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Syracuse announced a new multimedia rights agreement with IMG on Tuesday. It did not release financial details.

(Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.)

Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse University athletic department announced Tuesday that it has signed a new contract with IMG that covers both broadcasting and multimedia rights.

The announcement came via press release, confirming details about the broadcast agreement sent out by e-mail from an IMG College representative to local radio stations earlier in the day.

The press release said that IMG will sell corporate sponsorships and market other assets of the athletic department including certain digital entities, Carrier Dome signage and in-game promotions. It will also continue to manage radio broadcasts and coaches' shows.

The press release said the terms and length of the deal with IMG would not be released.

The release repeatedly stressed the idea of a partnership with IMG, as well as the role IMG's new parent company, William Morris Endeavor, played in the decision to stick with the school's long-time partner.

"IMG is a valuable partner to our university, we are excited to begin a new partnership with them and their new parent company WME," Syracuse director of athletics Daryl Gross said in the statement. "This new agreement will maximize our interests, allowing us to further support our student-athletes on the field and in the classroom, and compete at the highest level in the ACC and nationally for years to come. The combination of the IMG College platform with the new leadership, ideas and opportunities brought forth by their new parent company, William Morris Endeavor, will bring us a dynamic and exciting opportunity unrivaled in college sports today. We look forward to enhancing the overall academic and athletic experience for our student-athletes and leading the way in fan engagement at our athletic events."

Syracuse's multimedia rights deal would likely be valued somewhere close to Rutgers ($5.9 million) and Connecticut ($8 million). Both are schools in the Northeast, with one claiming a share of the New York media market and the other owning a marquee basketball program like the Orange.

Rutgers was making just more than half that number ($3.07 million) under its previous deal, which had been signed in 2002.

That came before the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten, a conference with a higher national profile than the Big East, and in an era before the money involved in multimedia rights exploded.

Kentucky currently owns the most lucrative multimedia rights deal in the country, bringing in $14 million annually.

IMG has handled Syracuse's multimedia and broadcasting rights since 1999. Syracuse terminated the agreement earlier this year with seven years remaining, believing the school could make far more in a financial landscape that has changed dramatically.

The agreement to remain with IMG should help SU officials keep their promise to fans that the school's game-day experience would not be impacted.

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