 25 different sports.
An annual subscription costs $107.88 ($8.99 per month). A monthly subscription runs $19.99. Linfield students, faculty and staff with linfield.edu email addresses will enjoy discounted rates of $71.88 per year ($5.99/month) or $9.99 if purchased monthly.
FloSports expects to deliver live and on-demand coverage of Linfield events across 15 different sports: Football, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's wrestling, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, baseball, softball, and women's lacrosse. Northwest Conference Championship events in all sports except golf and cross country are also expected be streamed as part of the annual agreement.
Beyond live competition, FloSports plans invest in original content and storytelling initiatives online and across social media aimed at elevating the profile of NWC student-athletes and institutions. The NWC joins several of its regular non-conference opponents in partnering with FloSports, the industry leader and primary media rights partner for Division III conferences.
"Partnering with FloSports marks an exciting step forward for the Northwest Conference as we expand our reach and elevate the visibility of our student-athletes. This collaboration allows us to share compelling stories that reflect our core values of academic centrality, unity, and competitive excellence – while ensuring the NWC is well-prepared for the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics," commented Shana Levine, Commissioner of the NWC.
Through the agreement, FloSports will provide a global platform to live stream over 800 regular-season and postseason events annually. The partnership further reinforces FloSports commitment to Division III athletics – adding a ninth conference to the portfolio and bringing the total to 18 conferences across all NCAA levels in the fall.
Michael Levy, FloSports SVP of Global Rights & Acquisition said "The NWC represents a diverse grouping of institutions in the Pacific Northwest that will benefit from exposure on a national platform like FloCollege. We're excited to elevate exposure for these schools and their athletes, while investing in their ability to produce high-quality events."
FloSports' investment in college sports goes to support rights fees, production, content, product technology, and marketing. The direct investment helps member institutions elevate the student-athlete experience, program visibility, and viewer experience across all sports.
FloSports is available via web, mobile apps (iOS and Android), and streaming platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. The FloSports app will be pre-installed on most top-selling Smart TVs in the U.S. this year, making it easier than ever for fans to watch. Subscription options include both monthly and annual plans, with special pricing available to users with a .edu email address. For more information, visit
www.FloCollege.com.
About FloSports
Founded in 2006, FloSports is a global sports media company delivering live and on-demand event coverage, award winning original content, always-on social experiences, and comprehensive sports data solutions to passionate and underserved sports fans. Its portfolio covers more than 25 different sports categories and includes the top destinations for avid fans seeking unmatched coverage for the sports they love: motorsports (FloRacing), hockey (FloHockey), wrestling (FloWrestling), Jiu-Jitsu (FloGrappling), Track & Field (FloTrack and MileSplit), cheer (FloCheer and Varsity), a variety of NCAA sports (FloCollege), and more. Strategic partnerships with NASCAR, USA Wrestling, High Limit Racing, Varsity Spirit, the American Hockey League (AHL), Wanda Diamond League, Tour de France, 18 NCAA Conferences, and others, fuel more than 40,000 live events streamed annually across the globe and accessed via monthly or annual subscriptions. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.
About Northwest Conference
The Northwest Conference was formed in 1926, making it one of the oldest athletics conferences in the western United States. Since then, the Northwest Conference has established itself as one of the most competitive NCAA Division III conferences in the U.S. Comprised of nine private colleges and universities in Washington and Oregon, the NWC is competitive on a national level in a wide array of sports and recognized for its emphasis on academic excellence. The NWC's current membership includes Lewis & Clark College, Linfield University, George Fox University, Pacific University and Willamette University from Oregon; and Pacific Lutheran University, the University of Puget Sound, Whitman College and Whitworth University from Washington.
