ACC, SEC set to begin inter-league challenge next season

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences are set to begin an annual inter-conference men's and women's basketball battle next season.

The leagues and ESPN announced Monday the creation of the ACC/SEC Challenge for both sports for the 2023-24 season. That marks an end to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge established by ESPN with the leagues in 1999, while the women's version followed eight years later. The final edition takes place this week.

The SEC/Big 12 Challenge began for the men during the 2013-14 season, followed by the women a year later, and holds its final edition in January.

The shift comes amid changing media-rights landscape, with the Big Ten reaching seven-year agreements in August with Fox, CBS and NBC for the rights to league football and basketball games.

ESPN already has TV partnerships and league-specific channels for both the ACC and SEC. Every game in the men's and women's events will be carried on an ESPN platform.

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