Quote:UMass is close to announcing a TV package for the 2017 football season and will have a different lineup in the radio booth.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said that the athletic department has nearly completed a deal with Eleven Sports to carry the team’s six home games (including the Nov. 11 game against Maine at Fenway Park).

Eleven Sports Network, which will pay for all production costs, is the American arm of a British company that had begun adding more American sports entities. It carries Big Sky and Ivy League football games as well. It’s available on DirecTV and FiOS. While Eleven isn’t available on any New England cable carriers, NESN or NESNplus will pick up the Eleven feed for all the games.

Streaming video online will be available through UMass’ website.

Quote:AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts Athletics, in conjunction with multimedia rights holder Learfield's UMass Sports Properties, announced on Friday a new television partnership with Eleven Sports Network to produce and distribute all six of the Minutemen's home football games for the 2017 season. To support the availability of all six contests regionally, each will be broadcast on the NESN family of networks as well.

In order to provide numerous platforms for fans to follow the team this season, all six games airing live via Eleven Sports and NESN family of networks will also be available to watch free of charge via live stream on UMassAthletics.com.

UMass football joins sports leagues such as the Big Sky Conference, the Ivy League, La Liga and the English Premier League as part of Eleven Sports' offerings. Eleven Sports is available on various cable, satellite, Telco, and OTT providers. Use the Eleven Sports Channel Finder to search availability in your area.

The Minutemen have six home games in 2017, including five on-campus at McGuirk Alumni Stadium and one at Fenway Park against Maine on Nov. 11 as part of the Fenway Gridiron Series.

Kickoff for the season-opener on Sat., Aug. 26 against Hawai'i will be at 6 p.m. The remaining four McGuirk Alumni Stadium contests – Sept. 9 vs. Old Dominion, Sept. 30 vs. Ohio, Oct. 21 vs. Georgia Southern and Oct. 28 vs. Appalachian State – will all begin at 3:30 p.m. The Fenway Park meeting with Maine on Nov. 11 starts at 4 p.m.