Arizona’s move to the Big 12 will put the Wildcats on ESPN more often this season, but fans will still often have to stay up late to watch them.
Arizona and the Big 12 announced game times and TV assignments Wednesday, revealing that the Wildcats will play 29 regular-season games ESPN platforms this season, nine of which will be streamed via ESPN+.
Four of UA’s games will tip off at 9 p.m., the same number of 9 p.m. games as the Wildcats had last season as members of the Pac-12, while six games will be played at 8 or 8:30 p.m. However, UA will have nine day games and eight that start between 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Times for four other games, including UA's final two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis, are yet to be determined.
Most of the Wildcats’ ESPN platform appearances result from the Big 12's media rights package, while Arizona will also be shown on ESPN or ESPN2 during the Battle 4 Atlantis.
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The Wildcats will have 10 games overall shown on streaming services, including their Nov. 14 game at Wisconsin. That game will be shown on Peacock as part of the Big Ten’s coverage plan as Arizona’s game with Purdue was last season.
Standard ESPN will carry many of the Wildcats' biggest games, including both home and away matchups against Baylor and UA's regular-season finale at Kansas on March 8. Arizona is scheduled to be carried on ESPN at least seven times, with five other games that will be carried on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Meanwhile, CBS will carry Arizona's only over-the-air game on Feb. 1 at ASU. The separate CBS Sports Network will show another of the Wildcats’ games, on Dec. 7 against Southern Utah at McKale Center.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd thanks the McKale Center crowd for coming out to the UA men’s basketball program’s annual Red-Blue Showcase Friday in Tucson.
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
