A New Era for Bison Football
North Dakota State University will broadcast ten football games nationally this season, with five of those slated to appear on The CW as the Bison transition into the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Mountain West Conference. The schedule represents a dramatic upgrade from the 1990s, when championship contests were relegated to tape‑delayed airings on ESPN, and underscores the university’s ambition to reach a broader audience.
The CW, traditionally known for programming such as “America’s Next Top Model” and “WWE: SmackDown,” has been aggressively courting sports properties, securing rights to a suite of college football and basketball contests, as well as LIV Golf, the Atlantic Coast Conference, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, the Pac‑12, and PBA bowling. Because the network is carried in every U.S. household and streams on platforms including Hulu and YouTube TV, its games are instantly accessible to millions of viewers, even if the ratings still lag behind those of ESPN or FOX.
The CW’s Expanding Sports Portfolio
The most‑watched CW game of 2025, a matchup between Baylor and SMU, drew an average of 1.133 million viewers, a figure that the network says sits on par with ESPN2’s typical audience. This level of visibility reflects a broader trend of traditional broadcast and streaming platforms vying for live sports inventory, a space once dominated by cable giants.
For NDSU, the partnership promises greater visibility and recruiting exposure, a stark contrast to the limited exposure the program enjoyed just a decade ago. Local affiliates such as WDAY‑TV in Fargo and Forum Communications’ regional outlets will continue to produce supplemental coverage, while the university’s athletic department coordinates with national partners to maximize reach.
Implications for North Dakota State
The move into the Mountain West Conference not only elevates the Bison’s competitive schedule but also aligns them with a conference that already enjoys a strong national footprint. This alignment is expected to boost recruiting, increase merchandise sales, and foster new rivalries that will further cement the program’s status in the collegiate football landscape.
Analysts note that the expanded broadcast footprint could also attract additional sponsorship deals and enhance the university’s brand nationally, positioning NDSU as a key player in the evolving dynamics of college sports media.