SEC Network announced by league, ESPN

photo This image made July 12, 2012 shows Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive posed at the SEC headquarters in Birmingham, Ala.

For all those Southeastern Conference sports fans who can't get enough programming, you're 16 months away from paradise.

League commissioner Mike Slive announced this afternoon in Atlanta the formation of the SEC Network, which is scheduled to launch in August 2014. The announcement was originally set for April 16 but was postponed due to the bombing at the Boston Marathon a day earlier.

"Today we take yet another step to ensure the long-term strength of the league with the announcement of the SEC Network," Slive said. "For the first time, a conference will launch a network in collaboration with its primary overall media-rights partner. The SEC Network will provide an unparalleled fan experience of top quality SEC content presented across the television network and its accompanying digital platforms.

"We will increase the exposure for all 14 of our institutions, and we will showcase the incredible student-athletes in our league."

No financial details were provided by Slive, ESPN president John Skipper nor ESPN senior vice president of programming John Skipper.

The SEC Network will televise 1,000 live sporting events each year, with 450 on the network and the other 550 distributed digitally. As many as 45 football games will be shown on the network, including three every Saturday.

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