ESPN and the Ohio Valley Conference have announced a new six-year media rights agreement, extending the long-standing collaboration. Additionally, the agreement allows the OVC to retain the rights to telecast up to 50 linear events per year locally in the Conference footprint. About the Ohio Valley ConferenceThe Ohio Valley Conference was founded in 1948, making it the eighth-oldest Division I athletic conference. The Ohio Valley Conference sponsors 19 championship sports. The league consists of 11 member institutions in six states, including Eastern Illinois University, Lindenwood University, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Morehead State University (charter member), Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, University of Southern Indiana, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, the University of Tennessee at Martin and Western Illinois University.