Bell Aliant selected as official broadcaster and webcaster for Atlantic University Sport

• Bell Aliant Community One is the new official broadcaster and webcaster of Atlantic University Sport (AUS) in a content deal worth $1.7 million over five years (2015-2020)
• 2015-16 season to offer more games on more platforms to more fans - 90 broadcast and 700 webcast university sports games from regular season, championship and special events
• AUS fans can watch Community One coverage of games on any screen in the home or on the go – on smart phone, tablet, or laptop computer

HALIFAX, April 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Atlantic University Sport (AUS) has a new home on Bell Aliant FibreOP TV. Today, AUS announced a five-year broadcast and webcast partnership with Bell Aliant Community One, beginning in the 2015-16 AUS season, valued at approximately $1.7 million to the AUS and its 11 member schools. AUS fans across all four Atlantic Provinces will now have access to televised broadcasts of AUS events.

AUS fans can now tune into more live games than ever before including more than 90 regular season and championship events broadcast live on Bell Aliant's Community One in addition to more than 700 regular season games available on webcast. The broadcast lineup will include the entire AUS football season and all AUS championship games - available live in HD to Bell Aliant FibreOP TV subscribers.

Since first partnering for the 2012-13 season to webcast AUS championships, Bell Aliant Community One and AUS have worked together to offer viewers the flexibility to enjoy their favourite varsity sports online at communityone.bellaliant.ca and austv.ca . In the 2013-14 season, AUS became the first Canadian Interuniversity Sport conference to webcast all of its 700 plus events – including all regular season, exhibition and championship games – through a single streaming portal.

"Three years ago, AUS developed a strategic plan that would guide us through the coming years with an end goal to create Canada's ultimate student-athlete experience," said Phil Currie, Executive Director, Atlantic University Sport. "One of our core goals was to raise the profile of Atlantic University Sport through strategic partnerships, and that is exactly what this is. Bell Aliant Community One has worked with us over the past three years to create a webcast product in AUStv that is the envy of the country."

"We are so excited to be moving forward with this official partnership and to see more of our games than ever before accessible via TV broadcast," continued Currie. "Increasing the accessibility of our product across all screens and all platforms is an integral part of enhancing our student-athlete experience."

Last year alone, more than 250,000 viewers from across Canada and around the world enjoyed more than 700 AUS regular season, championship and exhibition games. During the 2015-16 season, fans can expect even more as Bell Aliant Community One continues to improve on the AUS experience with enhancements to the AUStv/Community One broadcast and webcast product.

"Community One is your ticket for great local content—this new partnership with Atlantic University Sport builds on the strong relationship between our two organizations," said Dan McKeen, Vice Chair and Senior Vice President Residential Services, Bell Aliant. "This fall, Bell Aliant customers and AUS fans will be able to enjoy our broadcast schedule of 90 games and to tune in to 700 games available by webcast. It'll feel like they're right there in the stands cheering for their favourite teams and athletes."

For the AUS 2015-16 season, Bell Aliant customers will be able to watch Community One content live on any screen in the home – mobile phones, tablets or HD TV – with new broadcast capability available to Bell Aliant customers. All the AUS regular season and championship matches will webcast live and connect fans to games in all Atlantic provinces, and connect fans from across the globe.

Bell Aliant Community One live webcasts more than 28,000 hours of community content such as local events and live music. It also offers 29 unique shows featuring colourful regional programming created to celebrate local current affairs, lifestyle, technology, pop culture and more. Community One is available On Demand on FibreOP TV HD, and online at communityone.bellaliant.ca .

About Bell Aliant Community One
Community One is the leader in showcasing East Coast musicians, has the deepest lineup of sports coverage in Atlantic Canada, and the largest schedule of "live" community events offered online to a worldwide audience.  You can access Community One content on FibreOP TV VOD and online at communityone.bellaliant.ca .

About Atlantic University Sport
Atlantic University Sport is responsible for governing interuniversity sport in Atlantic Canada. The conference is comprised of 11 member institutions and over 2,000 student-athletes who compete annually for 18 conference championships in 10 different sports, including basketball, cross country, football, hockey, rugby, soccer, swimming, track & field, volleyball & curling. It is the mission of Atlantic University Sport to enhance the educational experience of students in university through sport programs offered by member institutions working in partnership. Learn more at www.atlanticuniversitysport.com .

SOURCE Bell Aliant Inc.

Image with caption: "AUS fans across all four Atlantic provinces will now have access to televised broadcasts of great AUS moments like the Dalhousie Tigers claiming the 2015 AUS men’s basketball banner. (CNW Group/Bell Aliant Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150429_C7123_PHOTO_EN_15893.jpg

Image with caption: "AUS fans can now tune into more live games than ever before on Community One, like the SMU Huskies taking third-consecutive AUS women’s basketball championship banner (CNW Group/Bell Aliant Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150429_C7123_PHOTO_EN_15894.jpg

Image with caption: "Bell Aliant wins Atlantic University Sport broadcast and webcast rights for AUS Sports in five-year deal. (CNW Group/Bell Aliant Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150429_C7123_PHOTO_EN_15895.jpg