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The BIG EAST Conference and ESPN Regional Television have finalized details of their 2010 Game of the Week package. In all, ESPN says the games will be aired in "nearly" 50 markets covering 24 states, including Los Angeles. But somehow the math does not add up.

In the list of markets listed by ESPN in their release, only 17 states are listed. Noticeably missing from this list is the Washington, DC Market (Georgetown), unless they have folded that into Baltimore market under MASN. This could be because some markets like New York City and Philadelphia bleed across state lines. In addition, there are only 45 markets listed. That may round up to 50, but is not "nearly 50." Unfortunately, no one is available at ESPN today to provide any clarification.

Here is the the press release issued by ESPN today, followed by the schedule and a listing of the network affiliates that will carry the games.

ESPN Regional Television and BIG EAST Conference Announce BIG EAST Network College Basketball Game of the Week Syndication Package

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – ESPN Regional Television, Inc., and the BIG EAST Conference have announced that their 2009-10 BIG EAST Network Game of the Week regionally syndicated basketball package will air in nearly 50 television markets covering 24 states. Once again, the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week has the most substantial coverage of any regionally syndicated college basketball network, with the designated market areas of the network’s affiliates covering nearly 50 million households (41% of the U.S.).

Sixteen of the nation’s top 35 television markets will have clearance, including New York; Chicago; Philadelphia; Washington DC; Boston; Tampa, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; St. Louis; Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; Baltimore; Hartford, Conn.; Kansas City, Kan.; Cincinnati; Milwaukee; and for the first time, Los Angeles.
The package will consist of 12 BIG EAST Conference matchups, beginning Saturday, Jan. 2, with a battle between perennial BIG EAST powers and long-time rivals: undefeated Syracuse, ranked No. 5 in the nation, and Pittsburgh, a No. 1 seed in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Each of the BIG EAST Conference’s 16 member institutions is represented on the 2010 Game of the Week schedule.

“We are again pleased to provide our viewers with a consistent window for BIG EAST Conference basketball,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president & general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “ESPN’s multimedia platforms continue to help deliver BIG EAST content to a significant base of college basketball fans. This season’s schedule of games is a fantastic representation of the BIG EAST Conference and its member institutions and will showcase the exceptional quality and competitiveness of the league.”

The games will be distributed nationally via the ESPN GamePlan pay-per-view package, which is available to fans via cable, DIRECTV and Dish Network.

“Providing our 16 member institutions and student-athletes with maximum television exposure is always one of our highest priorities,” said BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto. “With a reach that includes more than one-third of the nation’s households – and still growing -- no regional syndicated television package provides more exposure than ESPN Regional’s BIG EAST Network Game of the Week. Fans in markets that stretch across the country can continue to count on seeing the best of BIG EAST basketball at the same time each week during the season.”

Along with Pittsburgh at No. 5 Syracuse on Jan. 2, the BIG EAST Network will feature preseason No. 23 Louisville at Pittsburgh on Jan. 16, No. 13 Georgetown at No. 8 Villanova on Jan. 17 and a Feb. 13 showdown between Cincinnati and No. 10 Connecticut. The schedule concludes with a special 2 p.m. ET start on Feb. 27 with Cincinnati at No. 6 West Virginia. All other games will tip off at noon ET.

2010 BIG EAST Network ‘Game of the Week’ Schedule
Date	Time (ET)	Matchup
Saturday, January 2, 2010	Noon	Pittsburgh at Syracuse
Saturday, January 9, 2010	Noon	St. John’s at Louisville
Saturday, January 16, 2010	Noon	Louisville at Pittsburgh
Sun, January 17, 2010	Noon	Georgetown at Villanova
Saturday, January 23, 2010	Noon	Rutgers at Georgetown
Saturday, January 30, 2010	Noon	Marquette at Connecticut
Saturday, February 6, 2010	Noon	Marquette at Providence
Sun, February 7, 2010	Noon	USF at Notre Dame
Saturday, February 13, 2010	Noon	Cincinnati at Connecticut
Sun, February 14, 2010	Noon	DePaul at Seton Hall
Saturday, February 20, 2010	Noon	St. John’s at USF
Sun, February 27, 2010	2 p.m.	Cincinnati at West Virginia

BIG EAST Network Basketball Affiliates

	City (DMA Rank)	Station(s)	Affiliation(s)
California
	Los Angeles (2)	KJLA	LATV
Connecticut
	Hartford-New Haven (30)	WTNH, WCTX	ABC, MyNet
Florida
	Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne (19)	BrightHouse	RSN
	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota (14)	WFTS, BrightHouse	ABC, RSN
Illinois
	Chicago (3)	WCIU-DT 4	IND
	Rockford (134)	WTVO-DT 2	My Net
Indiana
	Evansville (102)	WAZE, WAZE-DT	CW
	Indianapolis (25)	WTTV	CW
	South Bend-Elkhart (91)	WBND,WCWW,WMYS	ABC,IND,IND
Kansas
	Wichita-Hutchinson (69)	KSCW, KWCH	CW, CBS
Kentucky
	Lexington (62)	WTVQ, WTVQ-DT	ABC, MyNet
	Louisville (49)	WHAS	ABC
Louisiana
	New Orleans (51)	Cox-New Orleans	RSN
Maryland
	Baltimore (27)	MASN	RSN
Massachusetts
	Boston-Manchester (7)	WCVB	ABC
Missouri
	Kansas City (32)	Metro Sports	RSN
	St. Louis (21)	Charter	RSN
New York
	New York (1)	SportsNet NY	RSN
	Albany-Schenectady-Troy (57)	Time Warner	RSN
	Binghamton (157)	Time Warner	RSN
	Buffalo (52)	Time Warner	RSN
	Elmira (176)	Time Warner	RSN
	Rochester (80)	Time Warner	RSN
	Syracuse (83)	Time Warner	RSN
	Utica (170)	Time Warner	RSN
	Watertown (177)	Time Warner	RSN
Ohio
	Cincinnati (33)	WKRC, EKRC	CBS
	Columbus (34)	WWHO	CW
	Dayton (65)	WBDT	CW
	Youngstown (110)	WYTV, WYTV-DT	ABC
Pennsylvania
	Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York (39)	WHP, WLYH	CBS, CW
	Johnstown-Altoona (101)	WHVL	MyNet
	Philadelphia (4)	WPHL	MyNet
	Pittsburgh (23)	WTAE	ABC
	Wilkes Barre-Scranton (54)	WSWB	CW
Rhode Island
	Providence-New Bedford (53)	Cox-New England	RSN
West Virginia
	Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill (156)	WOAY	ABC
	Charleston-Huntington (63)	WCHS, WVAH	ABC, FOX
	Clarksburg-Weston (168)	WVFX	FOX
	Parkersburg (194)	WTAP-DT 2	MyNet
	Wheeling-Steubenville (159)	WTOV	NBC
Wisconsin
	Green Bay-Appleton (70)	WACY	MyNet
	La Crosse-Eau Claire (127)	KQEG	FamilyNet
	Madison (85)	WMSN	FOX
	Milwaukee (35)	WMLW	IND