DIRECTV will carry SEC Network at launch

And that wraps it up.

The SEC Network will be a cable television monster when it launches on Aug. 14.

ESPN and DIRECTV announced an agreement Monday which instantaneously sent a shockwave of excitement through SEC Nation and the broadcast satellite service provider’s customer base of 20 million.

According to AL.com, the SEC Network’s expected reach at launch is 85 million homes.

“The SEC boasts powerhouse athletic programs, especially in football, representing deeply loyal communities, many of which do not have any professional teams,” said Dan York, DIRECTV’s Chief Content Officer in an ESPN news release. “The depth of SEC competition and the quality ESPN brings to game production and complementary programming makes SEC Network a valuable addition to our sports programming lineup, and we’re excited to bring it into our customers’ homes and on their devices.”

During its inaugural season, the SEC Network will televise 45 SEC football games and more than 150 men’s and women’s basketball games.

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With announcement of the partnership with DIRECTV, the last major holdout among satellite and cable companies, the SEC Network will reportedly bring in an estimated $611 million in revenue, more than twice the total revenue expected from the Big Ten and Pac-12 Networks combined.

“With opening day now firmly in sight, we are happy to count DIRECTV, the country’s largest satellite provider, among our many distributors for the SEC Network,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. ”The SEC is home to the most passionate fans in college sports and I am pleased to have such a wide distribution by launch date for the benefit of SEC fans everywhere.”