SEC Football Schedule 2024: Start time, Dates, TV info, and more for the entire season

The SEC football schedule for 2024 is packed with excitement and new broadcasting details. With the announcement of start times for the first three weeks, ESPN has rolled out approximate start times for the rest of the season.

These windows are: Early (12 to 1 p.m. ET), Afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET), Night (6 to 8 p.m. ET), and Flex, which allows games to switch between Afternoon and Night slots. The exact times will be confirmed within six days before the game.

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This year marks the beginning of the conference's exclusive partnership with ESPN and ABC platforms, kicking off with the new conference rights agreement.

SEC-ESPN deal marks new era in college football

The 2024 season marks a new era for football with the beginning of a 10-year media rights partnership between the SEC and ESPN. This ends the deal that the conference brokered in 1996 with CBS Sports.

One of the most significant changes is ESPN acquiring the rights to the afternoon window, previously held by CBS. This slot was often reserved for high-profile matchups, including the famed Iron Bowl game held between Alabama and Auburn. The 2024 Iron Bowl game is scheduled for November 30, in a flex window.

"We will be able to schedule games on any network in any of the windows, which will allow for flexibility in that regard vis-à-vis teams that would prefer to be at night and afternoon," said ESPN's Burke Magnus

ESPN retains the flexibility to position games for maximum exposure, ensuring fans get the best viewing experience. The conference's expansion to 16 teams, with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, is another talking point of the season.

Both programs will officially join on July 1, transitioning from the Big 12, which they joined in 1996.

The partnership, signed in December 2020, is valued at $3 billion. It has pocketed the conference an annual payment of $300 million, a significant jump from the $55 million previously received from CBS. This agreement grants ESPN and ABC rights to the premier football and basketball games.

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