MUMBAI: College Sports Television (CSTV), the first and only 24-hour college sports network, has become the first new independent network to sign distribution deals with the five biggest cable operators and DirecTV.

CSTV, which now has distribution agreements with Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner, Charter, Cox, Adelphia and other cable operators, has agreements with distributors representing more than 65 million households nationwide.

"This is tremendous news which caps off a perfect 'season' for CSTV," said CSTV president and CEO Brian Bedol. "The support we've gotten from the marketplace is gratifying, and demonstrates that the distribution industry still values programming innovation. The response from consumers, affiliates and sponsors to the broad and powerful appeal of college athletics has been overwhelming. As a result, in less than two years, we have built a company that connects more college sports fans to college sports, across a wider range of distribution platforms, than any other company."

"CSTV has done a magnificent job of using the latest technology to transform itself into the leading college sports media company and, in the process, change the sports media landscape," said Pilson Communications president Neal Pilson, a sports television consulting company, and a former president of CBS Sports. "CSTV is that rare independent cable network success story, a network which has found its niche amidst a wave of media consolidation, which is why I am pleased to work with CSTV as a consultant."