PROVO, Utah-Thursday, BYU football and ESPN Inc. announced a new seven-year media rights agreement for Cougars home football games that will continue their relationship through the 2026 season.

Furthermore, BYU and ESPN Events (a division of ESPN) have reached agreements for the Cougars to participate in ESPN owned and operated bowl games in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

Under this separate agreement, the Cougars are slated to appear in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La. in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

ESPN will continue to televise nationally at least four BYU home games each year on ABC, ESPN or ESPN-2.

Additional games may air on the three same networks or ESPNU.

Furthermore, at least one game annually will be carried live on BYUtv.

With ESPN serving as its media rights holder, BYU has had 74 percent of its games televised nationally since 2011, the year the Cougars became an independent.

ESPN also possesses first-tier broadcast rights for BYU men’s basketball through a recent eight-year agreement with the West Coast Conference.