On Wednesday, NC State announced a new multimedia rights contract agreement with Wolfpack Sports Properties, a "newly formed joint venture of Capitol Broadcasting Company and Learfield Sports."
The Wolfpack Sports Properties sales team, which formerly operated as Wolfpack Sports Marketing, will develop corporate partnerships, as well as manage the operations of the comprehensive rights program, including signage, event marketing, radio play-by-play and coaches’ shows, television coaches’ shows and official athletic web site sponsorships. The new rights agreement will pay NC State a minimum of nearly $49 million over the 10 years.
At an average of $4.9 million per year over the next decade, NC State still doesn't compare favorably to the big boys in college sports (a number of schools earn $8-10 million per year for their rights), but every little increase helps, and this is another encouraging sign of progress under Debbie Yow's leadership.
In the ACC, UNC's deal pays the school an average of $7.5 million annually--though they're getting around $6.5 million in 2010, or whenever the most recent contract year ended/ends--and FSU's deal is valued at $6.6 million annually. I couldn't find data on the rest of the league.
From the fan perspective, this deal doesn't alter much: 101.5 FM is still the (ahem) flagship station for NCSU athletics, and the coaches shows will continue to air on WRAL. Yow did mention today that the deal might make for fewer commercials during broadcasts