CBS will televise the Valley's tournament final

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley reached an agreement with CBS on Tuesday to televise its conference championship game the next two seasons while abandoning for now its usual Monday night final slot.

It's a decision that's expected to raise the profile of the midmajor league.

"We're going into a lot more homes," Missouri State coach Barry Hinson said. "The Valley has earned this."

CBS also carries tournament championship games for the Big Ten, Conference USA, the Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference.

The Valley final had been on ESPN since 1986, and had concluded on Monday night since 1992.

To accommodate the telecast, the tournament format has been changed from Friday through Monday to Thursday through Sunday.

Conference commissioner Doug Elgin said the agreement was a "very special and momentous occasion."

"The fact we're on CBS will take us to new levels of visibility," Elgin said. "It changes the profile. It's a signal of the kind of respect our league has gotten.

"Having our tournament aired on CBS puts our championship among elite company."

CBS and the Valley have a two-year agreement, and CBS has an option for a third year.

The CBS telecast will be the first national broadcast for the conference, not including NCAA tournament games, since Wichita State lost to Brigham Young in 1989.

The tournament has been played in St. Louis since 1991 and last year's event drew 53,342 fans. It was an average of 10,668 per session, which ranked seventh nationally among conference tournaments.