SWAC to launch ‘a gamechanger’ with league-run streaming platform

The SWAC has taken a significant leap into digital sports broadcasting by announcing an exclusive streaming platform that will start televising all 18 conference-sponsored sports this fall.

In a statement on Tuesday, SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland hailed the launch as a “gamechanger,” underscoring the technological leap the conference is making.

“For the first time in history, our fans and supporters will have a high-quality, technologically advanced streaming platform solely dedicated to broadcasting live events and delivering high-definition on-demand league content,” McClelland said.

SWAC TV, under development for the last three years, is officially available for download on Apple and Roku, with Google Play and Android TV following—beginning Aug. 1. Accessible at no cost to users, the service will stream a robust range of content, including:

Live broadcasts of preseason, regular season, and postseason events across all 18 SWAC sports

• On-demand content in high definition
• Exclusive features, sports talk shows, and podcasts

The league hopes to use this platform not only as a home for live competition but as a storytelling tool. “With over a century of profound history and even brighter days ahead, we look forward to effectively utilizing SWAC TV as a catalyst to tell the impactful stories and legacies both past and present that have helped shape the SWAC into what it is today,” McClelland added.

2025 Football Season: SWAC TV’s Debut

The platform will debut live streaming during the highly anticipated opening week of the 2025 football season. A tripleheader on Saturday, Aug. 30, will mark the inaugural broadcast:

• Southern at Mississippi Valley State – 4 p.m. CST
• Langston vs. Grambling State – 7 p.m. CST
• Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M – 7 p.m. CST

In total, 45 league games are expected to be streamed during SWAC TV’s inaugural football season. The schedule will culminate with the storied Turkey Day Classic, featuring Tuskegee at Alabama State, with kickoff scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. CST.

“It puts every football game we play on some form of TV network,” he said. “We followed the model of the SEC and Sun Belt and kind of stole some of their ideas and technology … We think from a revenue standpoint, (SWAC TV) will set us apart from everyone else.”

A New Chapter for SWAC Fans

With its innovative approach, the SWAC is aiming to set a new standard for conference-focused sports media. Fans nationwide will soon be able to access a comprehensive offering of live games and original programming, ushering in what McClelland has called “one of the premier athletic associations in the nation” into a new, digital-first era.