AGGIES TO KICK OFF ON NATIONAL TV
It will be NMSU’s first home game on an ESPN network since 2009
New Mexico State’s Aug. 25 football opener against Wyoming to air on ESPN2.
The New Mexico State University football team will enjoy some increased visibility for its Aug. 25 season opener against visiting Wyoming. The game will air nationally on ESPN2, it was announced Tuesday.
It will be the Aggies’ first home appearance on an ESPN network since 2009 and their first on ESPN2 since 2009. Kickoff for the contest was moved from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate ESPN2’s broadcast schedule.
New Mexico State is coming off its first winning season since 2002 and snapped a 57-year bowl drought by winning the Arizona Bowl.
“Our football program being featured on ESPN2 at Aggie Memorial Stadium is a wonderful way to begin the 2018 season,” NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia said. “With over 450 new season tickets currently sold, there is plenty of excitement in the air surrounding Aggie football. The opportunity to highlight Las Cruces and New Mexico State University to the nation for threeplus hours is a huge positive for our community, our university and athletic program. I would encourage every single member of Aggie Nation to do what they can to make it to this game so we can show the country a packed and excited crowd from the moment the ball is kicked off.”
Aggies head coach Doug Martin agreed.
“This is an exciting time for NM State football,” Martin said. “Playing on ESPN2 at home gives our team, University and Las Cruces a chance to show the nation what a special place this really is. This can have a huge impact on our recruiting for future players and our university for future enrollment. When your fans set an attendance record like ours did at the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, this is the result. Let’s break the home attendance record August 25th!”
The ability to play on zero week was made possible with Wyoming taking on Hawaii in Honolulu this year in Mountain West Conference play. The NCAA has made an exception for teams playing against the Rainbow Warriors in the Aloha State to play 13 games during the regular-season, but to accommodate that teams have now been allowed to play during zero week.
Both NM State (7-6) and Wyoming (8-5) will be coming off bowl victories last season when the two meet on the gridiron for just the second in gistory. The Aggies are 0-1 against the Cowboys.
ESPN2 reaches over 87 million homes and presents over 16,000 live events with 65,000 total live hours of programming both TV and digital combined. The World Wide Leader in Sports reaches 61 countries and territories across all seven continents, businesses include TV (26 networks and syndication), radio, print, digital, consumer products, and event management.